News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday-Thursday, 5/6-5/9  Stanford Testing for Grades 1-5
Thursday, 5/9  SDMC Meeting, 3:30 pm
Saturday, 5/11  Name That Book 2014 List Announcement

Monday-Friday, 5/13-5/17  Teacher Appreciation Week
Tuesday, 5/14  5th Grade STAAR Math Retest
Wednesday, 5/15  5th Grade STAAR Reading Retest; 2nd Grade Fieldtrip
Thursday, 5/16  Art in the Park, Fine Arts Night featuring 4th grade recorders and various performance groups, 6:30 pm

Tuesday, 5/21  Roberts Idol Try-outs (5th gr only), 3:30 pm
Wednesday, 5/22  Portfolio Picnics, lunch period or 5:30-7:00 pm
Thursday, 5/23  Portfolio Picnic, lunch period; Roberts Idol Try-outs (5th gr only), 3:30 pm
Friday, 5/24  Kinder Promotion Ceremony, 9:30 am; Portfolio Picnic, lunch period; 5th gr Puberty Talk


Thanks for a great Carnival!
So many people turned out to set-up, run booths, enjoy the fun of carnival, and help with clean up!  Thank you so much for everyone's time and talents.  Big thanks go to Courtney Tardy, Kelly Wehrer and Anjum Khan. 


Stanford Testing
Stanford is a national, norm-referenced achievement test, measuring your child's performance relative to the performance of other children across the nation.  Stanford contains subtests on reading, math, science and social studies.  Testing will occur daily this week, from Monday through Thursday.  Most testing will conclude before lunch, but some classes will continue with a subtest after their scheduled lunch period.  Please check with your child's teacher if your child has an appointment scheduled this week.  We have only one day identified as a make-up day, and will not be able to make-up all sutests. 

Stanford is really not something that can be studied for in advance.  The content on the test is general knowledge and application of information.  Teachers have been working with your children to help them understand the format of testing.

Spotlight on IB:

What is Portfolio Picnic?

Parent-teacher conferences have been a standard practice, and the primary means of communication between school and home for decades.  Many educators, however, know the benefits of incorporating student-led conferences in that communication loop.  Student-led conferences are one way we can support students in developing ownership over their learning, and support the development of reflection as a learning practice. 

Teachers are preparing students for the student-led conferences that will be held through a Portfolio Picnic during the week of May 21st.  Each person has a role in the student-led conference.  For the student, the job is to lead the review and discussion of the work in their portfolio.  The parent’s role is to listen and review the work, and then participate in the reflection questions.  If you child gets stuck during the conference, here are a few questions that may help:

· Which pieces reflect one of your strengths?

· What challenges do you have in this subject?

· What are you most proud of?

This is also a time for students to set individualized learning goals for next year.  This is a time for parents to listen and coach, but not set goals for the student.

This year parents will have several options to accommodate your work schedule.  We are offering three days during the child’s lunch period, as well as Wednesday evening, May 22nd.  A special time has been set aside for Kinder students, just following the Kinder promotion ceremony on Friday, May 24th, allowing parents to attend the ceremony and the portfolio picnic at the same time. 

For both daytime and evening Portfolio Picnics, we invite you to bring a blanket and picnic meal to celebrate the conference.  It is a special time for your child, and I hope will be a special time for you.

  

Intent to Return

Every Spring we begin making plans for enrollment for the following school year.  Part of that process is asking you for information about your plans.  You should have received an Intent to Return through US mail just after Spring Break.  If you did not receive a form, or do not know where your form is, please contact Ms. Sones in the main office.

Please return the form as soon as possible.  If you plan on your child returning to Roberts for the 2013-14 school year, we must receive a new electric bill to verify your place of residence.  The guidelines for residency are included with the Intent to Return.  Please ensure you are providing accurate information.

Your Voice, Districtwide Survey

Last week you received a survey in your child's Tuesday folder.  That survey has a unique identifier number to ensure your survey is attributed to Roberts, and to ensure only one survey is completed for each family for each school.  If you have children that attend another HISD campus, you will also receive a survey for that campus. 

You are asked to complete the survey online with your assigned code, or complete the paper survey and return in the postage pad envelope.  We cannot accept your completed survey in the school office. 

Name That Book 2014 List Announcement

Saturday, May 11, 2013

10:00 a.m.

Barnes & Noble Westheimer Crossing -  7626 Westheimer

K-2 and 3-6,  Name That Book Lists for 2014 will be announced LIVE @ 10:00 AM

All students participating this year in Name That Book or Jr. Name That Book, or students interested in participating next year are invited to join Mrs. Graves on Saturday morning for the announcement.  All students who participated this year in reading days, book talks or after school team preparation are encouraged to wear your team shirt! 

Have a great week!