Each of our students has established an Apple ID account and as a result, has been given an iPad to use for instructional purposes. These iPads have had all the toolbox apps installed manually by our media staff. The students have also completed their Digital Citizenship classes taught by Mrs. Madoff. The scale of this project was huge and I am very proud to say that our media staff, led by Mrs. Madoff, with the support of Mr. Harris and Mrs. Robbins, was instrumental in accomplishing this feat. In fact, we are the only elementary school to have completed all of these tasks at this point in time, which speaks to the commitment and tenacity of our staff. The learning will continue (for staff and students alike) as we explore the possibilities of embedding the use of this technological tool into our instructional program. It is making for a very busy, but exciting, school year.

 

Our teachers are in the process of completing report cards. These will be distributed at the upcoming parent/teacher conferences. Your child's report card will reflect his/her progress on the learning of standards that were taught during this first trimester. The report cards also note each student's level in the areas of behavior and work habits. There is a strong correlation between these areas and a student's level of academic achievement, therefore we believe that this is valuable information for parents to have. It is important to provide students feedback about their school performance, but to do so in a manner that is appropriate for their age level and understanding. The research consistently confirms that, if students set a goal toward improvement in a certain area or skill, then the stage is set for that improvement to occur. Please consider having a "goal setting" conversation with your child for a specific area that they can work on throughout the second trimester.

 

Parents of students in Grades 1-5 will also receive their child's STAR assessment report at their conference. This new addition to the GPS assessment battery featured computer-administered tests in both reading and math. These assessments will be administered again in the winter and spring and, perhaps, intermittently as well, to monitor progress. On Monday we will send home parent guides that are designed to provide you with additional information about this assessment. Please look for the guide and try to read through it prior to your conference. In addition, parents of our current Grade 4 and Grade 5 students will also receive a guide to understanding their child's SBA results. These booklets became available just recently, even though test results were distributed in September. I will be sharing information on both assessments at the PTA meeting scheduled for Tuesday, December 1st at 7:00PM.

 

We had a very successful Fall Book Fair this week. Kudos to the Book Fair Committee members, who worked with the vendor to provide a great selection of books to choose from and who set up the space beautifully. The guest presenters, Perrot librarian Kathy Jarombek and author Tommy Greenwald, added a special touch to the evening segment. Thank you to everyone who helped support this PTA fundraiser.

 

Terry Ricci