SOLANA HIGHLANDS FRIDAY FOCUS
June 14, 2013 (Vol. 23 and final one for the year!)
Quote of the Week: "I don't want school to end." I heard this from so many students; which is a real tribute to each of YOU!
What a Great Baby Shower!
Career Day!
Kindergarten Graduation!
High Tides
- Congratulations - to the entire staff of Solana Highlands for making this a year to remember!
- Debbie Barba - for putting together the Retirement Books for Nancy and Jody
- Nancy and Jody - Congratulations again on your retirement. You'll be missed. Please visit us!
- CST Results are in and... - This is the first year Solana Highlands has had at least 90% of our students in grades 2-4 score proficient or advanced! Woohoo! (see graph)
Field Day was a GREAT Success! Thank you for your Participation!
Announcements/Reminders
- Happy Birthday to our Summer Birthdays -
Nancy Reitzler (6/22), Kristie Mortazavi (6/23), Jennifer Battaglia (7/1), Jessica Carlson (7/5), Kumud Khattar (7/7), Joe Parsons (7/9), Jenelle Guy (7/14), Paula Turner (7/19), Donna Leffel (7/20), Mario Borunda (8/1), Marci Cunningham (8/15), Emily Glassford-Valenzano (8/20), Anna Bray (8/21), Johanna Anderson (8/22), Melinda Brown (8/24) - Teacher Summer Book Club - July 9th @ 3PM- Log in to Edmodo to respond to posted prompts. Remember the group code has been changed to xnmiab.
- The iPad Challenge Activity for the Summer - It can be found on the Solana Highlands staff Edmodo group. Here is the group code, in case any staff did not join when Angie did the training. Highlands Staff Group Code: 9803md
- CST Results - Your student results will be put in your boxes. You can see how your students scored this year and last year too. Amazing job!
HAVE A WONDERFUL AND RELAXING SUMMER!
Education Corner - The Importance of Teaching the Right Kind of Math in Kindergarten
The Importance of Teaching the Right Kind of Math in Kindergarten
In this Teachers College Record article, Amy Claessens (University of Chicago) and Mimi Engel (Vanderbilt University) report on their national study of kindergarten students’ math skills. Their findings: (a) Kindergarten math knowledge and skills “are the most important predictors not only for later math achievement but also for achievement in other content areas and grade retention;” (b) Higher-order math skills such as pattern recognition, measurement, and advanced number sense are the most highly correlated with future success; and (c) These more-advanced skills are not just a product of home environment; they can be taught successfully in kindergarten.
The bottom line: Math “should be a primary area of academic focus during the kindergarten year,” say Claessens and Engel.
“How Important Is Where You Start? Early Mathematics Knowledge and Later School Success” by Amy Claessens and Mimi Engel in Teachers College Record, June 2013 (Vol. 115, #6, p. 1-29)