Please be sure to review your child’s progress report and return it to the school with your signature. Please remember, that you are always encouraged to schedule a parent/instructor conference at any time during the school year to discuss your child’s progress at school.  We highly recommend that you reach out to your child’s instructor if you see a rating of unsatisfactory on his/her progress report.

Starting March 10th, every 3rd-8th grade student will be taking his/her first PARCC assessment in math and English language arts. This assessment is designed to measure students’ progress toward the more rigorous Common Core Standards. These assessments are designed to serve as an educational GPS system, identifying where students are excelling and where they may need extra help to get where they need to be.

Here are some key facts about PARCC assessments for you to keep in mind:

• PARCC assessments test students in grades 3-11 in math and English language arts.
• These tests not only evaluate a student’s progress, but show teachers and parents exactly where a student needs help so they are able to personalize instruction to meet individual student needs.
• PARCC assessments are more engaging than traditional standardized tests. The math section contains multi-step problems that ask students to reason through real-world situations. The language arts section asks students to read passages from real texts – fiction and non-fiction – and sometimes watch video or listen to audio. All of the skills assessed on the test are based on age-appropriate standards.

How Can you Support Your Child:

• Be sure that your child reads a combination of fiction and non-fiction.
• Discuss and “do” real life math with your child. Help him/her know basic math facts.
• Discuss the new tests with your child. Make sure s/he is not scared or anxious going into the new tests.
• Explain to your child that the tests will initially be more challenging. Tell your child to do his/her best on the test and you are there to help every step of the way.
• Provide a quiet, comfortable place for studying at home and make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and nutritious breakfast before a test (or any school day!).
• Attend parent/instructor conferences and talk with instructors about your child’s strengths and areas for improvement.
• Talk with your child’s instructor to determine which skills to reinforce at home.
• Above all, be positive and encouraging about the tests.

Take the Test! PARCC has a test online that parents and students can try.

http://www.parcconline.org/take-the-test

Family Literacy Night
We want to thank everyone who came out to our Family Reading Night (PreK-2nd grade) event. It was a fun filled night of family reading activities. We hope everyone enjoyed and learned something new from the sessions that were presented yesterday.

MAP TESTING STARTS AFTER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS
After Thanksgiving break, your child will take an assessment called Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). We give the MAP test three times a year (August, December and May) for reading and mathematics.

MAP is unique in that they are adaptive tests your child takes on the computer to help monitor each student’s academic growth over time. Following this testing period, you will receive a report showing your child’s current instructional level and progress made since the beginning of this school year.

Be sure that your child is well rested and eats a good breakfast so he or she is ready to do their very best on MAP. If you have any questions about MAP test, please ask your child’s instructor or contact the office.

READING: A DAILY HABIT
If reading is a habit you would like your child to get into, there are a number of ways to help cultivate it. One way is to try and cut back on TV consumption and set aside the time saved for family reading activities. For example, you could set aside a time where all family members can read together such as after dinner or before bed time.

Have a great Thanksgiving Holiday!

PROGRESS REPORTS GO OUT TOMORROW

Progress reports go home tomorrow, November 13th. Be sure to take the time to review your child’s progress report to see how he or she is doing so far this school quarter. If you have any questions about your child’s progress report, be sure to contact your child’s instructor. Report Card Pick- Up

MAP TESTING STARTS AFTER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS

After Thanksgiving break, your child will take an assessment called Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). We give the MAP test three times a year (August, December and May) for reading and mathematics.

MAP is unique in that they are adaptive tests your child takes on the computer to help monitor each student’s academic growth over time. Following this testing period, you will receive a report showing your child’s current instructional level and progress made since the beginning of this school year.

DISSMISALL TIME REMINDERS

It is getting dark earlier, so please be sure to pick up your child on time when school ends. Be sure that your child is dressed appropriately (i.e. coat, hat, gloves, scarf, etc.) every day so he or she is fully prepared to go outside.

Regards,

Patrick R. Love
Principal
Alain Locke Charter School

Writing: An Everyday Activity
Did you know that writing is tied to helping develop reading skills? Make writing a part of your child’s daily life. Try to find ways to encourage writing for enjoyment. Writing is often easier if built off a familiar story. Writing a new version of a fairy tale or a new ending to a story may be a good way to start. Cut out a comic strip and make a new conversation between the characters. Compare them. Do you like your endings better than the authors? Write your own book and draw the pictures to go with it. Using pictures from a family vacation or a trip to the park can be a great way to get kids to write about what they did. You can make a collection of books to add to the home library. These will become family treasures.

Be creative. You will come up with lots of ways to make writing a fun activity for your child and the whole family.

IMPORTANCE OF READING TIME AT HOME
Reading at home with your child is important in helping your child develop the skills necessary to become a successful reader. It can also help build even stronger relationships at the same time. Asking questions about what your child is reading shows that you are interested. By making reading time at home special, you increase the chances your child will see reading at home as an experience s/he doesn’t want to miss.

FALL WEATHER IS HERE
It is getting colder and colder out each day. Be sure that your child is dressed appropriately (i.e. coat, hat, gloves, scarf, etc.) every day so students are fully prepared to go outside.

Please try not to drop off your child too early so s/he does not have to spend too much time outside in the cold in the mornings. Please keep in mind that school opens daily at 8:00 a.m. for breakfast. There is no adult supervision outside before 8:00 a.m.

Regards,

Patrick R. Love
Principal
Alain Locke Charter School