Curriculum Corner
January 2025
Dear Families,
As we step into a new year, we’re excited to continue our journey of growth and learning together. This is a wonderful time to set new goals and embrace opportunities to support your children’s academic success. Our team remains committed to providing engaging, innovative, and meaningful learning experiences for every student.
Thank you for your continued partnership in fostering a love of learning and excellence. Here's to a year filled with discovery, achievement, and collaboration!
Warm regards,
Jane-Ellen Lennon
Director of Curriculum, Assessment & Instruction
🗓 Coming Up!
JANUARY
Monday, Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day schools closed
Thursday, Jan. 23 - Marking Period 2 ends
Thursday, Jan. 30 - Report cards posted on the OnCourse Parent Portal
Monday, Jan. 27 - Board of Education Meeting Mid-Year Student Data Presentation
Winter Benchmark Assessments
During January, students in all grades will be assessed on their academic progress thus far. As we seek to provide targeted instruction to raise our state test scores and to identify and close any achievement gaps, we use our winter benchmarks to "take the temperature" on learning at this point in the year.
This is a great time to discuss with your child the importance of "showing what they know." These assessments help teachers and parents celebrate successes and provide support to close any gaps.
For more information about winter benchmarks and the timeline of administration, please click on the link below.
iReady Family Information
Students in grades K-8 will take the mid-year iReady Diagnostic assessment beginning next week, Monday, January 6th. This is the second of the three diagnostic assessments students will take this year to monitor student progress.
The iReady Family Center has many great resources for learning about the program and how it supports student achievement.
Click the links below to learn more.
Take a look at the Family Guide if you are interested in having your student practice at home.
SHRSD Mid-Year Student Achievement Presentation
At the Board of Education meeting on Monday, January 27, I will present the mid-year student achievement data from our Winter Benchmark assessments.
As part of our commitment to share updated student data, this presentation will provide families with an overview of student progress as measured by our district benchmarks. These results will assist teachers in preparing and planning for the spring state assessments.
Gifted & Talented Parent Focus Group
Thank you to all who completed the G&T Parent Focus Group participation form. We will meet in mid-January, and I will share updates and information from our meetings with the parent community.
Kindergarten Registration Begins in March
Look for updates and information about kindergarten registration beginning in early March. We will continue offering Kindergarten Camp at SHRES this summer. This is a great way to help our youngest students become comfortable with the new building and transition to our teachers.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated as a national day of service, honoring Dr. King's legacy of community involvement and social justice.
The day serves as a reminder of Dr. King’s vision of equality and his commitment to improving the lives of others through collective action. Whether through organizing food drives, cleaning up neighborhoods, or mentoring youth, participating in service activities embodies the spirit of unity and compassion that Dr. King championed.
Look for updates on our socials on how the schools will be giving back to the community.