The BEST of Burkland!
A weekly newsletter of HBB news and happenings
Report Cards Coming Home Today!
Report Cards are coming home TODAY (December 7th). Discussing report cards with your child, especially in the age of standards based report cards, can be challenging. The reporting system we use is very different from the grades we all received when we were students and understanding what it all means, in the context of how your child is doing, can be tough.
When you receive the report card you will see numbers next to standards. The numbers on the report card are as follows
4.Demonstrating mastery of the standard
3. Demonstrating significant progress toward the standard
2. Demonstrating some progress
1. Demonstrating minimal progress
The numbers indicate the progress your child is making towards meeting the grade level standard. The standards listed throughout the report card list what we want your child to know and be able to do by the end of the year.
Not all standards will be “graded” on this report card because we have not yet taught all the standards. While there may be instances where your child is Demonstrating Mastery of a particular standard, students are not expected to be receiving 4’s at this point because those standards are what we expect for students by the end of the year.
The scores that students receive for each standard does not reflect how hard your child is working. The scores reflect what your child is able to do in relation to that expectation. To find out how hard your child is working, and if they are completing work, you should refer to the section of the report card titled Successful Social and Learner Behaviors. This section lets you know how your child is doing in a more traditional sense, meaning effort, work completion etc. It is possible for a student to struggle with their Learner Behaviors yet still Demonstrate Mastery of a Standard. It is also possible for a student to struggle with a standard and do great with the Learner Behaviors. The Learning Behaviors section is an incredibly important area because that really reflects how hard your child has been working!
Should you have any questions at all about the report card or your child’s progress in school please do not hesitate to contact us!
STEM WEEK!
We are VERY excited to announce that Monday December 17through Friday December 21 will be STEM week here at HBB.
In an effort to boost interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math we have a full week of fun, hands on activities, and presentations for students that align to topics across STEM Subjects.
Why is STEM so important? STEM is much more than just a subject in school. The skills learned through the alignment of these subjects assist students in developing a critical way of exploring and engaging with the world. By developing these skills we are ensuring our students are prepared to think deeply so they have the chance to become the innovators, educators, researchers and future leaders who can solve the most pressing challenges facing the world.
The key component to STEM is integration. Instead of teaching subjects in isolation, lessons are well rounded by being project and inquiry based. STEM activities align with the way we work and problem solve in real life. Rarely does a job require only one set of skills, like math. Instead, most jobs require the integration of skills with a constant demand to independently analyze situations and design solutions to problems. STEM learning is designed specifically to develop these skills.
In addition to all the opportunities to see things like 3d printing, robots etc, we are most excited about our design challenges. Every day we will have a design challenge for every class. These challenges will require students to draw on what they know from a variety of subjects in order to design a solution to a proposed problem. Students will have to analyze the problem, design a solution, work collaboratively with their peers and modify their solutions based on their observations.
You can help us support STEM week by simply talking to your child about STEM. Ask them what they did during the week. Ask them about the design challenges and their solutions. Ask about what worked and what didn’t and, as always, if you have any questions about STEM week, please let us know!
Family Night Out!
Holiday Giving Tree
Donations Needed!
Cookies for Veterans
Providence Bruins
HBB Student Artists of the Month!
Paws-itive Office Referrals
Congrats to all our Character Word of the Week Winners!!
News and Notes from the Middleborough Public Library
Henry B Burkland Elementary School
Website: https://www.middleboro.k12.ma.us/Domain/10
Location: 41 Mayflower Avenue, Middleborough, MA, USA
Phone: (508) 946-2040
Facebook: facebook.com/HBBElementary
Twitter: @HBBElementary