It’s almost that time again – standardized testing is right around the corner. We will be administering our tests on April 9-10, 2019. You play an important part in helping students give their best performance on this important test. As you know, we have been busy preparing and reinforcing the skills necessary for students to demonstrate their learning. Even though this assessment is a snapshot—one single perspective – it is important that our students have every advantage to do their very best.

We don’t want to cause test anxiety, rather we want our students to be as prepared as possible. There are many ways in which you can help your child put his/her best foot forward. The following guidelines can help set our students up for success:

Throughout the year:

1. Read to/with your child and make time to discuss what you’ve read.

2. Encourage reading for pleasure regularly.

3. Know what kind of homework teachers expect and make sure your child completes it.

4. Provide a regular, quiet place for your child to read or complete homework.

5. Set high expectations for grades and attendance.

6. Take an active interest in what your child is doing in school. What is he or she learning? Parents who communicate daily about what their children are learning to build a strong foundation to demonstrate that learning on tests.

7. During the weeks leading up to the test, begin to talk with your child about doing his or her best. You know your child better than anyone. Emphasize the importance of the test, but remember to build confidence, not anxiety.

The night before the test:

1. Make sure your child goes to bed on time so he or she is well-rested.

2. Keep your routine as normal as possible. Upsetting natural routines may make children feel insecure.

3. Be positive and confident in the fact that you know your child will do his/her best.

4. Plan ahead to avoid conflicts on the morning of the test.

The morning of the test:

1. Get up a few minutes early to avoid rushing and make sure your child arrives at school on time. The test is limited on time and students will only have 4 hours to complete the test.

2. Have your child eat a nutritious breakfast. There is a strong correlation between eating breakfast and memory and cognitive functioning. Breakfast will be served at school prior to testing.

3. Be positive and communicate that this is your child’s chance to show what he/she knows. The most important thing you can do right before the test is to build confidence in doing his/her very best.

After the test:

1. Talk to your child about his/her feelings about the test.

2. Discuss what was easy and what was hard; discuss what your child learned from the test.

3. Explain that performance on a test does not define him or her as a person. It is just one opportunity to demonstrate learning.

Due Today!

Encouraging regular school attendance is one of the most powerful ways you can prepare your child for success—both in school and in life. When you make school attendance a priority, you help your child get better grades, develop healthy life habits, avoid dangerous behavior and have a better chance of graduating from high school.

When kids are absent for an average of just two days of school per month—even when the absences are excused– it can have a negative impact. These absences can affect kids as early as Kindergarten.

Wisdom is the core character trait of the month of March.

What is wisdom?

Wisdom is making practical application of truth in daily decisions.

Where does the word come from?

Word etymology: Wisdom comes from the Anglo-Saxon root wis, meaning “wise; understanding truth, knowing,” and the suffix –dom, meaning “judgment.”

“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life… as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.”- Booker T. Washington

“The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts.” – Booker T. Washington

https://resedblog.wpengine.com/a-portrait-of-wisdom/

Common Sense is the leading independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology. We empower parents, teachers, and policymakers by providing unbiased information, trusted advice, and innovative tools to help them harness the power of media and technology as a positive force in all kids’ lives.

Media and technology are at the very center of all our lives today -- especially our children’s. Kids today spend over 50 hours of screen time every week. The media content they consume and create has a profound impact on their social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. Learning how to use media and technology wisely is an essential skill for life and learning in the 21st century. But parents, teachers, and policymakers struggle to keep up with the rapidly changing digital world in which our children live and learn. Now more than ever, they need a trusted guide to help them navigate a world where change is the only constant.