Phone: (281) 634-5278

Email:

Degrees and Certifications:

M.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction

Mrs. Tasha Kinney

Tasha Kinney has been and educator here in Fort Bend ISD from 2006-2016. She taught middle school Science at McAuliffe, Baines and James Bowie Middle School integrating flipped classroom technique, virtual lessons and delivering tools students need to be successful. She found ways to integrate technology in science over the years and increased student assessment scores using data and technology.  In 2016 she became a Digital Learning Specialist in FBISD taking her knowledge in curriculum and techology to create learning experiences for students and teachers.  Currently, Mrs. Kinney is the Campuse Coordinator here at Hightower High School.  She is in charge of coordinating all STAAR EOC testing and TELPAS testing. She also is in charge of coordinating interventions for students needing to retest a STAAR EOC Assessment to ensure that they are on track to graduate.

Mrs. Kinney atteneded Texas State University, Texas Southern University and Prairie View A & M. She earned a M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in eLearning. 

 

 

Announcements

  •  

    PSAT

    October 13th 

    This communication is to inform you that all 9th - 11th grade students in Fort Bend ISD will take the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test), on October 13, 2021. The PSAT 8/9 is the first in the College Board’s “SAT Suite of Assessments,” and is aligned with the newly designed SAT that went into effect March 2016. 

    9th grade - At several points along its path, the SAT Suite of Assessments connects students to programs that recognize academic excellence and award college scholarships. Scores from the PSAT 8/9 ARE NOT used in any scholarship or recognition programs. The purpose of the PSAT 8/9 is to establish a starting point in terms of college and career readiness at the time when students are transitioning to high school.  This exam serves as a “check-in” on progress, allowing students, parents and teachers to pinpoint areas for focused practice as students progress through high school.

     10th Grade - At several points along its path, the SAT Suite of Assessments connects students to programs that recognize academic excellence and award college scholarships.  Scores from the PSAT/NMSQT for 10th graders ARE NOT used in any scholarship or recognition programs. The purpose of the PSAT/NMSQT is to help identify strengths and weaknesses in terms of college and career readiness.  This exam serves as a “check-in” on progress, allowing students, parents and teachers to pinpoint areas for focused practice as students progress through high school.

    11th Grade - At several points along its path, the SAT Suite of Assessments connects students to programs that recognize academic excellence and award college scholarships.  Scores from the PSAT/NMSQT for 11th graders ARE used in many scholarship and recognition programs. The purpose of the PSAT/NMSQT is to help identify strengths and weaknesses in terms of college and career readiness.  This exam is cosponsored by College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and serves an entry point to nearly $180 million in scholarship dollars. 

    The PSAT includes 2 hours and 45 minutes of actual testing time and 15 minutes of breaks.  There will be tests in reading, writing and language, math (given in 2 portions – one with no calculator and one on which a calculator is permitted, although not required) and a variable section with questions from all three of those areas. 

     12th Grade  -This is a very important message regarding the upcoming PSAT assessment scheduled to take place tomorrow Wednesday, October 13, 2021.  For this testing day, FBISD will implement an approved assessment waiver to reduce interruptions during testing at Hightower High School. Please see the information below: 

    • All students who are classified as seniors should arrive by 9:45 a.m., and report to the Auditorium.  
    • Students who need district transportation (those who ride the bus) must utilize normal transportation to school and report to the AUditorium

    Per the State of Texas, all students must attend at least 4 hours on each instructional day. Non-testers classified as seniors would be allowed “late arrival” and therefore be present for official attendance-taking at the conclusion of the PSAT testing. The approved state waiver will allow our district to take official attendance at an alternate time. If any non-testing senior is not present (in class) by 9:45 a.m., they will be marked absent. Students who are not required to test and who do not show up can be in jeopardy of loss of course credit.   

    Regarding calculator use and approved calculators, the College Board states, All questions can be solved without a calculator, but a scientific or graphing calculator is recommended [for the portion of the math test on which a calculator is permitted]…….Students are encouraged to bring their own calculators. Students may NOT use:

    • laptops or other computers, tablets, cell phones, or smartphones;
    • models that can access the Internet, have wireless, Bluetooth, cellular, audio/video, recording and playing, camera or any other smartphone-type feature;
    • models that have typewriter-like keypad, pen-input, or stylus; or
    • models that use electrical outlets, make noise, or have paper tape.”

     

    The following calculators ARE ALLOWED on the PSAT Math Portion that permits calculator use.

    All scientific calculators are acceptable to use on the PSAT.  Any four-function calculator can be used (though not recommended). The following is a list of approved graphing calculators for the PSAT. No other graphing calculator may be used. 

    Casio

    Hewlett-Packard

    Radio Shack

    Sharp

    Texas Instruments

     

    FX-6000 series

    FX-6200 series

    FX-6300 series

    FX-6500 series

    FX-7000 series

    FX-7300 series

    FX-7400 series

    FX-7500 series

    FX-7700 series

    FX-7800 series

    FX-8000 series

    FX-8500 series

     

    FX-8700 series

    FX-8800 series

    FX-9700 series

    FX-9750 series

    FX-9860 series

    CFX-9800 series

    CFX-9850 series

    CFX-9970 series

    FX 1.0 series

    Algebra FX 2.0 series

    FX-CG-10 (PRIZM)

    FX-CG-20

    HP-9G

    HP-28 series

    HP-38G

    HP-39 series

    HP-40 series

    HP-48 series

    HP-49 series

    HP-50 series

    HP Prime

     

     

    EC-4033

    EC-4034

    EC-4037

     

    EL-5200

    EL-9200 series

    EL-9300 series

    EL-9600 series**

    EL-9900 series

     

    Other

    Datexx DS-883

    Micronta

    Smart²

    TI-83

    TI-80

    TI-81

    TI-82

    TI-83

    TI-83 Plus

    TI-83 Plus Silver

    TI-84 Plus

    TI-84 Plus CE

    TI-84 Plus Silver

    TI-84 Plus C Silver

    TI-85

    TI-86

    TI-89

    TI-89 Titanium

    TI-Nspire

    TI-Nspire CX

    TI-Nspire CM-C

    TI Nspire CAS

    TI-Nspire CX CAS

    TI-Nspire CM-C  CAS

    TI-Nspire CX-C  CAS

                 

    **The use of the stylus is not permitted.

     

    As stated above, it is recommended that students bring their own calculators, although the use of a calculator is not required since all questions can be solved without a calculator. Schools will not provide calculators on test day for 9th and 10th graders unless in a student IEP the PSAT is a clear assessment identified as needing calculator. It is not necessary for you to purchase a graphing calculator.  Scientific calculators, which many households already have, will be sufficient for this exam.  Also, many of them can be purchased inexpensively.

     

    Khan Academy and the College Board (makers of SAT) have partnered to provide free and affordable SAT practice at the following website.                   https://sat.collegeboard.org/practice

    Decemeber STAAR Retest Dates

    December STAAR EOC Results Information

    If your student took a STAAR EOC Retest in June or December, then their results are expected to be posted and available to view in the Student Portal.  Or can access student scores at www.texasassessment.com by using the student social security number, DOB and name.

    Summer results are projected to be in by late July and December scores are in towards the middle to end of January 2021. Please feel free to begin going to the Student Portal and looking for results at that time. As a reminder, STAAR student reports are no longer sent home in the mail and are only available on the Student Portal. For instructions on how to access your child's scores online, please click this link. If you still have difficulty, please feel free to contact me. 

    December 07 - English I 

    December 08 - Algebra I

    Decemner 09 - English II

    December 10 - Biology and U.S. History

    Edgenuity Online Tutorials Available for STAAR Retesters

    If you check your STAAR results and find that you are in need of a STAAR EOC Retest for Spring 2019, then you will be enrolled into the Edgenuity Online EOC Tutorial Program to help you prepare for your retest. You are STRONGLY encouraged to participate. It is free and can be accessed 24 hours a day from anywhere you have Internet access, including a cell phone. To get started, go to learn.education2020.com, and click on students.

    • Your username is district\your student ID.
      • For example, district\123456. DO NOT PUT THE LEADING 0 IN THE FRONT OF YOUR STUDENT ID NUMBER.
    • Your password is the password you use to logon to the computers at school.

    You should be able to access your needed course by the beginning of February.  If you have any problems getting logged in, please see Mr. Amos in the back right corner of the library. 

    Spring STAAR EOC Test Dates

    English I:  April 5th

    English II: April 6th

    Make up: April 9

     

    U.S. History, Biology and Alg I: May 3rd - 6th

      

     

    STAAR EOC Summer 2021 Retest/Testing Schedule - 

    Summer EOC retesting is June 21-24 at Hightower High School.  Students are allotted 5 hours for the English STAAR and 4 hours for Biology, Algebra I and U.S. History.  Once students are finished with testing they will need to exit the building.  Transportation will NOT be provided for testing  program nor will it be provided for tutorials.

    June 22 – June 24, 2021

     

     

    STAAR Summer Tutorials 

    STAAR tutorials for students who did not meet the minimum score during the school year on the STAAR EOC exams will be provided from during the June at Hightower High School. STAAR EOC Retests will be given from June 24-28.  EOC Acceleration tutorials will be provided June 13th-17th from 7:30am-11:30pm at HHS. This is for HHS students that did not pass at least one EOC test.  Seats are limited so once classes fill up then the session will be closed for registration. 

     Accelerated Instruction available:

    • Sessions will be assigned based on a first come/first serve basis
    • Session preferences will be taken into account if at all possible
    • Late registrations will be placed on a wait list and called if there is an opening
    • Emails will be sent the week of May 29th with times and sessions for students to attend 

     

    Guidelines for Students Attending:

    • Bus transportation will NOT be provided 
    • Must be present for all days of tutorials
    • No tolereance with behavior issues
    • Must have reliable transportation

     

    STAAR EOC Tutorial Courses

    Subjects to be addressed in EOC remediation will be selected by remediation staff based on the structure of the STAAR test. Due to the limited amount of time available for accelerated instruction before the June 23rd  retesting, if your child has not met minimum score on more than two subjects, only one subject can be addressed with tutorials over the summer.

    Your child may choose to retake all EOCs on which he/she did not achieve the satisfactory score.