Dear Sprague Community, The weather this past weekend was truly a gift. The summer weather allowed me to spend time at the beach, which I absolutely love! Between the warm temperature, sunny weather, and reasonably warm water, it really felt like a last taste of summer. I hope you were able to enjoy that fabulous weather as well! On Friday, we celebrated students’ summer reading efforts with a recognition assembly. Mrs. Mandel put together a slide show with photos of students reading that families had sent to her from the summer. Everyone enjoyed the photos and musical accompaniment. We spoke of the importance of reading on a regular basis and the fact that reading skills, like muscles, must be used and exercised so we don’t lose our skills. The following students shared their thoughts about books they read this summer:
- Henry Brackenbury, Gr. 1 – The Amazing Fish
- Libby Bowers, Gr. 2 – Joy, the Summer Vacation Fairy
- Tucker Kirkpatrick, Gr. 3 – Clueless McGee
- Mason Guthrie, Gr.4 – Fablehaven
- Frank Mendes, Gr. 4 – Ender’s Game
- Charlie Foley, Gr. 5 – 90 Miles to Havana
- Carter Smith, Gr. 5 – Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck
- Roxanne Glassenberg Gr. 5 – Rapunzel’s Revenge
They provided reviews and insights in the hopes that others will also read these great books. Many thanks to those who organized this assembly: Ellen Mandel, Jayne Byrne, Lisa Vino, and Jenn Friedman. Students received a special bookmark and “I Love Reading” bracelet in recognition of their summer reading efforts. Parents of students in grades 4 and 5 will receive their children’s MCAS scores from Spring 2014 in the mail this week. I will write in more detail about Sprague’s scores next week, but wanted to clarify how a student’s Growth Percentile (SGP) is calculated. When looking at a student report, parents will see scaled scores (between 200-280 points,) a proficiency level (Advanced, Proficient, Needs Improvement, or Warning,) and a Student Growth Percentile (SGP.) The SGP tells parents how their child did in relation to other students who scored in same range on the previous year’s MCAS test. Students who were in third grade last year will not have an SGP because there is no previous score for comparison. Students currently in grade 5 will have an SGP number on their report. This number will tell parents how their child did relative to his/her scoring cohort. For example, a student with an SGP in the 55th percentile scored better than 55 % of students who had a similar score to that student on last year’s test. They are compared to their ‘like scoring’ cohort when calculating the SGP. It is not a measure of the child’s ranking or overall percentile compared to all students who took the test. The SGP exists to let parents know if their child achieved an expected level of growth from year to year. The state target for SGP is 51. The average expected range is between 40-60. SGP’s above that range indicate better than expected growth. It is possible for a student who scored in the Needs Improvement range to have a very high SGP, which would indicate good growth despite the less than ideal proficiency rating. The converse can be true as well. It is our responsibility to provide high quality instruction and monitor student learning. We use these scores to analyze for trends and make adjustments to instruction where needed. Elaine Marten will be organizing the BOKS before school program this year. She is looking for parent volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Elaine at elaine@themartenfamily.com. The BOKS program is a before school exercise program. When program dates have been decided, we will send home more information. If you have questions about the program or about volunteer requirements, please contact Elaine. Thank you. REMINDERS: Global Child language classes will begin on October 7th. Second Walk to School Day: October 8th. PTO Board Meeting: October 8th at 9:00 a.m. in the cafeteria. Columbus Day: No school on October 13th. Scholastic Book Fair Week: October 27, 28, and 29. The Wellesley Public Schools engages in curriculum review process on a regular basis. This past summer, many teachers worked on updating the Social Studies curriculum. Teachers made sure that content matched state standards and developed units of study and lessons that are appropriate to each grade level. Many families have experienced favorite units of study in certain grades. You may notices some changes in these units if you have had older children go through Sprague. Teachers are working with the PTO Creative Arts and Enrichment committee to ensure that enrichment programs match our new Social Studies topics. Such topics were chosen to enhance a curiosity about the world and its people. The curriculum was developed with a focus on culture, history, and active engagement of our students. You can read more about it on the district website under the learning tab by clicking on Elementary Curriculum. Here are some of the topics: Kindergarten: Families and Homes Grade 1: Communities Grade 2: Geography, Timelines and Traditions Grade 3: The People of Massachusetts and Boston, Massachusetts History Grade 4: The United States: Geography, People, and the Economy Grade 5: Ancient Cultures: China and Egypt
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