Report cards are sent home two times per year- February and June. Good communication between caregivers and teachers by means of conferences and reports is essential in understanding the children’s needs and their progress in school. The goal of the report card is to provide an exchange of information with a focus on maximizing student growth.
The report cards reflect the Massachusetts state standards. The standards are set at the developmental levels of the students and are grade specific. The structure of the report card (where the different content areas are located) is the same from pre-school through grade six. Each content area will differ from grade to grade in order to reflect the standards. Teachers may write comments after the content area and/or a narrative at the end of the report.
There are two assessments for each content area. The first reflects the overall progress of the student. The assessment is reported as:
ME = Meeting Expectations
PE = Partially Meeting Expectations
NE = Not Meeting Expectations
In addition, the students receive feedback on a scale from one to five in regards to each standard that is listed. That scale is:
4 = Independent
3 = Progressing
2 = Emerging
1 = Not Yet
N/A = Not Assessed
Determination of a student’s retention should be made following careful evaluations and conferences involving the principal, teacher(s), and caregivers. Ordinarily, a child shall be promoted if they show sufficient physical, social, emotional and intellectual maturity so that they can be expected to have a successful experience at the next grade level. The long-range welfare of the child shall be prime consideration when considering retention. The possibility of retention must be made known to caregivers no later than the spring parent/teacher conference.
The principal shall be responsible for making the final decision on retention. This decision is based on consultations with school personnel and a careful weighing of teacher and caregiver recommendations. The principal shall determine if a referral for an evaluation is appropriate whenever a child is in substantial risk of non-promotion.
A group-testing program administered in the Shutesbury Elementary School is designed to provide information concerning the proficiency of children on standardized tests of academic achievement and aptitude. The results of these tests provide a continuing record of each child’s academic progress in comparison with national norms. Perhaps more importantly, they are also an aid in diagnosing individual strengths and weaknesses and in directing instructional strategies. The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System is a state mandated assessment for all Massachusetts public school students.
Shutesbury students have their progress monitored in ELA through the use of various formative and summative assessments, such as DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Literacy Skills) and the Quick Phonics Screener. Students are also monitored on grade level sight words and word study/phonics using UFLI (University of Florida literacy Institute) in grade 1-3 and Megawords in grade 4-6.. Writing is assessed in the context of the EL Education knowledge building curriculum through written performance tasks.
Students in Shutesbury Elementary School will also have their progress in mathematics monitored fall, winter, and spring using the Universal Screener for Number Sense, monthly unit assessments within our math program, and ongoing diagnostic assessments using our online program of IXL.
SES students in grades 3-6 will take the MCAS in ELA and Math. Fifth grade students will also take a state science assessment. All students will take the assessment on the computer.
For more information on student participation click here: https://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/participation.html
The State testing window commences in March and ends in May each school year. The schedule of assessments is posted in the Roadtown News as soon as it available. For more information visit https://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/cal.html
The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) assessment measures students' foundational reading skills. We want to be able to measure the students’ growth and development in reading at Shutesbury Elementary School. These tests are designed to be concise and accurate and are designed to produce reliable and valid information in a short period of time. Kindergarteners - sixth graders are given an informal DIBELS assessment three times a year (fall, winter, spring). The assessment is a snapshot of current skills which may flag the need to do further assessment.
The DIBELS tests highlight fluency and accuracy in reading skills, and the test is designed to be sensitive to small increments of growth. Teachers can use these results to help them plan their reading instruction. This information provides the data to individualize instruction for students who are above or below average in their reading development as well as assist in the design of an intervention and the monitoring of its success. Teachers can also use the information from DIBELS to bring quick, graphic information about a child’s progress to the Child Study Team and to conferences.