News from Mrs. Graves

Parents,
This blog will replace the printed publication, The Principal's Page, but will contain much of the same information that went out twice per month.   One of the many benefits of this transition is that my posts will be archived on the blog for easy access.  You will never have to worry about losing the piece of paper.  You will receive an email from me with a link to the blog every time I post.  I have decided to make this transition in an effort to reduce our paper consumption and lighten your child's Tuesday folder load.  The office will keep a few hard copies of my blog posts for families that find this format difficult.  Feel free to stop in the office and pick up a hard copy.

Mrs. Graves
  

Curriculum Information Night

What is Curriculum Information Night?  Its an opportunity for you to hear directly from your child’s teacher about what you can expect this year.  Beginning at 6:30 p.m on either September 11th  (PK-2) or September 13th (grades 3-5) you will first go to the café to learn more about our school performance data and school improvement plan, and then report to your child’s classroom.  The teacher will outline the daily schedule, discuss the  curriculum, and tell you what to expect this school year.  You will learn how best to communicate with your teacher, and how to access your child’s gradebook online. This is a great opportunity to get to know your child’s teacher, and lay the foundation for a strong partnership.  I do hope every child will have someone in attendance. This event is designed for parents only.  Later this school year students will have the opportunity to share their work with you in a student-led conference.

Need some help staying connected?  Visit our Center for Inquiry (formerly known as the library) between 5:30 and 6:30 to learn how to pay for lunches online, set grade triggers for the online gradebook, or set up a twitter account to stay in touch with what’s happening at Roberts.

Morning Drop-Off Procedures

Students should arrive on campus between 7:45 a.m. and 7:55, unless they’re eating breakfast at school.  Children eating breakfast may come as early as 7:00 a.m. and report to the café. 

Beginning at 7:45  a.m. and until school starts at 8:00, parents are asked to drop off children in the Circle Drive where teachers and staff are on hand to help children from their cars. 

If you wish to walk your child onto the school grounds, you must legally park your car; remember, there is absolutely no parking allowed during drop-off in the Circle Drive or on School Street, or in any other illegal parking area (see the Parking Map included in the red In The Know handbook).  Prior to the 7:55 a.m. bell, students in grades K, 1 and 4 line up in the covered area near the playground, while students in grades 2, 3 and 5 convene in the area near the Circle Drive.   On very rainy days, students wait inside the school building in the main hallway until the 7:55 a.m. bell rings.

School begins promptly at 8:00 a.m.  Children should be in their classroom ready to learn when the bell rings at 8:00 a.m.  Any child arriving at school after the announcements begin will be considered tardy.  An automated call will be sent to your home to alert you of the tardy for your convenience.

What's in the Ancillary Rotation?

Here is the bite-size description of what your child is doing at school during ancillary.

Art Ms. Herrick has a scope and sequence that allows students to build art skill from year to year with work in 2-dimensional art forms as well as 3-dimension are forms.

Music Ms. Sauer will continue to teach students to read music, use tone and pitch for choral music, and learn the recorder in upper grades as a transition to an instrument at the middle school level.

PE.  Mr. Lytton is joined again this year by Mr. Orozco to offer two days of PE in each 6-day ancillary rotation.  We are thrilled to be able to again offer more time for physical activity to improve student health. 

Academic Skills Lab (ASL).  This is an opportunity for students to learn keyboarding and basic computer skills, but it is not only about learning to use the computer.  The ASL is an opportunity for students to use technology to learn other disciplines.  This allows teachers to differentiate and give children more time on task for critical areas specific to each student.  A student who is struggling with automaticity of math facts can spend time working on First in Math, while a GT student may spend more time on Renzulli.  Students who want to work on language proficiency may spend that time on Rosetta Stone.  These are just a few examples of the differentiation we can provide through the ASL.

Science Lab (same class structure as last year).  Ms. Savarese will continue to offer hands-on science lessons that coordinate and enhance the science learning from the classroom.  There is a change in the way this ancillary day is scheduled.  Each class has an assigned science time that may be different from the regular time ancillary is scheduled the other days of the rotation.