The First Two Days (Monday, August 19th and Tuesday, August 20th)
To start the school year, students will be following a modified schedule on the first two days. On Monday, August 19th, students whose last names begin with the letters A-L will come to school for the entire day. On Tuesday, August 20th, students whose last names begin with the letters M-Z will come to school for the entire day. Bus services will be provided and the cafeteria will be open! All students will come beginning Wednesday, August 21st.
Why are these two days different?
The first few weeks of school can be very hectic in 5th grade. Students have to take a math pre-assessment, teachers have to read with students one-on-one to asses their reading skills, the students hear from the principals, school counselor, and others, etc. Many of these activities can result in loss of instruction time as students head to assemblies or are pulled out of class. The goal for this new schedule is to accomplish all (or most) of the "beginning of the school year" requirements in ONE day, that way the teachers and students will be ready to jump into the curriculum after these two days!
Reading Assessment - Students will have the opportunity to read one-on-one with a 5th grade staff member and answer questions about a short passage. This allows us to assess their abilities. This is a key component to instruction, as it allows the teachers to plan lessons and activities accordingly that best meet each student's academic needs.
Math Assessment - In 5th grade, students are required to take a pre-assessment based on the Bridges math program. This allows the teachers to see what the students already know, and tailor their instruction based on the results. Since the first two days of school are often hectic, especially with 5th graders getting used to a new building and classmates from two elementary schools, it can take a while to finish. Completing this assessment on the first day, where only half of the students are in the building and the children don't have to worry about traveling around to all of their classes, will allow us to collect data in a timely manner and use it to prepare our lessons.
Principal/Resource Officer Presentations - Our principals, Mr. Rubin and Mr. Maroni, always like to welcome the students to the beginning of the new school year. With 5th graders, they also like to go over some key information since they are new to the school! Before, this was done in an assembly setting during class time, which once again resulted in the loss of instruction time. Now, it will be scheduled as part of the students' day on August 19th/20th, which will give the students a chance to meet their new administrators! Our School Resource Officer, Officer Zmuda, will also be leading a talk about internet safety.
As you can see, the first two days of school will be jam-packed! Students will also be visiting the Band and Choir classes to hear from our music teachers, going outside for recess, taking part in a science activity, and organizing their supplies in their homeroom. After using this schedule for the past few years, we have found it is extremely beneficial to the children! Thank you for your cooperation!
-Mrs. DeFelice