Chimborazo Elementary Newsletter
May 2018
Principal's Message
Parents and Community Stakeholders,
April has been a very busy month at Chimborazo and May will continue this trend. April included Blue Sky, grade level, and Math and Science Innovation Center field trips and visits, Kindergarten Registration, and the "Little Feet Competition." Our Mind Games Teams also did an outstanding job representing Chimborazo!
May is a very important month as our third through fifth graders begin taking their state-wide assessments (Standards of Learning or SOL Test). These assessments will be instrumental in helping the school determine if your child has mastered material in a particular content area. 3rd grade will be testing in reading and math. 4th and 5th grade will also be tested in the same content areas, however, they will each have one additional assessment as 5th grade takes science and 4th grade takes Virginia Studies. Please help prepare your child as we put an exclamation mark on our school year's theme as we Go for the GOAL! Included in this month's newsletter are multiple strategies and resources to help your child perform to the best of his or her ability. Primary grades will also take the PALS assessment which will gauge their foundational literacy and word attack skills. Please remember that the first whole week of May is Teacher Appreciation Week. During the school year, our teachers work 7 days a week to ensure your child is receiving the best education possible. The teaching profession extends past solely educating children and can sometimes be taking for granted, however, let's show our teachers how much you truly appreciate their service as they prepare our children for their future educational endeavors and for life. As always, thank you for your continued support as we continue to ensure our students leave the building a little smarter than how they come in it each and everyday!
Respectfully,
Mr. Peck
Word of the month-Perseverance
per·se·ver·ance
[ˌpərsəˈvirəns]
NOUN
steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.
"his perseverance with the technique illustrates his single-mindedness" ·
[more]
synonyms: persistence · tenacity · determination · resolve · resolution · resoluteness · staying power · purposefulness · firmness of purpose · patience · endurance · application · diligence ·
[more]
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SOL Test Preparation
SOL (Standards of Learning) Test Taking Tips
Grades 3 - 5
GENERAL STRATEGIES TO HELP YOU ON THE SOL TESTS
1. READ THE ENTIRE QUESTION
It is very important that you take the time to read the entire question. If you don’t, you may miss important information and misunderstand the question
2. READ ALL OF THE ANSWER CHOICES
Just as it is important to read the entire test question, it is also important to read and carefully consider all of the answer choices. Remember that for each question, you are looking for the BEST answer. If you do not read all of the answers, you may pick a possible answer, but not the BEST answer.
3. TRY EVERY ANSWER.
Try out every answer. By considering each answer, you can be more certain that you choose the BEST answer. The first answer may sound good, but another choice may be a better answer.
4. PROCESS OF ELIMINATION
If you don’t know the answer to a question, eliminate any answers that you know are incorrect. Doing this will help you narrow down your choices. The fewer choices left mean a better chance of answering the question correctly. Answering even two or three more questions correctly could mean the difference passing or not passing the test.
5. GUESSING
Guessing should not be the first strategy you try. You should only guess after you have tried other strategies. By reading the question carefully, you may be able to eliminate one or two of the choices. Make your best guess by choosing the answer that makes the most sense to you.
6. CHECK YOUR WORK
Make sure you have answered every question. Never leave an answer blank. Make sure you have chosen only one answer for each question.
7. USE YOUR TOOLS
You have practiced with all the tools available on the SOL Online Tests. Use whatever tools are available to you during the test. If you have questions about a tool, raise your hand.
Want to know more? Visit the Virginia Department of Education’s website and practice with the Test Nav 7 tools. There are practice items for Grades 3, 4, and 5
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/practice_items/index.shtml#math
Don’t forget about SOLPASS!
http://www.solpass.org
TAKING YOUR TEST ONLINE
You will be taking all of you SOL Tests online. You have practiced with the Test Nav 7 Interface. If your computer does something you are not expecting, raise you hand for assistance. Work slowly and read carefully. You will have scratch paper and pencil to use if you need it. Do not clilck "SUBMIT" until you have checked with your teacher.
Also, don’t forget to look for key words to tell you what kind of computation or process is needed.
· Less than
· Least
· Greatest
· Greater than
· Nearest
· All together
· Left over...are some examples
BEFORE THE TEST
One key to doing well on the SOL TESTS is to get enough sleep the night before. Your mind and body need rest after a busy day. Most people need about 8 hours of sleep. You may need a little more or a little less. If you are well rested, you will be better able to concentrate and remember information. Being well rested can also help with anxiety.
Getting Dressed
Remember to wear comfortable clothing and dress for the temperature of your classroom. You may want to dress in layers. This way you will be ready if it is warm or cool in the room on the day of the test.
Glasses
If you are supposed to wear glasses, wear them!!!
THE DAY OF THE TEST
Now that you are well rested and are wearing comfortable clothes, let’s talk about food...
• The importance of good meals.
Food is what fuels your body and mind. That is why eating a well-balanced breakfast is one way to prepare for the SOL TESTS. Think healthy choices like our PE survey done in lunch.
CONTROLLING WORRY AND ANXIETY
You can control some of your worry and anxiety by being prepared for the test. Getting a good night’s sleep, eating a healthy breakfast and wearing comfortable clothes are a good start.
Being prepared for the test also means that you have the supplies you need. Be sure to bring your #2 pencils and a good eraser
A strategy to use for test anxiety or worry in general is called BATS. BATS is an acronym for:
B: Breathe (Breathe in and out slowly 5 times in a row)
A: Ask yourself to count to ten (not out loud)
T: Think of your favorite place (picture a scene or think of a memory that makes you happy)
S: Say, “I’m okay. I can handle it!” (Think positively)
THIS IS A TEST. THIS IS ONLY A TEST.
Listen carefully to all directions. Ask questions if necessary. Be alert, but calm. Panicking will not help. Remember to breathe!
Take your time! Rushing may cause you to make a silly mistake.
Have all necessary materials such as pencils and erasers. If the test allows you to use a calculator (Grade 5 ONLY) or a ruler, your teacher will provide this for you.
Pay very close attention to the sample questions. This is the time to ask if you do not understand something.
NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT TAKING THE TEST
Read the entire direction line twice.
•It is important to read the entire direction line carefully so you know exactly what to do.
•Some questions will tell you to look for the answer choice that is correct.
•Some questions will tell you to look for the answer
choice that has a mistake.
Look for KEY WORDS
A KEY WORD is a word in the test question that tells you what to look for in the answer.
Sometimes key words are written in all CAPITAL LETTERS. They may be printed in bold, italics, or underlined.
Another Helpful Strategy:
If the questions have a passage, a paragraph, table or graph, read the questions that go with it first. Underline or highlight the important words or phrases. This will give you an idea of what to look for while reading the passages.
May Events
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Career Day
5:30 pm PTA Meeting
6pm Spring Concert
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Field Day
Friday, May 4, 2018
3rd grade Blue Sky Field Trip
Saturday, May 5, 2018
Chimborazo Volunteer Beautification Day
May 7th-May 11th
Teacher Appreciation Week
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
3rd 9 week awards ceremony
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Bike to School Day
4th grade Blue Sky Field Trip
Thursday, May 10, 2018
4th quarter interims
Elementary National Junior Honor Society Induction
2nd grade Field Trip (Virginia Museum of Fine Arts)
6 pm Chimborazo Talent Show
Friday, May 11, 2018
5th grade Blue Sky Field Trip
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Mother's Day
Monday, May 14, 2018
SOL Pep Rally
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
SOL Testing begins
Saturday, May 19, 2018
School project day (Building a stage on the upper-grade playground)
Monday, May 21, 2018
Level-up clinic
Monday, May 28, 2018
Memorial Day (No School)
Attendance matters
Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence.
Box Tops
Look for the 10¢ Box Tops coupon on hundreds of your favorite products -- Cheerios, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Ziploc, Kleenex, Hefty, and many more.
Cut out the coupons and ask your child to give them to their teacher. The more coupons you send in, the more money our school receives!
For more information, see http://www.boxtops4education.com/home .