Flint Lake News
Work hard at all you do. Be kind to others.
Important Dates
10th -- PTO Meeting @ 6:00 PM
12th -- No School - Mid-Winter Break
15th -- No School - Mid-Winter Break/ President's Day
18th -- School Board Meeting @ Administration Building @ 6:00 PM
26th -- Flint Lake Family Fun Fair
29th - March 11th -- ISTEP+ Part I Applied Skills Testing Window
March:
1st -11th -- ISTEP+ Applied Skills Testing Window
9th -- PTO Meeting @ 4:00 PM
14th-18th -- IREAD3
17th -- School Board Meeting @ 6:00 @ BFMS
18th -- Health Linc Mobile Dentist Visit
18th -- End of 3rd Grading Period
21st-25th -- NO SCHOOL -- SPRING BREAK
28th -- NO SCHOOL
A Note from the Principal
Dear Flint Lake Families,
It is hard to believe that the first semester of the school year is under our belt, and February is already here. We’ve had a great year so far, and I have no doubt that the second half will continue in the same way.
Important to note is that at the end of this month, our season of state-mandated, standardized testing will begin. Third, fourth, and fifth graders will participate in Part I of the ISTEP+, and Part II will take place in mid-late April. Be reminded that in mid-March, our third grade students will also take the IREAD3. This exam is focused solely on reading proficiency, and passing scores on the IREAD3 are required for most students to be promoted to grade four.
Without a doubt, we are committed to ensuring that our students are able to perform to their best abilities on these assessments. Reviewing what we know about the test format and building confidence in critical skill areas are just a few of the actions steps we’ve already been taking to help students prepare for these assessments. Included in this newsletter is a link to “Experience ISTEP+ Online,” in which you can walk through example test items for yourself. Also included here is a video link about standardized assessments from our Superintendent of Public Instruction, Glenda Ritz. Be on the lookout for additional opportunities to learn more about these upcoming tests in the weeks to come.
That being said, please know that at Flint Lake Elementary School, we are still most concerned with the whole child. Each of these tests is just that, one test. And we are well aware that there is much more to educating a child than one test. So, we will take these exams seriously. We will afford our students an opportunity to do well on them, and we will acknowledge the information that they may provide to further drive our instructional success. But, we will stay true to taking care of every aspect of your child’s development, knowing that just as there is much more to education than testing, there is also much more to your child than a test score.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school. As always, thank you for partnering with us in your child’s education.
Very sincerely,
Erin Hawkins
Report Cards
It is hard to believe that we are already underway in the 3rd Grading period. If you have not yet checked your child's report card for grading period 2, please be sure to do so soon. This is a wonderful opportunity to talk with your child about their grades and goals for the remainder of the school year.
To access your child's report card:
- Login to Skyward
- Open Skyward Family Access
- Select "Report Cards" from the left side-bar menu
Please contact the office if you are unable to login to Skyward or have any questions about accessing your child's report card.
ISTEP Information
Students in grades 3-5 will soon be taking ISTEP Part 1 - Applied Skills. This portion of ISTEP will take place February 29 through March 11. Please be sure your child eats a nutritious breakfast each morning and gets plenty of sleep each night to help them perform their best on the test.
Our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade teachers have done a fabulous job preparing our students for the ISTEP test and will continue doing so over the coming weeks.
You can find additional information and resources to help support your child through Experience Online at the IDOE website. The purpose of Experience is for students, educators, parents, and community members to see how test items similar to those on the ISTEP+ assessment are presented in the online system. You can access this website through the following link.
A Message from Superintendent Glenda Ritz
January Happenings
100 days of School
Kindergarten, First and Second Grade students had a blast celebrating the 100th day of school last week. Students dressed up as though they were 100 years old, read for 100 minutes, created 100 day murals, made 100 Fruit Loop necklaces, and engaged in several other fun-filled activities.
Science Bowl
Way to go, Flint Lake Science Bowl! They placed third in the state for our division. Congratulations to our Science Bowl team members:
- Nate Phillips
- Elisabeth Murley
- Henna Patheja
- Pete Leone
- Susannah Gross
- Riley Guerra
- Matthew Smith
- Tyler VerSchure
- Andrew Alcorn
- Madalyn Schmetzer
We'd also like to thank our coaches Mrs. Ferguson and Mrs. Brown for all of their hard work and dedication.
Geography Bee
A big congratulations to Martin Aguilera, our first place winner of Flint Lake's 2016 Geography Bee! Last week, Martin competed with other fourth and fifth grade students for the Geography Bee Champion title. After several rounds of thought-provoking geographical questions, Martin was declared the winner. We're very proud of all of our competitors for their hard work and determination. Way to go, Explorers!
Nurse Notes
The clinic is in need of additional underwear for both boys and girls in varying sizes. If you are able to donate, we would greatly appreciate your help.
Also, please be reminded that students must be fever free for 24 hours without medicine prior to returning to school. In addition to fever free, please follow the same 24 hour guideline in the event your child is vomiting.
As always, thank you for your help and support in keeping our students healthy!
Yearbook Sales Continue
To order online, use the following website and code.
Online Ordering: ybpay.lifetouch.com
Yearbook ID Code: 8883016
If you choose to purchase your yearbook using the order form, please make checks payable to Lifetouch.
PTO Corner
Family Fun Night
If you are interested in helping volunteer during this fun-filled event, please contact Michelle Iliff at miliff@valpo.k12.in.us or Jennifer Shelhart at jennifershelhart@gmail.com.
We look forward to spending this fun evening with you all!
Community Night
A portion of all skating and food sales will be donated to Flint Lake. A big thank you to Figure 8 for donating the Root Beer and allowing Flint to recieve 100% of the proceeds!
BINGO Night
Flint Lake Elementary School
Website: http://www.valpo.k12.in.us/Domain/302
Location: 4106 Calumet Ave, Valparaiso, IN, United States
Phone: 219-531-3160