News From Our Classroom

    Hello, Parents!  I hope that you have heard the good news--We WILL be having a summer school program this year, after all, thanks to some parents who spoke to school board members and Dr. Murphy about the need for this important program for children who struggle all year to make the progress they do make, and who are likely to "backslide" during those academically inactive summer months.  I would like to acknowledge  one of our  class Moms, Mary Scanlon, for "taking up 'the cause' " and pursuing some of these individuals, even though her own children are not the ones directly benefiting from the reinstatement of the summer school program.  She heard that there was a need being unmet, and put her resourcefulness into helping to find a solution.  I would like to say  "Thank you" to Dr. Murphy and the School Board for finding a way to make this program happen this summer, and for realizing that "summer school" should be built into the budget in future years because of its importance to those kids who need the summer boost.  That said, those parents of mine whose child has participated in the Title 1 program this past school year, you should have received a form to fill out to see if your son or daughter can partake in the summer school program.  If you are interested in this program for your child, please fill out the form and return it ASAP, since the program is on a "first come, first served" roster.  Summer school will take place from 8:30 - noon on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the following weeks: July 10 -13, July 17 - 20; July 24 - 27; and July 31 - August 3.  Attendance is MANDATORY to participate in this program,  and rightly so, considering that there will be kids who aren't able to "get in".  Title 1 children who attend Summer School are also able to stay until 4:30 each day (for free, I believe) and go swimming and do activities with the MKA "campers" who receive "daycare" at this school.  If your child needs to be "dropped off" before the program officially opens for the day, or must be picked up between the "normal" closing time of 4:30 and latest possible closing time of 5:30 pm, there is a $5 fee for each extended time period your child need supervision. (For example, if your child needs to be dropped off at 8 am so you can make it to work on time, and can't be picked up until 5:00pm that same day, the extended time would cost your family $10 that day.)  It helps to know that ahead of time.  I am told that if your child misses a day, his spot becomes available to the next student on the waiting list, so PROMPT and DAILY ATTENDANCE is very important.  We want someone to benefit from this opportunity, and if your child can't, then some other child should have the chance.  If you have extenuating circumstances, call Julie Hart ahead of time to discuss the matter.  Once again, thank you again, Mary, for getting involved and helping those in need.
       Our first NWEA test takes place TOMORROW morning, May 23 beginning at 8:10, and lasting until 9:10.  This is your child's chance to show all he or she has learned in first grade in Math. The scores will be used to help place kids in like-groupings for Math next year.  Please remind your child to take his/ her time on each problem, and really think about which answer choice makes the most sense.  I know we have covered all of the material presented on this test by this time in the year, so if your child takes his/ her time and thinks hard, he or she should be able to recall what was learned.  We will be taking empty notebooks upstairs with us, and your child is able to do his or her math on paper BEFORE selecting an answer on the computer, so you might want to discuss that, too.  If he or she finds a number line to be helpful, he or she can construct a number line on the pad of paper, to use throughout the test. Unfortunately, I am not permitted to provide a pre-made number line.  The kids have drawn them before, though, because we have done so in class.  Your child can draw pictures, use tally marks, skip count,  "make ten". . . whatever helps him to calculate his answer.  However, if he is rushing through the test "just to get it over", then he won't take the time to use the math strategies he has learned throughout the year.
         Our Reading test is this Friday, May 26 at 9:15 am.  It will be one of two instruments used to help group kids for Reading next year. (The other one is the DRA your child will take in about two weeks.)  Please talk to your child about these tests.  In the past, we have tried to decrease the stress kids feel at assessment time, and have downplayed the importance of these tests.  Unfortunately, many children saw this as permission to rush through their exams, marking any old answer.  Their disappointing test scores and testing times reflect that attitude, too.  While I don't want to make anyone anxious about these exams, I do want to encourage everyone to TAKE THEIR TIME TO DO THEIR BEST.   If a child can say that he or she took time and really thought about each and every answer and TRIED to do their best, then I am happy.   But it kills me to stand behind them looking over their shoulder and see them answer three questions in under a minute, and know that although they KNEW the material when we did it in class,  the answers they selected were not the correct ones. So, then what happens?  If they are a good guesser, then they are likely to end up in a group that is too hard for them.  If they are a bad guesser, they will end up in a group that is boring because it is too easy for them.   This testing period should be viewed by all as  their opportunity to show what they know.  The tests are best done 1) after a good night's sleep  2) after having a good breakfast  and 3) in an unhurried manner.  This means that the children  should arrive at school by 7:45 am so they have plenty of time to get ready for the day,  and that once they start testing, they take their time and really THINK about what is being asked.  The class has 60 minutes to complete each assessment, and if that is not enough time, individuals can "finish up" with another group.   The kids will hear me say,  several times before we actually take the test,  to TAKE THEIR TIME, AND TRY THEIR BEST.  That is all I want from them.  This is one situation where being first one done is usually NOT a good thing.
       The sight words, spelling words, and fluency sentences that your child brings home today will be the last ones he or she brings home this year.  Our final "weekly tests" will take place this Friday.  We have next Monday off (Memorial Day), and then I will begin my end-of-the-year assessments.  Your child may still bring home the occasional reader, if we have time to fit one in on any particular day, and papers not finished during the school day may come home for that night's homework, but otherwise we will be done homework for the remainder of the year as of Friday. I know everyone has a ton of summer activities happening (dance recitals, baseball/ t-ball games, swimming, etc.), so we will try to keep to a minimum work comes home from now on.
      There is a meeting for future Kindergarten parents tonight from 5 - 6pm.  Tomorrow, there is a Visual & Performing Arts Night here at CPS tomorrow evening (May 23rd) from 6-7 pm.  We hope you will attend, and perhaps walk around the building before hand and view the art hanging in the hallways.   Kindergarten screening is also taking place on Tuesday (May 23rd) and Thursday (May 24) of this week.
     The First Grade is planning a field trip to DEW Haven, an wild animal rescue farm located in Mount Vernon, ME for Thursday, June 15th.  There are over 200 domestic and exotic animals housed at DEW Haven.  The classrooms will be toured around the location by one of the founders, and will hear all about each animal, its personal story, and its care.  Unfortunately, the locale is very limited in the amount of people it can accommodate.  They have one tour a day, and it can only take up to 50 people total.  (Mrs. Wentworth from  Woodstock School was forced to take her class on another day because we couldn't fit them in with us.)  That means that we will NOT be able to have any of you parents chaperone this field trip with us.    I'm sorry. : (  We will leave from school around 8:00, and intend to be back so one of my youngsters can catch his normal 2:00pm bus home.  The cost per student will be $4.00.  Please be advised that there is also a gift store on the premises, and if it is like most places that accept field trips, the children will have to go through it to get somewhere else.
      That's all for this week.  I will write again over the long weekend.