White's Tower Elementary
Bearcat Brief Version 11
KPREP testing
KPREP testing will begin on Tuesday, May 14th and continue through the week of May 20th. No matter what your personal feelings on high-stakes testing are, there is no escaping the reality that these assessments will be an important part of your child’s academic experience. And, every parent wants to see their student experience success in the classroom. So, what’s the best way to help your child prepare for high-stakes tests—and keep a healthy mindset while doing so? Here are eight simple tips for parents to help your child perform his or her best on testing days.
1. Prioritize attendance
Tests are ultimately intended to be a measure of how well students have learned the material being taught in class. With that in mind, the best (and most straightforward) piece of test-prep advice for parents is to do what you can to ensure that your child is fully engaged with his or her classwork throughout the year. Set aside dedicated homework time each night to make sure that your child is completing their assignments consistently throughout the year. If you’re responsible for transporting your child to school, make sure your own commitments aren’t making them late to class. Or, if it’s their responsibility to catch the bus, make sure they are sticking to a schedule that gets them to class on time every day. When students arrive late, they miss important announcements, information review, and new concept introduction. And of course, only allow your child to stay home from school when it’s truly necessary.
2. Communicate with your child’s teacher
Regular communication with your child’s instructor can help you gain insight into his or her progress. Make a point of meeting or talking with your child’s teacher on an ongoing basis to understand what your child is working on, what he or she will be tested on, and the areas that he or she is exceling and struggling in. Your child’s teacher is also a great resource for test-preparation activities or strategies you can use with your child at home. Plus, they can keep you up to date on group study sessions or other opportunities for additional review that your child may benefit from.
3. Talk to your child about test taking
Sometimes, the purpose and goals of testing are difficult for children to understand. Without that foundation, it’s easier for children to be intimidated by testing or simply not feel motivated to put forth their best effort. Have open, ongoing conversations with your child to explain the benefits of testing, focusing on how it helps them, their teacher, their school, and other educators understand their strengths and weaknesses and figure out the most effective ways to teach. Knowing the “why” behind testing can help instill a drive to succeed in your child.
4. Offer positive reinforcement
A little encouragement can go a long way in helping students walk into testing days feeling confident—which, in turn, can have a huge effect on their performance. Praise your child for the work that he or she does to prepare for testing, and share in his or her excitement when he or she has success with a new concept or skill. Similarly, when he or she is struggling with a topic, point out the progress that he or she has made and encourage him or her to continue working. Having already experienced success with the material that he or she will be tested on will help your child avoid test anxiety and perform to the best of his or her ability on testing day.
5. Support healthy habits
Sleep and nutrition can have a huge impact on your child’s ability to focus and retain information. One of the most helpful things that you can do as a parent is focus on supporting these basic needs. Well-rounded meals and a regular sleep schedule will help your child succeed in the classroom on a day-to-day basis. On testing days, it’s especially important to make sure that your child gets a good night’s sleep, starts the day with a filling breakfast, and goes to school with a water bottle to help stay hydrated.
6. Give your child a study space
A comfortable, dedicated space for homework and studying can work wonders for your child’s productivity. Make sure that your child’s space is quiet, well lit, and stocked with the right materials, like a writing surface, pens, pencils, highlighters, scratch paper, a calculator, and any other tools that he or she might need.
7. Keep testing in perspective
No single test is that important. Avoid putting too much emphasis on your child’s test scores—doing so can make your child feel pressure that will ultimately only affect his or her performance negatively. It’s also important to not be upset by a single test score. Low test scores can occur for any number of reasons; it may have just been an off day for your child.
8. Debrief after the test
After testing day has come and gone, talk with your child about his or her results and how he or she felt about the test. By discussing his or her answers, thought processes, and feelings, you can gain further insight into what he or she is struggling with and excelling at and then help him or her better prepare next time. Talking about testing can also help your child process the experience and overcome any anxiety that he or she might have had.
Me and My School
This summer we are excited to be able to have our Me & My School program in conjunction with the United Way’s Success by 6 program. This is a kindergarten readiness program that bridges the gap between preschool and kindergarten easing a student’s transition into school.
The classes are taught by White’s Tower Elementary teachers and are held in the Kindergarten classrooms. Students will be doing discovery based learning activities as well as having large motor activity time, visits from the Kenton Country Library and lunch. The program is FREE of charge to incoming kindergarten students for White’s Tower Elementary. Enrollment is limited to the first 24 students. The program will be June 17-July 12; M, T, W, Th; from 8:30-12:00 with lunch at 12:00. You can enroll your child for the whole program or just a few days.
Please contact Mrs. Vicky Janowski at for more information.
Immunization Compliance
We are asking all parents/guardians to visit your child’s Infinite Campus parent portal and view their child’s Health Tab. We are seeing immunization non-compliance for a variety of reasons. Most non-compliance issues are the result of the new immunization requirements. Please view your child’s Health Tab for these issues:
· If Hepatitis A vaccine dates aren’t displayed, please contact your healthcare provider. Many students have received the Hepatitis A vaccine, but the dates were not indicated on the certificate currently at school. Proper immunization for Hep A is two doses of the vaccine 6 months apart. If your child has already received the age-appropriate vaccines for school entry, he or she will not be required to receive the vaccine(s) again. Providing an updated immunization certificate with these required vaccines is all that is needed.
If you find your child is missing these required immunizations, please contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible to address these issues. School personnel will also be reaching out to parents/guardians regarding the health requirements for their children. Anytime you get a new immunization certificate, please make a copy for your records. If you have any questions please contact the nurse at 356-9668 option 1.
May Events
May 13th: Parent KPREP Night
May 14th-20th: KPREP testing
May 21st: No School
May 23rd: Field Day
May 27th: No School
May 28th: Kindergarten graduation
May 28th: 5th grade graduation
May 29th: Awards ceremony
May 29th: Last day of school
Family Resource Center
Relatives Raising Relatives: Are you raising a child who is a relative (i.e. grandchild, niece, nephew, sibling, etc.) and sometimes wonder where you could receive some support? Do you know someone who is raising a child who is a relative and they have asked you where to turn for support? If you answered yes to these questions, this luncheon is for you!
Meetings are once a month from Noon until 1:00 pm at the Kenton County Library – Erlanger Branch.
Meeting Dates
May 17, 2019
White's Tower School Website
White's Tower Elementary School
Email: emily.giles@kenton.kyschools.us
Website: http://www.kenton.kyschools.us/
Location: 2977 Harris Pike, Independence, KY, USA
Phone: (859) 356-9668
Twitter: @WTE