Southside News...
March 31, 2014
UP-COMING EVENTS
Message from Beverly Pray, Southside's PTO President
Our next PTO meeting will be next Tuesday night, April 1st beginning at 7 pm. We will be electing officers for next school year! Please consider where you would like to volunteer your time! Two of our Board members will no longer have children at Southside Elementary and two of Board members have termed out based on our PTO by-laws. So please consider stepping up to help! Three of us will still have children at Southside and will help you in anyway we can!
PTO will be voting on the following positions:
Board Positions:
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Fundraising
Committee Chair Positions:
Work Room and Volunteer Coordinator
Muffins for Moms
Donuts for Dads
Grandparents Day Coordinator
Box Top Coordinator
It's been my great honor to serve as President for the last two years and as Vice President for the two years prior. It is a very rewarding position. We have A LOT of great volunteers that help and would do anything you ask of them! Southside is very lucky to have so much parental involvement!
Thanks for your consideration!
Beverly Pray
PTO President
TESTING TIPS AND DATES
FIRST AND SECOND GRADES:
ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) testing will be the mornings of Tuesday, April 1st and Wednesday, April 2nd
THIRD AND FOURTH GRADES:
The Benchmark Exam will be given April 7th-10th.
How Parents Can Help Children Do Their Best on Tests
The best thing you as a parent can do to help your child do his/her best on standardized tests is to provide positive support by expressing confidence in your child’s ability to do their best. On test day, try to provide a calm, stress-free environment each morning as your child gets ready for school. Get up in plenty of time to avoid morning rush and anxiety. Curtail nighttime extra-curricular activities and outings that may interfere with their regular bedtime routine.
Test-Taking Tips:
• Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and eats breakfast.
• If your child wears glasses, make sure he/she has them at school.
• Be at school on time each day.
• Encourage your child to relax and do their best.
• Remind your child to listen closely and not rush through the test.
• Have a positive attitude!
Benchmark/ITBS Incentive
We are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for your student. Southside Elementary has developed a Benchmark/ITBS Rubric to promote a positive testing environment for State Testing in April. We will share the Benchmark expectations on a regular basis with students between now and testing and will give students several opportunities to practice the expectations on classroom assessments.
Each year Southside holds a Benchmark/ITBS Celebration in order to reward students for their hard work during Benchmark/ITBS week. This year students will have the chance to earn points daily for following the Benchmark /ITBS Rubric. Each day students can earn up to 10 points for following the expectations on the rubric. We will post how many points it will take to go to the carnival, how many tickets each game/activity will cost and how many points it takes to purchase snacks (popcorn, drinks, snow cones, etc.) when it gets closer, but the more points earned …the more games can be played.
We feel this incentive will promote a positive testing environment and give every student the chance to do their best on the State Assessment. We feel it is important for parents to know the expectations on the Benchmark/ITBS Rubric so you know how to encourage your child in order for them to earn as many points possible. Thank you for sharing your child/children with us!
ITBS RUBRIC
I was in class by 7:50 today.
I used my time wisely.
I kept my eyes on my own paper.
If I had time, I double checked my answers.
If I had time, I checked my bubbling.
I went to bed early enough and got a great night’s rest.
I ate a good breakfast.
I did not talk during the test, when test instructions were given, or when materials were handed out or taken up.
I tried my best and my attitude showed it!
I used my test taking strategies.
BENCHMARK RUBRIC
I was in class by 7:50 today.
I used my time wisely.
I kept my eyes on my own paper.
If I had time, I double checked my answers.
If I had time, I checked my bubbling.
I went to bed early enough and got a great night rest.
I did not talk during the test, when test instructions were given, or when materials were handed out or taken up.
I tried my best and my attitude showed it!
I used my test taking strategies.
I showed/explained my work on Open Response questions.
IMMUNIZATION CLINICS
Cabot Health Unit is hosting immunization clinics on April 30th and June 20th from 8:00 am-3:00 pm.
The address of the health dept. is 118 South First Street.
APRIL
1st Kindergarten Cap and Gown Pictures
PTO Meeting 7:00 p.m. at Southside Cafeteria
7th- 10th 3rd and 4th Grade State Testing (Benchmark)
17th and 18th Muffins for Moms
21st Classroom Group Pictures
23rd 1st grade Field Trip to Toltec Mounds
24th- 2nd grade Field Trip to Clinton Library
24th and 25th Donuts for Dads
SAVE THE DATE
Join us for a day filled with physical activity and class events!
May 5th Fourth Grade
May 6th Third Grade
May 7th Second Grade
May 8th First Grade
May 9th Kindergarten
Dads, if you have any old neckties you would like to donate please send them to school with your child, Coach Dunphy needs them for the 3-legged race!
Southside Elementary
Email: casey.hanna@cps.k12.ar.us
Website: http://www.cabotschools.org/schools/southside-elementary
Location: 2600 South Pine Street, Cabot, AR, United States
Phone: 501-743-3567
Facebook: facebook.com/SouthsideElemetary
Twitter: @Cabot_Southside