News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 12/17  3rd Gr Field Trip
Tuesday, 12/18  Community Exhibition Presentation, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, 12/19  School Exhibition Presentation
Thursday, 12/20  +Bullydozers Student Coalition Meeting, 11:50
Friday, 12/21  Class Holiday Parties, afternoon; No After School Activities

Tuesday, 1/8  Students Return to School


Response to Connecticut School Shooting
I have heard from many of you over the weekend.  I am very much aware that many of you have spoken with your children about the events, and that some of you have tried to shield your children from the news.  Please know that we are very sensitive to the fact that children will respond differently, and for some it will be sad and confusing, and for others it may be very frightening.

I have asked the teachers to avoid as much as possible whole class discussions of the events.  If a child brings up the shooting, teachers will direct a short discussion to assure students they are safe at school.  If they notice children struggling to make sense of the events, and feel they need to talk, Ms. Hopkins and I will be available to talk one-on-one with children.  We will contact you if we believe your child needs more support.

Some parents have asked about our safety plans at Roberts.  Safety is our first priority.  Over the past few years we have worked to make Roberts a little safer by creating only one accessible entrance, monitored all day by our reception office.  We also have protocols for responding to emergency situations, including an intruder response protocol, or lockdown.  Our teachers are trained to respond in such an event, and know how to protect your children.  As we learn more about the events in Newtown, our campus safety committee with review our procedures and make any necessary changes.

You may need support over these next few weeks to help your child.  We are posting links on the Roberts website that may be helpful to you.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or Ms. Hopkins.

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Thursday, 12/13  Spelling Pre-Bee, gr 3-5, 7:20 a.m.; SDMC 3:30 pm; 3rd gr Holiday Program, 6:30 pm
Friday, 12/14  NTB Book Talk, 11:30-12:30; Faculty Caroling, 6:00-7:00 (check the Roberts website for listed trolley stops)
Monday, 12/17  3rd Gr Field Trip
Tuesday, 12/18  Community Exhibition 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, 12/19  School Exhibition
Friday, 12/21  Classroom Parties


Enrollment and Residency

Many times families move during a school year and are interested in staying at Roberts. The only way to stay at Roberts if you have moved out of the school attendance zone is to apply for a magnet transfer.  The deadline to do that is January 11th.  No applications received after January 11th will be reviewed.

The question that often arises during enrollment relates to residency.  Residency is what qualifies you as an “in-zone” student.  So, what is residency?  Generally it is referred to as where you live and sleep every night, but there are more detailed and specific criteria. 

1. Does the parent/guardian who establishes residency own, rent or lease a home, condominium, apartment or living quarters within the attendance zone?

2. Does the family have furniture and personal effects in the attendance zone with no furniture or personal effects at a previous residence?

3. Does the parent/guardian receive personal mail in the attendance zone?

4. Are the parents/guardians registered to vote in the attendance zone?

5. Does the parent/guardian regularly live in the attendance zone and plan to live there indefinitely?  Have all licensed drivers in the household complied with DPS regulations for changing address?

How Does Attendance Impact School Funding?

I know you hear me talk about attendance often.  Most importantly, I want children at school.  I don’t want any child to miss important instruction.  But, as the State continues to reduce school funding, I wanted to take a minute to offer a quick explanation of how attendance impacts budget. 

The state sets a per pupil funding amount.  School funding is determined by multiplying the number of students by the average daily attendance, and the product is multiplied by the per pupil allocation.  Simply, we only get 96% of the funding we are entitled to, if we only have 96% in average daily attendance. 

So how much is each percentage point of average daily attendance worth?  One percentage point of the per pupil allocation is worth $26,137.    Everyday counts in keeping every dollar we are due.

I ask you to partner with me in ensuring we get every dollar possible to provide your children with the educational programs they deserve.

1% = $26,137

iStation: Reading Intervention

You will hear more about iStation as we finish the implementation process for this online intervention and assessment system in January.  In August, the Reading Department proposed we adopt iStation to support our work with struggling readers in grades 3-9.  Just after the Board voted to purchase the system, the State adopted it for all public schools in the State of Texas to use.  Initially, the District proposal was for use as an assessment and monitoring system only, but with the State adoption there is a requirement for use of the intervention curriculum for students identified as being slightly below level or significantly below level in reading. 

We have fully implemented the assessment component of the system and are in our 3rd month of assessment.  Students in grades 3-5 complete one 30-minute online assessment each month during Academic Skills Lab (ASL).  The system provides teachers and administration with specific information on a students performance in each of the four areas of reading: comprehension, word analysis, fluency and vocabulary.

Our next step is to schedule time for students who are struggling in one or more areas of reading to work in the online intervention system each week.  This will serve as a secondary intervention system, with small group reading instruction in the classroom or through the reading lab as the primary intervention plan.


Spotlight on IB:
Roles in the Exhibition

Role of Parent/Guardian and Community Members

Parents/Guardians and Community members will:

• have an understanding of the purpose and requirements of the exhibition
• support and encourage students and teachers throughout the process of inquiry
• help students to access resources--people, places, media and information
• provide expert subject knowledge where applicable
• encourage independent inquiry and respect ownership of the process
• support students' action efforts
• have an opportunity to reflect on and give feedback on the exhibition
• celebrate with the students by attending the staging of the exhibition

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday 12/3  Kinder NNAT
Tuesday 12/4  5th gr NNAT; Kinder SAT10
Wednesday 12/5  Tour, 9:00 a.m.; Kinder SAT10; Evening PTO Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday 12/6  Kinder SAT10
Friday 12/7  Kinder SAT10;  Bulllying Makes Me Blue (wear blue)
Thursday 12/13 Spelling Pre-Bee, 7:20 a.m.; 3rd gr Holiday Program, 6:30 p.m.
Friday 12/14  NTB Book Talk, 11:30-12:30; Faculty Caroling, 6:00-7:00 pm

Spotlight on IB
What is Exhibition?
an excerpt from Exhibition Guidelines

Introduction
The Primary Years Programme (PYP) exhibition represents a significant event in the life of a PYP school and student, synthesizing the essential elements of the PYP and sharing them with the whole school community.  As a culminating experience it is an opportunity for students to exhibit the attributes of the International Baccalaureate (IB) learner profile that habe been developing throughout their engagement with the PYP.

In the students' final year of the PYP, which occurs in some schools at age 10-11 and in others at age 11-12, there are five unity of inquiry and the exhibition... Students are required to engage in a collaborative, transdisciplinary inquiry process that involves them in identifying, investigating and offering solutions to real-life issues or problems. 

Purpose
The PYP exhibition has a number of key purposes:

• for students to engage in an in-depth, collaborative inquiry;
• to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate independence and responsibility for their own learning;
• to provide students with an opportunity to explore multiple perspectives;
• for students to synthesize and apply their learning of previous years and to reflect upon their journey through the PYP;
• to provide an authentic process for assessing student understanding;
• to demonstrate how students can take action as a result of their learning;
• to unite the students, teachers, parents and other members of the school community in a collaborative experience that incorporates the essential elements of the PYP; and
• to celebrate the transition of learners from primary to middle/secondary education.

You will find a list of action projects in your child's Tuesday folder.  Please consider choosing a few projects that you can support. 

In the next blog post, watch for the Roles in Exhibition.

                                   
Save the Date
5th Grade Exhibition
6:30 p.m.






What is NNAT? 
NNAT (Naglieri Non-verbal Ability Test) measures nonverbal reasoning and general problem solving abilities.  Directions are simplistic and the test assesses without regard to language ability.  There is no published review for this assessment.  This assessment is used by HISD as one component of the G/T identification matrix. 

What is Stanford 10?
Stanford 10 is a norm-referenced achievement test allowing parents to get a measure of their child's achievement as it relates to other children at the same grade level nationally.   The Stanford 10 multiple-choice assessment will help educators find out what students know and are able to do. This instrument provides a valid and reliable tool needed for objective measurement of achievement. Teachers can use Stanford 10 results to identify and help children who are at risk of being left behind. Parents will understand what their children know and can do and how they can help.  Stanford is designed to assess reading, language arts, math, science and social studies.  This assessment is used to make decisions about promotion or retention, and may be used as a component of a matrix for admission into special programs.