Teacher Appreciation Week May 8-12

May 8-12 is Teacher Appreciation Week!  We are very fortunate to have the BEST teachers around!  The PTO has been planning some extra special things for the teachers, so please be on the lookout for further information from them as to how you can help in celebrating them!  We can't wait to celebrate them the week of May 8-12!

Yearbooks!

Yearbooks are available to purchase!  If you are interested in ordering a yearbook you may order one for $20 at: https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/SelectJob 

Our schools ID is: 14999323

All you need to do is just enter you scholars name and grade to purchase!  Yearbooks will be delivered to scholars the last week in May!

Open Enrollment Time!

Families who complete registration for the 2023-2024 school year by April 28, those scholar(s) will receive 2 weeks worth of free dress down days from May 15-May 26!   We will reach out to those families to make sure you know your scholar will have the free dress down days those days.  

If you still have not registered for next school year, please reach out to Ms. Smith.  Let us know if you have any questions.

Pre-K 3 opportunity!

Big news here at Manara...We are now enrolling for Pre-K 3! Both campuses will have a half-day, FREE Pre-K program in the 23-24 school year. Don't delay, spots will fill quickly! Apply now by visiting ManaraAcademy.org, clicking 23-24 Admissions, and selecting "Early Childhood". We are very excited about this opportunity to welcome more Mini-Mavericks!

Manara Summer School Opportunity

Please visit the website below to find out more about our "Take Flight" Summer School opportunity for scholars in Pre-K through 5th grade.  The link below will send you to our district website to find out more about the program and will direct you to the link to sign up your scholar.  Please reach out if you have any questions!

https://www.manaraacademy.org/page/2023-summer-program 

Used Uniforms Needed!

If your scholar has out-grown their uniform and you would like to donate them to the school, we are collecting gently used uniform pieces for girls and boys - all sizes.  If enough pieces are collected at the end of the school year, we will have a "gently used uniform sale" at the beginning of the school year.  

Please drop off clean, gently used uniform pieces that you no longer need to Ms. Smith.  Thank you!

Birthday Thursday on May 25

Our last birthday Thursday will be on May 25.  If your scholar has a birthday in May, June, or July, you can send in treats with your scholar on May 25 (or leave them labeled on the Forget-Me-Not table outside the main entrance).  Treats will be given out the last 30 minutes of the school day.

STAAR Testing Days and Test Taking Tips

It is imperative that all scholars be on time to school each day, especially on the STAAR testing days.  Please see the calendar below as to the testing dates.  On those dates, our campus will be closed to visitors.  If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Vinten.

Here is an article from Edmentum regarding tips to help your child prepare for testing.  There are some great tips you can do at home to help ease testing anxiety!  At the end of the article, there is also a link for extra resources you can utilize with your scholar at home.

8 Tips to Help Your Child Prepare for High-Stakes Tests

No matter what your personal feelings on high-stakes testing are, there is no escaping the reality that these assessments will be an important part of your child’s academic experience. And, everyone wants to see their student experience success in the classroom. So, what’s the best way to help your child prepare for high-stakes tests—and keep a healthy mindset while doing so? Here’s eight simple tips for parents to help your student perform his or her best on testing days.

1. Prioritize attendance and homework

Tests are ultimately intended to be a measure of how well students have learned the material being taught in class. With that in mind, what is the best (and most straightforward) piece of test-prep advice for caregivers is to do what you can to ensure that your child is fully engaged with his or her classwork throughout the year. Set aside dedicated homework time each night to make sure that your child is completing their assignments consistently throughout the year. It’s also a good idea to periodically reflect on your family routine, and make sure you and your student are keeping a schedule that gets them to class on time every day. If your student is absent for a day, or has to miss a class period, check in with them to make sure they can make up what they missed.

2. Communicate with teachers

Regular communication with your child’s instructor can help you gain insight into his or her progress. Make a point of meeting or talking with your child’s teacher on an ongoing basis to understand what your child is working on, what he or she will be tested on, and the areas that he or she is exceling and struggling in. Your child’s teacher is also a great resource for test-preparation practice or strategies you can use with your child at home. Plus, they can keep you up to date on group study sessions or other opportunities for additional review that your child may benefit from.

3. Talk to your child about test taking

The purpose and goals of testing are not always obvious, even to the students who take them. Especially with new test-takers, it’s easy to be intimidated by testing or simply not feel motivated to put forth a lot of effort. Have open, ongoing conversations with your child to explain the benefits of testing, focusing on how it helps them, their teacher, their school, and other educators understand their strengths and weaknesses and figure out the most effective ways to teach. You can also use this opportunity to ask your students how they feel about testing, and offer reassurance or perspective if they have any anxiety around exams.

4. Offer positive reinforcement

A little encouragement can go a long way in helping students walk into testing days feeling confident—which, in turn, can have a huge effect on their performance. Praise your child for the work that he or she does to prepare for testing, and share in his or her excitement when he or she has success with a new concept or skill. Similarly, when he or she is struggling with a topic, point out the progress that he or she has made and encourage him or her to continue working. Having already experienced success with the material that he or she will be tested on will help your child avoid test anxiety and perform to the best of his or her ability on testing day.

5. Support healthy habits

Sleep and nutrition can have a huge impact on your child’s ability to focus and retain information. One of the most helpful things that you can do as a parent is focus on supporting these basic needs. Well-rounded meals and a regular sleep schedule will help your child succeed in the classroom on a day-to-day basis. On testing days, it’s especially important to make sure that your child gets a good night’s sleep, starts the day with a filling breakfast, and goes to school with a water bottle to help stay hydrated.

6. Give your child a study space

A comfortable, dedicated space for homework and studying can work wonders for your child’s productivity. Make sure that your child’s space is quiet, well lit, and stocked with the right materials, like a writing surface, pens, pencils, highlighters, scratch paper, a calculator, and any other tools that he or she might need.

7. Keep testing in perspective

No single test is that important. Avoid putting too much emphasis on your child’s test scores—doing so can make your child feel pressure that will ultimately only affect his or her performance negatively. It’s also important to not be upset by a single test score. Low test scores can occur for any number of reasons; it may have just been an off day for your child.

8. Debrief after the test

After testing day has come and gone, talk with your child about his or her results and how he or she felt about the test. By discussing his or her answers, thought processes, and feelings, you can gain further insight into what he or she is struggling with and excelling at and then help him or her better prepare next time. Talking about testing can also help your child process the experience and overcome any anxiety that he or she might have had.

Looking for additional resources to help your child prepare for a successful testing day? Check out our parent, family, and caregiver resource hub, where you can get easy access to product information, teaching at home best practices, and printable resources. 

Attendance (IMPORTANT Information)

Per the state of Texas, a child must be in attendance at least 90% of the school year to be eligible as "completing" that school year.  What that means for our school, is that your child should have no more than 18 absences through out the school year (excused or unexcused) as we have a school year with 180 school calendar days.  Attendance at school is extremely important in order for each child to gain the knowledge needed to progress to the next academic year.  If a child misses a large chunk of the school year and he/she is not academically meeting the state standards, there is a possibility of retention.  

Our school day is from 8:00am until 3:30pm.  Tardies will be accounted for if a scholar arrives after 8:00am or leaves before 3:30pm.  Excessive tardies, along with attendance and grades, can factor into a scholar's grade placement for the next school year.

Please also reach out to Mrs. Vinten if your scholar will not be in attendance part of May due to traveling.  We are closely monitoring attendance, so notification of this is necessary.

Please reach out to Mrs. Vinten if you have any questions (avinten@manaraacademy.org).  

Paper Tutoring App for Grades 4-8

Paper is a program our district has purchased to help assist scholars in their academic progression within grades 4-8.  Click on this link to learn more about Paper and how it can assist your scholar in their nightly homework.  Scholars will be utilizing this daily within their classroom as well.  Teachers and the adminstrator is also able to view the scholar/tutor interaction and dialogue so that we can support at school also.  Please reach out to your scholar's teacher if you have any questions regarding Paper!  All scholars in grades 4-8 should be using the Paper app on Clever at home with homework support. 

ESL YouTube Channel & Newsletter

Below is our Manara ESL YouTube Channel link, as well as the ESL Newsletter link!  Please view the links below for great information pertaining to our ESL department.

Manara Academy ESL Department - YouTube 

https://www.manaraacademy.org/article/948697 

May 1  8th Grade Social Studies STAAR

May 2  3rd & 4th Grade Math STAAR

May 3  5th & 6th Grade Math STAAR

May 4  7th & 8th Grade Math STAAR

May 8-12  Teacher Appreciation Week! 

May 18  Field Day!  Parents welcome to attend!  

May 19  8th Grade Graduation Ceremony

*Other ceremony dates for all grade levels will be listed in the next newsletter, all occurring the last week in May