PARENT NEWS Supplies list:
good quality sketchbook; gel pens (black), black sharpies, color markers, pencils, eraser, small sharpener (not plastic); color pencils, flash drive. phone use: i do not allow phone use without permission. i've found that most kids are totally addicted to their phones. its like an appendage and they simply don't know what to do with their hands if they're not holding one. for this reason, it stays in their backpack unless i let them take it out. graphic design is not an easy class and it takes concentration and commitment to get good at it. there is no time for texting, gaming or playing around when we have so much wonderful content to learn! This is a year like none other. it is our victory year! after covid and too much isolation, we are back to gether.!I can't tell you how excited I am to see what your child can do! We just completed PPTs "All about me". I am so impressed with the quality of students in my classes. I have futur astrophysicists (spelling off I know - don't judge), physicians, scientists, researchers, designers, producers, illustrators, coding experts, nurses, printers and even a politician or two! See why I'm so excited? LOL right now we are practicing drawing and learning to think creatively. when a concentrated effort is made to break down each process into smaller steps, students discover success. Its so cool to see smiles and celebrations when each child succeeds! And yes, we are a family that cheers each other on! I love our graphics community so much. Skills USA - I'm encouraging all newbies to graphic design to get on board with our professional organization. the leadership team, led by Lizzy Arroyo, is planning our fundraisers, community service projects and getting ready for our first meeting next wednesday, august 18 at 7:45 AM. We provide snacks, quality ethics based training in employability skills and encourage a love and respect for community. January is our time for competition, so we start preparing now. I have designers come in and critique our work prior to competition. Students receive the coveted medals for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards, along with cash and recognition. It's such a great way for students to learn accountability, respect and actual skills they can use as adults. Wednesdays are "dress for success" days. for guys: no sweatshirts, t shirts, blue jeans or tennis shoes. for girls, no jeans, short skirts or t shirts. All shirts must have collars, Khakis or slacks are encouraged. Clean nails, hair and shoes are a must. i know this is a big expectation for a high school student - but then, my expectations are high!!! i want them to feel proud of how they are dressed, understand business casual dress that is common in the professional community, and how to present themselves to future employers as they apply for coveted positions. To me, nothing is more important than each child's success! Last but not least, let me say what an honor it is to be sharing with you in the care of your child this year. I believe this is my calling and there is nowhere else i'd rather be. to see your child face challenges, overcome them, acquire. new skills and enjoy the process of learning and growing - what could be better? right? student supply list: pencils, eraser, metal sharpener, good quality sketchbook with a coil binder, colored pencils, sharpies and color markers. HELP FOR OUR KIDDOS A kind mom suggested i publish a list of supplies we need. I thank you in advance for your help. right now I'm trying to get them to wipe down their work space with disinfectant wipes each day. They seem to think that's not necessary but you and I realize how important that is! Here's what we can use so far: sketchbooks - I have three who need them colored pencils - always can use extra disinfectant wipes - yep - i'm not giving up on them using them! folders - any kind I'LL END IT HERE DEAR PARENTS. I AM MORE THAN EXCITED TO HAVE YOUR KIDDO IN MY CLASSES THIS YEAR. MY PRAYER IS THAT EVERY CHILD WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE AWAY SOMETHING VALUABLE AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER AND HEAD INTO LEVEL 2 WITH JOY AND ANTICIPATION. BE BLESSED SHOW KINDNESS - THE WORLD NEEDS US! DR. POOL
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We have had an exciting start to the school year with SkillsUSA Fall Rally and the Leadership Conference. Graphics Attendees were Jack Waits and Yanni Proctor (both are on the graphics Skills Leadership Team)
We traveled to the FFA/FHA camp in covington for a rainy two days of learning all about leadership and fellowship with Skills kiddos from across Georgia. Can't wait for our next skills meeting so everyone can hear about their adventures! Its november already! 6 short weeks until the end of first semester. Where on earth did time go? Intro students have made their way through all of the power standards and are currently working on advertising. They will create their own logos and an ogilvy ad in Indesign. HIgh achievers in safety are currently screen printing designs on t shirts. That activity has gone better than ever before - and it fills me with such pride to see these kiddos doing so well in something thats so....well....messy!! lol As we head into the next 6 weeks, I am encouraging everyone to bear down and do their best work. We'll never have another semester like this one - and its worth giving your very best! Advanced and advanced output processes will be taking Pathway certification tests in two weeks. Jackson Henry, Cole Hardman, Kat Rico-Cedillo and Jake Moran will be taking the print-ed advertising test. Isha Momin will be taking the Adobe Illustrator test. Best of luck to you all! I know you will do great because you always do. We have learned some hard lessons this semester. WE learned that deadlines are hard and fast and there is no excuse for not meeting one. We learned that when we miss deadlines, we lose customers. We learned that gossip causes pain and heartache. Its not something leaders should be part of - and we made a group commitment that we will move beyond the things that don't uplift and encourage and made apologies where they were needed. We have learned that we are a team and we all do better together! I'll be posting photos on the photo page this week....stay tuned. ' PRACTICUM, ADVANCED OUTPUT AND ADVANCED students are working on imposition. This is a method of printinng that requires a unique layout for a booklet. they are also taking the safety test and getting ready to take over the lab.
into students just finished their intro to adobe illustrator and are now looking deeply into graphic design history. our skillsusa dream team are preparing for state competition in march. we have a larger group of kiddos in our graphics segment of skillsusa than we've had in the past few years. thats exciting! stay tuned for updates as the semester progresses.... WedNESDAY august 1, 2018
WELCOME BACK TO VETERAN AND NEWBIE GRAPHIC DESIGNERS! GET READY FOR A BUSY FALL OF SKILLS USA CONTEST PREP, COMPETITIONS, FUNDRAISERS AND COMMUNITY SERVICE! WE ARE ALL ABOUT EXCELLENCE HERE, AND THAT MEANS DRILLING DOWN INTO EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS AND HONING OUR DESIGN SKILLS FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER! ADVANCED STUDENTS WILL BE SETTING UP OUR PRINTING LAB BUSINESS, ENVOICING, DOING INVENTORIES AND ORDERING SUPPLIES. iNTRO STUDENTS WILL LAUNCH INTO "WHAT IS GRAPHIC DESIGN', THE HISTORY OF GRAPHIC DESIGN AND THE ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN. IF YOU HAVE NEVER HAD ME AS YOUR TEACHER, I SAY 'WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF THE DESIGNER!" LOOK FORWARD TO A LOT OF COLLABORATION, A LOT OF INTENSE LEARNING, AND A LOT OF FUN. WE REALLY ARE A FAMILY, AND WE DEPEND UPON EACH OTHER A LOT TO KEEP THINGS ON TARGET AND JOBS DONE ON TIME. again, WELCOME - GET READY FOR A FABULOUS FALL SEMESTER IN GRAPHIC DESIGN!!!! I can hardly believe the school year is almost finished! I keep asking myself where does the time go!! I look at my seniors and think about how little they were when I met them and overnight, they've become such lovely young men and women filled with promise! It's been a good year!
Jon, DJ and Skyler received duo certifications in Adobe Illustrator and PrintEd Advertising. Talk about excited! This was our first year to take the Adobe test, and it was a challenge! We had 13 End of Pathway Certifications this year - our best EVER! In fact, every single student stepped up to the plate. I could not be more proud of a graduating class. They are FABULOUS - Small and mighty! YES! Design and Production Class is the home of my future business leaders and master graphic designers. They are preparing to take over the lab in the absence of Jon and DJ next year. it will be a challenge, but they are more than capable and up to it! Becca Lau, Bailey Jones, Gerry Parkinson, Carlos, Nick, Jordan, Dustin, Megan, and the gang will be ready to take on the task of running our business, the billing, finishing and design work. Get ready for this dynamic team of leaders! They're going to crush it in 2019-20!!! INTO to Graphic Design classes were filled with some of the best talent yet. Talk about a natural group of designers AND PHOTOGRAPHERS! Creativity just runs in their veins. Of course this makes my job easy - because they are so driven to learn and succeed. Do I sound like a proud teacher? I SURE AM! Katie, Jackson and Jackson, Brynn, Emily, Gwynneth, Devyn, Coco, Abby, Imani, Beautiful, Daniel, Natalie...Oh my...I could go on and on - the list of greatness is endless!! I can't wait for next year to see what these kiddos can do! Get ready for some surprises! FEBRUARY NEWSi CAN'T BELIEVE ITS ALREADY FEBRUARY!! GOSH WHERE DOES TIME GO? Advanced students have already begun to do live jobs and work with clients. Our focus is on college and career ready preparation, so we are more than eager to work with clients and learn the vast information that goes along with running a graphic design business. Intro students have been working hard on Illustrator. They are completing a series of assignments where they are able to practice new skills learned in class. While sometimes frustrating, the joys of creating something digital that is truly their own, brings true excitement. Building confidence is what I do best! I want all of my intro students to know that they are entering a new adventure that can change their lives! As we build our program, please remember to get the word out that KMHS Graphic Design is a remarkable program that encourages everyone to learn about the design industry and become a part of it if they so choose. In fact, this is the first year in a while that we are taking three students to SKILLS USA regional competition! We are so excited we can barely contain it! Camryn Scott will be competing in pin design, Megan Gorin will be competing in t shirt design, and DJ Wilkes will be competing in business and public speaking. As you can tell, we are gonna take the world by storm - and let every one know that we are more than glorified copy machine operators - WE ARE DESIGNERS!!! Pass the word! I'm thinking about uploading some testimonials from students so they can describe what we do so the world can learn more about the world of graphic design. What do you think? Let us know email me at [email protected]. WE WANT TO KNOW. Also, parents, if any of you work in the field of graphic design, photography or illustration, please let me know. We want our kiddos to hear from those in the industry and want them to have the benefits of learning from YOU. If you can come in and present a short program with visuals of your work, a power point, your portfolio or anything like that, we'd love to hear from you! JANUARY NEWSHello all and welcome to the new year! This semester begins with two new graphic design intro classes - and wow are they going to do great things! My advanced students are itching to get into the heart of design work and we'll be headed there within a week or two. Before all the fun stuff, we've got to take care of the business of grades, portfolio preparedness, dressing for success and organizing the lab. Here we go!!
Good Grief! That's Charlie Brown talk for "geeze time flies by fast!" It seems like school just started and here we are with less than 8 weeks left until the Winter Holiday! I'd like to talk to you for a minute about our classes, our students, and what makes Graphic Design at KMHS so great, First of all, we have remarkable students. I mean, they really are special. Our students are the heart and soul of KMHS! Besides heart and soul, they are the most well mannered, mature and dedicated group of young people I've ever known. That makes being their teacher extra special, and makes my days filled with joy, laughter and an occasional "good grief"...I mean that in a good way! LOL Secondly, they are always willing to kick in when we have a big job to do, and enthusiastically get things rolling! They are not afraid of mistakes, because, even though its embarrassing and frustrating to mess up, that's how we learn. There's no condemnation in the Graphics Lab! We are all learning...with the caveat that we are Learning to be EXCELLENT. Yes, that's right, excellent. What does that look like? It is finishing what you started, fixing your mistakes without complaint, doing what is expected and celebrating other's victories as well as your own. It is treating others the way you want to be treated, and reaching out to those less fortunate around you with love and grace. That's what we're about inside, as we grow through the outward changes that makes us Graphic Designers with Finesse! Intro Students Intro kiddos passed their safety test, started Illustrator and completed several designs within Illustrator. They learned about typography and the difference between a serif and sans serif. They are currently working on Digital Photo and Photoshop. Within that unit, students are taking their own photos and making a POWTOON audio/video presentation. Next they will be learning photo editing techniques in PS. Finally, we will work on a printing unit and each student will create a digital portfolio. Whew! What a busy time for INTRO!! Advanced and D & P D & P students finished the Intro syllabus in InDesign. This included adding columns, editing photos and using typography to create the Intro to Graphic Design Syllabus. This week, students are creating a promotional poster for the Graphic Design Department. The best will be chosen and a prize will be awarded next Friday! Exciting! Jules is in the lead at this point-everybody better catch up with this lady - she's not playing!! LOL Advanced students are working on a 16 page booklet with a focus on reader's and printer's spreads in InDesign. This presents quite a challenge, as I'm sure everyone would tell you. Putting the booklet in the right order to print is not always an easy thing - that's why we do a mock up (dummy) first, so we know how to order the pages for a printer's spread. ServiceWe are looking for opportunities to serve our community over the holiday season. This teaches students to develop empathy and realize another world exists beyond their comfort zones. Plus, the blessings are ours when we learn to serve others, right? With this in mind, we are considering how to best use our talents and skills. If you have ideas, please let one of the students or me know. We'll be looking to decide within the next week or so, so that we have enough time to collect donations, make items or save things that are needed.
Also, if you happen to have access to anything that we might be able to use in the graphics lab, please please please do not hesitate to step forward. We work really hard, but dollars don't seem to go very far any more. We are grateful for what we have, but always looking for opportunities to raise money for our supplies. Donations are always welcome. Until next time, B Graphic Everybody! Things are hopping in the graphics classroom! All students are fully engaged in learning the ins and outs of the business of graphic design.
Intro students have been working hard on safety in the lab. They are creating a floor plan that locates all of our equipment and supplies. Wednesday of this week, they are taking the safety test-and all need to pass with a 100%! This will insure that students are prepared to handle chemicals and equipment safely and respectfully. Next on the board for Intro students - TYPOGRAPHY Graphic Design and Production students are using InDesign to create a booklet/syllabus. Requirements are that they use their own photographs, complete thumbnails, roughs and a final comp for print production. When they complete this project we will gather around the conference table and do a group edit/critique of each work. In this way, students are allowed to provide input to the editing process, rather than it just being a teacher-led process. Advanced GD III and IV are both working on Typographical Resumes. Each student completed research, thumbnails, roughs and a mood board. Once thumbnails and roughs were approved and the best ones chosen, students went into InDesign and created a final. All students are quickly becoming adept at the PROCESS of creating graphics. After all, its not just a matter of sitting down at a computer and creating award winning designs. It is a PROCESS and a LEARNED SKILL. Our most adept, organized and dedicated students move on into college programs and into the workforce well prepared and eager to get to work! Things are off to a start at KMHS! We've experienced the first week crazies, the Eclipse, fire drills and Open House. Now its time to get down to business.
Our SKILLSUSA team is being organized and getting ready for competitions. In addition, advanced students are working on live jobs that have been requested both from our faculty and outside clients. We are waiting for our sink to arrive so that we can begin screen printing. The new sink, the new folder, add in the laminator and screens, will have our shop in top shape. We will be up and running in no time! Intro classes are working on Copyright and Ethics. They just completed the Elements and Principles of Design. Looking ahead, we will begin our tutorials on Adobe Illustrator and file formats this week. Next week we will drill down into the History of Print Processes. Altogether, its an exciting time to be a Graphic Designer at KMHS. WE love what we do, and love where we DO it!!! Go Mustangs! Its an exciting time to be a Mustang! If you've kept up with the latest news about our high school, you know that we have recently recertified our STEM program. This is a rigorous process for our teachers, and its acquisition vital to who we are as a STEM leader in the district. Our highly esteemed teachers received accolades from Dr. Trach, Superintendent Ragsdale and district leaders for this great accomplishment. Amazingly enough, this falls on the heels of our recent national recognition as one of America’s Most Challenging High Schools by the Washington Post for 2017. Considering only 12 percent of the approximately 22,000 U.S. public high schools were placed on this national list, this is quite an accomplishment. In fact, it puts us in the top 5 % of all high schools in the country. Is that something to be proud of or what!!!!
Our seniors are restless and ready to graduate. You can see the look in their eyes-let's get this party started!! At the same time, they are furiously finishing projects, going on university tours, trying to line up jobs, and wondering what their futures will bring. As we move through this week and prepare for finals and graduation, please take a moment to reflect on these young folks. They are some of the best students in Georgia and are ready to take on the world. If you see them, congratulate them on a job well done. Tell them you are proud of them and remind them they will one day cherish the memories they had and the people they knew at KMHS. Time flies. Soon these babies will be in the workforce and starting families of their own! Yikes! Thank you parents and students for a great semester. This was my first at KMHS and I cannot tell you how proud I am to be a Mustang. Some of the best teachers and professionals are my colleagues. My students are intelligent, committed, hilariously funny and nestled in my heart. I look forward to this summer to rest up, rejuvenate and spend time with my loved ones, particularly my new grandson, Ethan. Kansas City is my home, but thanks to you, our children and the wonderful faculty and staff at KMHS, I now have a new home at KMHS. I am overjoyed. I am blessed. |
AuthorA Kansas City native, I am excited to bring the best of what I know to KMHS in Graphic Design. Archives
August 2021
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