The Principal's ROAR

With summer officially behind us, and the early signs of fall foliage before us, we start the clothing game! Cool mornings, which mean perhaps sweatshirts for morning recess, warm afternoons, which means everything from shorts to just no sweatshirts for the afternoon recess!

Next week we welcome back Mrs. Nielssen for Music. This is our first time having her here this school year. We will now rotate Music/PE and then another Music/PE, before switching over to Library. It is a new schedule created for the specialists as they were looking for more time to complete larger units, and an easier time feeling part of each school community.

Our students will take part in important assessments that help us better understand their learning and ensure they receive the support they need.

Dyslexia Screenings (Grades K–3):
New Hampshire law (RSA 200:59) requires schools to screen all students in kindergarten through grade 3 for potential indicators of dyslexia and related disorders. These screenings are not diagnostic but help us identify students who may be at risk and allow us to intervene with systematic and structured literacy interventions. Between September 14th and 25th, K–3 students will participate in district-wide benchmarking assessments. These assessment measures look at foundational reading skills, including rapid automatic naming (how quickly students can name specific objects), word reading accuracy, and general reading comprehension. Families will receive results once testing is complete, including whether a secondary screener is recommended.

MAP Growth Assessments (Grades 1–4):
During the same testing window, students in grades 1–4 will also take the MAP® Growth™ assessments in reading and math. These adaptive tests adjust to each child’s responses, giving teachers valuable insight into what students already know and what they are ready to learn next. Following testing, families will receive a Family Report summarizing academic progress and growth. For more information, you can visit NWEA.org/familytoolkit.

Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to support every child’s growth and success.