Upcoming Events
Tuesday, 2,12 Visitor Pre-Registration Deadline (see below for more information)
Wednesday, 2/13 Neighborhood Recruitment Tour, 9:30 am
Thursday, 2/14 Class Valentine Parties
Friday, 2/15 Auction Class Project Preview
Saturday, 2/16 Neighborhood Recruitment Open House and Play Date, 9-11 am
Wednesday, 2/20 Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm
Thursday, 2/21 Neighborhood Recruitment Tour, 9:30 am; Teacher Appreciation Luncheon (hosted by 2nd gr); SDMC Meeting
Saturday, 2/23 Roberts Auction
Wednesday, 2/27 Parent Information Meeting: Understanding STAAR Performance Requirements, 6:30 pm
Thursday, 2/28 4th gr Austin Trip
Friday, 3/1 PTO Meeting, 8:10 am
Tuesday, 3/5 Spring Picture Day (class & individual)
Thursday, 3/7 1st gr Performance, 6:30 pm
Friday, 3/8 No After School Activities; Lost & Found Clean-out
Monday, 3/18 Students Return
Pre-Register Process for Visitors
To alleviate the long lines for visitors checking in for special events, we have implemented a process for pre-registration. If you plan to attend class valentine parties (and have already visited the school this year and had your license scanned), please email your class room parent no later than Tuesday, 2/12 with that information. The room parent will provide a list to the Reception office and we will have a badge waiting for you when you arrive. We will create two check-in lines, so that parents who register in advance will not have to wait for the receptionist to run the driver’s license of visitors who have not pre-registered.
IB Self-Study Parent Survey
This year the Roberts community is engaging in a self-study to evaluate our IB Primary Years Programme. A very important voice in that process is your voice! We ask that all families complete the short online survey no later than Friday, February 22, 2013. You may find the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6G269MQ
Dropping Off Items at Reception
As many of you are aware, when you need to bring something to school that your child has forgotten at home, we are keeping that at Reception for your child to retrieve. Most days this does not present an issue for us, but it does become a safety net your child will rely on, even when they shouldn’t. I would encourage you to help your child develop strong routines for packing up their things at night so that the mornings are less hectic. Children who develop self-reliance and habits of organization, will be more successful in later years.
Lunches are sometimes a challenge. When you drop off a lunch, the receptionist emails your child’s teacher. My expectation for our classrooms is that teachers are busy working with children, and that they are not using instructional time to read or send emails. We have had a few occasions where the child is not aware a lunch is being delivered, and the teacher has not read the email. Please make every effort to send everything your child needs for the day with them in the morning. In the unusual instance that you can’t send the lunch with your child, please make sure they know to pick it up at reception on their way to lunch.
What is the +Peace Bench?
The +Peace Bench is a recent addition to our playground. The +Peace Bench is a place where a child can go if they are feeling excluded, or don’t have anyone to play with. When other children notice someone on the +Peace Bench, they are challenged to invite that child to play. I will be watching for children who act as upstanders, and say “no!” to exclusionary behaviors. Ask your child about the +Peace Bench.
STAAR Scores
Current 4th and 5th grade parents will be receiving score reports from STAAR exams administered during the 2011-12 school year. These reports will help you understand your child’s performance on the more rigorous assessment administered last year. The State has provided us with some clarity about performance expectations on this more rigorous exam. Students will fall into one of three performance areas for each test, Level I: Unsatisfactory, Level II: Satisfactory or Level III: Advanced. You can learn more about how STAAR will be scored during the Phase-In process over the next two years by attending our Parent Information Meeting: Understanding STAAR Performance Requirements on Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at 6:30 pm.
SAT10 Scores for Kinder
Current Kinder students will be receiving Stanford Achievement Test (SAT-10) score reports in the Tuesday folder. These tests were administered during the Fall semester and give us a baseline score for your child. The SAT-10 gives us a comparative look at your child’s academic performance level and that of other children across the nation in the same grade level. The SAT-10 is designed with stretch, meaning the test includes prerequisite skills for Kindergarten, as well as items that test skills more traditionally taught in the grade level above. The letter included with your score report will give you information on how to read the report, but a good place to start is by looking at the column labeled PR-S. This column will tell you your child’s percentile rank and stanine. A percentile rank of 50 is considered average, or typical for this test. You may use the stanine to help you determine performance in broader bands. Stanines 1, 2 and 3 represent performance that is below average. Stanines 4, 5 and 6 are in the average range. Stanines 7, 8 and 9 are above average performance. Be cautious about use GE (grade equivalence). This information is often misunderstood. A kindergarten student with a grade equivalence of 3.2 on the reading subtest, does not suggest the student is performing at the 3rd grade 2nd month level, but instead suggests the student made the same score as a 3rd grader would on the kindergarten reading test.
Ms. Rivers’ Reading Blog
Want to learn more about supporting your child as they develop as lifelong readers? Ms. River’s our Reading Specialist has created a blog and will provide information to help you help your child.
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