The Weekly Update #4

The winter administration of Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) for 2nd-7th grade students and MAP for Primary Grades (MPG) for 1st grade students has ended. Additionally, 2024 CogAT scores are now available for second and fifth grade families. To access your child’s scores:

• Browse to http://skywardfamily.d181.org/

• Click on TEST SCORES in the left side menu

• Scores will be listed in a table format, with the most recent assessment scores listed at the top

MAP Score Interpretation

When viewing your child’s MAP scores, you will see two types of numbers. The first, called a RIT score, stands for Rasch UnIT. This is a measurement scale developed to simplify the interpretation of test scores. It is an equal-interval scale, like feet and inches on a ruler. The RIT scale ranges from 100–350. RIT scores make it possible to follow a student’s educational growth from year to year.

The second score you will see is a percentile rank. A percentile rank tells you how your child’s score compares to other students of his/her age and grade. For example, a percentile rank of 50 indicates that a student performed the same as or better than 50% of his/her same-age peers. Both scores help families and educators track student learning over time.

If you would like more information about NWEA MAP, please visit the family toolkit at https://www.nwea.org/parent-toolkit/.

CogAT Score Interpretation

Current D181 second grade students participated in the CogAT during the month of November. CogAT scores uploaded to Skyward reflect your child’s standard age score and age percentile rank in the areas of both quantitative and non-verbal reasoning. You will also see a composite QN score, which combines the results from the quantitative and non-verbal batteries.

Registration is now open for the next event of the Community Speaker Series season! We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Michele Borba to share her parenting expertise with our community. Her dynamic approach and deep understanding of empathy will be of interest to parents of all ages of children.

There will be an evening presentation and a morning presentation to accommodate our audience. Both events will be held in person at The Community House. The events are free and open to all.

This year, local businesses are being invited to support the CSS as community partners by providing hospitality at the CSS events. Come out to connect, learn and enjoy!

Wednesday, February 5

Evening Session:

http://weblink.donorperfect.com/CSSBorbaPM

Thursday, February 6

Morning Session:

http://weblink.donorperfect.com/CSSBorbaAM

Culled from 30 years of research and experience, Dr. Borba shares why empathy is a skill that's vital for children's mental health, resilience, leadership skills, and job success and provides useful tools that parents can use to help our children become more empathetic.

As the temperature drops, we want to inform you about our school's procedures for cold weather. The district will follow these guidelines for outdoor activities:

Recess/Physical Education Classes:

• Feels like 0°F (or below): Indoor

• Feels like 1°F (or above): Outdoor

• Principal discretion if conditions are not safe

Please encourage your child to dress warmly for school, including a hat, gloves, and scarf. We will monitor students closely for signs of cold-related issues.

The school calendar has been established a year in advance and is available on the District website: www.d181.org. While we realize the value of family time, we strongly discourage the planning of vacations during regular student attendance days.

Elementary School Information Related to Planned Absences:

In the event of a planned absence, a parent must communicate directly with the school at least two days prior indicating their intentions. A parent/guardian may email, complete this form, or call the Office with the following information:

1. Name of student

2. reason for the absence, and

3. date(s) the student will be absent

If a planned absence consists of three (3) or more days, assignments and completion dates will be given after the absence as determined by the teacher. Teachers will not be required to re-teach material missed by students.

The Community House will be offering the Before and After the Bell programs at Prospect School to help meet the needs of our families.

The Community House Registration

For more information about either program, please contact Karen Kaspar at 630-323-7500 ext. 248 or at kkaspar@thecommunityhouse.org

The Prospect School Scripps Spelling Bee will be offered to our third through fifth-grade students. During the week of December 16th, written spelling bees will be conducted in each third, fourth, and fifth-grade classroom. To prepare, students should start with the classroom bee study list below which includes words from levels 3, 4, and 5, all of which may be included in the school bee. Every child in these grades will be given a study list, however, this is an optional activity. This "test" will not count as a grade.

Classroom Bee Study List

If children are interested in participating further, they can begin studying the school bee study list, linked below.

Scripps School spelling bee list

The top two students from each classroom are invited to participate in the Prospect School spelling bee held in person on January 9, 2025 after school. More information regarding the Prospect School spelling bee will be shared with the classroom bee winners after the classroom bees are held. The two overall students with the highest scores from the Prospect School spelling bee will move on to compete at the District 181 spelling bee on January 22, 2025. More information will be provided to the school bee winners after the school bee is complete.

One more family resource for the Scripps Spelling Bee is Word Club App. Click here for more details.