
Panther Pointes
September 24, 2023
Dear Panther Familes,
In our continuing efforts to support the well-being of all our students, teachers will be completing a universal assessment of behavioral health for all students. The assessment consists of a brief rating scale that will be completed by each child’s teachers. The universal assessment will help our teachers to understand the needs of all our students and to make effective plans at the grade level, class level, and individual level.
It is important that your child feels that academic learning is their focus at school and that the adults they work with each day are doing all they can to create a safe and supportive environment.
If you would like more information about the universal assessment please call Mrs. Chivers-White at 803-980-2040 or Dr. Nancy Turner, Director of Mental Health at 803-981-1397.
This assessment is optional, but we hope you will allow your child’s teacher to complete it to help us gain additional insight into their needs. If you do not want an assessment completed for your child, please access the schools’ website for the Opt Out Form and submit to Mrs. Chivers-White at Old Pointe Elementary.
Committed to our Kids,
Bianca Chivers-White, Principal
Important Dates
September 29: School Store Open (in the morning)
September 29: School Spirit Day
October 3rd: SIC/PTO Meeting @ 5:30pm in Media Center
October 9th: Professional Development Day- NO SCHOOL
October 10th: Domino's Spirit Night
MAP Testing Update
Last week, our students in 1st through 5th grade took the NWEA MAP Reading and Math assessments. Within 24 hours, we are able to review the scores and create a plan of support for our students. Upon reviewing the scores, we are pleased with the hard work that our students put in to showing us what they know! We thank you all for your support in the education of our students!
MAP Highlights
56% of all students have scored above the 40th percentile in Math.
59% of all students have scored above the 40th percentile in Reading.
Parent strategies for Improving their Child’s Math
By Kara Bobowski, NWEA
Choose two or three of the following strategies and use them throughout the year. They are intended to help increase your child’s understanding of math skills and to develop confidence in learning.
General mathematics improvement strategies
- Provide activities that enrich and relate mathematics to daily life:
- Talk about how many bowls to put out for dinner
- Fold napkins in different shapes
- Have your child count similar items as you put away groceries
- Have your child help measure ingredients for recipes
- Give your child change to count out to pay for small purchases at the store; have older children calculate the change
- Ask your child to compare prices of items by asking things like, “Which can of beans costs more?”
- Allow your child to weigh the fresh produce; have older children calculate the price by multiplying the price per pound by the number of pounds
- Read the days and dates on a calendar, talk about the number of days in the month, the number of days remaining until a special event, etc.
- Draw a scale map of your home and determine the best escape route in case of an emergency
- When traveling, write numbers on a grid and have your child color in the box as they see the numbers on signs or license plates
- Check your child’s assignment list daily
- Monitor daily work and be aware of the content being studied
- Use computer software or online games or apps to practice math skills at home
- Provide some math activities at home:
- Each person rolls the dice and adds, subtracts, or multiplies the numbers
- Dice and Money. Each person rolls a die and gets the number of pennies as dots shown. When someone gets five pennies they trade it in for a nickel, dime, and so forth, until they’re trading for a dollar
- For two people, give each person 13 cards from a deck of cards, have each person flip a card, then have your child decide whose card has the higher value to determine who wins the set of cards. In a tie, place three additional cards face-down, then turn the last card up; the higher card on that turn wins all the cards. Play until one person has all the cards in the deck
- Newspapers and Magazines. Find numbers in print and cut them out, then glue them in the correct order onto a larger sheet of paper
- Keep empty containers, write different prices on them, then play Store by using a calculator to add up the prices for different purchases
Computation
- Count orally by twos, fives, or tens
- Complete connect-the-dot pictures
- Have your child make a number book which contains a page for each numeral from one to ten. On each page, have your child glue clippings from newspapers and magazines illustrating that number concept (two dogs, three ducks, or four horses). As your child progresses with number recognition, they can add to the book and add numerical figures used in various ways
- Count and pair objects found around the house and determine whether there’s an odd or even number of items
- Review math facts at home, in the car, waiting in line, or during other downtime
- Provide your child with verbal math problems. “Take the number five; add six; multiply by three; subtract three; divide by five. What’s your answer?” Speak slowly at first until your child gets better at solving these mental problems
- Help your child identify percentages in signs, newspapers, and magazines
- Encourage your child to read nutrition labels. Have them calculate the percent of a specific nutrient in each item
Geometry
- Fold a sheet of paper in half and have your child draw a shape along the fold; cut out the shape and unfold the paper to create a symmetrical shape
- Look around the house for different geometric shapes, such as triangles, squares, circles, and rectangles
- Use common household items, such as toothpicks, marshmallows, empty toilet paper rolls, twist ties, sticks, and paper, to construct shapes
- Help your child recognize and identify real-world examples of right angles (e.g., the corner of a book) and parallel lines (e.g., railroad tracks)
- While driving together, direct your child to look for objects with the same size and shape
Measurement
- Teach your child how to set the kitchen timer when you’re cooking
- Draw an analog clock face with the hour and minute hands showing eight o’clock. Ask your child to write the time shown
- Arrange various objects (e.g., books, boxes, and cans) by various size and measurement (e.g., length, weight, and volume) attributes. Talk with your child about how they are arranged using comparison words like “taller,” “shorter,” “narrower,” “wider,” “heaviest,” “lightest,” “more,” “less,” “about,” and “same”
- Use a standard measuring tool to measure objects located in your home
- Gather a tape measure, yardstick, ruler, cup, gallon container, and scale. Discuss the various things you can measure with each
- Review equivalent names for measurements. For example, “How many cups are in a pint?”
- Encourage your child to incorporate terms such as “whole,” “halves,” “thirds,” and “fourths” into their everyday life
Statistics, probability, graphing
- Open a pack of Skittles or M&M’s and make a bar graph showing the number of each color found inside the pack
- Look through a science textbook or website and find three examples of different types of graphs
- Find the coordinates of places on a map
- Watch the weather report for a week, write down the temperatures for each day, and then graph the temperatures
- Track the scores of games played by your favorite team, then graph them over a period of several weeks
- Have your child make a list of things that could never happen, things that might happen, and things that are sure to happen
Problem solving
- Encourage your child to figure out answers to real-life situations: “We have one can of tuna and we need five. How many more do we need to buy?”
- Ask questions that involve equal sharing. For example, “Seven children share 49 baseball cards. How many cards does each child get?”
- Help your child look up the population and land area of the state and city in which you live and compare these facts with those of other states and cities
- Visit the website for the U.S. Census Bureau and have your child write down three interesting pieces of information that they learned
Algebraic concepts
- Encourage your child to count and recognize patterns in the environment by discussing what they see:
- What is the number on the house across the street?
- How many objects are left on the table if I take one away?
- How many exits are there from the school building?
- How many swings are on the playground?
- Have your child look for patterns on buildings, rugs, floors, and clothing
- Ask your child how many different ways they can show a specific number, say, 18 (they might say 16 + 2, 19 – 1, 10 + 7 + 1, that sort of thing)
Parent Portal
Please be sure to register for your Parent Portal account to review your child's progress.
Parent Portal allows parents to monitor their child’s progress. Parents have access to grades, attendance, schedules and other important information through this platform.
Seven Important Questions and Answers about the Parent Portal
1. What is the Parent Portal? What is PowerSchool?
The Parent Portal is an Internet-based platform that provides information to parents about their child’s academic performance.. The Parent Portal is a part of PowerSchool, which is the state’s computer system that stores information about students.
2. Is the Parent Portal available now?
Yes, the Parent Portal is available for parents’ use.
3. How do I access the Parent Portal?
It’s easy! Parents received a letter from their child’s school about how to use the Parent Portal and how to set up an account!
4. What if I have more than one child in school? Can I link all of my children to one account?
Yes, you may link all of your children to your account (regardless of which school they attend). Do this by entering each child’s name, access ID and Access password in the “Link Students to Account” section. You may link up to seven children to one account.
5. What is available for me to see in the Parent Portal?
Parents will be able to see their child’s grades, attendance, class schedule, assignments and other information.
6. When will I be able to see my child’s grades?
You will be able to see your child’s grades after they are entered by the teacher. If you have questions about a grade or assignment, please contact your child’s teacher.