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Robins K-8
April Newsletter
A Message from the Principal
April is the month of testing from grades K-8th! Our Kinder, 1st , 2nd and 3rd grade students are taking their reading assessment called DIBELS. The AASA tests are scheduled for the entire month for 3rd-8th grade levels. Teachers have sent home the specific dates that correlate for your child’s grade level. The AASA is the Arizona state test for grades 3rd – 8th. As you may recall, the Arizona state accountability system rates schools almost exclusively on how well students do on the AzMerits now AASA tests. Therefore, it is very important that our 3rd – 8th graders do their absolute personal best on these tests. We expect our students to continue to fare well and exceed state and district averages, as we have done in the past. Plans are already under way to ensure that next year is another stellar year at Robins K-8. Please help by ensuring the following:
- Students get to bed early and are well rested.
- Balanced breakfast and water bottle to stay hydrated, snacks if needed.
- Talk to your child/student about the importance of doing their best.
- 3rd grade students- This group is the most nervous about the testing because of the implications it comes with for passing to the next grade level. Please help calm your child and reassure them that they will do GREAT!
- MIDDLE SCHOOL parents- help students understand that is important. It is difficult for them because they have been testing the longest time (year after year). Please stress that each year they need to do their best as they are a big factor in how we are rated school wide and for 8th grade their scores are reviewed in high school and may determine some of the classes that they are enrolled in for their 9th grade year.
I have included “Handy Handouts” flyer for common Test Vocabulary words, please have your child practice these words. Here is an online site where students can practice as well: https://www.vocabulary.com/lists/test-prep/ (Vocabulary.com) or visit Flocabulary for an interactive video and practice: https://www.flocabulary.com/unit/test-taking-vocabulary/ Test-Taking Vocabulary - Test Prep - Flocabulary (free trial).
Common Test Vocabulary: Describe, Identify, Explain, Analyze, Summarize, Compare, Contrast
SUMMER SCHOOL
This is for grades K-7th is by invitation only due to funding. We are only able to provide summer school for a specific number of students. If your child is invited to attend, they will receive a letter this week. Please respond to the letter promptly to accept or decline your invitation. Students are selected based on their need for further academic support that has been identified by our district through their many assessments from this school year. Summer school is June 3rd -June 27th. Students attend 4 days a week, Monday-Thursday. We start at 9am and end at 1:00 p.m. Students will receive math, reading, writing, science, and OMA/fine arts. Please allow your child to attend as this will help with their academic transition to the next grade level.
The W.O.W. (word of the week), (first two weeks in April) is ACHIEVE.
Counselor Corner
Just a few announcements from the Counseling Department:
Thank you to all the families that came out to support Student Council’s fundraiser at Peter Piper Pizza. Congratulations to Mrs. Grogan’s 4th grade class who won a pizza party for having the most students attend.
The National Junior Honor Society will be inducting 20 students on Tuesday, April 30. This is a distinguished honor, and students are selected by the Robins K-8 Faculty Council. This is based on the 5 tenets of NJHS: scholarship, leadership, character, service, and citizenship. Congratulations to all these outstanding students!
NJHS students recently participated in a Clean-Up day with Mrs. Thomas, and the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). Students picked up trash, assisted with painting, and beautifying our campus. Students were able to add these hours to their community service requirement. Thank you students for helping to keep our campus looking wonderful.
With testing season among us, many students experience test anxiety. Here are a few tips to help your student if they are experiencing symptoms of test anxiety:
Often, the process of saying their worries out loud helps young children work through their feelings. Understanding the thought patterns that trigger anxiety can help parents develop strategies to target specific concerns. Questions like these help us to avoid assumptions about why kids feel anxious.
1. Try asking these questions:
· How do you feel when you first see the test?
· What’s your biggest worry about taking a test?
· Do you feel worried when you think about a test or only when you see the test?
2. Encourage positive self-talk.
Cognitive reframing is a great way to help young children cope with their anxious thoughts. We can teach kids to “boss back” anxious thoughts by replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. So when their brain signals that something is too hard, they can say, “You don’t worry me! I know how to do this!”
3. Teach relaxation strategies.
Visualization exercises are great for little kids because they tend to have active imaginations. Practice these when your child is calm.
4. Bolster confidence.
The bottom line is that test anxiety can feel like a confidence killer. Instead of focusing on the actual tests being taken, help your child find their inner strength in other ways. For many children, increasing free play and outdoor play is a confidence booster. In the context of play, kids challenge themselves and work through their fears. This builds confidence that can positively impact your child across all areas of life. Test anxiety can feel overwhelming for little kids, but if it’s addressed quickly, you’ll find that your child will likely build test confidence over time.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out.
Rachael M. Walters, M.Ed.
Robins K-8
Counselor
Curriculum
April will be state testing season for students in grades 3 - 8. Below you will find the state testing schedule and a portion of a Scholastic article about ways to help your child do better on these exams. Thank you for your support!
3rd Grade - Writing 4/2 Reading 4/9, 4/16 Math 4/11, 4/18 Reading Fluency 4/3 or 4/10
4th Grade - Writing 4/2 Reading 4/9, 4/16 Math 4/11, 4/18
5th Grade - Writing 4/2 Reading 4/9, 4/16 Math 4/11, 4/18
6th Grade - Writing 4/4 Reading 4/8, 4/9 Math 4/11, 4/12
7th Grade - Writing 4/4 Reading 4/8, 4/9 Math 4/11, 4/12
8th Grade - Writing 4/4 Reading 4/8, 4/9 Math 4/11, 4/12
How Can You Help Your Child Prepare for Standardized Tests?
Teachers tell us that successful test-takers tend to be students with good attendance, homework, and study habits; therefore, your daily assistance with homework and attitude toward school have the biggest impact on your child's performance. However, there are key ways you can develop his test-taking ability.
Optimize brain power.
Teachers say the students who struggle the most on testing days are the ones who didn't have enough sleep or a good breakfast the day of the test. Also, students who are physically or mentally unprepared often encounter problems. Make sure they have every tool they need —dress in layers, a healthy snack, comfortable shoes, etc. laid out the night before. If they aren't feeling well on the test day, it's better to keep them home and let them make up the test later rather than risk poor performance.
Encourage good study habits and challenge critical-thinking skills.
Reviewing test-taking strategies is important, but monitoring overall academic progress and staying in good communication with the teacher will help you ward off potential problems. Good reading skills factor heavily in a state test, so encourage reading (consider magazines, newspapers, or even comic books if they shy away from books) as much as possible. Testing also measures critical-thinking ability, so ask them to discuss ideas or voice his or her opinion often to stimulate these thought processes.
Look at your child's past performance.
If they scored low in a particular area, you may want to provide them with exercises that reinforce that subject. Aim for activities that simulate the testing experience, such as multiple-choice geometry questions or vocabulary practice that asks them to identify antonyms or synonyms. Workbooks geared towards standardized test preparation often provide these kinds of exercises. Avoid drilling them in areas where they excel; you run the risk of boring them and they may lose patience with testing.Provide practice opportunities.
Practice tests are located here. Click Link. Start practicing several weeks before the date and keep study sessions short. Setting small goals, such as learning five new words each session, will help them measure their progress and boost their confidence. Make sure they take the night before the test off — cramming can increase their stress level.Relax and remain positive.
The best test-takers are confident, committed, and at ease. Even if you are nervous about their performance, be wary of transferring that concern to your child. You never know, some kids actually enjoy tests! If they are likely to get nervous, practice a few relaxation techniques, such as counting from one to ten or taking deep breaths, which can help them relieve tension during the test.
A Message from the Library
Hello, Scholars!
I hope you enjoyed your break. Spring is in full swing and that means a Spring Reading Challenge! Your teacher will send a copy home and there is one attached to this newsletter or you can pick one up in the library. In addition to the Spring Reading Challenge, there is one challenge in particular I hope you all can do, and that is to read a book on a blanket outside. The weather is great (most days), so I challenge you all to do that. I know I will.
We are winding down to the end of the year, so if you have any lost or past due books, please look for them and return them to the library as soon as possible. We want to make sure all students can continue to borrow books.
I’ve moved the newly arrived books on the shelf next to the graphic novels, and beginning chapter books are on that shelf as well. Just follow the sign.
See you in the library