Test October 2024 Newsletter

Does it ever happen that when you start thinking about something, you start to notice it everywhere? You think about a certain color or kind of car, and now you see it everywhere? Or you start noticing a weird feeling in your foot, and now you feel it with every step you take? Psychology has a name for this: the Frequency Illusion. There's a system in our brains that seeks to confirm what we are thinking about. Our brains WANT us to be right, so the brain looks for evidence to prove that we are right.

This can have a powerful effect on us. If we think we are smart, our brains will try to confirm that by noticing our successes. If we think we are dumb, our brains will look for evidence of our mistakes. It's important to take time to focus on what is good-- that actually helps us notice more good. Acknowledging our progress-- it will help us find more progress and keep us motivated!

This matters a lot for schools! When students take time to reflect on how far they've come, it helps them go farther. When parents notice the good qualities in their kids, it helps the kids feel more confident in those good qualities. At Test, we have two kinds of referrals to the office: a disciplinary referral, for when student behavior isn't appropriate, AND a positive referral, for when student behavior is awesome! When we look for good behavior, we see more of it. When kids think of themselves in positive ways, they will do more positive things.

There are so many positive things going on at Test Intermediate! Take time to think about one or two, and then your brain will give you a few more after that. (Check out some of these positive office referral students if you need some help getting started.) If you want to help make more positive things happen, please see information about PTO help below.

Ms. Brazil

Thursday, Oct. 3 - NO SCHOOL for students, Parent Teacher Conferences CANCELLED

Thursday, Oct. 3 - 5/6 Volleyball night at 7/8 Volleyball 6 pm at Dennis (free admission)

Tuesday, Oct 8 - Choir concert, 6:30 pm, Civic Hall

Thursday, Oct. 10 - 6th grade Camp Campbell Gard form due

Thursday, Oct 10 - Planned school lockdown drill

Thursday, Oct. 10 - Choir Field Trip

Monday, Oct. 14-18 - Fall Break

Thursday, Oct 24 - Test Student Fall Dance

Monday & Tuesday, October 28 & 29 - 6th grade trip to Camp Campbell Gard

The PTO works to create extra special events for the school, including academic extenders like the book fair and special events like student dances. Every family can support us in some way! Click the button below to join the Parent Square Group where the PTO conducts business and sends requests for help. Every family can support the school in some way! There are no dues and no meetings required.

Who: All 6th graders
What: A full-day field trip for all 6th graders
Why: To build confidence in themselves and build relationships with classmates and teachers through team challenges, low-ropes, and cooperative activities.
Where: Camp Campbell Gard, in Hamilton Ohio
When: Oct 28 or 29, leaving at 9 am - returning at 5:30 pm - turn forms in by Oct. 10
How: Field trip forms with details have been sent home. (The trip is $30 - scholarships are available thanks to several donors in our community. We want every kid to participate!)

Students will be allowed to wear costumes, but it must be school appropriate! (In dress code, no weapons, no excessive gore. If a student is wearing a full face mask, they must be willing to remove it upon staff request.) We will be asking for parent chaperones and snack donations - look for the request through Parent Square soon.

The ILearn test, required by the state of Indiana, is changing! In the past, students completed the ILearn test in the spring. There were three subjects, the tests had multiple parts, and students tested over at least 6 days.

The state is shifting to an ILearn test that is given three times a year, but each testing time is shorter. These ILearn "checkpoints" will let us see student growth over the year. And hopefully, be better for kids because the testing is spread out over the school year, rather than being all at the same time in the spring.

This year, the "checkpoints" are being piloted by most schools around the state. As part of the transition, we complete the checkpoints AND will still have the traditional Ilearn in the Spring of 2025. Next year, we will have the checkpoints only.

Most students have completed the ILearn practice test. The practice test is all about making sure kids are comfortable with the testing platform and know how to operate the software. Eventually, students will complete the first math and English/language arts checkpoints. The tests are not timed, but are estimated to take less than an hour each. Specific dates will be adjusted - we have delayed the start of testing due to cybersecurity and network issues.

Linked below you will find summaries by grade level of what will be on each of these tests. Please encourage your student to do their best but not be overly stressed. We know they have been learning a lot, and they will be just fine!

Being present at school is super important for kids! But sometimes they have to miss. When that happens, please make sure you report your child's absence to the school office (765-973-3412) OR by responding to a ParentSquare message that your student was marked absent.

Mr. Stolle tracks our attendance and will communicate with families about student absences. Please help him out and report your child's absence! His email is jstolle@rcs.k12.in.us.

Sometimes the menu changes. Click on the menu to link to the always up-to-date website, and view the weeks after Fall Break as they are updated.

Self Control: Choosing to do what's best even when you don't want to.

This is a tough one. Situations in which we must choose to do what’s best even when we don’t want to come crashing down on students and parents almost daily. We choose to use self-control when we:

• Keep our voice calm and quiet, even when the other person is not.
• Taking on a task when all we really want to do is ask someone else to do it.
• Patiently answer the same question over and over... and over again.

• Making a healthy choice from the menu when the less-nutritious choice looks so good.

It's obvious that we need self-control, but in the middle of difficult situation, sometimes it's hard to use. But self-control is like a muscle; the more you use it the stronger it gets. And that "self-control muscle" gets tired after a lot of use or stress, so it may be harder to show self-control at the end of the day.

Watch others around you to notice how they handle issues of self-control. It might encourage, instruct, remind or show you how to do the right thing. It's tough, but we're all better for it.

Checking the Athletics Website is the best way to keep up with our teams. Please come support our students and be part of the fun. Fall sports are wrapping up, and congratulations to our athletes for the hard work and improvement they put in this season!

Winter sports will be starting soon. Basketball announced opportunities for girls and boys - see details below or in ParentSquare. Registration is available on site.

This mentoring program meets at Test after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and transportation is home is available. A registration form was shared in ParentSquare; call 973-3329 if you have questions or need assistance. Watch the video below to hear directly from Dr. Lucinda Wright about the program!

Communities in Schools is here to support students and families with basic needs and academic support so kids can concentrate on learning. Ms. Toni Johnson serves Test Intermediate: contact her at tjohnson@rcs.k12.in.us or 973-7207.

Some students are already connected to counselors through Centerstone and Meridian. We have Centerstone services in the school building every day for existing Centerstone clients, and Meridian counselors frequently stop by to check on their caseloads. If you believe your student needs mental health support, we are happy to help with a referral to one of these agencies. Please contact Ms. DeDe Deloney, our Test School Counselor, who can assist with this. Email pwrightdeloney@rcs.k12.in.us or call 765-973-3412.

“Test Intermediate School provides a caring, challenging environment where dedicated educators strive to prepare students academically, physically, socially, and emotionally to be productive members of society.”