FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE
Our Lady Queen of Heaven School :: December 5th, 2013
The FHS is a monthly on-line school newsletter. It will be emailed to you through School Reach. There will be weekly reminders of important events and activities that are planned for the upcoming week.
Dear Parents and Members of the OLQHS Community
I know that you have been hearing and reading a lot about the Common Core Standards. Some concerns have been positive and others negative. Before I moved to Lake Charles and became a principal in the Diocese of Lake Charles, I worked in Rhode Island as a Special Education teacher. I was asked to serve on the Rhode Island State Skills Commission by my principal and the NEARI. This can be considered the beginning of the development of the Common Core Standards. This was an initiative that was being looked at by many of the New England States. This initiative began almost 20 years ago. At the same time these skills were being looked at and organized into the different age appropriate grade levels, assessments were developed to test these skills at the various levels. It took a few years for all of these educational modifications to be implemented. Now in RI, the skills based education has proven to have improved the educational achievement levels of the students. Rhode Island was not the only state looking at these changes and implementing them. As the individual states began to see the success of this skill based education, a group of conservative governors joined together to create a skill based educational system that would be implemented across the United States. The conservative governors wanted every child who moved from one state to another to have the same skills. They want a system that would offer the same opportunities no matter which state you lived in.
The Common Core Standards are not a curriculum. The Common Core Standards are a list of skills that a student should be learning at the various grade levels. Skills build upon every other and are sequential in learning. A curriculum is the content within which these skills are taught. The curriculum is developed or chosen within a certain school or district. OLQHS chooses it own curriculum which expresses our beliefs and values. The Common Core is a name. It can also be considered a skill based educational system. This name has now been connected to a political point of view which was never the intended purpose. For a Catholic school or private school, adoption of the Common Core cannot be mandated because these schools do not receive federal funds such as “Race to the Top”.
It is in the best interest of our students to look at this educational thought and take from it what would make our students more prepared to meet the expectations of a student who is career and college ready. The preparation of our students is important in this ever rapidly changing world. It is necessary to create a baseline of where our students are. The standardized assessments that are used at OLQHS are given for two basic reasons; one to see where the students are performing and secondly, to see where the school needs to improve. It is the data gained from these assessments that drives the future of OLQHS and our ability to provide the best educational opportunities for our students. Our hope is to adapt the part of the Common Core Standards that will help our students to be better prepared to excel at the high school and college level. The assessments students will be administered will include higher and varied levels of questions that will require students to demonstrate the following:
- Remembering: recalling the information they have been taught
- Understanding: explaining the ideas and concepts they have learned
- Applying: using the knowledge they have gained as it is intended to be used
- Analyzing: organizing, deconstructing, comparing, and integrating the information they have learned
- Evaluating: using what they have learned to justify a decision or course of action
- Creating: applying their knowledge in a way that results in a new product or point of view
Will every single child reach the highest level of performance, no but every child deserves the opportunity. The famous child philosopher, Piaget, believed: “The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done.”
OLQHS is an incredible place to be.
Ms. JoAnn
“May this Advent Season be a time for bringing hope, transformation and fulfillment into the Advent of our lives. “
Important Messages From Our School
- Please be aware there are now large trucks moving dirt, etc around the school.
The Early Childhood Center is taking applications for a mature individual to work part-time with toddlers. Please call 477-8438 for more information.
- “OL’ Man Winter” Long sleeve T-shirt Sale” - Cold Weather is upon us. . . The OLQH long sleeve gray T-shirts that we have left in stock, regular price $17 are on sale for $10.00. These shirts may be worn on T-shirt days and OLQH field trips.
Limited number of long sleeve T-shirts available. Get yours before they are gone!!!
MAY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS AND A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!
Year of Faith
Advent Season
The liturgical year begins with the Advent Season which starts four Sundays before December 25 and ends at the Christmas Vigil Mass. There are two themes to this season, both reflected by the term "advent" which means "coming." First, this season is a period to prepare for the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas), as we recall the first time that Christ came to us. Second, it is a time to reflect and prepare for Christ's Second Coming at the end of time.
During the season of Advent we remember the long years of waiting by the people of Israel for the Messiah, the messages of hope in the prophets, and how Mary and Joseph were faithful to God's plan. Advent is not a penitential season, as Lent is. Advent is a time of joyful preparation and expectation. The Gloria is omitted on Sundays in Advent not as a sign of repentance, but to create a longing that will inspire people to sing it more joyfully on Christmas.
OLQHS Reading Program
Improving Fluency in Young OLQH Readers
What is fluency?
According the National Reading Panel (2000), fluency is the ability to read text with speed, accuracy and proper expression.
Fluent readers:
- Recognize words automatically
- Read aloud effortlessly and with expression
- Do not have concentrate on decoding
- Can focus on comprehension
Why is fluency important?
Fluency is important because it provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension. Fluency doesn’t ensure comprehension, but comprehension is difficult without fluency. If a reader is constantly stopping to decode and figure out unknown words, most likely meaning will be disrupted and the process of reading becomes long and laborious. When students make gains in fluency they are better able to put their energies into comprehension and are able to analyze, interpret, draw conclusions and infer meaning from texts.
Measuring fluency and comprehension at OLQH
To measure students' oral reading speed and accuracy, researchers have developed a simple and very brief procedure that uses regular classroom texts to determine the number of words that students can read correctly in one minute. To obtain a words-correct-per-minute (WCPM) score, students are assessed individually as they read aloud for one minute from an unpracticed passage of text. At OLQH we use the 3-Minute Reading Assessments developed by Dr. Timothy V. Rasinski, who by the way is the same person who developed the Fast Start program we use in the Pre K and K. We administer these assessments three times a year to our first and second graders.
To calculate the WCPM score, the examiner subtracts the total number of errors from the total number of words read in one minute. An error includes any word that is omitted, mispronounced, or substituted for another word. A comprehension rubric is also part of the assessment as students are required to retell the story.
The WCPM procedure just described is an extremely time-efficient and reliable way to track students' fluency — and their overall reading ability. While it may be surprising that a one-minute assessment can be so informative, WCPM has been shown through research to serve as an accurate and powerful indicator of overall reading competence — especially through its strong correlation with comprehension. Teachers can and should use WCPM as their canary in the coal mine — their first indicator that all may not be well with their students' reading ability
What are the fluency rates of OLQH students?
The following chart reflects expected rates for successful progress in oral reading rates (fluency) as determined by the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress). The number of words per minute is the expected rate at the end of the school year.
This next chart reflects the final benchmark testing done with OLQHS first and second graders which were completed in May, 2013.
This final chart reflects the second round of benchmark testing done with OLQHS first and second graders which were completed on November 20-21, 2013. The end of the year testing will be done in May, 2014.
We still have five months of instruction to go this year, so as you can see, we are right on target to improve upon last year’s scores. Great work teachers and students.
Instant Wisdom
Read-Aloud
Description
Teachers have always read aloud to young children, but recent research has shown that reading aloud can benefit middle and secondary students as well. Reading aloud to teenagers stimulates their imaginations and emotions; models good reading behavior; exposes them to a range of literature; enriches their vocabularies and understanding of sophisticated language patterns; makes difficult text understandable; models the fact that different genres are read differently; supports independent reading; and can encourage a lifelong enjoyment of reading.
In an "interactive" read-aloud, the teacher reads aloud but stops periodically to ask a question or give a prompt; the students can jot down a response, turn and talk to a partner or small group, or share thoughts with the whole class. Alvarez demonstrates this when she asks the students to stop her when she reads Internet information. The teacher can also prompt the students with traditional language arts questions ("What do you predict will happen next?") or more whimsical questions ("If you were the illustrator, what illustration might you draw for this part of the text?" or "What do you think María Isabel's mother is feeling right now? Write her internal monologue.")
Reading ALOUD with your child builds vocabulary!
Caught You Being Good this week at OLQHS!!! Let’s Celebrate!!!
All the students at OLQHS who supported Operation Christmas child. You are my HEROS! You all gave boxes to the children who may not even own a brush or comb.
Mrs. Dalton and her Math counts first place winners: Abby Grace Milligan, Alyssa Johnson, John Noble and Timothy Curol. OLQHS is very proud of you.
Cornerstone Capital Campaign
Thank you to all who have supported the Capital Campaign! To date, we have raised 94% of our goal. We are still in need of the last 6% to see the project through. The building now has walls and all can see that the building is real!! As we approach the end of the year, please remember the Cornerstone Capital Campaign in your gift giving.
If you are interested in making a donation to the campaign or would like more information, please contact Megan O’Quin at 477-7349 or moquin@olqhs. org. Thank you for your support and help continuing the legacy of OLQHS!
“Layers of Legacy” Courtyard
Brick Deadline – December 31st!
There is one month left to purchase your brick for the courtyard of the new OLQHS middle school building! Bricks may be purchased in increments of $100, $250, $500 and $1,000. We hope you will join us in making a lasting tribute, paving the way for generations to come!
Visit http://www.brickmarkers.com/donors/olqhs.html to purchase your brick online. Please contact Megan O’Quin at 477-7349 or moquin@olqhs.org for more information.
Yearbook Reminder
The deadline to purchase a 13-14 yearbook and an ad for the yearbook is March 21st. Ad forms will be going home this month.
YEARBOOK production is in full swing! If you are interested in purchasing an ad in the yearbook for your student, they will be collected until March 21. Forms will be sent home before the Christmas Holidays.
CALLING All SEWING QUEENS
OLQH Kindergarten is in need of someone to donate their time and talent. The Kindergarten needs someone to sew 2 child size Mardi Gras capes for the Mardi Gras Parade. OLQH Kindergarten will provide the fabric and thread. If interested, please call Missy Ogea (Kindergarten teacher) at 884-0744
SWAG
May I have your attention? May I have your attention, please?!! I am proud to announce that SWAG has done it again! Out of hundreds of other schools all across the nation, SWAG won runner-up in Catholic Mutual’s “Safety in the School” Contest for their 2012-2013 video. The runner-up prize was $500! SWAG decided to spend the prize money helping others in need. SWAG sent thirty-two Operation Christmas Child boxes to kids around the world. So far, SWAG has earned a total of $11,000 for their anti-bullying efforts. Congratulations SWAG members on your outstanding accomplishments! To see the winning video, go to www.StudentsWithAntiBullyingGoals.blogspot.com
SWAG Sponsor,
Sue Ellen Stokeld
The Art World
We already have two new Artsonia Hall of Fame Students from our Kindergarten classes—Asa Listi and Cara Henry. Congratulations!!!
There is a NEW date to add to your Calendars. On Wednesday, February 19, 2014 we will have an ARTSONIA T-SHIRT DAY. This is a thank you to all the students who support our Fine Arts Program through Artsonia. Remember, OLQH receives 20% of each purchase. On February 19, each student may wear their jeans and any T-shirt with Artsonia artwork on it. If they don’t want their artwork there is artwork from Jay Bowdon (JABO3), Diane Oden (DIOD2), Jane Piraro (JAPI2), and me (MRSFO1). Remember that Christmas presents to family members are always appreciated when they display a child’s, grandchild’s, niece’s, or nephew’s artwork.
There will be Christmas artwork online for the following classes by Saturday, December 7, if you need that for Christmas cards or ornaments: Kindergarten (already online), Second Grade (already online), Third Grade, Fifth Grade, and Eighth Grade (8EN-23-already online). Be sure to check out the Eighth Graders “Kneeling Santas” in the Art Hallway and online. They are beautiful and help remind us of the true meaning of Christmas.
Wishing you the Merriest of Christmases,
Brenda Foshee
OLQHS PTC
Thank you to all who volunteered to help with the 2013 Auction and Carnival. Both events were well worth all the efforts of each and every one of you. Thank you for your participation, support and enthusiasm. A special thanks goes to our Auction Chairpersons, Wendy Mann-Harper and Kayla Young, and our Carnival chairpersons, Kerri Courville and Liz Fruge for all their hard work and their time. Congratulations for your accomplishments!
Music
PLEASE JOIN THE OLQHS MUSIC DEPARTMENT FOR AN EVENING OF CHRISTMAS MUSIC ON DEC. 17 AT 6:30 PM AT THE F. G. BULBER AUDITORIUM ON THE MSU CAMPUS. ALL BANDS, CHOIRS AND HANDBELL CHOIR WILL BE PERFORMING.
OLQHS Beta Club
Jr. Beta Club will be collecting T-shirt orders starting on Thursday, December 5. All orders are due no later than Thursday, December 19.
Please e-mail all correspondence to cthomas@olqhs.org.
Jr. Beta Club will be attending District Convention on Saturday, January 25, 2014. State Convention will be in Lafayette, La. on May 1, 2014 and May 2, 2014.
Regards,
Callie M. Thomas
NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY
Congratulations AR Stars Molly Piatt, Emma Faul & Sophia Tassin, 6th grade; Lauren Godeaux, and Bryce Ritchie, 7th grade.
BOOK FAIR RESULTS
Our Fall Book Fair was a tremendous success, earning a profit of $2800. Thanks to all who were able to participate and especially to the volunteers who helped set up and run the fair: Susannah Chu, Kristine Hilliard, Evelyn McGee, Stephanie Lie, Anna Reyes, and Margaret Wright.
OLQHS 4-H Club
There will be a 4-H meeting on Monday, December 9th at 3:30 in Mrs. Houssiere’s room
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD results
CONGRATULATIONS!!! OLQHS collected 756 PACKED OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD SHOEBOXES!!!! GREAT JOB!!! These counted towards the 19,333 SHOEBOXES collected in the 5 parish area!!!Thank you to all who brought in their box. Every box counts. If you missed the opportunity, you can still “PACK A BOX ONLINE” by going to the OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD web page.
Help Needed
An OLQH family is looking for one-on-one teacher for their autistic child. Private school setting, approximately 20 hours per week, good pay. No specific education required, however, certified teachers are welcomed.
Training will be provided. Please call 540-1493
About Our School
Lake Charles, LA 70605
Phone: 337.477.7349
Fax: 337.477.7384
Email: drivero@olqhs.org
Website: www.olqhs.org
Location: 3908 Creole Street, Lake Charles, LA
Phone: (337)477-7349