Normandy Park School
Principal's Corner
February 3rd to February 7th
- February 3rd is A Day
- This week, we will continue to administer SEL surveys to students grade 3rd through 5th (more information below)
- The iReady Diagnostic window opened for all grade levels (more information below). This week, we will finish testing for students who have not yet completed the assessment.
- February 4th, NPS will be hosting two informational sessions on a) Report Cards, and b) FMS Athletics
- February 7th, NPS HSA will host their Family Bingo Night at 6:30pm at NPS
Report Cards
On February 14th, students will receive report cards for the 1st half of the school year. Report Cards will be sent home via backpack. In the Morris School District, a Standards Based Report Card is used.
To learn more about the Standards Based Report Card, please see our K-5 Report Card Parent Guide Book. In addition, I will be hosting an information session on Standards Based Report Cards for all interested parents on the evening of February 4th.
STEAM Fair
The Normandy Park School is excited to announce our second annual S.T.E.A.M. Fair which will be held Thursday, March 5th from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. The acronym S.T.E.A.M. stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. Students are learning, exploring and expressing interest in many areas, and this is an additional opportunity to showcase their work.
During the fair parents and students will have the opportunity to explore the different aspects of S.T.E.A.M. throughout the building. It will be an amazing opportunity for students to display their talents and interests through multiple facets.
Your child also has the opportunity to complete an at home project. This is voluntary. Some of the possible topics include Climate Change, Food Webs, Habitats, Rockets, Science of Sports or Research on an inventor. The possibilities are endless. If your child is interested in completing an at home project please email Mr. Russell at robert.russell@msdk12.net. In your email please indicate the project title as well as the amount of space needed to showcase the project. Projects should be brought in the morning of the fair. Storage is not available prior to the morning of the fair.
Also, if you can volunteer to set up the morning of the fair please email Mr. Russell. The more help we can get setting up the faster the process.
We hope you will join us in celebrating our students’ hard work.
FMS Key Information for 5th Grade Parents
Attention 5th grade families, please click here for key information on immunizations, sports, activities, and attendance.
February Parent Information Sessions
On February 4th, NPS will host two information sessions at 6:30pm.
FMS Athletics (Computer Lab)
Description: Lisa Fischman (FMS Supervisor) will meet with 5th grade parents regarding information for Fall athletics. This session is NOT a requirement for students interested in Fall sports, but an optional information session to learn more and ask questions. This session is intended for current 5th grade parents, who have child interested in playing a Fall sport.
Standards Based Report Card (Library)
Mr. Miller will meet with parents to discuss Standards Based Report Cards. This may be particularly helpful for new K parents, who are not familiar with our Standards Based Report Cards.
If interested in attending, please RSVP to either session at the following link: https://forms.gle/YbT1pJ4y8iCANkeo9
For Spanish, please click here: https://forms.gle/dg55W8q7vXKKVVRk6
Naglieri Testing
In February, all 3rd grade students will be taking the Naglieri Non-Verbal Ability Test. 4th and 5th grade students who are new to the Morris School District will also be taking the test. Please find below your child’s homeroom testing schedule. This online test is a brief, thirty minute, culture fair measure of a student’s nonverbal reasoning and general problem-solving ability. In broad terms the test measures different aspects of general cognitive ability and its scores can be somewhat but not singularly predictive of academic success. It is an assessment based on a testing method supported by more than a half century of research.
Each student’s test results will be available to their parents in March. Results will be one of several measures used to determine eligibility for the Quest Program and is useful as one extra part of an overall view of our students as learners. If you have any questions regarding the administration of this test, please feel free to call me at school. Thank you for your continued cooperation and support.
Homeroom Teacher and Date of Naglieri Test
Reuther
February 11
Rosso
February 11
Ortiz
February 12
Diana/Parks
February 12
Hong/Cahill
February 13
Smith
February 13
Upcoming Cultural Arts Residency for Senior Classes
From February 10th to February 27th, NPS will host their Senior Cultural Arts Residency with Stop Motion artist, Tracy Fox. Students will create their own Stop Motion art with the guidance of the artist. The projects will be geared around students sharing their own superpowers and expertise. On February 28th, NPS will host a culminating event for Senior parents to come and see the students Stop Motion art projects.
3rd through 5th Grade Social Emotional Learning Surveys
As part of our commitment to ensuring a healthy community in which each student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, the Morris School District has partnered with Panorama Education, leaders in education technology, to survey the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies of our students in grades 3-5.
A customized survey has been developed for the Morris School District by Panorama Education. Panorama has worked with over 400 school districts and 6 million students nationwide to develop age-appropriate SEL surveys, which are designed to help educators understand students’ social-emotional competencies and their beliefs about how supported they are in their school environment.
The survey will focus on the following 4 key areas:
Growth Mindset - the belief that it is possible to grow our intelligence through effort. Students who believe they can grow their abilities and intelligence are more likely to succeed academically.
Social Awareness - having empathy for other people and knowing how to build positive relationships. Building empathy in students helps them to better respond to conflicts and develop positive relationships.
Self-efficacy - the belief that we have control over our own motivation, behavior, and social environment. Students with high levels of confidence are more likely to achieve academic goals and outcomes.
Sense of belonging - feeling part of the community and feeling valued for our own uniqueness. Students who feel like valued members of the community show higher attendance and graduation rates.
The data we gather from the survey will give us greater insight into students’ perceptions of themselves and their readiness for learning. The survey results will also help us refine our curricular and counseling practices so that we can best meet the needs of our students.
The survey will be administered this week, and will take approximately 15 minutes. At NPS, students will take the survey during their Computer period. Survey questions are available for your reference at http://bit.ly/MorrisSEL. Note: This survey does NOT impact your child’s grade.
A form was sent home to 3-5 families with additional information. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Main Office.
iReady Testing Window
Last month, our school began administering the i-Ready® Diagnostic assessment for Grades K through 5th. This is the first iReady Diagnostic of the school year for Kindergartners, and the second iReady Diagnostic of the school year for 1st through 5th graders.
The i-Ready Diagnostic helps teachers to effectively assess their students and then provide individualized instruction based on each student’s unique needs. i-Ready Diagnostic assesses the following skill areas:
Reading
• Phonological Awareness
• Phonics
• High-Frequency Words
• Vocabulary
• Comprehension
Math
• Number and Operations
• Algebra and Algebraic Thinking
• Measurement and Data
• Geometry
i-Ready Diagnostic begins by giving students an adaptive assessment in reading and math. An adaptive assessment is a test that automatically adjusts the difficulty of the questions according to each student’s performance in order to determine his or her abilities in reading or math. i-Ready is a very different kind of test that presents students with questions that can be both too easy and too hard. It is designed to do this until the assessment finds exactly the level at which the student is performing. Therefore, your child will certainly see some items above his or her level. Your child will be encouraged to independently complete the test to the best of his or her ability, and know that it is okay to get questions wrong.
Each time a student gets an item incorrect, he or she will be presented with a simpler question until the diagnostic finds the grade level at which the student is performing. The assessment efficiently assesses students across multiple grade levels, allowing for identification of root causes of students’ struggles or for identification of areas where a student is ready for further challenge. This information will then provide the teacher with a “road map” to instructional remediation.
Once your child completes the test, he or she will be assigned online instruction to support his or her progress in mastering each skill. i-Ready Diagnostic supports the teachers and administrators at your child’s school. The program provides a series of comprehensive reports designed to make classroom instruction more effective. These reports include data about student performance as well as detailed teaching suggestions. They help educators make informed decisions about the instruction that is right for your child.
Should you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or your child’s teacher.
MSD Preschool Registration
In December, the Morris School District opened registration for free preschool for district families for the 2020-2021 school year. To register, please visit https://www.morrisschooldistrict.org/
Upcoming Events
- February 10th: Naglieri Testing for 3rd Graders
- February 10th to February 27th: Senior Cultural Arts Residency with Stop Motion artist, Tracy Fox. February 28th, NPS will host a culminating event for Senior parents to come and see the students Stop Motion art.
- February 14th: Report Cards Sent Home to Families
- February 17th-18th: School Closed for Students
- March 5th: NP STEAM Night (6:30pm to 8:30pm)
- March 23rd to March 28th: Scholastic Book Fair
- March 28th: Family Fun Fair (Book Fair will be open as well!)