News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events

Monday, 9/22
Tuesday, 9/23
Wednesday, 9/24 Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm
Thursday, 9/25
Friday, 9/26

Monday, 9/29
Tuesday, 9/30  Progress Reports Go Home
Wednesday, 10/1  School Tour, 9:00 a.m.
Thursday, 10/2  PTO Meeting, 8:10 a.m.
Friday, 10/3  Fall Holiday - NO SCHOOL

Friday, 10/10  Altered School Day - Dismissal 12:30; International Festival 3:00-6:00


Many Thanks...
As always, the Roberts community has come out strong to support the incredible things that happen everyday in our classrooms.  We had a remarkable turn out last week at our first Spirit Night fundraiser at JerryBuilt, and 20% of the receipts that night will go to our 5th grade fund for exciting 5th grade promotion activities at the end of the year.   Teachers enjoyed a really yummy lunch on Friday at the Staff Appreciation Lunch, hosted this month by the PTO Board and organized by Christine Robins.  And, wow!   The RE community is breaking records with more participation and more funds raised through the 100% Participation fundraising drive to raise money that goes directly to support classrooms, instruction, professional development and technology upgrades on our campus. Thank you for being partners with us in enriching the educational experience your children have every day!


Early Dismissal
This week we will have our first early dismissal this year.  We will be dismissing 815 students all at the same time.  We are working on plans for making this as safe and as efficient as possible.  Tomorrow, you will receive a request for information regarding your child's plans for going home on Wednesday.  We need that information no later than Tuesday morning. On Tuesday, in the weekly folder, you will receive a detailed plan for dismissal to help you plan accordingly.  We expect the dismissal process to take longer than usual.

You will be asked to choose one of the following four options:

1. Bus Rider - HISD bus service or private day cares will pick up at the early dismissal time.  Your child must already be served by bus service.
2. Independent Walker - Children identified as independent walkers will be released to walk home alone.  This option is not for parents who are picking up their children. You should be confident that your child can navigate traffic and can get home safely with no support.  You must already have information on file with the main office to choose this option.  Children in Kinder and 1st grade are not eligible for this option.
3. Pick-up: Car Rider Line - You will have your assigned car tag hanging and visible in the windshield. Your child will be called and loaded in your car by a Roberts teacher.
4. Pick-up: Parent Walks up - You are walking from home or parking in the area and walking to the defined dismissal area to get your child.  Your child will not be released until you arrive.

On Tuesday, we will review the information you provide and develop a dismissal plan.  We are considering a staggered dismissal and potentially varied dismissal locations.  You will get information about the plan in the Tuesday folder.  

Stamina, The Glue for Reading Development

For a long time reading teachers talked about the Five Pillars of Reading (Phonological Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary and Comprehension), the five areas that we must develop to grow strong readers.  I wrote about those five pillars in The Principal's Page long before we moved to the digital format.  Although the work we do with children hasn't changed, they still need the same skill work to develop as strong readers, we have learned more about a component missing from the pillar structure, stamina. 

We now define the work of developing reading skills under the CAFE framework.  It is easier to understand, and because the skill areas are all taught within the context of authentic reading, children can own their improvement as readers.  They know what they do well, and what they need to do to improve.  They have a menu of strategies to support their improvement.  The CAFE framework (and related work, The Daily 5) touches on stamina as a component, and I believe it is critical to the work. 

Whether discussing the Five Pillars, or discussing CAFE, the same foundation is necessary for building the capacity to be a strong reader, and what we know is that each pillar, or skill area, is interdependent on the others.  It is a cycle.  As a reader develops accuracy, their comprehension is improved, they learn more vocabulary and their fluency increases, making them more ready for more challenging texts. No one develops as a strong reader with only one of these skill areas.

Readers must be able to decode words with accuracy, they must understand that letters are symbols and that these symbols often represent more than one sound.  They must be able to fluidly move between sound options and identify the word within the text.  There are a variety of skills necessary to do that well, beginning with phonological awareness, or the ability to identify and manipulate units or oral language, and then move that understanding from the context of oral language to written language as they begin decoding (reading) and encoding (writing).

After children have the skills to read words accurately, they must make sense of the words they are reading.  That is where the development of comprehension skills and vocabulary play a critical role. Under the CAFE system, students are given the opportunity to add skills and strategies to their reader's tool kit for developing these skill areas.  

Fluency is sometimes the most time consuming of the skill areas for reading development. There are no quick tricks of the trade, it just requires practice.  Building fluency takes time and effort.  Readers must recognize words with automaticity, and must use the context to anticipate what will come next. Fluency is important because transitioning to more difficult text requires that readers are efficient with their work.  A voracious reader will power through Harry Potter in short order, but a slow reader will often give up when the joy of reading is overwrought by tedious and painful word-by-word decoding.  

Now some readers have well developed decoding strategies (accuracy), they have a ready toolkit of strategies for ensuring strong comprehension, have a deep vocabulary and read with fluency, but they still wouldn't be categorized as a voracious reader.  I believe that is about stamina.  Stamina for reading is the ability to stay focused on the reading for longer periods of time.  Stamina, just like physical strength, is developed over time as we practice.  It is not a skill we practice in isolation, though.  Building stamina to stay focused on the text gives readers an opportunity to get hooked on the reading.  It allows readers to become enveloped by the story. As we build stamina, we set into motion a cycle that allows accuracy, fluency, vocabulary development and strong comprehension to flourish.   Stamina, in my opinion, is the glue that keeps the cycle of reading development going.  

Learn more about how we are developing stamina on Ms. Rivers' blog at http://carivers.blogspot.com/ 

Name That Book, Grades 3-5

What is Name That Book (NTB)?

NTB is an academic competitive team that reads 30 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 Ms. Heemer (4th grade), Ms. Proch (3rd grade), Ms. Berens (5th grade), Ms. Ballard and Ms. Miller.  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.  Our first Reading Day will take place this week, Friday, 9/26.

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 beginning October 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 will be available during Reading Days from Mrs. Graves.

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 9/15  
Tuesday, 9/16  Roberts Night @ JerryBuilt, 5:00-8:00 pm
Wednesday, 9/17
Thursday, 9/18  SDMC, 3:30 pm
Friday, 9/19  Staff Appreciation Lunch, hosted by PTO Board

Monday, 9/22
Tuesday, 9/23
Wednesday, 9/24  Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm
Thursday, 9/25
Friday, 9/26

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.

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 up to 5-10 minutes to call your child to meet you at reception.  We will not call your child from class before you arrive.  Please also note that if your child is in an ancillary class they will not be able to go back to the classroom for their things.

Please also note, at 2:50 p.m. we will no longer call for children for early pick-up.  After 2:50 p.m. you will need to go to the dismissal area for your child.


State Accountability
Last week at our Annual Curriculum Night, I provided an annual school update that included information on our 2014 State Accountability Rating.  Roberts Elementary met standards, earning 6 of 6 Distinction Designations for Academic Achievement in Reading/ELA, Academic Achievement in Mathematics, Academic Achievement in Science, Top 25% in Student Progress, Top 25% in Closing Achievement Gaps, and in Postsecondary Readiness.  You will receive an overview of our State Accountability report this week in the Tuesday Folder.

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 9/8
Tuesday, 9/9  Curriculum Information Night, K-2, Cafe 6:30 pm
Wednesday, 9/10
Thursday, 9/11  Curriculum Information Night, 3-5, Cafe 6:30 pm
Friday, 9/12

Monday, 9/15
Tuesday, 9/16  Roberts Night @JerryBuilt, 5:00-8:00pm
Wednesday, 9/17
Thursday, 9/18
Friday, 9/19  Staff Appreciation Luncheon, hosted by PTO Board


Curriculum Information Night **This Week**
Please join us this week to learn more about the curriculum your child will be learning this school year.  We will begin in the Cafe with a short update on Roberts, and then meet your teacher in the classroom.  This is a parent-only event.  No childcare is provided.


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). After approval, the school improvement goals are shared with the full school community. Later this month the school improvement goals for the 2014-15 school year will be shared with you. It takes the whole community working together to continue to improve.


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

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

Upcoming Events

Monday, 9/1  Labor Day Holiday - No School

Tuesday, 9/2  100% PTO Membership Drive Begins; First Day of Specialties; First Day of Musical Theatre, 4th grade

Wednesday, 9/3

Thursday, 9/4  International Festival Planning Meeting, Cafe 8:10 am

Friday, 9/5  PTO Meeting, Cafe 8:10 am

Monday, 9/8
Tuesday, 9/9  Curriculum Information Night, K-2, Cafe 6:30 pm
Wednesday, 9/10
Thursday, 9/11  Curriculum Information Night, 3-5, Cafe 6:30 pm
Friday, 9/12

Curriculum Information NightWhat 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 9th  (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 the classroom blog and 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.

What's in the Ancillary Rotation?
Ancillary classes are offered daily for 45 minutes, on a six day 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 

Coach Alexander and Coach Montoya will 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 Think Through Math, First in Math or DreamBox, while a GT student may spend more time on Renzulli.  These are just a few examples of the differentiation we can provide through the ASL.  Most technology instruction is done in the classrooms, integrated in the IB Planner through research, collaboration or product.

Spanish
New to our faculty, Ms. Brandon is providing Spanish instruction for all Roberts students. Students are learning listening, speaking, reading and writing in the Spanish language.


Science Lab, Grades 1-5
This year, our Science Lab will be on a five day rotation for grades 1-5.  This ensures more time for hands-on Science learning in the lab setting for our students.  Ms. Masood is new to Roberts and comes from a family of scientists.  She is an experienced Science teacher, joining us from a charter school system.  She will be engaging your children in some exciting scientific investigations, and will support classroom teachers to ensure alignment between lab instruction and classroom instruction.  Ms. Masood will also be supporting Kindergarten teachers to provide engaging science instruction in the kinder classrooms.

Enrollment
We have had a increase in enrollment this year.  We have seen the increase in enrollment in area schools over the last few years, but this is the first year it has impacted Roberts.  The increase in enrollment is manageable at the classroom level, but we are working to find teaching assistants to help with our largest classrooms. 

The increase seems to have the greatest impact at this point on our schoolwide resources. Many of you have noticed the impact at dismissal.  More students means more adults, and the space in the dismissal area is limited.  We expect it to be more manageable this week, and are hopeful that we can go back to the original dismissal plan.  I ask that you support our efforts by being kind to our staff as they work to ensure the safety of all of our children.

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!

Welcome Back Message

As we ready for the first day of the new school year tomorrow, I want to offer you a few things that will make the school year a little smoother for you, your child, and everyone else.

Morning Drop-Off
If you feel comfortable allowing your child to walk in alone, please enter the car line on Greenbriar moving north.  Follow the car line east on Swift into the Circle Drive.  There will be only one drop off line, which will be supervised by faculty and staff, beginning at 7:40 a.m.  Planning your morning commute so that you arrive between 7:40 and 7:45 is ideal, and will reduce the time you sit in traffic. Faculty and staff will go into the building at 8:00 a.m.  We ask that all children are in class, ready for learning, no later than 8:00 a.m.

If you prefer to walk your child into the building, please find legal parking on the streets west of Greenbriar.  There is very little legal parking on streets around and behind the school.

First Day Packets
You received an envelope of important paperwork at Meet the Teacher.  Please complete and return that paperwork tomorrow morning.  If you did not attend Meet the Teacher, a packet will be available for you on Monday.

Pick-up
All students will be dismissed tomorrow and Tuesday at 3:15.  Please place the car tag on your rearview mirror with the number facing outward.  Your child should know the car pick-up number.  All cars using the pick-up line should have the car tag.  Cars without the car tag will be asked to park and walk up to this dismissal area.  During the first few days of school, as children learn their car numbers, the pick-up line will move a little slower.

After school care will begin later in the week on Wednesday.  Specialities sign-up is due on Wednesday and classes will begin next week.

Attendance
Students not in attendance tomorrow will be dropped from the roster.  Re-enrollment is based on space availability, and is not guaranteed.

PTO First Day Coffee
We invite you to join us in the Cafe for our annual first day coffee at 8:00 a.m..  Whether wiping away a few tears, or walking with a little spring in your step, sharing a few minutes together is a must do!

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 5/26  Inclement Weather Make-up Day (Required Attendance); Roberts Idol Practice, 1:30 pm
Tuesday, 5/27  5th gr Promotion Ceremony, 6:30 p.m. Pershing Middle School Auditorium;
Wednesday, 5/28  5th gr Regal Ranch Trip; 4th gr Greek Festival; Kinder Piano Recital, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, 5/29  LAST DAY OF SCHOOL; Roberts Idol, 8:15 a.m.; Year End Class Parties


Save the Dates!
Thursday, 8/21
2:30  New Parent Orientation
3:00 - 4:00  Meet the Teacher
4:00 - 5:00  Ice Cream Social and Opportunity Fair

Monday, 8/25  First Day of School!

It's a Big List of Aladdin THANK YOUs...

• 5th graders, who put so much hard work and passion into preparing for the show;
• Esther Pastore, Anjum Khan, Chandra De, Debra Balthazar, Tanya Zeiger, Ms. Savarese, Mary Murrey, PJ Oran and countless other moms who helped make costumes;
• PADRES, who moved us into and out of Hamman Hall; 
• Lamar HS Theatre Department, who served as technical advisors, as we began planning for the show;
• Lamar HS Photography and Journalism students who created our show program;
• Mr. Campbell, our master of sound;
• Our 5th grade teachers;
• Ms. Ballard, who painted sets, helped with costumes, managed shopping lists, arranged and rearranged schedules for rehearsal, and too many other things to mention;
• Ms. Walton, who kept EVERYTHING ELSE afloat on campus; 
• Pat Corte, Corte Enterprises, our Corporate Partner, for designing and building our set; and last but not least,
• Young Audiences Houston, our Arts Partner, who secures experts in the field who not only cherish the arts, but who also know the value of providing top notch arts education for children.

STAAR Scores
Student score reports from recent STAAR administrations will be in this week's Tuesday folder.  The score report will provide information about performance and growth from your child's STAAR score last year.  Please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher if you have questions after receiving your child's report.  (They will not be available before Tuesday.)


Thank you, Courtney Tardy!
Please join me in thanking Courtney Tardy for serving as our PTO President this past year.  You can't imagine the number of emails, phone calls, text messages, meetings and events our PTO Presidents manage, and Courtney has done that with grace.  She has given a tremendous amount of time and talent to align our resources to make Roberts great! Make sure you say thank you when you see her.


Have a great summer!  Stay safe, and make time for reading!

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, May 19-Thursday, May 22  Aladdin, Jr. Tech Week
Monday, May 19  Portfolio Picnic gr 1-5 (lunch times); Aladdin Rehearsal
Tuesday, May 20  Portfolio Picnic gr 1-5 (lunch times and 5:30-6:30 p.m.); Aladdin Rehearsal
Wednesday, May 21  Portfolio Picnic gr 1-5 (lunch times); 3rd gr Business Fair, 8:30-9:30 a.m.; Aladdin Rehearsal
Thursday, May 22  Aladdin Dress Rehearsal School Show, gr 2-4, 1:30 p.m.; Aladdin, Jr., 6:30, Hamman Hall at Rice University (tickets required); LAST DAY FOR AFTER SCHOOL CARE & SPECIALTIES
Friday, May 23  Memorial Day Flag Ceremony, 7:45 a.m.; 3rd gr Business Fair, 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Monday, May 26  Inclement Weather Make-up Day (Please make every effort to attend school)

Portfolio Picnic

We look forward to having you join us for a student-led conference with your child.  You may choose to come for lunch on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, or if it is more convenient, come for dinner on Tuesday from 5:30-6:30 p.m.  Bring a picnic blanket and a meal to share while your child shares his or her portfolio.  If you have not let your child's teacher know when you are coming, please do so immediately.  Teachers and students have been preparing for this and are so excited to share this year's learning.

Memorial Day

Please remember that Monday, May 26 is a required school day. Students who are not in attendance on 5/26 will receive an unexcused absence.  The school will be be held accountable for attendance on that day, and our budget for the 2014-15 school year will be reduced if our attendance rate drops.

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, May 12  Rising 5th gr Parent Mtg, 8:10 a.m.; Aladdin Jr General Tickets Sales begins at 8:30 a.m.; Roberts Idol Auditions - Performers (5th gr only)
Tuesday, May 13  5th gr STAAR Math Re-Test; 3rd gr Field Trip; 2nd gr Field Trip; Zoe's Kitchen Art Show & Dinner, 5:30-8:00
Wednesday, May 14  5th gr STAAR Reading Re-Test;
Thursday, May 15  Student Coalition Meeting, 11:15 a.m.; SDMC Meeting, 3:30 p.m.; Kinder Portfolio Picnic, 5:00; Kinder Performance and Promotion Ceremony, 6:00 p.m.
Friday, May 16  Roberts Idol Final Call Backs
Saturday, May 17  Arty Party School Carnival, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Monday, May 19-Thursday, May 22  Aladdin, Jr. Tech Week
Monday, May 19  Portfolio Picnic gr 1-5 (lunch times); Aladdin Rehearsal
Tuesday, May 20  Portfolio Picnic gr 1-5 (lunch times and 5:30-6:30 p.m.); Aladdin Rehearsal
Wednesday, May 21  Portfolio Picnic gr 1-5 (lunch times); 3rd gr Business Fair, 8:30-9:30 a.m.; Aladdin Rehearsal
Thursday, May 22  Aladdin Dress Rehearsal School Show, gr 2-4, 1:30 p.m.; Aladdin, Jr., 6:30, Hamman Hall at Rice University (tickets required); LAST DAY FOR AFTER SCHOOL CARE & SPECIALTIES
Friday, May 23  Memorial Day Flag Ceremony, 7:45 a.m.; 3rd gr Business Fair, 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Monday, May 26  Inclement Weather Make-up Day (Please make every effort to attend school)

Aladdin Ticket Sales

Beginning tomorrow morning, Monday, 5/12, tickets for the 5th grade production of Aladdin, Jr. will go on sale to the full community.  You may purchase tickets to the show at the Reception Office beginning at 8:30 a.m.  We expect this show to sell out, and will not have tickets available at the door.  

Arty Party Carnival Volunteers

Have you signed up yet to help at the school carnival on Saturday?  We still need help at classroom booths, so when you hear from your room parent, a grand ole "YES!" will be music to the ears.  

Big Thanks!

Thank you for taking time last week to show your appreciation for our faculty, staff and administration. Our work is quite rewarding, but the little extras sure are nice!


Your Voice Survey
Don't forget to complete the District-wide school survey.  We need your help to increase our participation rate from last year!

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
May 5-9  Stanford Testing; Teacher Appreciation Week

Monday, May 5  Stanford Testing; Roberts Idol Host Auditions (5th gr only)
Tuesday, May 6  Stanford Testing
Wednesday, May 7  Stanford Testing; Roberts Idol Auditions - Performers (5th gr only)
Thursday, May 8   Stanford Testing; Fine Arts Night
Friday, May 9  Stanford Testing; Kinder Field Trip (Bowman, Waterman, Shum & May)

Monday, May 12  Rising 5th gr Parent Mtg; Aladdin Jr General Tickets Sales begins at 8:30 a.m.; Roberts Idol Auditions - Performers (5th gr only)
Tuesday, May 13  5th gr STAAR Math Re-Test; 3rd gr Field Trip; 2nd gr Field Trip; Zoe's Kitchen Art Show & Dinner
Wednesday, May 14  5th gr STAAR Reading Re-Test;
Thursday, May 15  Student Coalition Meeting; SDMC Meeting, 3:30 p.m.; Kinder Portfolio Picnic, 5:00; Kinder Performance and Promotion Ceremony, 6:00 p.m.
Friday, May 16  Roberts Idol Final Call Backs
Saturday, May 17  Arty Party School Carnival, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Monday, May 19-Thursday, May 22  Aladdin, Jr. Tech Week


Stanford Testing
Testing begins Monday and continues all week for grades 1-5.  It is important that children get a good night sleep and have a good breakfast each morning.  Time for make-ups is extremely limited.  Please make sure your child arrives at school on time each day, and remains at school throughout the day.  Children arriving after announcements will not be allowed to enter the classroom until testing is completed for the day.  We will not be able to offer make-ups for missed subtests.

Your Voice Survey
You will find information in this week's Tuesday folder about the District-wide Your Voice survey.  Please take the time to offer your feedback on the work we are doing at Roberts.  Participation rate is one way the District measures our effectiveness, so please make you voice heard!

You will receive one survey for each school you have a child enrolled in this current school year.  The one you receive in the Tuesday folder is only related to Roberts Elementary.  Each survey has a code that can be used to complete the survey online, or you may complete the paper survey provided.  The unique code is to ensure you complete the survey only once for Roberts Elementary.  Please do not return the paper survey to school.  To maintain the integrity of the survey, we cannot accept it.

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 between now and the last day of school.  

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

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 4/28
Tuesday, 4/29  4th gr Field Trip; Costume Work Day, 9:00-10:30 a.m., Cafe; IB Art Show, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Twain ES; Progress Reports; Aladdin Early Ticket Sales Begin (5th gr families only)
Wednesday, 4/30
Thursday, 5/1  School Tour, 9:00 a.m.; Student Coalition Meeting; 1st gr Performance, 6:30 p.m., Cafe;
Friday, 5/2  PTO Meeting, 8:10 a.m.; Kindergarten Field Trip (Warner, Punch and Miller)

May 5 - 9  Stanford Testing, gr 1-5; Teacher Appreciation Week
Monday, 5/5
Tuesday, 5/6  Your Voice Survey Sent to Parents in Tuesday Folder
Wednesday, 5/7
Thursday, 5/8  Fine Arts Night, 6:00 p.m.; Aladdin Early Ticket Sales End
Friday, 5/9  Kindergarten Field Trip (Bowman, Waterman, Shum, May)

Monday, 5/12  4th gr Parent Meeting, 8:10 a.m., Cafe; Aladdin General Tickets Sales Open, 8:30 a.m. Reception
Tuesday, 5/13  STAAR Math Retests - 5th gr; 3rd gr Field Trip; 2nd gr Field Trip; Zoe's Kitchen Art Show & Dinner; 5:30-8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, 5/14  STAAR Reading Retests - 5th gr
Thursday, 5/15  SDMC Meeting, 3:30 p.m.; Kindergarten Performance & Promotion Ceremony, 6:00 p.m., Cafe
Friday, 5/16
Saturday, 5/17  Carnival, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.



Stanford Testing, gr 1-5, May 5-May 9
What is 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 next 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 for next week.  We have only one day identified as a make-up day, and will not be able to make-up all subtests. Some subtests are used for grade promotion decisions, and is used as a part of the Gifted and Talented Identification matrix.

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.

Save the Date for Portfolio Picnic!
Monday, May 19-Wednesday, May 21
30-minutes before and during your child's lunch period
or
Tuesday, May 20, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

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 19th.  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 your 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 Tuesday evening, May 20th.  

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 it 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 2014-15 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, District-wide Survey

Next week in the Tuesday folder you will receive the district-wide Your Voice survey.  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 paid envelope.  Last year only 31% of parents completed the survey.  We are setting the parent participation goal this year at 50% or more.  Please note, we are not allowed to accept your completed survey in the school office. 

News from Mrs. Graves

Wow! More than 35,000 views!

Upcoming Events
Monday, 4/21
Tuesday, 4/22  STAAR Math gr 3&4
Wednesday, 4/23  STAAR Reading gr 3 & 4; STAAR Science gr 5
Thursday, 4/24  Teacher Appreciation Luncheon; Barnes & Noble Book Fair & Piano Performances
Friday, 4/25  Kinder Trash Fashion Show, 8:30 am

Monday, 4/28
Tuesday, 4/29  4th gr Field Trip;  IB Art Show at Twain ES, 5:30 pm
Wednesday, 4/30
Thursday, 5/1  School Tour, 9:00 am; Student Coalition Meeting, 11:15 am; 1st Grade Program, 6:30 pm
Friday, 5/2  PTO Meeting, 8:10 a.m.; Kinder Field Trip (Warner, Punch & Miller)

Intent to Return
Within the last few weeks you should have received an Intent to Return through the U.S. Mail, at the address on file with Houston ISD.  If you did not receive the Intent to Return by mail, you may request that we mail another copy.  You will not be able to pick up a copy in person.

Please return the form, with current proof of residency as soon as possible.  An electric bill is requested.  In the event you do not pay for electric service, Ms. Sones can help you identify another acceptable proof of residency.  We will be reviewing anticipated enrollment to make plans for next year.  It is very important that we know what your child's plans are for the upcoming school year.

If you have moved out of the Roberts attendance zone, Ms. Sones can help you identify which HISD school you are zoned to attend.


Tuesday Folder Volunteers
We will be administering STAAR on Tuesday.  The campus will be closed to visitors until testing is finished for the day.  Tuesday folder volunteers will receive an email around 1:00 p.m. to notify them that testing is over so that they may come to stuff folders.  As always, thank you for sharing your time with us!

District Policy on Medication at School

The District policy on medication may seem like an insurmountable obstacle on the rare day your child isn’t feeling well.  Parents are often tempted to send what seems like a benign cough drop in the backpack.  The big problem though is that having medication of any kind at school can be a very dangerous situation.  With allergy season in full swing, I thought it might be a good idea to remind you about the policy and consequences of sending medication to school with your child without the proper documentation with the nurse.

Procedures for requesting the nurse administer medication can be found on the HISD website by selecting H from the Department Locator.  The dropdown menu will allow you to select Health and Medical Services.  In addition to guidelines for requesting medication be administered to your child, you will find helpful information on childhood illnesses, and guidelines for vaccinations.

Having a prescription medication at school without proper documentation for the nurse to hold and administer is a Level III violation of the student code of conduct.  Because of the significant threat to the health and safety of all children on our campus, this would be treated very seriously.  Consequences identified by the school board include suspension or for older children, a referral to an alternative setting.

Please don't hesitate to give Ms. Felder, our school Nurse, a call to ask for assistance if you aren't sure. 

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 4/14
Tuesday, 4/15  5th grade Costume Work Day (need volunteers), 8:15 Cafe
Wednesday, 4/16  School Tour, 9:00 am
Thursday, 4/17  PTO Meeting, 8:10; ADHD Parent Ed, 8:15 CFI; SDMC Meeting, 3:30 pm
Friday, 4/18  Hank the Cowdog Performance, K-2 8:15, 3-5 9:30

Monday, 4/21 
Tuesday, 4/22  STAAR Math gr 3-4
Wednesday, 4/23  STAAR Reading, gr 3-4 & STAAR Science 5th
Thursday, 4/24  Barnes & Noble Book Fair and Piano Performance
Friday, 4/25

Friday Attendance

As I mentioned in my blog last week, Friday, 4/18 is a make-up day and classes will be held as usual.  If your child will be out in observance of the religious holy day, please send a written note or email to your child's teacher immediately stating that your child will be out due to religious observance.  Any student observing a religious holy day will have the absence removed from his or her record, in accordance with state attendance guidelines.  All other absences on Friday will be treated accordingly.

Early Pick-up

We are finding that more and more students are leaving early.  Every minute of instruction counts, and leaving early is very disruptive to the classroom.  Please make every effort to leave your child at school until we dismiss at 3:15.  I will be reviewing early pickup records this week and will make a point to meet with parents who are frequently picking up their children early.  

STAAR Testing and Tuesday Folders

Our 3rd, 4th and 5th graders will be taking STAAR tests on April 22 and 23.  As before, the school will not be open to visitors while children are testing.  We will send an email to Tuesday folder volunteers to let you know when testing has finished so that you can come to do your folders.  It will likely be close to 1:00 p.m.  Please do not come to campus prior to receiving the email.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation and flexibility.  

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 4/7
Tuesday, 4/8   Ms. Allison's Class Play, 2:00-2:45 pm, Cafe
Wednesday, 4/9  School Tour, 9:00 am; Ms. Barnes' Class Play, 2:00-2:45 pm, Cafe
Thursday, 4/10  Ms. Rodriguez's Class Play, 8:45-9:30 am, Cafe; Ms. Sheets' Class Play, 2:00-2:45 pm, Cafe
Friday, 4/11  Ms. Estrada's Class Play, 8:45-9:30 am, Cafe; Ms. Vanunu's Class Play, 2:00-2:45 pm, Cafe
Saturday, 4/12  MPCA Easter Egg Hunt @ Roberts, 9:00 am

Monday, 4/14
Tuesday, 4/15  Costume Work Day, 8:10 am, Cafe
Wednesday, 4/16  School Tour, 9:00 am;
Thursday, 4/17  PTO Meeting, 8:10 am Cafe; Parent Education: ADHD, 8:15 am Library; SDMC Meeting, 3:30 pm
Friday, 4/18 

Good Friday Religious Observation
Originally Friday, April 18th was scheduled as the Spring Holiday, but was always identified as a make-up day should the district be forced to close schools due to weather.  As you know, we have had to close schools twice this winter, and our first make-up day will be Friday, April 18th.

For some, Good Friday is a day in which families come together for religious observance.  The State allows families to decide to keep children out of school for some religious holidays without the penalty of an absence.

If your child will be out of school on Friday, April 18th, please send a letter as soon as possible to notify the school office that your child will be observing a religious holiday and will not attend school.  The school administration will be able to remove the absence from your child's record if we have a letter identifying Friday as a day of religious observance.

Absences on Monday for travel cannot be excused.


Costume Work Day
We will begin working on costumes for Aladdin on Tuesday, April 15th.  If you are available, join us for a really fun time together.  You do not have to have experience with sewing, but if you have a machine, bring it with you.

We also may need a couple of irons and ironing boards, a couple of glue guns, and we need any scrap ribbons or other embellishments.

RSVP with Esther Pastore at esther.pastore@comcast.net.  She can tell you what we still need.


3rd Grading Cycle Perfect Attendance
Congratulations to the 387 students who had perfect attendance during the last grading period!  Those students were awarded two free tickets to an upcoming Astros game.  Anyone who returned the ticket request on or before Friday will find the tickets in their Tuesday folder.  Any questions about the tickets can be directed to Ms. vanRavenswaay or Ms. Brown in Reception.


Building Persistence and Showing Your Work
I have spent time talking with teachers and parents recently about how often our brightest students are making simple mistakes on math problems that are well within their range.  We are seeing it more as the learning objectives demand that students be able to solve complex, multi-step word problems, or require students to identify the equation that would solve the problem rather than find the solution.

We are finding that our students have great number sense and can solve many problems without having to do much more than mental arithmetic.  The problem arises when they face more complex problems that require persistence and tenacity.  We are placing a stronger focus on "showing your work", and need you to help us with that when you check your child's homework.  When your child has nothing but a solution, ask him to go back and show his plan and show his arithmetic.  It is important in developing your child's ability to work through more difficult problems, but also helps the teacher identify what they are doing well and the areas in which they still need help.  Your child's teacher can gather information to support reteaching.

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 3/31
Tuesday, 4/1  5th gr STAAR Math; 4th gr STAAR Writing; Report Cards go home
Wednesday, 4/2  5th gr STAAR Reading; 4th gr STAAR Writing
Thursday, 4/3
Friday, 4/4  Rice Baseball Bash
Saturday, 4/5  Spring Community Night, 6:00 pm

Monday, 4/7
Tuesday, 4/8
Wednesday, 4/9  School Tour, 9:00 am
Thursday, 4/10
Friday, 4/11


STAAR Testing
4th and 5th graders will take STAAR exams this week on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Because of the various small groups, all offices and the library will be used for test administration.  Volunteers and visitors to campus will be limited while students are testing. 

Tuesday folder volunteers will receive an email when the folder contents are ready.  Please do not come to campus until you receive that email.  If you need someone to stuff folders for your class, please call the school and leave a message with the receptionist.



Enrollment Guidelines: What is Residency?

I am committed to keeping class size low at Roberts.  There are a number of factors that contribute to enrollment shifts.  The causes of increased enrollment tend to be very complex in schools like Roberts were enrollment fluctuates with the economy.  Our close proximity to the Medical Center makes us an ideal campus for medical personnel.  As grants and fellowships change with the economy, so does our enrollment.  At a time when there is little in the way of single family dwellings available in the neighborhood, much of our enrollment shifts come from multifamily dwellings such as apartments and condos.  These often serve as temporary housing while families look for homes in the area.  In addition to fluctuations resulting from the economic climate, enrollment can be impacted  by the reputation of the school.  Roberts has a reputation of being a very fine public school. 

With those things in mind, it is our responsibility to ensure that space is available for children from our community, and for those children accepted into our Magnet Program from outside of the school attendance zone.  We have a responsibility to confirm that all enrollments are valid, and comply with District policy and State law.

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 here are some of the 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?

Does the parent/guardian receive personal mail in the attendance 1. zone?

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

3. 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?

  

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 3/24  NTB Competition
Tuesday, 3/25
Wednesday, 3/26
Thursday, 3/27
Friday, 3/28   Kinder Field Trip

Monday, 3/31
Tuesday, 4/1   STAAR 5th gr Math, 4th gr Writing; Report Cards go home
Wednesday, 4/2   STAAR 5th gr Reading, 4th gr Writing
Thursday, 4/3
Friday, 4/4    Rice Baseball Bash
Saturday, 4/5  Spring Community Night


NTB Competition Day!
Tomorrow our Name That Book competitive team will take on five other HISD elementary NTB teams at 9:30 at MC Williams Middle School.  All NTB students are invited to wear their team t-shirts in a show of support.  The competitive team, along with our 10 invited team members will be leaving Roberts at 8:30 and will return after lunch.  Go team!

STAAR Testing
State tests begin next week for our 4th and 5th graders.  This is the first set of exams, with the remaining exams to follow later in April.  It is important that your child maintains a regular schedule this week and next week, getting adequate rest so that he or she may focus on the work ahead. You can help your child by reading the class blog for updates, and ensuring homework is done regularly. For upcoming testing dates, you will find a testing calendar in a previous blog post.

Have a great week!