Viewing: December, 2009
December 21, 2009
The Water Car – Too Cool!
This has nothing to do with school, but it’s way too neat to NOT post!
The full article is available here.
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
December 21, 2009
Important Updates
I apologize for the lack of website updates lately. As you can imagine, things have been a bit busy for me. Here are some key points that you need to be aware of:
- Selections for the upcoming mystery book report were due on Friday, but there are still several students who HAVE NOT brought me a book to approve. This is being recorded as a late homework assignment. Students are at an advantage if they can slowly read their book during the vacation week, so please make sure that I approve all titles before we break for the vacation week.
- Reminder: Please send in your cookies on Wednesday morning for the cookie swap. These can be home made or store bought. Please DO NOT send them in on Tuesday. Kids should try to bring in 30 cookies.
- Our class is in a neck-and-neck race with Mr. Grgach’s class to see who can read the most during the month of December. It’s still anyone’s game, especially since kids can read as much as they want during vacation (up to December 31st.) Nightly reading is a REQUIREMENT, so EACH student should be participating in this challenge. Students should bring in their calendars tomorrow (so I can check progress), and again after vacation (for a final tally.) The winning class has their choice of Mr. Grgach shaving off my beard or of me shaving Mr. Grgach’s head.
- Because of the shortened week, we are not starting a new story. As a result, there are no new spelling words and there may not be as many worksheets for homework.
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
December 17, 2009
SRBI Information
From Ms. D-H and Ms. Grainsky:
December 14, 2009
Dear Parents,
This year we are making increased efforts to use student data to inform our instruction and to determine which children will need intervention services. The Department of Education has directed us to use a new process called Scientifically Researched Based Intervention (SRBI) to make informed decisions about which children will be provided with intervention services. Some of you may have heard of this initiative under the title Response to Intervention (RTI). This is a “regular education” initiative, and it is an effort to support all students so that they can succeed in school. While it is a state requirement for us to do this, we believe that it really makes sense and that it will benefit all students in the district. One primary goal of SRBI is to be able to be proactive in addressing any academic and behavioral concerns as well as being reactive.
The basis of this change involves early and clear identification of an academic problem, intensive remediation, and careful monitoring of progress. Our focus will be on reading, writing and mathematics. We will focus on an individual student’s learning profiles and monitor our interventions. Our belief is that helping students succeed in one area will also contribute to student success in other areas of study.
Your child could receive support in and out of the classroom, in small group settings, from a variety of people as well as their classroom teacher. These groups will be skill driven and based upon the needs of the students in each group. This service may be called Tier II support. The students that would benefit the most from these interventions may change several times throughout the year. Universal assessments, which are quick tests given to each child within a grade level, classroom performance, and teacher input will also determine the participants for these groups.
Three levels of intervention will be offered. If a student’s skills are significantly below grade level they will be offered a more intensive intervention program. This will involve more time and more intensive support in smaller groups or individually. Classroom teachers will inform you if your child is receiving support in Tier III, our most intensive level of intervention.
All of the interventions listed above are part of the quality education offered to all Avon students. This regular education initiative is designed to intervene early so students can perform effectively on grade level. Classroom teachers will continue to update parents of their child’s progress through the forms of communication established in each individual classroom.
If you have any questions about this process, please contact your child’s classroom teacher us at anytime.
Very truly yours,
Gail Dahling-Hench Debbie Grainsky
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
December 16, 2009
My first six days
Boy, do I have a new respect for all you parents out there! I knew parenting was going to be tiring, challenging, exhausting, rewarding, fatiguing, and – oh, did I mention tiring? – but I didn’t really get it until now. …and to those of you who have more than one kid – HOW DO YOU MANAGE THAT?! 😀 I have just one, and today I feel like a walking zombie. On that note, this walking zombie will be coming back to work tomorrow. I look forward to seeing all the kids and diving back into our daily routine. I know the kids have been in great hands during my absense, and I have been in touch with Mrs. Nori rountinely. I have gotten great reports from her, and my thanks go out to all the kids for helping out!
See you tomorrow morning. I’ll have the supertaker of coffee follow me in.
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
December 16, 2009
Nutmeg Discussion Group
Students interested in joining the Nutmeg Discussion Group (tomorrow, 8:00am, library) are welcome to come! The books slated for discussion are Drita, My Homegirl, and Ghost’s Grave. Permission slips are on the school Virtual Backpack site.
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
December 11, 2009
The 25th kid in our class…
Please welcome Charles Mark Metelitsa Moss, who came this evening at 11:49pm. (I forget the weight and length. It’s been a really, really long day…) Charlie, mom, and dad are doing well. Don’t worry, kids! I promise to keep my end of our agreement: The “First Story” story will be Charlie’s first book!
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
December 9, 2009
The Vanishing Mr. Moss
I was out Tuesday afternoon for a district technology meeting, today we had a snow day, and I won’t be seen tomorrow either, UNLESS you happen to find me in the labor and delivery department at UConn! Baby Moss is finally coming tomorrow afternoon/evening (we hope), so I will be out for a few days! The kids will be in good hands, however. Remember, since I won’t be checking my email as much, messages about pickup arrangements or other time-sensitive matters should be directed to the main office. I will try to check my email periodically, but I appreciate your patience as I focus on my family. Thank you for all the well-wishes that I’ve already received from you, and I look forward to seeing the kids’ smiling faces when I return next week.
REMEMBER! We need to beat Mr. Grgach’s class in the contest to read at least 27,000 minutes in the month of December! If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, please ask your son or daughter. But READ, READ, READ!
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
December 7, 2009
Nutmeg Discussion Group
From Mrs. McCabe:
THE NUTMEG DISCUSSION GROUP ON THURSDAY, DEC. 10TH (A DOG’S LIFE; DOUBLE IDENTITY) WILL BEGIN AT 8:20, NOT 8:00.
The permission slip is now on-line in the virtual backpack.
Parents may also call and leave a message: 860-404-4800 or e-mail: smccabe@avon.k12.ct.us
THANKS!
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss