Hardy Elementary Newsletter
October 20, 2024
Early Literacy Screening Letters
Please, see the communication regarding your child's literacy screening. You should have received a report from us via the USPS. If you did not receive the report, reach out to the main office.
Dear Hardy Families,
I am writing to share information about one of the ways students in Grades K-5 will be assessed in reading this year. Our teachers use many sources to gather information on your child’s reading development and growth, including, but not limited to, our early literacy universal screening assessment, DIBELS 8.
Early literacy universal screening assessments are brief tests that provide information about your child’s early reading skills. Screening makes it possible to see if a student is at risk of developing reading difficulties, including risk of dyslexia. Screening does not suggest, diagnose, or make an educational classification of dyslexia or other disabilities, but it does help us understand which students may need additional support to be successful readers.
Our District’s Early Literacy Universal Screening Assessment
Arlington Public Schools uses a screening assessment called DIBELS 8th Edition. It is one of several screening assessments fully approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). All students in Grades K-5 will be screened three times during the school year (as per Massachusetts regulation 603 CMR 28.03(1)(f)). It typically takes between 5-8 minutes to complete this assessment. The screening schedule for this school year is shown below.
Kindergarten
Week of 10/28/24
Week of 3/10/25
Week of 5/19/25
Grades 1-5
Week of 9/9/24
Week of 12/16/24
Week of 5/19/25
Family Communication
Following the screening assessment, a team will review all students’ results. Caregivers will receive a family report that provides an overview of their child’s results for each screening period. In accordance with the Massachusetts DESE Guidelines, if your child’s composite score for DIBELS falls into the at risk range, you will have an opportunity to discuss how we can partner to support your child.
Home Connect Report
You are receiving the Home Connect report from the Fall administration of DIBELS 8. In the upper right hand corner, there is a key that shares a color-coded composite score and a performance key. The composite is an overall score based on the student subtests, listed underneath. On the second page, there are recommendations that families can use to support their children’s learning. These are meant to be informal (and can be done anywhere). Please note that all students are given areas where they need support even if they are “above benchmark.”
Screening is another step that helps students at our school become proficient readers, and we are grateful for the continued support and partnership with Hardy families.
Sincerely,
Gretchen Saunders
Principal, Hardy School
Family Support Request Form
If your family is in need of support, please complete the APS Family Support Request Form. Once you complete this form we will share your responses with the family engagement department and/or school social workers or counselors to support your family.
Arlington Community Resources
Arlington Community Resources is a list of organizations available in the community to support your family.
5th Grade goes to Boda Borg
Boda Borg is an escape room in Malden. This trip has been generously funded by the Hardy PTO.
The goal of this trip is to foster team building/community building by focusing on SEL skills such as communication, cooperation and problem solving. In addition we will practice what we have been learning about growth mindset, building resilience, and productive struggle.
Trunk or Treat
Check out this PTO Event!
Friday, October 25th: Hardy's Second Annual Trunk or Treat! Sign up to decorate your car, volunteer or donate treats!
PTO Website and Information
Check out the Hardy PTO Website for information on how you can join PTO, support the Hardy School, find out about upcoming fun events.
PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports)
Our Hardy School values are Safe, Kind, and Responsible. We continue to focus on being SAFE at the Hardy School. We will launch Kind and Responsible in future All School Assemblies. You can learn more about PBIS here.
Hardy School Contact Information
Principal: Gretchen Saunders - gsaunders@arlington.k12.ma.us
Assistant Principal: Peggy Tsatsoulis - ptsatsoulis@arlington.k12.ma.us
Administrative Assistant: Mary Bellerose -mbellerose@arlington.k12.ma.us
Main Office Number - 781-316-3783
Label Everything!
We highly recommend labeling all of your child's belongings, especially sweatshirts, water bottles, hats, backpacks, and lunch boxes. If your child has misplaced an item, our "Lost and Found" is just inside the front doors. Items that have been in lost and found for greater than 30 days will be donated.
Early Release and No School Days
Every Wednesday: Students are dismissed a 1 pm.
Tuesday, 11/5: No School for Students due to Election Day