Above and Beyond
Neil Armstrong Academy
February 11, 2015
ABOVE & BEYOND #GSDArmstrong | www.armstrongacadamy.org | @armstrongacad
Upcoming Events February 11: 4th Grade NAEP Test February 11-12: SEP Conferences (3:30 - 7:00 PM) February 12: Irregular Early-out Day (1:05 PM) February 13: No School - Teacher Compensation Day February 16: Presidents’ Day - No School February 19: Community Council February 20: SAGE Writing Test Window Closes
Rolling in the Greenhouse It may still be February, but it sure feels like spring in the air. Nowhere is that more true than in the Armstrong Greenhouse where things got rolling once again this last week. Students were all abustle getting their hands dirty and prepping the plants they’ll nurture over the next several months. Because of the great support from our many patrons at last year’s Greenhouse Grab, we’re able to refresh the supplies that had become somewhat depleted from last year’s work. We’re planning another Greenhouse Grab later this spring. Hopefully the plants you got last year worked out for you. Mr. Robinson’s been enjoying an excess of tomatoes that kept growing all winter.
March 3-4: K-2 Advanced Learner Testing
Above and Beyond
Vol. 2, Issue 22
1
Neil Armstrong Academy
Class Assignments Although it is still too early to be too concerned about class assignments for next year, I do want to help everyone understand the process we use to put together fair, equitable, and compatible classes. Toward the end of the year, I ask teachers to work in grade-level teams and put together class lists for the upcoming year. I ask teachers to: •
Divide students in a fair and equitable way (boys/girls, academic ability, behavior, language needs, etc.)
•
Put students together who need to be together.
•
Split up students who shouldn’t be together.
•
Try to put students with a teacher who would be the best fit for each class.
As you can imagine, parent requests make meeting these goals difficult, if not impossible. Our teachers have a unique perspective as the only individuals who see the students interact with their peers all day, 180 days of the year. Additionally, the professionallearning-community structure we use at Armstrong helps guarantee the curriculum experience in whichever classroom students find themselves. I sincerely hope parents will trust us to put classes together for next year in the best way possible. It’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly, and we carry it out with the best interest of each child at heart. We have an extraordinary teacher in each classroom, and I feel very confident our school-wide structures will provide a guaranteed and viable curriculum in each class.
Above and Beyond
February 11, 2015
Top Eagles (Read the Fu" Description Online) Adi Boskailo, Asher Anderson, Kaysia Taing, Emma Duheric, Gabriel Amante, Melanie Reid, Isaac Lemus, Daisy Dang, Athena Oro, Peter Tamaseu, Dylan Wood, Ethan Siriprathane, Grace Glines, Zitlaly Ramirez, Andrea Vazquez, Ezequiel Garcia, Micah Meservey, Aiden Sheard, Conrad McKinnon, Zhi Liang, Rogan Babka, and Corbin Larkin
SAGE Writing Test
The Armstrong Eagles got started on the first gamut of end-ofyear SAGE testing last week. Although the vast majority of that testing will take place in late April and throughout May, students in grades 3-6 all participate in a writing assessment in February. End-of-Year testing is a terrific opportunity for students to examine how much they’ve grown during the course of the year and to celebrate their accomplishments. We encourage every student to work towards a personal best. We’re far less concerned with how any student measures up to peers and far more concerned about seeing each student perform to his or her best abilities. You can get a feel for the end-of-year testing by participating in the Training Tests found on the SAGE website (sageportal.org). And, you can see how your student did on last year’s SAGE tests by seeing the reports in his or her Evernote Digital Portfolio. This might provide a frame of reference of what a “personal best” really is for your student.
Vol. 2, Issue 22
2
Neil Armstrong Academy
PARENTS:YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS ESSENTIAL. PLEASE TAKE 5 MINUTES. You have been invited to participate in the Conditions for Learning assessment. The few minutes it will take to complete the questionnaire are important to you, your child, and your school. The questionnaire is very short, each statement has been thoroughly tested, and the results are helpful in improving (1) academic achievement, (2) student attendance, and (3) school safety. We ask only a few questions because we value your time, and our research indicates that these questions are all we need to provide a thorough evaluation of the school. We have designed each question for a specific purpose and to provide only needed information. In a short time, your school will have the results of this assessment. Ask to see the reports, celebrate accomplishments, and then offer to help your school’s community council or other group to identify ways to improve your school. For more information, please visit our website at www.conditions4learning.com
To take the survey please go to
scan
http://c4lq.com/
OR
and enter the code: 419661
February 11, 2015
ABOVE & BEYOND #GSDArmstrong | www.armstrongacadamy.org | @armstrongacad
Upcoming Events February 11: 4th Grade NAEP Test February 11-12: SEP Conferences (3:30 - 7:00 PM) February 12: Irregular Early-out Day (1:05 PM) February 13: No School - Teacher Compensation Day February 16: Presidents’ Day - No School February 19: Community Council February 20: SAGE Writing Test Window Closes
Rolling in the Greenhouse It may still be February, but it sure feels like spring in the air. Nowhere is that more true than in the Armstrong Greenhouse where things got rolling once again this last week. Students were all abustle getting their hands dirty and prepping the plants they’ll nurture over the next several months. Because of the great support from our many patrons at last year’s Greenhouse Grab, we’re able to refresh the supplies that had become somewhat depleted from last year’s work. We’re planning another Greenhouse Grab later this spring. Hopefully the plants you got last year worked out for you. Mr. Robinson’s been enjoying an excess of tomatoes that kept growing all winter.
March 3-4: K-2 Advanced Learner Testing
Above and Beyond
Vol. 2, Issue 22
1
Neil Armstrong Academy
Class Assignments Although it is still too early to be too concerned about class assignments for next year, I do want to help everyone understand the process we use to put together fair, equitable, and compatible classes. Toward the end of the year, I ask teachers to work in grade-level teams and put together class lists for the upcoming year. I ask teachers to: •
Divide students in a fair and equitable way (boys/girls, academic ability, behavior, language needs, etc.)
•
Put students together who need to be together.
•
Split up students who shouldn’t be together.
•
Try to put students with a teacher who would be the best fit for each class.
As you can imagine, parent requests make meeting these goals difficult, if not impossible. Our teachers have a unique perspective as the only individuals who see the students interact with their peers all day, 180 days of the year. Additionally, the professionallearning-community structure we use at Armstrong helps guarantee the curriculum experience in whichever classroom students find themselves. I sincerely hope parents will trust us to put classes together for next year in the best way possible. It’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly, and we carry it out with the best interest of each child at heart. We have an extraordinary teacher in each classroom, and I feel very confident our school-wide structures will provide a guaranteed and viable curriculum in each class.
Above and Beyond
February 11, 2015
Top Eagles (Read the Fu" Description Online) Adi Boskailo, Asher Anderson, Kaysia Taing, Emma Duheric, Gabriel Amante, Melanie Reid, Isaac Lemus, Daisy Dang, Athena Oro, Peter Tamaseu, Dylan Wood, Ethan Siriprathane, Grace Glines, Zitlaly Ramirez, Andrea Vazquez, Ezequiel Garcia, Micah Meservey, Aiden Sheard, Conrad McKinnon, Zhi Liang, Rogan Babka, and Corbin Larkin
SAGE Writing Test
The Armstrong Eagles got started on the first gamut of end-ofyear SAGE testing last week. Although the vast majority of that testing will take place in late April and throughout May, students in grades 3-6 all participate in a writing assessment in February. End-of-Year testing is a terrific opportunity for students to examine how much they’ve grown during the course of the year and to celebrate their accomplishments. We encourage every student to work towards a personal best. We’re far less concerned with how any student measures up to peers and far more concerned about seeing each student perform to his or her best abilities. You can get a feel for the end-of-year testing by participating in the Training Tests found on the SAGE website (sageportal.org). And, you can see how your student did on last year’s SAGE tests by seeing the reports in his or her Evernote Digital Portfolio. This might provide a frame of reference of what a “personal best” really is for your student.
Vol. 2, Issue 22
2
Neil Armstrong Academy
PARENTS:YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS ESSENTIAL. PLEASE TAKE 5 MINUTES. You have been invited to participate in the Conditions for Learning assessment. The few minutes it will take to complete the questionnaire are important to you, your child, and your school. The questionnaire is very short, each statement has been thoroughly tested, and the results are helpful in improving (1) academic achievement, (2) student attendance, and (3) school safety. We ask only a few questions because we value your time, and our research indicates that these questions are all we need to provide a thorough evaluation of the school. We have designed each question for a specific purpose and to provide only needed information. In a short time, your school will have the results of this assessment. Ask to see the reports, celebrate accomplishments, and then offer to help your school’s community council or other group to identify ways to improve your school. For more information, please visit our website at www.conditions4learning.com
To take the survey please go to
scan
http://c4lq.com/
OR
and enter the code: 419661
