Sunday, March 30, 2014

Strategies for Parent Use at Home to Help Students Succeed

http://fun-in-first.blogspot.com/2013/07/tips-for-parentshow-to-help-my-child.html

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Weekly Message From Taft Elementary Principal

Spring Break will be Monday, March 24th through Friday, March 28th.

2014 Taft Kindergarten Registration is April 14, 2014

Taft kindergarten screening/registration will be held on April 14, 2014 from 12 to 7. Parents who wish to have their children attend Marion City Schools should register to attend the screening by calling Taft at 223-4500. Children who will be five years old on-or-before August 1,2014, will be eligible to attend kindergarten this fall (2014).

It is extremely important that you bring the following information to the screening along with your child:

Birth Certificate
Immunization (shot) records
Custody papers are required (if applicable)
Proof of Residency ( utility bill, rent receipt)

Proof of basic immunization is required by law. Each child must have:

DPT- 5 doses
Polio- 4 doses (4^th dose on or after the child’s fourth birthday)
MMR-2 doses given after the age of one
Hepatitis B-3 doses
Varicella- 2 doses on or before the first birthday

ATTENTION: PARENTS AND STUDENTS

HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE UP OUR SCHOOL DAYS?

WE WANT YOUR OPINION, PLEASE VIEW THIS VIDEO AND VOTE BY MARCH 25^TH

Click here: http://www.screencast.com/t/LPfuzN3CC

AimsWeb Progress Monitoring

"Today a reader, tomorrow a leader." — Margaret Fuller

The ability to read is the foundation of learning and is a vital skill for our students. Research shows that children who are not reading at the third grade level by the end of grade three will likely have trouble learning in all classroom subject areas in higher grades.

Our district mission is to inspire a community of achievement and as part of our vision to provide an innovative instructional model to ensure each student’s academic development; specifically in third grade this year we have implemented a focused tool to help our students called Aimsweb. Aimsweb is a research based Benchmarking and Progress Monitoring program that provides insight on how to help our students become successful readers. This program allows us to get a “Well Check” indicating how well our students are reading. Think of it as taking our student’s Reading Temperature.

As our children grow, most of us see charts and listen to medical doctors explain percentiles. Doctors weigh our children and measure how tall they are. Doctors use children’s height and weight as a “Well Check” for vital signs of development. We all know how important it is for children to “grow” in reading as well. In fact, successfully learning read at an early age is probably one of the most important factors in a child’s learning, both inside and outside of school. Reading to a child 20 minutes a day from birth to school age is essential.

Reading and reading growth are so important on a regular basis. Our schools continue the “Well Checks” through Progress Monitoring. Progress Monitoring is a more frequent “Well Check” on how our students are making progress towards their Reading Goals. Our teachers use these “Well Checks” to help them plan their reading instruction, monitor student learning, as well as have the students involved in taking ownership of their own progress.

In order to promote successful student learning, district and building staff has made it a priority to work together. There are data teams at each elementary building. Three teachers make up the data team. These teachers are the Instructional Coach, Title I Teacher, and Intervention Specialist. The data team is in charge of benchmarking and progress monitoring our third grade students on a frequent timeline until the end of May. Data teams meet with the third grade team teachers to discuss student data and to make important decisions for instruction. This collaboration and communication is very exciting and allows for all teachers involved to have a pulse on OUR students and their achievement at Marion City Schools.

Please visit the Marion City Schools Webpage and click on the Third Grade Guarantee tab, there will be resources that will help you support your child’s learning. http://www.marioncityschools.org

Follow on Twitter:

Superintendent Gary Barber @gcougars65

Let’s Read Marion @letsreadmarion

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Weekly Message from Taft Elementary Principal!

Is your student involved in activities outside of school? Are they in plays, dances, performances, sports or interesting hobbies? Send me a short description and pictures of their interests and I will share them with the rest of MCS on the Taft webpage. Email me directly at: sean_smith@marioncity.k12.oh.us

Dress Down Week is March 17th through March 21st. Cost is $.50 per day with all proceeds going to Marion Education Foundation, a foundation to help fund field trips for our students.

Monday is Hat Day

Tuesday is Backwards Day

Wednesday is Sunglasses Day

Thursday is Slipper Day

Friday is School Spirit Day (Students can wear MCS or favorite sports team apparel.

Girl Scouts will begin holding meetings for any girl in grades Kindergarten through 3, starting Monday April 17th. Meetings will be held in the Art room with Grades 2 and 3 meeting from 11:15 to 11:45 and Kindergarten and 1 meeting from 11:30 to 12:00.

Any student interested in football or flag football, should attend an informational meeting on Thursday, March 20th, in the Taft cafeteria at 3:10.

Spring Break will be Monday, March 24th through Friday, March 28th