News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming This Week

Monday, 9/23   

Tuesday, 9/24   NTB 3-5 Reading Day, lunch times

Wednesday, 9/25  Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm; NO AFTERSCHOOL

Thursday, 9/26  

Friday, 9/27  NTB 3-5 Reading Day, lunch times

Monday, 9/30

Tuesday, 10/1  Progress Reports go home; NTB 3-5 Reading Day, lunch times

Wednesday, 10/2  Magnet Tour, 9:00 am

Thursday, 10/3  Fall Picture Day

Friday, 10/4  PTO Meeting, 8:10 am; NTB 3-5 Reading Day, lunch times

Name That Book, Grades 3-5

What is Name That Book (NTB)?

NTB is an academic competitive team that reads 35 books each year from the published list, and competes to identify the source of quotes read aloud.  This year, Mrs. Graves will serve as the team sponsor, with the support of Mrs. Whitehouse (4th grade) and Mrs. Khan (5th grade parent).  All students in grades 3-5 are invited to prepare, and then participate in the qualifier test for a place on the competitive team participating in the District Competition in the spring.

What are NTB Reading Days?

Reading Days are designed for students to check out books and read quietly while they eat.  Reading days are in the Principal's Office, and students stop in with their lunch on the way to the Cafe.  Students will not miss class time for Reading Days.

What is NTB Book Talk and how does it work?

Book Talks are opportunities for us to talk about the books on the NTB list.  We will discuss characters, plot, significant events, things that make the book unique, and similarities between the books.  Book Talks are not required, but it is highly recommended as preparation for the qualifier test and the official competition.  All Book Talks will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Fridays between October 21st  and January 31st.  To participate, students must have parent and teacher permission, and must make up any work missed while at Book Talk.   We will eat lunch during Book Talk, so students should bring a lunch, or get one from the cafeteria.  The Book Talk schedule and permission slip is attached to this blog post email, or can be picked up from the office.

Bullying or Not?

Through our work with +Works, we have been able to offer parents a handy resource for helping a child who is struggling with a classmate, +Parenting Guide.  You can find the guide on the Roberts website if you don't have a copy.  We are often quick to term any social struggle as bullying, but it is very important that we help differentiate behaviors to help our children resolve occasional conflicts with peers and friendship issues on their own.  

I am attaching the article, There are No Bullies, Just Kids Who Bully, from the recent edition of Teaching Tolerance, in which the author explores bully behaviors.  Bullying is repeated, targeted behavior, and is defined in the article as:

For behavior to qualify as bullying, two conditions must exist:

• The aggressor must intend to hurt or intimidate someone less powerful.
• The behavior must be repeated.

Take a few minutes to read the article attached to the blog post announcement email, or download the full magazine at tolerance.org .  

Don't forget to check out a new resource made available by +Works:

- +SNAX,   https://blog.positivethinkingworks.org

RE Blogs That Educate
Several of our faculty members are maintaining blogs to help you learn more about their areas of expertise. 

Want to learn more about social and emotional development?  Visit Ms. Nobles' blog at http://swroberts.weebly.com/blog.html

Want to learn more about reading instruction?  Ms. Rivers explains assessment and goal setting is her two new blog posts.  http://carivers.blogspot.com/

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming This Week
Monday, 9/16
Tuesday, 9/17  New Kinder Class Welcome Party; +Talk I: +PlayWell, 7:00 pm
Wednesday, 9/18  5th Gr Day of Service at Houston Food Bank
Thursday, 9/19  PTO Staff Appreciation Luncheon; SDMC Meeting, 3:30 pm
Friday, 9/20

Monday, 9/23
Tuesday, 9/24
Wednesday, 9/25  Early Dismissal, Professional Development, 12:30 pm
Thursday, 9/26
Friday, 9/27

+Works Mini-Documentary featuring Roberts Elementary
Entering our third year with +Works, we have seen a great improvement in how our children respond to the hurtful behaviors of friends and classmates.  Our Student Coalition made real strides last year in learning how to speak up, and how to empower others to speak up against bully behaviors.  We are confident their work will reach more children this year.

Have you had an opportunity to find out how +Works is impacting Roberts?  Take a few minutes and watch the mini-documentary filmed last spring that highlights the work of Roberts and Kolter.

Raising +Children 

Raising +Voices 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Works/113377495365084

http://www.youtube.com/user/PositiveWorksVideo



+Talk I: +PlayWell
Tuesday, September 17th, 7:00 pm
St. Vincent de Paul

What is the School Improvement Plan?
Each year we complete a comprehensive needs assessment to determine areas of strength and areas in need of improvement.  Each year we identify a goal for improvement in reading, math, attendance and safety. With the implementation of the district wide survey last spring, we will also be considering areas for improvement related to the perception of effectiveness by stakeholders (students and parents).

The School Improvement Plan is reviewed and approved by the Site-based Decision Making Committee (SDMC) and the PTO leadership.  After approval, the school improvement goals are shared with the full school community.  Next week the school improvement goals for the 2013-14 school year will be shared with you.  It takes the whole community working together to show the most improvement.

Spotlight on IB:

What is the IB Learner Profile?

An excerpt from IB Learner Profile Booklet…

The IB learner profile is the IB mission statement translated into a set of learning outcomes for the 21st century. The attributes of the profile express the values inherent to the IB continuum of international education: these are values that should infuse all elements of the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme and, therefore, the culture and ethos of all IB World Schools. The learner profile provides a long-term vision of education. It is a set of ideals that can inspire, motivate and focus the work of schools and teachers, uniting them in a common purpose.

IB programmes promote the education of the whole person, emphasizing intellectual, personal, emotional and social growth through all domains of knowledge.  By focusing on the dynamic combination of knowledge, skills, independent critical and creative thought and international-mindedness, the IB espouses the principle of educating the whole person for a life of active, responsible citizenship.

IB learners strive to be:

Inquirers.  They develop their natural curiosity.  The acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research and show independence in learning.  They actively enjoy learning and this love of learning with be sustained throughout their lives. 

Knowledgeable.  They explore concepts, ideas and issues that have local and global significance.  In so doing, they acquire in-depth knowledge and develop understanding across a broad and balanced range of disciplines.

Thinkers.  They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators.  They understand and express ideas and information confidently and creatively in more than one language and in a variety of modes of communication.  They work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.

Principled.  They act with integrity and honestly, with a strong sense of fairness, justice and respect for the dignity of the individual, groups and communities.  They take responsibility for their own actions and the consequences that accompany them.  

Open-minded.  They show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feeling of others.  They have a personal commitment to service, and act to make a positive difference to the lives of others and to the environment.

Risk-takers.  They approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies.  They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

Balanced.  They understand the importance of intellectual, physical and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being for themselves and others.

Reflective.  They give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience.  They are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support their learning and personal development.

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 9/9
Tuesday, 9/10  K-2 Curriculum Information Night, 6:30 pm
Wednesday, 9/11  3-5 Curriculum Information Night, 6:30 pm
Thursday, 9/12  +Works Coffee or Brown Bag Lunch (get details on the website)
Friday, 9/13  Fall Holiday - No School

Wednesday, 9/18  5th Grade Service Day - Houston Food Bank
Thursday, 9/19  PTO Staff Appreciation Lunch; SDMC Meeting, 3:30 pm

Wednesday, 9/25  Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm - Professional Development


Are you a registered volunteer?


To chaperone a field trip, or assist in the school, you must complete this process.  It takes 2-3 weeks, so please help us by taking care of it as soon as possible.  Here is how:

How can I become a VIPS? All volunteers must register online and pass a criminal background check before they can participate as a volunteer. Please follow the steps below to become a VIPS:

Step 1:	Register online at www.houstonisd.org/vipslogin.
Step 2:	Once you have registered, you must go in person to the school of interest and show proof of identification.
Step 3:	Identification information will go into our database for processing by the Volunteer Coordinator at each campus.
Step 4:	The criminal history background check can take 2-3 weeks to complete.
Step 5:	Once you are CLEARED to volunteer, you are eligible to volunteer throughout HISD.

What type of identification is accepted?
● Texas Driver’s License
● Official Passport
● Texas Identification Card
● Official U. S. Military ID
● Driver’s License (issued by any state in the U.S.)
● Matricula Consular
● Identification Card (issued by any state in the U.S.)
● Resident Alien Card

If you were registered last year, skip step 1.  Bring an acceptable type of identification to the Main Office and we will do the rest.  You can check with Ms. Niksch approximately 2-3 weeks after you bring in identification to make sure you are eligible to volunteer.


Spotlight on Homework
What Should a Parent Expect?
Homework is an opportunity for your child to practice important skills they are learning at school.  At Roberts, homework should generally take 10 minutes each night for every year your child has been in school, plus 20-30 minutes of nightly reading.  So, a first grader may have 10-20 minutes of homework and additional reading each night.  A fifth grade student would likely have one hour of homework plus nightly reading.

How Can Parents Help Establish Strong Habits?
Set a routine for homework.  Decide with your child when homework will be done each night, and find a location that is free from distractions.  Make sure your child understands what to do, and then check the work when it is complete.  

Why Isn't Homework Graded?
For many years the policy at Roberts about homework has been that while it should be checked, it should not be graded.  Many parents wonder why.  Homework is an opportunity for students to leave the safe confines of the classroom and practice what they learned independently.  Children need the repeated practice to firmly root new learning.  Teachers need to know whether students could complete the new learning with accuracy.  Often times, students need support at home when they can't remember how they "did the work" at school.  When you sit with your child and help with homework you are supporting their understanding.  The confusion comes when students return with work completed accurately, but they actually could not do the work alone.  The best way to support your child when they are struggling with homework is certainly to help, but make a note on the assignment for the teacher.  If you helped with questions 3 and 5, the teacher will want to know that.  A strong line of communication with your child's teacher will let her know what reteaching needs to be done during the next class period.  

Our goal is to ensure your child is proficient with the work.  When homework is graded, often the focus shifts from independent practice, to a focus on getting everything correct for the best grade.  This will often work against us because the teacher won't have a clear picture of what your child is doing well, and what she is still learning.  

When Is It Done?
an excerpt from the article entitled, Avoiding Homework Wars by Diana Browning Wright

For some kids, right after school is the perfect time to do the work because the assignment is fresh in their minds. Others need a break before they can tackle more school work.

Sometimes team sports, a parent's work schedule, or other activities interfere with doing homework immediately after school. With your child's input, you may need to develop two plans: one for the usual day and one for unusual events. When you agree on the plans, write them down.

If your child usually resists homework, make sure it doesn't immediately follow an interesting, rewarding activity (e.g., skateboarding with friends, playing a computer game). That can make the task look even more distasteful. Instead, transition her from fun activities to activities less enjoyable but also less difficult than homework. For example, ask her to bring in the mail, then ask her to set the table, and follow that with a request to help you tear lettuce for the salad. This is called "behavioral momentum," getting your child to do tasks that are not hard and are rarely resisted before you ask her to do something challenging. The idea is to create a distance from the fun activity to the more difficult one by inserting small, neutral tasks. Resistance is less likely if the momentum of compliance is built first.

Have you registered as a user for the Roberts website yet?

Email our webmaster for your parent ID and password today!
roberts.info.services@gmail.com 

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Tuesday, 9/3  First Day of Specialties
Wednesday, 9/4
Thursday, 9/5
Friday, 9/6  PTO Meeting, 8:10 am, Cafe

Monday, 9/9
Tuesday, 9/10  K-2 Curriculum Information Night, 6:30 pm, begins in Cafe
Wednesday, 9/11  3-5 Curriculum Information Night, 6:30 pm, begins in Cafe
Thursday, 9/12  +Works Coffee or Brown Bag Lunch (see flyer for details)
Friday, 9/13  Fall Holiday - No School

Wednesday, 9/18  5th Grade Day of Service - Houston Food Bank

Building a Strong Relationship With Your Child's Teacher

Experts will tell you that a strong  partnership between parents and teachers will benefit your child.  As parents, you should feel like you sit on the same side of the table as the teacher, and the teacher should feel similarly. 

You can start that important work by attending next week's Curriculum Information Night.  You will learn about the teacher, the curriculum and the critical work of the new grade level.  You will also learn how best to communicate with your child's teacher.  

I think the trap we fall into most often is that we try to guess about why a teacher says or does something, or why a teacher assigns a particular activity, or even assigns a particular grade.  Many times it feels safer to reach out to another parent or even a former teacher.  The only person who can really tell you the answer though is the teacher who made the decision.  When we reach out to others, at birthday parties, on the playground or even via facebook, we damage the parent and teacher partnership.  Go directly to the teacher. 

Maintaining a strong relationship takes work on the part of the teacher and work on the part of the parent.  PBS Parents gives good advice on building and maintaining a strong relationship.  It’s worth doing!  

Spotlight on IB:

International Mindedness in the PYPAn excerpt from IB PYP Basics for Practice…
There is one compelling component that stands out from the common ground that represents good practice in all IB World Schools offering the PYP.  That is, the kind of student we hope will graduate from a PYP school, the kind of student who, in the struggle to establish a personal set of values, will be laying the foundation upon which international-mindedness will develop and flourish.  The attributes of such a learner are listed in the IB learner profile, which is central to the PYP definition of what it means to be internationally minded.


The IB learner profile is consciously value-laden, for this kind of learning is what the IB supports, and is the embodiment of the IB’s philosophy of international education.  The attributes described in the learner profile are appropriate to, and achievable by, all primary years students.  The teacher needs to interpret these attributes in a manner appropriate to the age and development of the student.  Schools should be aware that part of the adaptability and versatility of the programme lies in what these attributes may look like from one school culture to another.


As well as presenting schools with a philosophical perspective on what international education may be, the PYP prescribes a curriculum framework of essential elements:  knowledge, concepts, skills, attitudes, and action.


Each of these is reflected in the learner profile and is a reference point for the construction of a school’s curriculum.  One of these essential elements, highly congruent with the IB learner profile, is a particular set of attitudes — appreciation, commitment, confidence, cooperation, creativity, curiosity, empathy, enthusiasm, independence, integrity, respect and tolerance. These attitudes should affect deeply the learning environments and the personal interactions that occur within them.


Through acknowledging and struggling to meet the diverse needs of the student — physical, social, intellectual, aesthetic, cultural— PYP schools ensure that the learning is engaging, relevant, challenging and significant.  What adds significance to student learning in the PYP is its commitment to a transdisciplinary model, whereby themes of global significance that  transcend the confines of the traditional subject areas frame the learningthroughout the primary years, including early childhood.  These themes promote an awareness of the human condition and an understanding that there is a commonality of human experience.  The students explore this common ground collaboratively, from the multiple perspectives of their individual experiences and backgrounds.  This sharing of experience increases the students’ awareness of, and sensitivity to, the experiences of others beyond the local or national community. It is central to the programme and a critical element in developing an international perspective, which must begin with each student’s ability to consider and reflect upon the point of view of someone else in the same class.

Safety First!

We are noticing many parents engaged in cell phone conversations while dropping off and picking up.  Please remember that it is illegal, and dangerous, to use a cell phone while in a school zone and/or the drop-off and pick-up zones.





Early Pick-up
Please make every effort for your child to attend school each day for the entire day. When your child leaves early, they miss instruction.  When you must pick up your child early, please remember that it may take a few minutes to call your child to meet you at reception.  We will not call your child from class before you arrive.
Please also note, at 3:00 p.m. we will no longer call for children for early pick-up.  After 3:00 p.m. you will need to go to the dismissal area for your child.

Have a great week!

News From Mrs. Graves

Welcome to the Principal's Page!  You can follow this blog by entering an email address in the right sidebar.

Upcoming Events

Monday, 8/26  First Day of School; PTO Parent Coffee, Cafe 8:00 am; RETURN FIRST DAY PACKET

Tuesday, 8/27

Wednesday, 8/28  First Day of Afterschool Childcare; SDMC Meeting, 3:30 pm

Thursday, 8/29  Specialties Sign-up Deadline, 8:00 am

Friday, 8/30               

Monday, 9/2  Labor Day Holiday - No School

Tuesday, 9/3  100% PTO Membership Drive Begins; First Day of Specialties

Wednesday, 9/4

Thursday, 9/5

Friday, 9/6  PTO Meeting, Cafe 8:10 am

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 10th  (K-2) or September 11th (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 child's 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.

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 7:15 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.   If you choose to walk with your child in the morning, you are asked to help them develop strong routines by finding the appropriate area to line up and wait to enter the building.  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.

Afternoon Dismissal and the Pick-up Line

School dismisses each day at 3:15 p.m.  We ask that you help us with a safe dismissal by using the car pick-up line.  You received a new pick-up number in your first day packet (bright orange).  Please fold that in half and place on your dashboard so that the number is clearly visible to us as you move through the line.  Please also make sure your child knows the number. If everyone does their part, the pick-up line will move more smoothly.

Please note, the pick-up line begins forming just after 3:00.  Please enter the line on Greenbriar, traveling from Holcombe toward the school.  Please use the map below to help you get in line at the proper location.  The green bars indicate locations for legal parking if you prefer to walk up to the dismissal area on School Street.  Please do not come to the classroom door to pick up your child.

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 and 3-dimensional art 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.  New this year, all students in grades 3-5 will participate in a musical stage production, learning the music of the chorus in the music ancillary class.

PE.  

Mr. Lytton is joined again this year by Coach J 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)

Ms. Anderson and Ms. Loeri work together to provide 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 or DreamBox, 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 

Ms. Savarese will continue to offer hands-on science lessons that coordinate and enhance the science learning from the classroom.  Each class has an assigned science time that may be different from the regular time ancillaryis scheduled the other days of the rotation. 

Note From Our Webmaster:

Hi Roberts parents,

If you'd like to access the parents-only areas of the school website and don't yet have an account, please email roberts.info.services@gmail.com with your full name and your child's name and grade. You'll receive a return email with instructions for signing in.

This work is done by parent volunteers, so please be patient!

Summer Update

Dear Parents,
So many important things are happening on campus this summer to improve learning and increase opportunities for your child.  Read more to find out about our technology upgrades, magnet expansion and the continuous improvement plans for our Primary Years Programme.

Technology Upgrades.  We have finalized the installation plan for our new campus network to upgrade our network hardware and improve our wireless system.  We expect installation to be complete before school begins.  With your support through your generous donations to the PTO we have been able to order new technology to replace one outdated laptop cart and classroom computers for one grade level, as well as add one iPad cart for use in our classrooms.  We worked closely with our technology department and have cleaned and updated all our existing laptops and are in the process of replacing dead batteries to ensure our grade level laptop carts are in great shape for our students when they return.

Magnet Expansion. Just over two years ago we underwent a comprehensive review of our magnet program and have been working to identify opportunities that allow students to blend their arts learning.  We have worked closely with Young Audiences this summer to develop a model for our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students to participate in musical theatre stage productions.  For the 2013-14 school year each grade level (3-5) will work on one musical theatre production.  All students will learn the music of the chorus during the music ancillary period, and those students interested in lead roles, dance roles, or stage design and props will have the opportunity to stay after school for our Magnet Enrichment period at no extra fee.   Our 4th grade students will launch our magnet expansion with the Broadway Jr. adaptation of School House Rock Live.   If you have a 4th grader who would enjoy taking on a featured role, make sure you keep the schedule clear after school on Tuesdays and Thursday from September 4th through November 14th.   We are looking for volunteers who can sew to assist with costuming, and someone who can help with building stage sets.  Contact Ms. Ballard at jballard@houstonisd.org to volunteer your time and talents.

Another exciting facet of our magnet program is the work we are doing to formalize the integration of digital arts across the curriculum.  We are finalizing our scope and sequence for technology integration this school year and looking for ways to ensure we are viewing this work through the lens of our fine arts program.

Primary Years Programme.  We have worked closely with Lamar HS and Texas IB Schools to create an opportunity for training for our teachers on August 1 and 2.  Serving as a host for training in Houston enables us to train more teachers at a reduced cost for each teacher.  We will have 24 faculty members trained in the coming weeks, nearly double the number of that in years when we have to travel, in Level 1, 2 and 3 workshops to ensure we are well-aligned with IB philosophy.  Also of critical note, after completing our year long self-study, we have been notified of our dates for our 5-year IB Evaluation Site Visit.  We will welcome an evaluation team in early November.

Helpful Tidbits
*The school office will reopen Monday, August 12th.  If your plans have changed and your child will not attend Roberts in the fall, please contact Ms. Sones at bsones@houstonisd.org.

*Help us get a jump on the school directory by completing the attached form and sending back to Roberts.president@gmail.com

Enjoy the remaining weeks of summer!
Mrs. Graves

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 6/3  5th gr Regal Ranch
Tuesday, 6/4  5th gr Promotion Ceremony, 6:30 pm at Pershing MS Auditorium
Wednesday, 6/5  5th gr Fun Day at Roberts; Zoe's Kitchen Art Show, 6-8 pm
Thursday, 6/6  LAST DAY OF SCHOOL, 3:15 dismissal; Report Cards

Saturday, 8/10  PADRES Work Day, 8 am-Noon
Thursday, 8/22  New Parent Orientation, Cafe, 2:30 pm; Meet the Teacher and Ice Cream Social, 3-5 pm
Saturday, 8/24  Kinder Play Date, 9-11 am
Monday, 8/26  First Day of School


Summer Office Hours: 
June 10-July 11, Monday - Thursday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
July 15-August 2  SCHOOL OFFICE CLOSED
August 5  School Office Re-Opens, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm


Dear Roberts Community,
We have much to be proud of as we wrap up this school year.  Your children have been challenged with well-designed transdisciplinary units of inquiry, have stayed focused on their goals to improve as readers, and have tackled rigorous mathematics instruction with a focus on developing algebraic thinking.  Your children have continued to develop themselves in the elements of the learner profile and better understand their power and responsibility to change a culture of bully-behavior as an upstander. 

The best thing you can do for your child this summer is to make sure your child has opportunties to read.  Barnes and Noble and the Houston Public Library are offering summer reading incentive programs.  Your child may be interested in reading the books on the Name That Book list, but they may prefer not to be tied to a list someone else chose.  Just make time for your child to read.

We will be busy planning for the new school year.  The school will be cleaned from top to bottom, from corner to corner.  Technology will be checked and repaired or replaced.  We will be working on improvements to curriculum and instruction.  We look forward to our 5-yr IB Evaluation visit in the Fall.

We wish you a relaxing summer that brings your family together.  Happy summer!

Mrs. Graves

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Tuesday, 5/28   STAAR Scores home in folders
Thursday, 5/30  3rd gr Business Fair, 8:30-9:30; Understanding STAAR Score Reports, 5:30 pm Cafe; 2nd gr Performance, 6:30 pm
Friday, 5/31  PTO Meeting in CFI, 8:10; 3rd gr Business Fair, 8:30-9:30; 3rd gr Field Trip, 10:15; Last Day of Afterschool Events

Monday, 6/3  5th gr Regal Ranch
Tuesday, 6/4  5th gr Promotion Ceremony, Pershing Auditorium, 6:30 pm
Wednesday, 6/5  5th gr Fun Day; Zoe's Kitchen Art Show, 6:00-8:00 pm
Thursday, 6/6  Last Day of School, Dismissal at 3:15 pm


STAAR Scores
On Tuesday you will receive STAAR reading and math scores for 3rd and 4th graders, along with results for writing and science STAAR.  If your child retested in reading or math as a 5th graders, we do not have those scores yet, but expect them later this week.

I am so proud of the gains we made this year in STAAR performance, in both passing and advanced level performance.  If you are not sure how to read your STAAR scores, I will host a very short meeting on Thursday, 5/30 at 5:30 pm in the Cafe to help you understand what you are seeing.  This is not a time for specific questions about your child's individual scores.  Please schedule a meeting with your child's teacher for individual concerns.

Summer School
We will offer a summer program for students who have not met promotion standards set by the district and/or the state.  If your child qualifies for the program, you will receive a letter in the Tuesday folder tomorrow with the details.  Children who have not met promotion standards are required to successfully complete the summer program to be promoted to the next grade level, unless the ARD committee determined a different course of action. 

If you receive test scores, or summer program information that you don't understand, and have questions please contact your child's teacher to set up a time to meet and discuss your child's progress.

Zoe's Kitchen Art Show
Who has time to cook dinner this close to the end of school?
We were recently invited to display and sell art work at Zoe's Kitchen in the Village.  You are invited to the Roberts Art evening at Zoe's on Wednesday, June 5th between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm.  A portion of food sales that evening will go back to Roberts, so come have dinner as a community, or order take out, and take a look at the art on display that evening.

Thank you
Every year I am amazed by the number of parents who volunteer their time and talents to Roberts Elementary.  Some parents choose to tackle one or two events a year as a worker bee, and others take on the responsibility of major projects.  All gifts of time and talent are incredibly valuable, and make Roberts the wonderful place it is for your children.

The one volunteer post that really is a tremendous sacrifice is that of PTO President.  Every year I find myself just wonderstruck by the time and energy our PTO presidents give to our community.  Jennifer Thornton has given so much to this community this past year.  Please take time to thank her, give her a pat on the back, and encourage her to put her feet up this summer and smile about all she has accomplished this year.  Thank you Jennifer!

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Wednesday, 5/22  Portfolio Picnic, lunch or 5:30-7:00
Thursday, 5/23  Portfolio Picnic, lunch
Friday, 5/24  Kindergarten Promotion and Performance, 9:30 am; Portfolio Picnic, lunch

Monday, 5/27  Memorial Day Holiday
Thursday, 5/30  3rd Gr Business Fair, 9-10:00 am; 2nd gr Performance, 6:30 pm
Friday, 5/31  3rd gr Business Fair, 9-10:00 am; 3rd gr Field Trip, 10:15 am

What a Wonderful Week!

Teacher Appreciation Week was absolutely wonderful!  Thank you for the many treats and thoughtful words.  The teachers and I are always overwhelmed by the ways you show appreciation.

Specialties
I hope you had the opportunity to learn more about our after school offerings during our Art in the Park Fine Arts Night.  Did you have a chance to check out our robotics demonstration or watch the short films created by our students? 

We are always interested in your feedback on our specialty programs.  One of the things we have heard from students, parents and providers is that semester-long programs may be too long.  We are re-organizing our specialties into three sessions, each approximately 10 weeks long.  This change will allow us to offer more classes within unique areas.  We will continue to balance our offerings so that children have choices between academics, arts and athletics. 

You will have an opportunity to learn more about the offerings at Meet the Teacher during the Opportunity Fair.  You will not be able to register your child for classes that day.  You will find the registration form in the First Day Packet, and may return it completed on the first day of school.  All forms received during the registration period will be accepted.  We WILL NOT utilize first-come, first-served.  If a class has more interest than space, we will use a lottery to determine who will be registered. 

Teacher Requests 

As you may know, one of the District's core initiatives within the Strategic Direction is to ensure a highly effective teacher is in every classroom.  The Roberts Community is so incredibly lucky to have a campus full of highly effective teachers.  There is no teacher on our campus that struggles to offer sound instruction, and a well-developed structure of support exists for teachers new to our campus. 

With that in mind, please let me share with you my thoughts on the often pursued “teacher request”.  I strongly believe requesting teachers builds a culture of favored and disfavored teachers that is toxic to a school community.   Often these impressions of teacher effectiveness are anchored by false opinions and rumors.  We do not accept teacher requests.  I will continue to stand firm on that and request that you honor it as well.

So, how will we make class assignments?  The teachers and administration will work to build strong groups of children that make sense together.  We will consider personality, behavior, academics and social development.  After groups have been formed, I will assign those groups to teachers. 

If you would like to share special characteristics that should be considered, you are welcome to submit that in writing to me.  You may do that by email or by leaving a letter in the office for me to review.

Please let me thank you in advance for working within the system.  Your trust in our faculty is greatly appreciated.

Have a great week!

  

New From Mrs. Graves

Happy Mother's Day!

Upcoming This Week
Monday, 5/13 
Tuesday, 5/14  STAAR Retest; Kinder fieldtrips (Warner, Punch, Barnes and Miller)
Wednesday, 5/15  STAAR Retest; 2nd gr Field Trip; Baylor College of Medicine Academy Parent Info Meeting; 6:00 pm
Thursday, 5/16  Fine Arts Night, piano (6:00) and 4th gr performances (and more), 6:30 pm
Friday, 5/17  Kinder field trip (Bowman and Waterman)
Sunday, 5/19  Class of 2013 Reunion, Cafe, 2:00 pm

Monday, 5/20 
Tuesday, 5/21  Roberts Idol Tryouts, 3:30
Wednesday, 5/22  Portfolio Picnic, lunches & 5:30-7:00 pm;
Thursday, 5/23  Portfolio Picnic, lunches; Roberts Idol Try-Outs, 3:30 pm
Friday, 5/24  Kinder Promotion and Portfolio Picnic, 9:30-10:30; Portfolio Picnic, lunches

Teacher Appreciation Week
Your PTO does a tremendous job of planning so many wonderful surprises for our faculty and staff.  Teacher Appreciation Week is such a treat for all of us.  Please help me by taking a moment to share a few words of thanks with your child's teachers for everything they do for your child each day. 


Parent Information Meeting:
Baylor College of Medicine Academy at Ryan
Wednesday, May 15, 6:00 pm Roberts Cafe
Want to learn more about the new middle school?  Meet the newly appointed principal, and find out why so many people are talking about this great new option affiliated with the Medical Center. 

Important Dates for 2013-14 School Year
Ready for summer or already planning for the return to school?  Either way, you will want to save the date for these important events as we kick off the new school year.

Thursday, August 22, 3:00 pm  Meet the Teacher and PTO Ice Cream Social
This is a great way to reconnect with friends after a long, fun summer.  Come by and meet your teacher and take care of all the details to get school started on the right foot.  You will be able to register as a volunteer, find out about our after school specialties, pay for lunches and much more...

Saturday, August 24, 9am-11am: Kindergarten Playdate
Help your little ones become acclamated with the campus, and maybe make a friend or two from their class before school even starts.  PTO reps, Kinder teachers and administrators will be on hand to answer any last minute questions that will make Monday go smoothly.

Monday, August 26, 8am
1st Day of School,and PTO parent welcome back coffee 8am-9:15am

Tuesday, September 10, 6:30 pm  Kinder-Grade 2 Curriculum Information Night
Wednesday, September 11, 6:30 pm  Grade 3-5 Curriculum Information Night
Undoubtedly one of the most important events for you to attend each year!  You will learn about the curriculum goals for the school year and so much more, including how to monitor your child's grades and how to access the class blog to stay in touch with what your child is learning.

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!