Dear Sprague Community,
Happy 2019 and welcome back to school!
In Wellesley, we send home written Progress Reports two times per year and schedule Parent Conferences two times per year. The first written Progress Reports will be sent home with students on Friday, February 1st. Our teachers have been working with students on academic skills, social skills, and critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills. Students develop skills at different rates, so it is common to expect to see that many areas are still developing at this point in the year. You will also notice the addition of Spanish FLES to the Progress Report. (See announcement below from Barbara Barnett, Elementary Spanish Dept. Head.) As always, you will see your child’s attendance/tardy record at the top of the Progress Report. As Massachusetts has a new definition of ‘Chronic Absenteeism,” we will also be sending letters to parents whose children have been absent or tardy 9 days or more this year. The state defines “Chronic Absenteeism” as 10% or more days absent, including both excused and unexcused absences.
An exciting announcement for our Spanish students!
This year, Spanish for Elementary Schools (Spanish FLES) will be included on the -School Name- Progress Report in order to share with you how your child’s Spanish skills are progressing. Besides helping your child to grow as a Spanish language speaker, the Spanish class allows your child to develop many of the 21st Century Skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and flexibility. The report card will include two descriptors for Spanish FLES -Communication and Cultural Proficiency- and a brief narrative of your child’s performance. Should you have any questions throughout the process, please feel free to reach out to your child’s Spanish teacher.
Math Workshop
All parents are invited to a Parent Math Workshop where they will have the opportunity to be inspired by mathematics, learn about the revised K-5 math program, and participate in grade-level sessions of their choice.
We will be offering one evening session and one morning session for parents to come hear about the new curriculum, do some math, and learn how to best support their kids at home. There will be breakout sessions for grade levels (K/1, 2/3, 4/5) so parents can experience games, tasks, ten-minute math, etc. at a particular grade level.
Are you wondering . . .
– what strategies your child is using to solve problems and make estimates?
– what the math standards and expectations are at your child’s grade level?
– what research is telling us about how students learn math most effectively?
– how to support your child’s mathematical development?
If so, be sure to sign up and attend. Please see the flyer below.
Elementary Mathematics Workshops January 2019_v5.pdf
Geography Bee
Each year, students in grades 4 and 5 participate in classroom level Geography Bee qualifying tests. Two finalists from each class participate in a school level Bee. The Geography Bee is organized by 4thgrade teachers Moe Henzel and Jill Heckman and will take place on Monday, January 14th. At 9:15 AM in the Sprague Library. Parents of finalists are invited to attend.
The school Geography Bee will include place locations, historical geography, cultural geography, economic geography of the U.S. and the world, current events, and other areas of geography. Congratulations to all the 4th and 5th graders. The finalists are:
5EB–Anish Sankar and Ryan Hinchley
5JD–Allison Zheng and Eliza Hamlin
5KC–Owen Shores and Alex Hauser-Fang
4JH–Freddy Alexander and Caleb Perlman
4MH–Alex Ho and Katie Rodman
4TD–Ryan Prentice and David Gerson
As Ms. Henzel always says, “Without Geography, You’re Nowhere!”
Energy Efficient Lighting Project
You will notice a large dumpster and a storage container near the Sprague Garden. This will house materials for the project in which energy efficient lighting fixtures will be installed in Sprague hallways, Cafeteria, and Gymnasium. The work will not disrupt the school day in any way and will be completed between 3:30 and 11:00 PM for the next 4-6 weeks.
Winter Concert
All 5th graders will perform in the 5th Grade Chorus Concert tomorrow, January 9th at 11AM (NOTE TIME). The Orchestra will also perform. Performers should wear blue or black on the bottom and a white top. Parents are invited to attend.
Dates to remember:
Jan. 9: Winter Concert—Gr. 5 Chorus, Band, Orchestra at 11 AM
Jan. 10: Walk to School Day
Jan. 10: PTO meeting at 9 AM
Jan. 14: Geo Bee final at 9 AM in the library for 4thand 5thgrade finalists
Jan. 14: School Council meeting at 3:15 PM
Jan. 21: No school—Martin Luther King Jr. Day
MCAS Testing Schedule 2018-2019
Elementary Schools
Grade 3
Thursday, April 25th—English Language Arts
Friday, April 26th—English Language Arts
Friday, May 10th–Math
Monday, May 13th—Math
Grade 4
Thursday, April 4th—English Language Arts
Friday, April 5th—English Language Arts
Thursday, May 16th–Math
Friday, May 17th—Math
Grade 5
Monday, April 8th—English Language Arts
Tuesday, April 9th–English Language Arts
Monday, May 6th—Science, Technology, & Engineering
Tuesday, May 7th—Science, Technology, & Engineering
Tuesday, May 14th–Math
Monday, May 20th—Math