Southern Boone Elementary

February is a time of great learning at the elementary. We are diligently working on learning new material and closing gaps identified by winter screenings.

Valentine's Parties will be held on Friday, February 10 from 1:15-2:15pm. Teachers will be sending party information soon.

Parent teacher conferences will be held on March 9 from 4:00-7:00pm and March 10 from 8:00-11:00am. Please make sure you sign up for a time to meet with your child's teacher, so you can be informed of the progress he or she is making.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.

Dr. Amy James, Principal

ajames@sbschools.us

Ashley Tanksley, Assistant Principal

atanksley@sbschools.us

February

10 - Valentine’s Parties 1:15-2:15pm

16 - Cold Winter's Night (literacy night) 6:00-7:00pm (back up date for weather Feb. 23)

17 - 2nd Trimester Ends

20 - No School

March

2 - Read Across America Day

6-10 - Book Fair

9 - Parent Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:00pm

10 - No School

10 - Parent Teacher Conferences 8:00-11:00am

21 - PBS Assemblies (3rd Grade 1:30-2:00, 4th Grade 2:15-2:45)

23 - 3rd Grade Music Concert

24 - GrandFigures Ice Cream Social 1:45-2:45pm

27-31 No School - Spring Break

April

7 - Mid Terms Sent Home with Students

13 - 3rd Grade Cohort 1 Field Trip to Capitol

18 - 3rd Grade Cohort 2 Field Trip to Capitol

May

1-5 MAP Testing

8-12 i-Ready Diagnostic 3

16 - 3rd Grade Cohort 1 Park Day

18 - 3rd Grade Cohort 2 Park Day

19 - 4th Grade Cohort 1 Park Day

22 - 4th Grade Cohort 2 Park Day

23 - End of the Year Assemblies

Star Student

Student who shows good character.

3rd Grade: Rory Lewis, Landon Giboney, Kylee Campbell, Remy Quinn, Estelle Helmka, Kat Helming, Josey Roewe, Mason Patton

4th Grade: Conley: Annamae Allen, Alyssa Murphy, Elizabeth Kochert, Gavin Back, Zoey Fees, Anders Clemens, Kellen Kimbrough, Boston Cooper, Stephen Dullard

Rising to Excellence

Student that has shown excellence or improvement in academics, attitude, and/or behavior.

3rd Grade: Madison Rogers, Kiersdin Hicks, Brock Thomas, Cohen Binkley, Austin Schmidt, Chloe Stegman, Ben Mistler, Isabella Keene

4th Grade: Shelby Payne, Cooper Bunton, Hadley Jennings, Mackynzie Malone, Tristan Sapp, Ava Volkart, Aiden Bonnot, Charlie Myers

Elementary students are welcome to invite their GrandFigures to join us for an ice cream social on March 24 from 1:45-2:45pm. GrandFigures will stop into classrooms to enjoy ice cream with their special friend. A donation box will be available by the office to help cover the cost of the ice cream. Students MUST have a note sent to school from mom or dad stating the GrandFigure has permission to check them out early if you plan on the student leaving the party with their GrandFigure. (Even if the GrandFigure is on the checkout list, students will still need a note from their parent giving permission.) Any student who does not have a note will be dismissed from school according to their daily plan. We are excited to have all our GrandFigures join us!

SECURE YOUR SPOT TODAY!

Register at INVENT.ORG/CAMP or 800-968-4332

Grades: K - 6th

Location: Southern Boone Elementary School 809 S Henry Clay Blvd, Ashland, MO 65010

Dates: August 7 - 11, 2023

Time & Cost: 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM $260 (before discount)

No transportation is provided.

Camp Director: Lauren Huntebrinker lhuntebrinker@ashland.k12.mo.us | 636-614-6221 If these dates/times don’t work for you, please visit invent.org/camp for other locations near you.

What is the philosophy of standards-based grading?

• Standards-based grading is an educational system that focuses on the mastery of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education standards. It provides clear learning goals for the students, parents, and teachers. Standards-based grading defines what proficiency looks like and provides specific feedback on how the student is progressing. Standardized grading is less subject to bias and more focused on mastery instead of work habits. This allows educators to assess and parents and students to monitor which learning targets need to be improved and which skills the child has mastered.

Why are we moving from traditional grading to standards-based grading?

• Studies have shown that standards-based grading practices correlate to higher academic achievement. (Craig, 2011; Schoen, Cebulla, Finn, & Fi, 2003). The focus of grading has shifted from completion to proficiency. Students are assessed multiple times on each standard to determine proficiency and given specific feedback to support academic progress. Through this assessment process and standard alignment, grades will have meaning. Grades will communicate the student’s strengths and weaknesses with each standard. Traditional grading often becomes unclear because academic factors and non-academic factors are mixed into a single grade. Knowing where students are at with each standard allows teachers, parents, and students to know what the next steps of instruction should be. It also increases student ownership of their learning. Students will be able to self-assess and reflect on their performance to identify which areas they need improvement in.

• Grading systems that take place in education can dramatically impact the environment. In traditional grading, all students start with a 100% in the class. Students who make the fewest mistakes earn the highest grades. If a student earns a zero due to a specific event or behavioral factor, it can be extremely difficult for a student to improve their grade. This creates an environment where students are prone to anxiety and afraid to make mistakes. In comparison with traditional grading, standards-based grading creates an environment where students feel safe to push their thinking, make mistakes, and learn. In standards-based grading, their scores will go up as the student learns a new skill. The grades on the report card are reflective of the student’s mastery of the skill assessed at the end of the time period. This relieves the pressure of making mistakes during early attempts and prevents zeros from “ruining” their grade.

What does standard-based grading look like in the classroom?

• The subject matter is broken down into smaller learning targets based on the Missouri Learning Standards (Example: “I can” statements)

• Students know what proficiency looks like with each standard

• The teacher and the student tracks the student’s progress towards proficiency

• Evidence is collected over time through assignments, observations, and assessments

• Specific feedback is given to the student to support academic progress

• Students are aware of when they have reached mastery of a standard

• Students are active participants in their learning

What will the grade card look like?

• The grade card is broken down into different content areas. Within each content area, a student will be assessed on a grade level standard that was determined as priority by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Next to the standard, a student will receive a 3, 2, or 1. “3” indicates that the student has demonstrated mastery of the standard and is deemed proficient for the skill assessed. “2” indicates that the student has demonstrated partial mastery of that standard. “1” states that the student demonstrated little or no mastery of the standard. If the grade level standard does not have a 3, 2, or 1 next to it, that specific standard was not taught during the trimester being reported. All standards will be reported on at least once during the school year.

How often will families be informed about their child’s progress?

Families will receive a grade card three times a year that will report the student’s progress towards the standards assessed that trimester. Teachers will regularly send home assignments/assessments with feedback to report student progress throughout the trimester. Home and school are a partnership to support student academic progress. Teachers will frequently communicate what standards the students are working on in the classroom. Parents/guardians should be looking through assignments/assessments sent home and checking classroom emails to keep informed on their child’s progress.

References

Craig T. A. (2011). Effects of standards-based report cards on student learning. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:1127

Marzano, R. (2000). Transforming classroom grading. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Schoen, H.L., Cebulla, K.J., Finn, K.F., and Fi, C. (2003). Teacher variables that relate to student achievement when using a standards-based curriculum. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 34(3), 228-259.

If your child will be picked up as a car rider, please use our elementary car rider lines for the safety of your student and others. Busses that travel down Renee are struggling to navigate safely through the cars and students. Our 3rd Grade pick up line is in front of the elementary. Our 4th grade pick up line is in the back of the elementary, using Redtail. Siblings of 4th graders will be escorted to 4th grade pick up line for dismissal. Thank you for your help in keeping everyone safe!

Please make sure you child's lunch account is in good standing. The graphic below explains how to check your child's lunch balance and deposit money into your lunch account.

• Birthday treats must be served AFTER lunch.
• Birthday treats cannot be homemade, they must have an ingredient label.

If your student is absent, please let the office know by emailing Diana Smith at dsmith@sbschools.us or calling the office at 657-2145. Only letting the teacher know of the absence will not verify the absence. You must let the office know of the absence, since attendance records are maintained through the office.

Transportation changes must be made through the office. Please email Diana Smith at dsmith@sbschools.us or call the office at 657-2145 before 2:30pm (1:30pm on Wed.) with any transportation changes. Students will be sent home their regular way if the office does not have a transportation change request from a parent.

Please notify the elementary school AND your child's daycare if there is a transportation change.

If you have a health related question, Nurse Cobb can be reached at acobb@sbschools.us or by calling the school office.

Join our Southern Boone Elementary Facebook Page and the Elementary Remind account for school updates.

Want to receive text messages regarding upcoming events at your child's school?

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Step 1: Locate the appropriate code below for the group you wish to join.

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Elementary: @sbcels

Middle School: @sbcmds

High School: @sbchighs

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