MEA Break = Vacation for Students

As Fall Conferences officially begin this week, I would like to thank you in advance for your participation in this important event for your student(s). Sitting down and communicating with your student's classroom teacher is a valuable way in which you can be provided with feedback and insight as to how your student is adjusting to a new grade level and a new school year. Furthermore, it in effort to maintain the partnership between the home and school, attending Fall Conferences provides a way in which the classroom teacher and families can work to develop academic and social goals for each individual student to work toward as the year progressess. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it shows your student that you care. Such a simple act of taking thirty minutes out of your day to spend time with your student and your student's teacher is a great way to communicate not only how much you value education, but also how much you care about your student.

Our annual Fall Book Fair begins this week, and I would like to encourage you to check it out. The safari theme alone will be intriguing enough for you to take a peek and see what is in store. The organizers of this annual event have put a great deal of time and effort into making this event a success, so any support you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

Recently our first annual Health Fair (and Fall Ball) commensed, and we were pleased to have you join us. I would like to extend a special thank you to our Volunteer Coordinator and her team who created, organized, and ran this entire event from start to finish. Your hard work was greatly appreciated! If you missed it, several seminars took place where students and families could learn about nutrition, healthy lifestyle habits, self-defense, and other topics. Healthy snacks were provided as well, and the final hour culminated with our annual Fall Ball, a dance in which students, families, and staff were able to "shake, rattle, and roll!" Thank you to all who joined us for this exciting new event at MWS!

Finally, I would like to wish all students and families a relaxing MEA break. I hope that you have time to engage in the activities you enjoy as a family, that all of your travels are safe, and that you have an opportunity to get reenergized for the next few weeks of school before our Thanksgiving Break. After all of your hard work at the beginning of the year and on our NWEA MAP Assessments, a break for all students is well-deserved!

NWEA MAP Testing Completed

As of today, the 2nd through 6th grade students have completed the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Assessments for both reading and mathematics. This assessment was adopted throughout all elementary schools in ISD 191 to not only replace the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, but also to provide us with an assessment tool that would measure student growth within the academic calendar year.

What was this experience like for students?

Students completed the assessments in the Computer Lab on two separate days, one day for reading and one day for mathematics. Students were scheduled by class for an hour long time slot to complete each assessment. Additional support beyond the classroom teacher was accessible to support students in the completion of this process. Once finished, students were permitted to quietly read a book. The Computer Lab was closed during testing, so students were given an opportunity to complete the assessment in an optimal environment.

What information will teachers learn from this new assessment tool?

The immediacy and accessibility of the student data that accompanies this assessment is truly extensive and amazing. Students are given a RIT score (Rausch Unit Score) that identifies their individualized level of performance in both subject areas. This information is correlated to the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments and can be used as a tool to identify individual growth targets for students for the close of the school year. All 2nd through 6th grade classroom teachers have received professional development training from the NWEA on how to interpret this information and use it to drive instructional practice.

How will this information about my student be shared with me?

Families will be presented with information about your student's performance at Fall Conferences. Much of the information we will gain from this assessment will not be available until after the testing window closes, which is October 15th. Unfortunately conferences will be completed by that time. The report you will be given will enable you to view your student's current level of performance in reading and mathematics and compare these levels to that of nationally derived norms of students at that grade level. As students are potentially reassessed in both January and April, you will be able to montior their performance over time within the school year.

If you are interested in obtaining additional information about this assessment, I would encourage you to visit www.nwea.org. This site provides valuable information that is accessible by all.