What's Happening, Tate?

We are halfway through this year and I would like to thank our students and families for your continued resiliency and stamina to survive this unusual school year! Attendance is strong and students are working hard to complete their coursework. Together we will make it.

Starting February 15th our daily schedule returns to some normalcy, 100% of our students here each day. The teachers are looking forward to seeing the students each day. We realize it may take some time to get used to showing up daily, but consistent attendance pays off.

Lastly, I’d like to express my appreciation to our teachers who have been so flexible and creative in providing instruction through this pandemic. They have adapted their instruction to support students whether in person or online.

As always if you have any questions for concerns please feel free to call the office (319-688-1080). We are here to help.

Principal Ann Browning

special shoutout to Ms. Hoffman for taking this beautiful shot of Tate in front of a fall sky! :D

• Wednesday, Feb 3: Parent/Teacher Conferences (via Zoom @ myconferencetime.com)
• Friday, Feb 12: No School
• Tuesday, Mar 9: End of Trimester 2
• Tuesday, Mar 9: Trimester 2 Awards Assembly
• Wednesday, Mar 10: No School
• Monday, Mar 15 - Friday, Mar 20: Spring Break. No School
• Friday, April 16: No School

The District recently created a webpage focused on providing the latest resources and information around COVID-19 vaccines:

"The Iowa City Community School District aims to provide the best resources from the CDC, Iowa Department of Public Health, and Johnson County Public Health concerning the COVID-19 vaccine, so parents, students, and staff can stay informed."

There, you can find answers to 3 main questions:

• "Are the COVID-19 Vaccines safe?"
• "When will I get the COVID-19 vaccine?"
• "What can I expect from the vaccine?"

The Tate Takeaway is our food pantry at Tate.

Its purpose is to ensure no student goes home hungry or wondering where they will get food while away from school.

Sponsored and funded by the Johnson County Crisis Center and the Trinity Episcopal Church of Iowa City, it's open every day after school and open to all students and their families. There is no cost to utilize the pantry and no limit to the number of items a student can take.

If you're a student and want to check it out, just ask Ms. Remington in the SAC. She'd be happy to open it for you.

Led by Tate's guidance counselor, Ms. Brown, in honor of her sister Tracy Daube, the Holiday Store is an annual Tate tradition. Students are offered the opportunity to shop through donated gifts to take home for their loved ones.

For a while it seemed we might not be able to accomplish the Holiday Store this year. We're grateful we could! Big shoutout to the SAC team for their space, time, and energy in facilitating it.

Every day, Tate staff award virtual "PBIS points" to students showing CORR values.

Points can be turned in at lunch for extra snacks and drinks or saved up for bigger prizes like Warrior merchandise.

In December and January, over 5,000 PBIS points were given out.

Responsibility was the most popular CORR value rewarded, with Respect, Ownership and Caring following behind in that order.

In an effort to include more student-made content in What's Happening, Tate?, Ms Gibson's Ethnic Studies: Identity, Power, Privilege class will be sharing pieces of work throughout the year in a new section dubbed "Student Voice."

For this month, her students were asked to reflect on and invent their own version of Rodolfo Gonzalez's Yo Soy Joaquin, an epic poem published in 1972 during the civil rights' "Chicano" movement of that era.

I am a african american

Leader of young african american females

Who also are strong leaders

I was part of Delta Academy

Made up of Strong young girls

Who want to learn how to be leaders

And know who they are

I am a female

I stand with the BLM protest

Who fight for their equal rights

I strive for equality

I will fight for others that can't fight for themselves

And i will stand my ground

Because, black lives matter too

I learn more about my culture and history

From my elders

And other african americans

I look at my skin

And see beauty

I look at my 4c hair

And feel powerful

I love my skin

And i love myself

I am an african american female

I am strong

I shall fight for what's right

I will fight for what's right

Khairah Wright

I am

Leader of women of all color

Who also are like me and not like me

I was part of everyone

Designed after our great grandparents

Who loves everyone

And are not here

I am me

I support everyone

Whoever you may be

I ride with you

I stand here with you

And now I see no one is alone

And still I am here

I am the hero

In a country that discriminates

In a country that hates

I look at you

And see beauty

I look for you

I feel good

Im proud

And happy

I am with you

I am me

I shall win

I will

Sophomore student

Every month, students caught exuding CORR values will be nominated and voted by staff to be Tate's "CORR Warrior of the Month".

Congratulations to this month's winner: Khairah Wright!

Year in school: Sophomore

Horoscope: Pisces

Mantra: Even when it rains, the sunshine is still there

Superstitions: Can't break a pinkie promise

Show everyone should watch: Good Times or Different Strokes

Favorite Tate memory: All the times sitting in the SAC during lunch

Dream job: Foster Mom, Social Worker

Nominating staff (Ms. Ebony, Ms. Parham, Ms. Browning, Ms. Petrie): Khairah really exudes all the CORR values so it's extremely hard to just choose one. Khairah is respectful to her peers as well as staff including extended district employees like lunch and janitorial staff, She is caring of the school environment always cleaning up after herself during lunch and staying tidy within the classrooms.

Khairah takes full responsibility for her education keeping her grades up. She has rarely had Warrior Work Time if any. Khairah is an all around sweet addition to Tate and I'm proud to call her a Warrior.
Khairah has really taken responsibility for her own learning. She meets deadlines and maintains a planner to keep herself organized. She produces high quality work and asks great questions.

Khairah's take: I really want to go to a HBCU college and I really am trying my best this year to get to my goal. Thank you for nominating me

My Role at Tate: Math Teacher

I Hail From: Dubuque, IA

My Path to Tate: I taught junior high math for six years in Williamsburg before coming to Tate. I have learned so much from my students and colleagues at Tate and cannot imagine a better teaching job.

Favorite day/part of the year: I love everything fall. The cooler weather, changing colors, bonfires, roasting marshmallows, and all of the football.

Someone who inspires me: My family inspires me each day. They have each faced difficult times in life, but handled it with such grace and walked away stronger and better.

Catch me on the weekends doing: My family and I enjoy being outside. We like fishing, hiking, and exploring new places. I also enjoy reading and gardening.

What I would tell 16 year old me: Stay true to yourself, believe in yourself, and never give up on your goals.

My most important CORR value: "To make a difference in someone's life you don't have to be brilliant, rich, beautiful, or perfect. You just have to CARE!" -Mandy Hale

-Mandy Hale

My Role at Tate: Special Educator

I Hail From: Southern California

My Path to Tate: I taught in New Orleans, Denver, Oakland, and Boston before moving to Iowa City so we could be closer to family. Tate is my dream school/job. I thought it would take twenty years before the stars aligned and a spot opened.

Favorite day/part of the year: I grew up in a place that was always seventy degrees and sunny. I love the change of seasons here, especially the fall.

Someone who inspires me: Amanda Gorman! She is ridiculously talented and uses her powerful voice and words to make this world a more beautiful, unified, and inspired place.

Catch me on the weekends doing: Snowshoeing! I learned over winter break and can’t wait to get out there again.

What I would tell 16 year old me: Be gentle. Just be gentle. Be gentle with yourself. Be gentle with the world. Be gentle with the people around you. And, please, please, please be as gentle as you can with your mom (you’ll regret the impatient tone/curt words when she’s gone).

My most important CORR value: Caring-- we learn and grow so we can give and be strong for others. Everything starts and ends with how we take care of ourselves so we can empower and ease the burdens of one another.

-Ms. McDonald

My Role at Tate: Special Ed Paraeducator/Support Staff

I Hail From: Sioux City, IA. Was a great place to grow up and even better place to leave.

My Path to Tate: The stars happened to align :)

Favorite day/part of the year: EVERY day, preferably the warm and sunny ones though!

Someone who inspires me: My parents and brothers have always been my biggest inspiration! I was a huge Michael Jordan nut growing up too. His work ethic and tenacity was always intriguing to me. As a young kid and to this day, I was also mesmerized by JFK, MLK, and Bobby Kennedy.

All my coworkers inspire me daily as well!

Catch me on the weekends doing: Fridays I've been shredding the bowling lanes with a distinguished group of gentleman after work (all are welcome!) and the rest of the weekend I am usually putting on miles reffing youth basketball. Sprinkle in attempting to cook/try new recipes and geeking out on a solid documentary!

What I would tell 16 year old me: I'd say self, "May the wind always be on your back and the sun upon your face and may the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars."

My most important CORR value: Caring! I believe its the most vital value of CORR because when you truly CARE about something, all the other values get fined tuned and come along with! Its gotta start from the heart :)

-Mr. Kelly

• December
• October/November

Contact Us

Email: browning.ann@iowacityschools.org
Website: https://www.iowacityschools.org/Domain/1231
Location: 1528 Mall Drive, Iowa City, IA, USA
Phone: (319) 688-1080