30 Days to PSSA

The big 3-0. 8th grade list of groupings is finalized for PSSA writing. 7th grade's list of groupings is nearing completion.

Pencils and highlighters are almost all in a pencil case. Couldn't we call it a highlighter case?

Mr. S___ resent special education accommodations guide to all special education teachers and assistants. Please e-mail him if you did not receive it.

Check your February calendar for when PSSA Writing and our internal PSSA practice test will be held.

MAP testing final makeups are tomorrow. Data will be available Monday or Tuesday and 1/2 of our inservice next Friday will center on that data.

Afterschool program #s are still low. Please encourage students to attend. Let Ms. E_____ know if you have someone who would benefit from joining.

Thanks,

Principal P.

31 Days to PSSA

Snow day, Ha! PSSA headquarters rests for no one. Do you think they are resting in Scranton, State College, Moon, Chambersburg, Delanco, or Sayre. I think not!

Today is the perfect day to reflect on all the good we have done in our preparations. Tomorrow will hit us like a frying pan! We can look at our weekly eligibility list and determine if those students will be proficient and ask ourselves what services they need to be successful.

Take the rest of the day off!

Principal P.

32 Days to PSSA

Very slow at PSSA headquarters today. All teachers who were interested received single binder rings for PSSA vocabulary flashcards.

8th grade looked at class list again today. 7th Blue was busy dissecting the "blue crew" for groupings today.

We also inserviced Math, LA, and Art Cycle on computerized student response system and will be ready to use them in our Mathletics competitions before PSSA.

Stay tuned for more solid updates the rst of this week.

Thanks,

Principal P.

33 Days to PSSA

What does 33 mean to you?

Please go over the to do list from last week as it pertains to you.

Spoke to ELL teacher (English as a second language to go over accommodations needed for tests)

Next year all the testing will take place in APRIL. 8th grade will take Reading, Math, Science, and Writing in April 2010. I will be on a remote island next year during that time!

S__ C_____ is putting together pencil cases with pencils and cases for the writing test this year. We usually do not do this for writing but will this year.

Checked on students who will take PASA test and those exempted from test due to religious reasons. We will have an area designated for them during testing.

I will be giving out single "binder" type rings tomorrow at the room 204/206 tech. meeting to hold PSSA vocabulary words in a flashcard manner. Take only what you need. We can always order more. You can find PSSA vocabulary on the pde website.

We will start vocabulary words on the TV station next week.

Our new reading tutor has started and will assist students in LA classes. See Mr. H__

for details.

Thanks,
Principal P.

34 Days to PSSA

What we need to do in next four business days:

• Finalize Testing Homerooms for Practice Tests (Valentine's Day Week), using input from Teams, Guidance, Special Education, and recent MAP data to further inform our decisions.
  
• Contact parents of students who did not take the MAP testing seriously in order to prepare for the PSSA.


• Finalize content for Practice Tests.


• Make sure all 8th Grade Writing tests are labled correctly,


• Make sure that all 8th Grade students are properly accounted.


• Make pencil cases for 8th Grade Writing Test.


• Take time to celebrate the successes of Don't Hate Communicate Week.


• Recharge and relax this weekend!

KEEP THE EMAILS COMING WITH YOUR SUGGESTIONS!

Principal P.

36 Days to PSSA

Darn fire drill threw off the entire day for us in PSSA headquarters.

We received the PSSA 8th writing books and our faithful guidance counselor, Mrs. C____ is counting and securing the books.

We are finalizing who the groupings and proctors will be for each group.

Mrs. C____ will be making boxes for each teacher with the directions, test, and supplies. You will receive the test directions in the next few days.

One small glich for PSSA is that the local church is holding a sacrament on 3rd day of testing window. If anyone else knows of any other events during the window that will be a distraction let us know. So much for separation of church and state.

Sorry for the late and short update...hopefully tomorrow there will be no emergencies.

Principal P.

37 Days to PSSA

Welcome Back! Eagles are done but we still have a PA team in the race! Obama’s train passed through Pennsylvania and Delaware with no mention of state testing!
PSSA venture for the week include making are MLK writing contest in the same format as a PSSA poem, short answer, or letter format. It will be due in February.
Please check PDE website for released items and standards. The website is chock full of information that is easy to navigate. Take a part of your team meeting or professional learning community to explore the website.
The below are some e-mails I have received for ideas we can use during this joyous PSSA season.
An idea or two for the 40 day push to PSSA.
What if each day we go over a test taking strategy for the students to utilize while they are testing?
Also, along with the vocabulary word of the day, focus on prefixes and suffixes. This way if students come to a word they are unfamiliar with they can decode using the prefixes and suffixes.

PSSA Writing for 8th grade next month FYI:
On pde's website, there is an update on the 2009 Writing Assessment...it will include an additional writing prompt and be presented in four section, needing increased testing time.

6th grade reading is reviewing PSSA concepts they need to know by using books by C.S. Lewis. Then, we are going to the Franklin Institute to see the Narnia exhibit!

For the announcements maybe focus on a 'word of the day' as well as a 'test taking strategy' of the day.

In 7th and 8th English/Reading we have about 50 literary terms (i.e., conflict = struggle between opposing characters or forces) that we ask the students to know. I have a copy (from M____) that has the words with their definitions. Is this something you might be interested in for the word of the day?

To All:

Please find below the link to obtain the Accommodation booklet for students with disabilities. Please check back often as the current one posted is for 2008. The booklet for 2009 should be posted in the near future. I just wanted to make everyone aware of this valuable resource as IEP teams meet and determine accommodations for PSSA's and other testing for our special education students.

http://www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/cwp/view.asp?a=108&Q=45132&a_and_tNav=678&a_and_tNav=

If you cannot get to the above site by clicking on this link, then right click, select copy. Then open up your browser and paste the address. This should take you there.

If this doesn't work, then go to the PDE web site and choose the pre K-12 tab across the top, When the page opens, choose assessment from the left side. Then when that page opens, choose testing accommodations from the left side and that will take you there.

Great job and keep the ideas coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Principal P.

39 Days to PSSA Update

All PSSA scores from last year were sent via e-mail yesterday. Please let administration know if you need assistance with the data and your concerns about students you may have that related to the data.

Although our technology aide resigned, we have assistance from the high school. Ms. W_____ will assist us to get the Carnegie (Math Program) installed to use for non proficient students. Math teachers have worked hard to develop lessons for the students on this program.

After school tutoring has begun for students at-risk for being non-proficient. Numbers are lower than we would like but the counselors are pounding the pavement making calls to recruit more students. The teachers for the program are ready to go but need minds to mold. See counselors or Ms. E_____ for list of attendees.

I spoke with Ms. R_____, (Title I Students) via e-mail and we are going to start examining the needs of our Title I students for PSSA.

Language Arts teachers examined the 8th grade writing prompt taken by students in their homerooms a couple of weeks ago. The findings were 1) We need to move a few students, 2) Students did well overall but lost points for not writing in letter format as directions stated. Please emphasize as you do daily for students to read all directions and restate what they mean to other students or to you.

After next week I would like to start using the TV announcements to do a PSSA word of the day or formula of the day. Please forward me your ideas.

39 school days not calendar days....we should have plenty of time to be successful. Again, any ideas for the daily update that you are completing in your classroom please send to me!

Thanks,

Principal P.

40 Days to PSSA Update

Looks as if 8th Grade will start Monday, March 16th, and 6/7th grade will start Wednesday, March 18th.
Ms. F____ and Ms. S_____ are attending PASA training at E____ today. We have less than 1% of students taking PASA this year.

Administration has ordered all supplies for the test. We have not ordered any snacks yet for the test but are exploring economical possibilities.

Administration distributed to all special education teachers the accommodations booklet found on PDE website. The special education teachers have a meeting tomorrow to look at groupings and specific needs for PASA and PSSA for their subgroup.

Administration is beginning look at groupings for all grade levels. We will work off our present homeroom groupings. I have received from the counselors the 8th grade list of homeroom students with concerns highlighted. 6th and 7th grade lists I should receive by early next week.

7th grade is finishing MAP testing today. 6th grade is finished. 8th grade will start next week. Make ups will be last week of January.

Dick M_____, our retired administrator, was called by Human resources to assist with PSSA testing in March. His primary role will be to handle distractions to the test (disruptive students) in order to free up administrators to assist in monitoring the PSSA test.

The data team had a meeting today and had many great ideas for MAP, PSSA, and team data binders. We will submit to you in next few days PSSA scores from last year on all students in your grade via e-mail. Please focus on the students who were not proficient first and speak with your teams about how we are and can help them before March.

On a related note: Administration is sending truancy letters out on all present and potential policy violators in order to increase attendance so that students are prepared with as much knowledge as possible before the test.

We have 2 teachers working on preparation games for week before PSSA in math. Anyone else who wants to help out for their 190th day please let me know.

I will continue to send updates daily. So send me any info. you or your team is doing to gear up for the big weeks.


Thanks,

Principal P.