Thanks so much for your great support of our fundraiser! I have an update below, but needless to say we are grateful. Thanks, again for your support of our great school.

Please see the updated note below about CMAS testing that begins next week. We also are introducing details about our Werner Science and Engineering Fair this month. See the information and video below for more information.

Last, I would encourage you take some time to watch the Superintendent Forum for the community. This is a great way to get to know the finalists and give some feedback. More details are down below.

Have a great Easter weekend and enjoy the nice weather!

Sincerely,

Hayden

April 8- PTA Meeting 9-10:30

April 16- NO SCHOOL, Parent/Teacher Conference Comp Day

April 19- NO SCHOOL, Staff Work Day

Search firm Hazard Young Attea & Associates, or HYA, will host a virtual forum from 5-8:30 p.m. April 2 during which PSD students, families and community members can meet the three superintendent finalists selected by the Board of Education. There will be time for attendees to ask questions. Information about the finalists will be posted on the PSD Superintendent web page when it is available, prior to the forums. Spanish interpretation will be available. Get the online meeting link and call-in option information here.

This spring, Poudre School District will administer statewide assessments. These tests provide valuable information for our school and teachers, who use the data to understand where students are in their learning and tailor instruction accordingly. The district also uses these results to measure overall student academic progress and identify opportunities for improvement.

On March 26, the Colorado Department of Education announced that the state legislature and U.S. Department of Education reduced the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) tests that students will take in spring 2021 due to the unique circumstances Colorado schools and districts are facing as a result of the pandemic. Normally, students in grades 3-8 take CMAS assessments in both English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) is the alternate assessment for ELA and Math in these grade levels.

Required Assessments

ELA-3rd & 5th

Math- 4th

Optional Assessments (Opt In)

Math- 3rd & 5th

ELA-4th

Our school’s current testing schedule is down below.

Opting in or out of tests

As a parent, you have the option of opting your student into any non-required tests, beyond those that will be assessed as part of the state's plan. To opt in, you may complete the necessary form digitally by logging into ParentVUE and accessing Services Tracker. You may also fill out the form manually and return to the office (Attn: Caity Sahimi) Instructions are available here. The deadline to opt in is April 9.

To excuse your student from state assessments, you may complete a Parent Excusal form digitally by logging into ParentVUE and accessing Services Tracker. Instructions and screenshots on how to do this can be found here. Please note that you will need to fill out a form for each subject area. You may also print a PDF version of the "2020-21 Opt Out of State Testing Form" and return it to your school. Forms are available in English, Spanish and Arabic.

If you decide to opt out, we encourage you to keep your student home on our scheduled testing days. Absences will be excused. Due to COVID-19 protocols, students who are opted out of tests but come to school will still sit with their classmates during the testing sessions, so we do not mix cohorts. They may sit quietly or read a book, according to state guidelines.

For more information about state assessments, visit the Colorado Department of Education website here or visit the PSD District and State Assessments web page.

Please let me know if you have any questions and thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Caity Sahimi

Assistant Principal/Assessment Coordinator

Werner Elementary School

csahimi@psdschools.org

Parents! Order your 2020-2021 Werner Elementary Yearbook TODAY!!

DEADLINE is 4/24/21

*Any books purchased after deadline will be charged shipping and sent directly to your home*

Easy to Order:

Visit www.treering.com to register your family. If you haven’t purchased a yearbook before, you will need this passcode: 1014056506643352.

Once registered, you will also have the option to create 2 custom pages for your student!

--Custom Pages must be completed by 4/17/21 --

Yearbook cost: Soft Cover - $20.13

Any questions?!? Email wernerelementaryyearbook@gmail.com or Contact Jennifer at 307.509.9246

As you may know, PSD has decided to allow a limited number of volunteers to work at schools during the second semester. Sites can decide whether to utilize this support, and our team is excited to take advantage of this opportunity to work with you.

The district has established the following COVID-19 protocols for volunteers. These are posted on the PSD website on the Volunteers web page.

· All elementary school volunteers must wear a KN95 mask and eye protection (e.g. face shield) as part of PSD’s contact tracing strategy at the primary level. We will provide these to you on your first day at school.

· Volunteers must always wear required PPE, maximize social distancing from others and wash their hands frequently.

· Volunteer duties are designed to limit the potential for close contact (within 6 feet for 15 cumulative minutes with a COVID-19 positive individual) as much as possible. These include but aren’t limited to traffic monitoring and recess duties outside, grading, shelving library books or making copies while distanced from others (preferably alone), and more.

Please fill out this short Volunteer Interest form if you are interested in helping us. We appreciate your help!