Board Office News

MISSION

USD #344

TO ENABLE STUDENTS TO LEARN AT THEIR POTENTIAL

                                                                       Educational Terminology

A.Y.P.- Adequate Yearly Progress. Schools must demonstrate annual progress and improvement in assessment scores in order to comply with the No Child Left Behind mandates. At least 58% of all students must perform at the proficient or exemplary level on their assessments. The five levels of performance: Exemplary, Proficient, Satisfactory, Basic, Unsatisfactory. According to No Child Left Behind, satisfactory is not enough.

 Accelerated Math, Accelerated Reader – Two programs utilized within our curriculum to focus on reading and math skills. Accelerated reader focuses on comprehension skills and promotes reading at or above grade level. Accelerated math focuses on essential math skills per grade level and mastery of objectives per grade level.

 Reading Recovery – An outstanding reading intervention program designed to reach children who are struggling with their reading skills in grades 1 and 2. The program provides extensive interventions, one-on-one instruction and various reading techniques to improve the students performance and improve their reading level.

 I.E.P. – Special Education students with an identified learning disability have an I.E.P. (Individual Education Plan) developed for them to address their learning problems. The I.E.P. is developed by several individuals within the learning team.

 Recess – The highlight of many every day.

                                       Bullying Facts:

 Bullying  is the most common form of violence in our society today. Between 15% and 30% of students are bullies or victims. Studies show that membership in either bully or victim groups is associated with school drop out, poor psychosocial adjustment, criminal activity and other negative long-term consequences. Direct, physical bullying increases in elementary school, peaks in middle school and declines in high school. Verbal abuse, however, remains constant.  The frequency and severity of bullying is related to the amount of adult supervision that children receive-bullying behavior is reinforced when it has no or inconsistent consequences. Additionally, children who observe parents and siblings exhibiting bullying behavior, or who are  themselves victims, are likely to develop negative self concepts and expectations, and may therefore attack before they attacked-bullying others gives them a sense of power and importance. Researchers maintain that society must cease defending bullying behavior as part of growing up or with the attitude of “kids will be kids”. Bullying can be stopped !

-taken from Andrea Cohn Ph.D, National Association of School Psychologists

REMINDER…..

Lower elementary students are dismissed at the SOUTH end of the main building and parents are asked to utilize the two south entrance/exits into the parking lot. The upper elementary students are dismissed at the EAST (main) elementary doors. The middle two entrance/exits into the parking lot are to be utilized for upper elementary drop off-pick up. Please do not block the entrance/exit lanes.

            Please drive safe and look out for students to and from school!!!

    Please attend parent / teacher conferences and stay up – to – date with your child’s achievement!