Meridian Park Elementary

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Click on the link to view the slideshow: Twin Day 2013

April 9, 2013

Important MSP Information for 3rd-6th grade Meridian Park parents/ guardians:

Dear Parents:

As you know, all of our students are working hard to master core skills in the area of reading, writing and mathematical thinking. Soon, students in grades 3rd-6th will take the Measure of Student Progress (MSP), formerly known as the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) to check their progress.  All 3^rd – 6^th grade students will take reading and mathematics tests, 4^th graders will also take writing tests and 5^th graders will take an additional science test.  The testing window for elementary schools in our school district begins right after spring break and ends on May 16^th (with online testing ending on May 31st).   All elementary schools in Shoreline are doing online testing in math at grades 5^th and 6^th, in reading at 6^th grade and in science at 5^th grade.  We are working hard to train our teachers on the online system and will also give our students lots of preparation time to practice this before the actual test dates.

At Meridian Park, we plan to test students on the following schedule:

ü  May 1 – Grades 5 – Reading

ü  May 2 – Grade 4 – Reading

ü  May 7 – Grade 4 – Writing I

ü  May 8– Grade 3 – Math/ Grade 5 – Math online/Grade 6 – Reading online

ü  May 9 – Grade 4 – Writing II

ü  May 10 – Grade 3 – Reading

ü  May 14 – Grade 4 – Math online

ü  May 15 – Grade 5 – Science online/ Grade 6 – Math online

Testing will occur from approximately 9:30am to 11:30am with the exception of the writing tests that can take longer.    We will also have some alternate times assigned for student make up tests.  The MSP asks your child to read, write, think and solve problems – skills your child needs to be successful in the 21^st century.  However, it is important to remember that the MSP is just one tool to check your child’s progress toward state learning goals.  Classroom grades, homework, work samples and teacher conferences will continue to be excellent sources of information for your family.

As always, we want all students to be able to do their very best every day at school, not just on test days. However, during this testing period, as a parent, you can do a lot to help your child be successful.  It is good to ask how the testing went each day but avoid dwelling on test answers.  It is also important that children have plenty of sleep and eat a healthy breakfast during the testing period.  Of course we will also provide them with MSP snacks as well – thanks to our wonderful PTSA!

Please help us out by planning necessary appointments outside the testing days/ times so students do not have to make up sections of the test. Making up tests is stressful for everybody and we typically have over 100 students testing on one day. Scheduling make-up test times is challenging and hard work for everyone involved. We thank you in advance for helping us to avoid as many make-ups as we can.

If you have more questions about the MSP, there is a great deal of helpful information at The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: www.k12.wa.us/assessment/StateTesting/MSP./  At Meridian Park, we appreciate all you do to help your child and our school.   Thank you!

Sincerely,

Amy Jessee

Dear Meridian Park Families,

¨Scholastic’s “Book Fair  ~ Story Laboratory” will run Monday through Friday, April 8 – 12, from 8:40 AM until 4:00 PM, except the 12^th when it will close at 1:00.

¨The Book Fair will be open during Open House on Thursday, April 11, from 5:30 until 7:30.

¨There will be a drawing for free books beginning at 7:00 during Open House on Thursday, March 15. Students must be present to win. (All students are entered in the drawings!)

¨Look at the Teacher/Classroom Wish Lists to find ways in which to support your children’s classrooms.

¨”Books for All” Program

This program helps us get books into students’ hands and supports non-profit child-advocacy organizations. For every dollar donated by a parent, child, community member, or staff member, Scholastic Book Fairs matches it and donates to a non-profit agency such as Toys for Tots and National Center for Family Literacy. To participate, send in $1.00, or place it in the jar at the cashier’s station at the Book Fair, located in the library, or contribute your spare change.

¨Book Fairy Program

This program uses Book Fair profits and donations (see above) to provide gift certificates to students from the Meridian Park Book Fair-y, so that they may purchase books at the Book Fair.

¨Meridian Park’s book fair profits benefit Meridian Park students with the purchase of new library books and literacy programs.

We hope to see everyone at the Book Fair.

Sincerely,

Jenny Hillger, Teacher/Librarian

Student Council’s Student Store has been a huge success.  It will return in late April with new merchandise.

Check out the flyer by clicking here: student store poster (april ’13)

At our assembly this morning, our PTSA announced the recipients!

Big congratulations go to Shannon Brown and Rachel Ariss for their amazing volunteer service to our MP community, as well as to Jean Phelan and Matt Reiman, fourth grade teachers, for their outstanding gifts in our teaching community! Rachel Ariss and Shannon Brown

 Matt Reiman and Jean Phelan