News

Last year, the entire Tipton-Rosemark faculty spent our winter professional development day developing a “Portrait of a Graduate” for our school. As parents, it is only natural to want the best for our children. We often find ourselves pondering questions like, "What kind of person will my child become?" or "What skills and values will they carry into adulthood?" To help answer these questions and provide guidance for our children's educational journey, many schools and educational institutions have adopted the practice of creating a "Portrait of A Graduate." 

Collectively, our faculty members identified the hopes, aspirations, and dreams that our community has for its young people, as well as the skills and mindsets that our children need for success in this rapidly changing and complex world. We developed four core competencies structured around our 4 Pillars that articulate our community’s aspirations for all of our students at TRA. These core competencies serve as a North Star, driving our strategic plan, and building the foundation for a successful life for our students. We are very proud of it, and we hope that you will be as well. 

 

According to an article in US News and World Report published in August of 2022, there are many benefits of arts education. According to research, arts education helps students to develop social-emotional and interpersonal skills, handle constructive criticism, and improve focus. At Tipton Rosemark, we value the arts. God is our Master Creator, and so by nature, we are creative beings.  Our middle school students receive visual art and music as part of their curriculum. Additionally, our middle school students have the opportunity to participate in theater productions if they choose. 

This week our 6th grade students participated in street performances where students used ostinato, or repeated musical or rhythm patterns, in their skits. Their skits focused on topics such as ice cream, money, and even poor customer service in a restaurant. The students developed ostinato patterns and incorporated them into the skits. We are grateful for Amber Adler leading our students in this creative learning experience.

Our 7th grade students have started a unit on painting. Students are working to develop shading, dimension, and texture utilizing this medium. The theme for many of the students’ paintings include farm and fall scenes. Our students have really enjoyed learning about and participating in the process of painting. We celebrate the process and look forward to seeing their final products! Special thanks to Addison Hicks, our middle school art teacher!
 

We are proud of our middle school cross country team. Runners include Adam Walker, Angelo Khattar, Zachary Crain, Hayden Bishop, and Amber Gibson under the leadership of Coach Nicholas Stevenson. This week our students participated in a middle school cross country meet held at Shelby Farms. For our boys, Hayden and Zachary finished in the top 20 out of over 300 runners. Amber Gipson finished in 9th for the middle school girls’ race. Congratulations! 

 

Last Friday, senior students from Ms. Vego’s Government class had the privilege of hearing from guest speaker, Mr. Mike Dunavant. Mr. Dunavant has previously served as a district attorney for the state of Tennessee, as well as a United States Attorney appointed by President Donald Trump during his administration. Currently, Mr. Dunavant serves as the Chief Investigative Counsel in the Tennessee Comptroller’s Division of Investigations. He is also the father of TRA Alumni, Hutch Dunavant (Class of 2021). Mr. Dunavant spoke to the seniors about The Bill of Rights, and the judicial branch of our country’s government. It is important for our students and young people to develop a complete and strong understanding of what President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address was referring to when he said, “a government of the people, by the people and for the people.” A system of government made up of its citizens, elected by the citizens for the purpose of serving the citizenry, requires those people to do their part in ensuring the continued survival of that democracy. We are also grateful to public servants like Mr. Dunavant for sharing his time with our students.

Earlier this week our school recognized the anniversary of the September 11th attack on America. I am so proud of the way our school honors and remembers the events of that tragic day in history, and for how they pay respect to the memory of those whose lives were lost as a result of what took place. The children in our classrooms today were not even alive on September 11, 2001. They do not know the fear, the uncertainty, and the great sadness felt in the moments of that day. They also do not know the unity, the resolve, and the love that was born from the face of evil that day, on the following morning of September 12, 2001. Because they were not alive and they will never know firsthand, we have a duty and responsibility to ensure that they learn about it, that those everyday heroes are remembered when we tell of it each passing year. We must never forget, so that they will always know.

Homecoming week is October 2 - 6, 2023. Themed days are as follows:

Be sure to mark your calendars next week for the following dates and events:

• Monday, September 18th - Volleyball Senior Night

• Tuesday, September 19th - College Fair for Students

• Wednesday, September 20th - Fall Picture Day

School Calendar 

 

 

Our elementary 4th and 5th grade flag football team played their first game last Saturday. They did a great job and have really improved since last season! Our 3rd grade boys will begin play soon. We are excited to offer this to our elementary boys!  We are thankful for Joey Kay and Joshua Posey, who are coaching our teams, as well as Coach Brad Smith, our elementary AD, who coordinated this for us.

Kindergarten is reviewing letters and sounds while working on new word lists, as the students are ready for them. They recently read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and created a picture from an assigned letter. They loved presenting these creative works to their friends in class!

We had a FUN night of Little Rebels last Friday! Our 2nd and 3rd graders played and cheered and had an awesome time! Thank you for coming out and supporting us!  There are no Little Rebels this week due there being an away game.

To commemorate 9/11 I read a sweet book titled The Little Chapel That Stood to some of our classes. It was about St. Paul Chapel that is located right beside where the Twin Towers stood. Our second graders wrote about heroes and what being a hero means to them. May we never forget our brave men and women from that day.

After school camps are in full swing! Lego camp, art camp, and robotics all met this week, and they had a BLAST!!!

This Friday, PTO will have the first “Coffee and Conversation” event. It is at 8:00 in the PAC. We hope you can attend! Our first guest is our school officer Jody Fowler. Grandparents, parents and alumni are welcome!

Each year since I arrived at TRA, we have had books that we have chosen for our administrative team to read. This year's book is “Mind your Mindset” by Michael and Megan Hyatt. I highly recommend this book for those of you who enjoy reading. Even though we have just started it, the discussion has already been rich and has made each of us think about how we teach, parent, and also how we treat ourselves. In a world where the power of mindset can make or break one's success and happiness, "Mind Your Mindset" serves as a guiding light for parents seeking to instill positive thinking and resilience in their children. The book delves into the profound impact of the narratives we create for our children and emphasizes the need for nurturing a growth mindset to empower them to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Words have the remarkable ability to shape our reality, and this is particularly true when it comes to parenting. The way we speak to our children can significantly influence the narratives they form about themselves, their abilities, and their potential. "Mind Your Mindset" underscores the importance of choosing words carefully, encouraging parents to cultivate a language of growth, possibility, and resilience.

Central to the book's message is the distinction between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. A fixed mindset tends to view intelligence and abilities as static, leading children to believe that their potential is predetermined. On the other hand, a growth mindset fosters the belief that abilities can be developed through effort and learning. By adopting a growth mindset, parents can inspire their children to embrace challenges, persevere through setbacks, and see failures as opportunities for growth.

Every child develops a narrative about themselves, often based on the feedback and encouragement they receive from their parents and caregivers. "Mind Your Mindset" highlights the danger of inadvertently shaping a negative narrative for our children by using limiting language such as "you're not good at this" or "you're so smart, you don't need to try." Such comments can lead children to develop self-limiting beliefs that hinder their progress and resilience.

Instead, the book encourages parents to provide constructive feedback that focuses on effort, improvement, and the process of learning. By praising their child's hard work, determination, and resilience, parents can help foster a growth mindset that promotes a love for learning and an eagerness to embrace challenges.

Have a great weekend and thanks for sharing these awesome young people with us each day!

Dr. Graham