The CPES BobChat
May 5, 2019
How Do We Help Our Children to Do Their Best on Big Tests?
As I mentioned in last week's newsletter, it is the season for testing. No matter whether it is third grade reading or the SAT or a reading assessment, there are specific ways we can help our kids do their best on them. 1. Help them have the right mindset. We want them to know that their best really is good enough. One test doesn't define us. It is one of many pieces of information that help us understand how (and how much) they are learning. We want them to take extra care to check over things and not make careless errors. We want them to take their time (when the test allows for that and SC READY does.) We don't want them to be so anxious or worried that they make careless mistakes. Usually, those anxieties come from the unhealthy messages they are telling themselves. Helping them have the right mindset is huge. 2. Help them be physically ready. They do need to get a good night's rest and eat well before the tests. We know statistically that kids do best when they take their tests in their normal environment with their regular teacher. That comfortable environment reduces anxiety. As a result, please cancel any appointments during testing times. (If they are sick, please keep them at home. They won't do well on any assessment if they are not feeling well.) 3. Help limit distractions and outside stress. Please help them have a calm morning before school. That may not be the best time for addressing major discipline issues or big problems. If bad news needs to be delivered, try to wait until later if you can. It is so hard for any of us to focus on the work at hand if we are experiencing major problems. 4. Help them know they are loved no matter what. I think that is the biggest anxiety reducer we can give our kids. In a culture where acceptance is often solely based on performance, our kids need to know that we love them when they are at their best and their worst. According to researcher Howard Gardner, kids are gifted in all kinds of areas (i.e. art, music, athletics, math, reading, languages, interpersonal skills and self awareness.) How they do on one test on one day does not seal their future one way or another. We want them to do their best (and we want them to get better), but we love them as they are. Unconditional love can be one of the greatest motivators to help them do their very best.
Mr. Maness, Principal
P.S. You can click on the link below to know the testing schedule. We still need a few more monitors (especially on May 9) if you can help.
School News
Volunteer Monitors for Testing
We need your help monitoring statewide SC READY testing on the mornings of May 7, 9, 14, and 16. Usually it takes from 8:00-11:00 and training will be provided in the Media Center at 7:30 AM each morning. Your help in this area allows us to complete testing for all our students before lunch and we will not have to pull other staff members and assistants from their responsibilities to help. Even if you can only help on one day, that would be beneficial to us. Please click on the Testing Monitor button below to sign up.
Field Day Volunteer Signups (See Below)
We will have two field days in May. On May 24, we will have our Kindergarten, First and Second Grade Field Day in the morning. On May 31, we will have our Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade Field Day and it will be all day. We will have them across the street in Cherry Park Fields 1, 2 and 3. You can click on the Field Day Volunteer button(s) below to sign up to volunteer. We wanted to let you know about these days so you can plan for them. We will need volunteers at both events to help them be a fun day for our kids. If you want to volunteer, you must have a current background screening completed and you can go here to submit that if needed: https://www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/Page/3391 We realize all three schools did Field Day differently. To best address our safety and security concerns, we want to make sure you know that we will not be able to allow visitors to walk up and visit at Field Day. We will not have any way to check ID’s across the street. All adults at Field Day will be prescreened and will wear bracelets indicating they are staff or volunteers. As always, we welcome parents to visit with their child during lunch those days. Field Day is a day for our kids and we want them to be safe and secure while having fun.
PTO and SIC Information
CPES Spiritwear (Pictured Above)
Orders are being taken through May 9. Short sleeve T-shirts are $10, long sleeve T-shirts are $13 and hoodies are $18. Click on the button below to see the flyer and make an order. Checks should be made out to CPES PTO and they should be sent to the office.
Teacher Appreciation Week
Will be May 20-24 and we will need lots of help to express our appreciation to our teachers. Please click on the button below to see the information flyer about activities and volunteer opportunities. Signups will soon be sent through the PTO Newsletter so be sure to click on the PTO Newsletter button below to be on the mailing list so you can know how you can help.
Nominations for PTO Leadership for 19-20
We want to begin planning now for next year for our PTO Leadership. If you have a nomination, you can go to the button below to submit that person’s name. Please ask them before submitting their name.
Parent Teacher Organization and School Improvement Council Update
The PTO serves to raise funds, coordinate volunteers and encourage teachers through appreciation activities. We had a great meeting last week and minutes from the meeting were sent out earlier this week. We will meet again on Monday, May 20 at 6:30 PM to continue organization efforts. We encourage all parents to come and participate. We will meet in the Cherry Park Elementary Library. Our School Improvement Council will meet on the same days at 5:30 PM in the Fishbowl near the main entrance. All parents are invited to attend either or both meetings. Both groups are working on bylaws and have started organizational efforts. The group at PTO divided into committees to work on Bylaws, Fundraising, Volunteers and Teacher Appreciation. We hope you can come and join one of these subcommittees. Click on the PTO Newsletter button below if you wish to receive the PTO Newsletter:
Calendar of Events
Tuesday, May 7—SC READY Writing Test (3rd-5th Grades)
Thursday, May 9—SC READY Reading Test (3rd-5th Grades)
Friday, May 10--Second Grade MAP Language Usage
May 13--Kindergarten MAP Reading
May 14—SC READY Math Test (3rd-5th Grades)
May 15--Kindergarten MAP Math and Third Grade MAP Math
May 16—SC PASS Science Test (4th Grade) and SC PASS Social Studies Test (5th Grade)
May 17--First Grade MAP Reading
May 20-24--Teacher Appreciation Week
May 20--First Grade MAP Math and Fourth and Fifth Grade MAP Reading; 5:30 SIC Meeting and 6:30 PTO Meeting
May 21--Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade MAP Language Usage
May 22--Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade MAP Math; Guarino/Avilez MAP Reading
May 23--Parrish/Cromer/Woods/Sumner MAP Reading
May 24—Kindergarten through Second Grade Field Day (in the morning at Cherry Park on Fields 1, 2 and 3)
May 27—Memorial Day Holiday (No School)
May 28--Second Grade MAP Math
May 31—Third through Fifth Grades Field Day (all day at Cherry Park on Fields 1, 2, and 3)
June 3—9:00 Fifth Grade Graduation (Sullivan Middle School Auditorium); Half Day for Students
June 4—Half Day for Students and Last School Day
June 8—High School Graduation Day (10:00 RHHS, 2:00 NWHS, 6:00 SPHS)