NECAPs are coming

Hello,

We had a staff meeting pop up at the end of the day to discuss the upcoming NECAPs.  This is the federally mandated test that took the place of the MEAs a couple years ago.  We will have ninety minutes of testing every afternoon for the next week and a half.  The testing will start on Monday.  Please have your child rested and well fed.  You might want to send them in with an extra snack. 

The testing schedule is going to interfere with our regular day.  It looks like a majority of the time taken will come out of our literacy blocks.  The fourth grade team will meet to see if we want to spread the pain and maybe drop a math class or two. 

A reminder that we have no school on Friday the 7th of October and Monday the 10th of October.  Friday is one of the furlough days that was built into the schedule to save taxpayers money.  Monday is Columbus Day.  We will do a few neat activities on Columbus before the holiday.  So plan ahead now: you will have your child(ren) for a four day weekend.

I read the picture book Why Do You Cry? by Kate Klise this afternoon.  This led to a discussion about when and why we cry.  Ask your child about it. 

In our continuing study of erosion, (Can they define it for you yet? The changing of the surface of the earth caused by wind and water) I showed the class some of my slides from the western U.S.  Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, White Sands, Arches, Canyonlands and Death Valley were featured to show some of the more dramatic results of erosion that we have in our country.  It probably doesn't hurt that I have some funny little stories that go with some of the slides.  We should finish up the slides tomorrow with a little erosion or not erosion section. 

Thanks for reading tonight.  And thank you for reading this and discussing the school day with your child.  It is great reinforcement of their learning and of your caring about the importance of them and their education.

Mr. Shea