We are having a blast seeing all the acts of kindness pouring through our building each day as part of our Kindness Challenge. Classes that accumulate more than 40 points by November 12th will get a special prize and have the opportunity to throw a pie in the face of a member of our admin/office team. Talk to your child about the power of kindness and how they have shown it in school each day.

If you have not already viewed the Churchill Grading Handbook, please see it attached below. Note the equitable grading practices that all staff have agreed to in order to provide students every opportunity to demonstrate their achievement and to foster high levels of learning. This school year, we have been using a 4 point grading system that not only unifies our grading practices across the building, but also focuses the feedback we give on mastery of the essential standards and skills rather than how many points are earned. A letter grade is issued that aligns with each level of proficiency 4/A -3/B -2/C -1/D which is why the percentage scale has been modified.

4=Demonstrates thorough understanding of learning goals, student is able to reach beyond or more deeply into the essential standard and skill, being able to demonstrate mastery in multiple ways and without teacher support/prompting

3=Demonstrates general understanding of learning goals, student demonstrates mastery on assigned work or assessment without teacher support/prompting.

2=Demonstrates partial understanding of learning goals, student is missing key information or skills to be able to demonstrate full mastery independently.

1=Demonstrates only beginning knowledge and minimal understanding of learning goals, student requires additional re-teaching and multiple supports to access content.

To understand where your child is exhibiting strengths and areas for growth, please note the numeric category that was earned for specific assignments and assessments. The final grade will give you an overview of performance in each area.

Report cards will be issued on Friday, November 19th through Parent Portal. Please alert the main office if you would like a paper copy to pick-up or to be mailed to you. Should you have questions about your child's grades on the report card, please contact your child's teachers and plan to connect with them at conferences.

Family learning workshops regarding assessments, learning feedback, and grading are currently being planned. Stay tuned for more details!

Churchill School would like to invite all caregivers to sign-up to connect with our teachers and staff during conferences. This is an opportune time to debrief on the first trimester of school, but also make plans together for the success of your child. We look forward to continuing to develop our partnerships with all of our families. You should have received an email from your child's teacher today with sign-up links and more details. Please reach out to them if you did not receive the information. Below are links to sign-up to conference with PE, Specials, Band, and Orchestra.

Monday, November 22: In-Person or Zoom from 8am-8pm. If attending in-person during typical school hours, please have vaccination card and ID.

Tuesday, November 23: Zoom only from 8am-12pm.

PE/Specials/Orchestra/Band

PE – Mr. London

PE – Mr. Soria

PE – Ms. Brozman

PE – Ms. Berman

Tech – Mrs. Hastings

STEM – Ms. Darin

Art – Mrs. Siegler

Music – Mrs. Kasper

Orchestra (4th and 5th) – Mrs. Venutolo

Band (5th) – Mrs. Hoefle

We are very excited to offer a tutoring program at Churchill which will be starting after Thanksgiving break. ESSER funds have been issued to districts and schools to aid in supporting student learning which has been negatively impacted by the pandemic. Small group and "just-in-time" tutoring is one of the most effective ways for us to support our students as they work towards great gains this school year. Our school team considered many factors and explored different models to design the best fit for our needs.

Our tutoring program will take place during the school day for many reasons. Not only will this allow us to reach more students that may not have had access due to transportation, but it allows us to use the instructional minutes we already have while students have the stamina to engage in learning. Extending the school day for students who are already having difficulty can have a negative impact on their feelings about school, effort, and results. Students will miss some of their PE or Specials time to participate in this tutoring service which will focus on needed reading, writing, and math skills.

Tutoring will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday each week according to a set schedule. Students for Session 1 have been identified using schoolwide and classroom data and teacher recommendations. Families will receive further communication next week from our tutoring coordinator, Mrs. Edwards, if their child will be invited to participate in the program. Please return the permission form by Friday, November 19th. If your child has not been identified and you are interested in your child participating, please let your child's teacher know our reach out to Mrs. Edwards. Mrs. Edwards can be reached at amy.edwards@hsd153.org if you have any questions about our tutoring program at Churchill School.

Calendar for Tutoring

Session 1: November 30-January 20

Session 2: February 8-March 17

Session 3: April 12-May 19