Iowa Assessments....Here We Come

Hopefully I am not scaring anyone away with the title of the blog post!  (Cue "Jaws" music....just kidding!)

It will be a busy week with the Iowa Assessments coming up.  We will be testing on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week.  We are taking 5 tests: 2 in reading, 2 in math, and 1 in science.  To prepare, we have discussed the expectations for these tests, have seen our test results in previous years, created goals in the areas of reading and math, and have completed some practice tests.

We are doing our best to prepare at school, so now the fun comes with preparing at home.  Here are some things that will help you prepare your child for the Iowa Assessments:

1.  Please see that your child is getting a good night's rest on the night(s) of the test.  Try and get to bed a little earlier to see that your child is fully rested. 

2.  Make sure your child is eating breakfast either at home or at school the morning(s) of the test.  Fueling the body with energy will help your child stay focused during the testing session(s).

3.  Discuss the importance of these tests.  Not only are these tests the "report card" for our school, they are in some ways a "report card" for your child.  This information tells us how well your child understands reading, math, and science.  

4.  Discuss any concerns your child may have with the Iowa Assessments.  Encourage them and support them on this journey.  Stay positive for them!

Being that there are Iowa Assessments this week, we want to challenge YOU (and your child) this week! There is a program that we are encouraging all of our students to take part in. It is called "Take the Challenge: Take Charge," which encourages you to turn the screens off and turn life on. Take Charge is a pre-school through high school media education program that reduces unwanted behaviors in our youth such as obesity, aggression, and substance abuse, while increasing student achievement, reading and getting along with others. For more information, just visit: http://www.takethechallengenow.net/.

Lastly, turning to parent/teacher conferences, I wanted to thank you for attending your child's student-led conference and discussing your child's progress.  I tend to prefer student-led conferences because it is the time for your child to share and shine.  Thanks again for your support!

Forms of Communication:

Email: cmccarville@howard-winn.k12.ia.us

Blog: http://footballfanaticteacher.blogspot.com

Twitter: @MrsMcCarville6

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.  Have a great week!
Mrs. McCarville