The Pulse
Supporting Learning That is Vital and Personal
Spring is Almost Here...
That means testing is right around the corner! We are creating a folder in FCS Student Support Services to house resources and information to prepare students, teachers, and parents for testing. There will be a great deal of anxiety as we implement the new Georgia Milestones test. Please help support our students, their families, and our teachers so that stress levels are reduced. I will send out the link to the new testing preparation folder in itslearning once we have it up and running. If you have anything you think would be helpful to other schools, please send it to me and we will upload it (and will be certain to give you the kudos)!
In the meantime, please consider sharing this article from Edutopia and book titles with your teachers and students. There is also a PowerPoint included that can be shared with students, teachers, or parents. It was presented at a recent parent night at Riverwatch Middle School. Thank you to Dawn Densmore and Sha Wortman for sharing these resources.
Have a wonderful, and hopefully WARM week!
Debbie
Test Preparation Book Recommendations for Elementary School
Tips, Tricks, and Study Skills for Students, Teachers, and Parents
Strategy: 75 Ways to Help Students with ADHD Succeed!
Check out this link for 73 ways to help students with ADHD succeed:
http://www.ldonline.org/article/13701
Here is a timeline summary for psycho-educational evaluations for the rest of the year:
Parent Permission Obtained
Due Date
Mar 13, 2015 > May 22, 2015 (last day for students)
Mar 18, 2015 > May 27, 2015 (last day for teachers)
Mar 19, 2015 – April 27, 2015 > Summer months
April 28, 2015 > Aug 29, 2015 (next school year)
Reminder - That makes the time period from Mar 19 – April 27, 2015 due when school staff is off contract.
Thought for the Day:
To assist in building successful students, use evidence and research based practices.
Prevention - School Climate
School climate is the foundation of a successful school and positive educational outcomes for all of our students (GA Partner for Excellence in Education). If students do not feel safe at school, do not feel welcomed at school, or not treated with respect and are not given opportunities to learn, engage, interact, mature and grow, they will not meet their academic potential, develop emotionally or learn positive social lessons. School climate is measured through four components: student, staff and parent surveys (25%), student discipline (25%), schoolwide attendance (25%) and safe and substance-free learning environment (25%). March 27th is the deadline for GSHS 2.0 administration. Please ensure you have included students, staff and parents.
Student Survey Links-
GSHS 2.0- Elementary School (3-5)
http://apps.gadoe.org/schoolclimate/elementary.nsf/Survey.xsp
GSHS 2.0- Middle School (6-8)
http://apps.gadoe.org/schoolclimate/middleschool.nsf/Survey.xsp
GSHS 2.0 High School (9-12)
http://apps.gadoe.org/schoolclimate/highschool.nsf/Survey.xsp
School Personnel Survey Link (31 questions)-
http://apps.gadoe.org/schoolclimate/personnel.nsf/Survey.xsp
Parent Survey Link (24 questions)-
Elementary Counselor Survey for ccSpark
We are trying to gather information on ccSpark as we plan for the 2015-2016 school year. Please take a comment to complete this brief survey. Thank you!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1PNsqfBFT9wfzHDpFLNFszN-1sJPE4Dvjas_uRzsJLo0/viewform
Valery Hall and Debbie Smith