Seven Hills Elementary News
A Home-School Connection
August 1, 2019
Put First Things First and Take Care of Student Registration Now!
Back to School Information for NISD:
Back to School Information Available Now!
The first day of school is Tuesday, August 20, 2019. Information about registration, enrollment, school times, calendar, after-school childcare, meet the teacher nights, and more can be found at www.nisdtx.org/registration.
We are glad you chose Northwest ISD for your child’s education, and we are looking forward to getting to know you better this year. For questions, please contact the front office at (insert number).
Back to School Fair is August 10
NISD and United Way of Denton County will host the seventh annual Back to School Fair on Saturday, August 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Gene Pike Middle School. Families with children in NISD (all grade levels) can register online here (https://attendify.co/northwest-isd-back-to-school-fair-Mg0LVsu).
School supplies will be distributed to children in need as well as free hearing screenings, haircuts, eye exams, physicals, and more. For questions, contact Alicia McElroy at United Way of Denton County at 940-566-5851 extension 119.
Kindergarten and 1st Grade Early Assessments:
Northwest ISD administers diagnostic assessments for both reading and mathematics for all students when they start the school year. The purpose of these assessments is to provide useful information which teachers use to plan the most appropriate instruction for each child. This year for incoming kindergarten and first grade students, these assessments will occur before school starts. By assessing as many students as possible before the start of school, we have more knowledge of the students and can begin instruction with them right away.
Seven Hills has chosen Wednesday, August 14th, and Friday August 16th to administer the assessments. You can sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0E4BACA82AA46-beginning
Please plan to be at Seven Hills for 30-45 minutes while we assess your child. During this time, all the teachers in the building will be assessing students in an efficient manner. If you believe you have important information to share regarding these assessments, please reach out to an administrator. This will not be an appropriate time to have a parent-teacher conference. Your child's data will be sent home the first few weeks of school. The assessments include:
Kindergarten:
- Uppercase and lowercase letter identification
- Letter sound
- Independent text level
- Counting objects
- Understanding quantity
First Grade:
- Sight word identification
- Independent text level
- Estimation
- Groups of 10
- Skip counting by twos, fives, and tens
Save the Date for the 2019 - 2020 School Year:
Important Updates to Entrances on NISD Campuses:
Important Updates to Entrances on NISD Campuses
This year, families, volunteers and visitors to Northwest ISD campuses will notice an added layer of security in the main entrances of every building. The entry call station is funded by the 2017 bond and will be required for every person to use as they enter the building. Please watch this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di-Nb2awZsY&feature=youtu.be) to show how to use the new safety feature. We appreciate your support as we continue to make NISD a safer environment for all of our children.
NISD is Moving to 9 Week Grading Periods This Year:
Northwest ISD will operate on a nine-week grading schedule beginning with the 2019-20 school year, moving from the previous six-week grading schedule.
This move will mean little change beyond the length of the grading period, though it may cause some confusion about specific situations for students and their families. To help clarify the transition, the following FAQ was created by the district for common questions. If you have questions not answered by this FAQ, please email nisd@nisdtx.org, and your message will be directed to the appropriate person.
What is the difference between the old six-week grading period and the new nine-week grading period?
As their names imply, the only difference between the two grading period systems is their segmented lengths. The old format consisted of six six-week grading periods, while the new format will make use of four nine-week grading periods. This means homework and tests in classes will be calculated into nine-week grades instead of six-week grades. Two semesters will still exist.
Why was this change made?
Following community and staff feedback during the District of Innovation process, the decision to move to a nine-week grading system was made to allow students time to best learn and master material in classes. This change provides students extra time during the grading period to learn a topic before moving onto a new topic, and teachers can better assess if lessons and concepts are learned by students with the expanded grading period.
When will this change begin?
The switch to nine-week grading periods begins with the 2019-20 school year. The 2019-20 calendar can be seen at this link, including grading period beginning and ending dates.
Will this change have any effect on school start or dismissal times?
No, school start and dismissal times will remain the same, as seen here.
How does this change affect extracurricular eligibility?
At the secondary level, students will still be assessed on whether they are passing (obtaining grades of 70 or better in all classes) following each grading period. The only exception occurs during the start of the school year; students must have passing grades in all their classes by the end of the first six weeks of school, as per UIL policy (see pages 3 and 20). After this, they will have three weeks to meet passing levels (the end of the nine-week grading period). Subsequent grade checks will occur at the end of each nine-week grading period.
Will this change affect progress reports?
Parents will still receive electronic progress reports every three weeks. Therefore, parents will receive two progress reports during each nine-week grading period – at the three- and six-week intervals – followed by a report card at the end of the grading period.
Will students still receive a set number of grades per grading period?
Yes, each class has a minimum number of grades that must be met during the nine-week grading period to best reflect a student’s current levels of content mastery. For example, at the secondary level, at least four summative grades (such as major projects or tests) and eight formative grades (such as classwork or regular assignments) are required in a grading period that has a full nine weeks. For information about the required number of grades per grading period, read the elementary and secondary grading guidelines.
My child has an IEP (Individualized Education Program)/ARD (Admission, Review and Dismissal) plan that mentions six-week grading periods. Will this be updated?
Yes, all plans will refer to nine-week grading periods instead of six-week grading periods. Additionally, the Northwest ISD Board of Trustees has updated district policies to make similar changes regarding any district or school policies or procedures.
NISD Information:
- See What’s Going on in Our Communities: As a service to our families, the district provides the Community Folder for non-school groups or organizations to post information that may be of interest or a benefit to students and families. Click here to see approved flyers.
Stay Connected!
Website: http://northwestseven.ss10.sharpschool.com/
Location: 654 FM3433, Newark, TX, United States
Phone: 817-215-0700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SevenHillsElem/
Twitter: @7HillsNISD