MEREDITH HILL MESSENGER
Volume 9, Issue 2 www.fwps.org/meredith October 2003
Cindy Kelsey, Principal Jane Arthur, Secretary
Mary Jane Henry, Office
Manager Lynette Edwards, Office Clerk
Elementary students across the district are preparing for
three special days at the end of this month when they will tell parents about
their performance in reading and other core subjects, and share goals they plan
to achieve this year. These Student-Led Conferences will take place on October
29-31, and no regular classes are scheduled on these days.
What is the student’s role?
We believe that allowing students to talk to parents
about their learning will give them a stronger sense of ownership and pride,
and a greater understanding of how they can continue and improve their
achievement. The student’s job at conference time will be to explain some of
the standards and goals they are working on, and to show examples of their
current level of performance. With the support of teacher and parents, they
will also set goals for future improvement.
What is the parent’s role?
One of the most important things a parent can do is
attend the conference! This gives a strong message about the importance parents
place on their child’s learning. During the conference, parents are encouraged
to listen, to compliment and talk with their child about his/her work, and to
identify ways they can help their child reach his/her goals.
What is the teacher’s role?
Teachers have spent the first month of school getting to
know the strengths and needs of
each child. They have helped their students
understand the standards and goals they are
working on. By conference time, teachers will help
children select work samples which show their level of performance in these
areas. They will assist students in setting goals for the remainder of the
year. Prior to the conferences, teachers will also provide opportunities for
students to practice their part in the conference in order to put them more at
ease.
What is the timeline and schedule?
Conference invitations will go home the week of October
13. Parents are asked to return them as
soon as possible so that times can be finalized. We will do our best to
schedule conferences back-to-back for families with more than one student.
Conferences will be scheduled on the hour and half hour
through out the day. In order to give students full attention during the
conference, we request that brothers and sisters do not attend. School-age
children are invited to participate in activities that the school will have
available while you are in their sibling’s conference.
We look forward to this time when students can show off
their learning, and identify goals which they and their teachers have set for
the remaining months of the year. Mark your calendars and plan to join us for
some very special conversations with your children on October 29, 30 and 31!
Sincerely,
Cindy Kelsey, Principal
Results from last April’s state-wide test for 4th, 7th, and 10th grade students were released in September. The Washington Assessment of Student Learning (or WASL) is part of the long-term reform efforts of our state, and is designed to show whether students are meeting new and higher standards in the areas of reading, writing, listening, and mathematics. The percent of Meredith Hill students who met the standard in each of these areas is given below.
|
Students Meeting State Standard In: |
READING
READING
2001 2002 2003 |
WRITING
WRITING
2001 2002 2003 |
MATH
WRITING
2001 2002 2003 |
LISTENING
WRITING
2001 2002 2003 |
||||||||
|
Meredith Hill 4th Grade |
77% |
75% |
74% |
56% |
60% |
55% |
57% |
56% |
60% |
78% |
74% |
73% |
|
Federal Way 4th Grade |
66% |
72% |
73% |
43% |
53% |
57% |
42% |
56% |
61% |
73% |
70% |
66% |
|
WA State 4th Grade |
66% |
66% |
67% |
43% |
50% |
54% |
43% |
52% |
55% |
72% |
67% |
66% |
Students’ individual scores were sent home with 5th
graders in September. A special letter from the governor and from our
superintendent was presented to each student who met the state standard in all
four of the areas tested.
A parent handbook entitled “Reaching Higher” is available
upon request to any parent who wants more information about the WASL test and
the state’s learning standards.
______________________________________________________________________________
Meredith Hill is pleased to welcome back Rachel
Richardson as our Volunteer Corps member this year. Volunteer Corps is an arm
of the AmeriCorps which is a domestic Peace Corps program that serves our
country in many different arenas--disaster preparedness, building homes,
working with the homeless, sustaining the environment, etc. The Federal Way team is an education based
program and works with the schools in the Federal Way School District. Miss Richardson will be at Meredith Hill
every morning, Monday through Thursday, for the remainder of the school year.
During the day she meets with
small groups of students to assist with reading
skills. She also teaches in our before
school reading program (ELO). Miss
Richardson provides a lot of extra help for our students! How we appreciate the
service and success which AmeriCorps brings to our school! Welcome back, Miss Richardson!
The school district would like to inform parents and students about early dismissal on Nov. 26, 2003 (the day before Thanksgiving). This will be a two hour early dismissal for all schools. There is no option for a longer or shorter early dismissal. Meredith Hill will be dismissing at 1:50 p.m. that day. Thank you.
Art Room Supplies Needed
Meredith Hill is excited to announce that it now has a
room dedicated to Art Curriculum. Both teachers and also the PTA art docents
share room 124.
We need your help in stocking the room with supplies. In
each newsletter we will list a wish list of items for the art curriculum that
are needed. If you are able to assist, please send the items to school with
your child, labeled Art Room
This month we need the following items:
*Egg cartons
*Baby food jars
*Paper towels and TP rolls
*Feathers
*Pipe cleaners
*Mat board
*Hot glue gun
*Washed pinecones
*Mason jars
*Pompoms
*Watercolor paper
*Starch
*Liter pop bottles
*Glue sticks for hot glue gun
*100% Cotton material—primary
colors
preferred, 2-4 yards
*Gift certificates to; Michael’s, Joann’s
or Aaron
Brothers
October is Child Health Month
Give your home a safety check. Injury is the leading cause of death in children in the U.S. Six common types of childhood injuries are motor vehicle injuries, pedestrian injuries, bicycle injuries, drowning, burns, and firearm injuries. Most injuries can be prevented.
Keep in mind a child’s body proportions are different from adults – the head is large and heavy compared with the rest of the body. A child’s eyesight and hearing take time to fully develop. They copy adult behavior and begin to learn how things work, but lack judgment and understanding of potential risks. Try these simple steps: Set an example of safe behavior by acting safely yourself. Encourage sage actions by giving simple, clear instructions about what they should and should not do. Remove or keep them away from things that might harm them.
Here’s a place to start. Make your home safe. Are all
poisonous substances – cleaning supplies, medicines, plants, etc. – kept out of
child’s reach? Are stairs and hallways clear and well lit? Are windows secured
with locks? Are fire extinguishers installed where they are most likely to be
needed? Are smoke detectors in working order? Are matches and lighters kept our
of child’s reach? Is the water set at a safe temperature? Is the child
supervised whenever around water? If you have a gun, do you keep guns and
ammunition stored separately and locked up? Is a list of emergency numbers
posted near the telephone?
Mark
Your Calendar
9 – Cookie Day
10
– NO SCHOOL State Teacher Inservice
13 – NO SCHOOL
Waiver Day
23 – Cookie Day
29-31–Student-Led Conferences
5
– Health Screening
6 –
Cookie Day
V e Veteran’s Day Assembly 10:30
10
– NO SCHOOL State Teacher Inservice
11 – NO SCHOOL Waiver Day
Kelso’s Choices: Conflict Management at Meredith Hill
Kelso’s Choices is a problem solving and conflict management
curriculum taught in our first through third grade classes by Mrs. EagleCruz,
our school counselor. Students are taught that they are old enough, smart
enough and capable of solving small problems.
Small problems can be important, but are annoying, frustrating,
bothersome, and can ‘bug” the student. They are taught to use two of Kelso’s
choices to solve their small problems. These Kelso’s choices are:
1.
Go to another game.
2.
Share and take turns.
3.
Talk it out.
4.
Walk away.
5.
Ignore it.
6.
Tell them to stop.
7.
Apologize
8.
Make a deal.
9.
Wait and cool off.
Students get a chance to learn and practice these skills.
They are to use Kelso’s choices at recess, in line, on the bus, and in the
classroom. Students may go to an adult also if they have really tried
two of Kelso’s choices and these did not work.
They are taught to go to a trusted adult for “big
problems”. These are problems that are scary, dangerous, where someone is hurt
or may get hurt. The feelings involved in these problems are terrified,
panicked, very frightening. We list adults at home and at school the students
can tell about big problems.
If you have any questions about Kelso’s choices, please
call Mrs. Patty EagleCruz at 253 945 3208. The Steps to Respect program,
an anti bullying curriculum, will be taught in the fourth and fifth grade
classrooms later. Kindergarten students will be taught Second Step, a
problem-solving curriculum just for them, beginning in a few weeks.