the PENN NEWSLETTER
9/28/18
PENN PRIDE: we have. we are.
Students: We are fortunate to have two new resources to use for interventions. Lexia is a reading program and Dreambox focuses on math. We are using these to support students who are not proficient or who are barely proficient on our benchmark assessments. We're hopeful that the students will enjoy this work and that we will see great progress.
We had a fire drill today with the support of the NL Fire Department. Our pride did well! We got about 700 people (635 students) out of the building in just 2 minutes and 26 seconds!
We'll continue focusing on fire safety with an assembly for 5th and 6th graders presented by the NL Fire Department on Monday afternoon.
It was also a big week for field trips. 4th graders went to Voxman Hall to the Symphony and 3rd graders went to Kinnick for a fitness event sponsored by Hy-Vee. Both groups had amazing experiences. Thank you to the ICCSD Foundation and Hy-Vee for making these experiences possible.
Staff: A professional learning community, or PLC, is a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students. Penn classroom teachers meet with their grade level colleagues each week. Some of our most powerful learning happens during these times.
Next Friday, October 5th is a district professional development day. Teachers across the district will be learning together. NO SCHOOL for students on Friday, October 5th.
"Not a Box" Party
Children's Museum Staff will join our lunch recesses on Tuesday, Oct. 2 from 11 - 1. They’ll bring loads of cardboard for students to create with. This is based on the book Not a Box by Antoinette Portis.
Interpreters Needed
Car Wash for Music Auxilliary
This Saturday, September 29 from 9 AM to 4 PM there will be a district wide Music Auxiliary Car Wash. Junior high and high school students and parents will be washing cars at local sites (please see the attached brochure) in hopes of earning money for these wonderful music programs in the ICCSD. The car wash is free and we will be accepting donations. The Music Auxiliary helps providing funding for music, trips, clinics, and special events. Our programs could not survive without this wonderful organization!
Please consider stopping by one of the locations to receive your free car wash. If you are unable to make it but still want to donate, please visit https://iccsdfoundation.org/choose-a-campaign/ (choose “Music Auxiliary” from campaign list).
Assessment Change
Dear Parents,
For many years students in our district, as well as districts across the state, have been assessed on an annual basis with the Iowa Assessments. The Iowa City Community School District has traditionally elected to administer these assessments in October.
Last spring the Iowa legislature determined that all students in Iowa would be assessed using a new test called the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP). These new assessments are developed by Iowa Testing Programs at the University of Iowa delivered and supported by Iowa-based Pearson, for the state of Iowa. The assessments are aligned with the Iowa Core standards and provide a clear and accurate assessment of student learning outcomes. Student growth, proficiency and readiness indicators will be reported.
The new assessments are required to be administered between March and May 2019 and will be available in online and paper formats. The grade levels, tests, and recommended administration times are provided below:
Tests: Grade Levels Recommended / Administration Time (Minutes)
Reading: Grades 3-11/ 60 min
Language Arts and Writing: Grades 3-11 / 120 min
Math: Grades 3-11 / 60 min
Science: Grades 5, 8, 10 / 60 min
Elementary students in ICCSD will take these assessments during the week of April 8-12; and secondary students will take these assessments on April 16-17, using the online format. During this first year of administration, it is anticipated that results may not be available until late summer or early fall of 2019.
If you have any questions about these assessments, please contact the district curriculum office.
Dr. Diane Schumacher
Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Iowa City Community School District
1725 North Dodge Street
Iowa City, Iowa 52245
(319) 688-1000
Info for Future Grant Grizzlies
Looking Ahead
- Oct 5 and 8: NO SCHOOL
- Oct 10: Flu Shot Clinic at Penn from 3:00-6:00
- Oct. 12: FUN NIGHT
- Oct. 14: Run for the Schools www.runfortheschools.com
- Oct. 31: Halloween Parade @ 2:00pm