Southern Boone Elementary

End of the school year activities are drawing near. Please make sure your child has a signed permission slip returned for each field trip. Our end of the school year awards assemblies will be the morning of May 23.

Elementary's end of the year assessments will begin the first week of May. Please make sure your child gets a good night's rest on testing days. We will take our Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) the first week of May. The second week of May will be our i-Ready end of the year diagnostic. We have planned these assessments over a two week period, so students are not testing all day.

The elementary is transitioning to standards based grading next school year. We expect this to look much like the primary school. Below is information on standards based grading that has been shared in previous newsletters and a presentation which was shared at spring parent teacher conferences. If you have any questions, we would be happy to help answer them.

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

April

11- Spring Picture Day

13 - 3rd Grade Cohort 1 Field Trip to Capitol

14 - Mid Terms Sent Home with Students

17 - 4th Grade Cohort 1 Field Trip to Ha Ha Tonka

18 - 4th Grade Cohort 2 & 3 Field Trip to Ha Ha Tonka

18 - 3rd Grade Cohort 2 Field Trip to Capitol

24 - 3rd Grade Cohort 1 PBS Field Trip

26 - 3rd Grade Cohort 2 PBS Field Trip

28 - No School

May

1-5 MAP Testing

8-12 i-Ready Diagnostic 3

8-17 APEX Fundraising Event

16 - 3rd Grade Cohort 1 Park Day

17 - APEX Fun Run Event

18 - 3rd Grade Cohort 2 Park Day

19 - 4th Grade Cohort 1 Park Day

19 - 4th Grade Cohort 2 & 3 PBS Field Trip

22 - 4th Grade Cohort 2 Park Day

23 - End of the Year Assemblies

25 - 4th Grade Cohort 1 PBS Field Trip

26 - Last Day of School - 12:30 Dismissal

Star Student

Student who shows good character.

3rd Grade: Aubry Hernandez, Liam Westhoelter, Amelia Bell, Rebekah Brenner, Madison Huether, Cole Grindstaff, David Calvin, Kenlee Carmichael

4th Grade: Olivia Hammond, Harrison Mutzbauer, Gavie Norem, Riley Branson, Kate Thomure, Aaliyah Wiliams-Poe, Olivia Bolte, Ellyse Galloway, Norah Old

Rising to Excellence

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

3rd Grade: Starianne Summerford, Truman Rubly, Lakoda Hartmann, Abby Kanatzar, Jase Deere, Cooper Neale, Auggie Weddle, Christian Edwards

4th Grade: Skyler Kay, Elijah Mistler, Nelum Wilson, Brantly Decker, Kayla Parton, Copeland Reckner, Malachi Fowler, Beckam Huck, Karsyn Bauer, Caden Schaffer

2022-2023 Elementary Handbook page 14 - "The school will not honor requests for specific classroom teachers. It is the position of the Southern Boone County School District that our teachers are highly qualified educators and it is not best practice to accommodate requests for specific classroom teachers except under extreme situations. You are welcome to inform school administration of issues of concern for your child or information that may help with the placement of your child in an environment that will best help with academic and personal growth before April 28, 2023."

If writing a letter with information about your child, please email it to Dr. Amy James at ajames@sbschools.us no later than April 28, 2023.

Spring picture day is April 11. Only students who have purchased a package will be photographed.

February 24, 2023

Dear Southern Boone Families,

We are currently in the planning stages for Summer School 2023. To reserve a spot for your child, please complete the linked Summer School Registration Google form. A Summer School Registration will need to be completed for each child you would like to attend Summer School. Please register your child according to the grade they will enter during the 2023-2024 school year. To ensure that we have an appropriate number of teachers and staff, please submit the registration form by Friday, April 28th.

Summer School Registration Form: https://forms.gle/QV7Mv5onQxBLV9BJ9

***If you are new to the school district, you must complete the full registration process.***

Summer School Locations:
Grades K-2nd: Primary Building
Grades 3rd-4th: Elementary Building
Grades 5th-8th: Middle School Building

Summer School Dates:
Week 1: Monday, June 5th - Thursday, June 8th
Week 2: Monday, June 12th - Thursday, June 15th
Week 3: Tuesday, June 20th - Friday, June 23rd
Week 4: Monday, June 26th - Thursday, June 29th

All buildings will be in session from 8:00 am – 3:30 pm each day. You may drop off your child starting at 7:30 AM. Our summer school program provides an excellent educational opportunity for your child. Transportation WILL NOT be offered through the school district for summer school. Summer School funding is provided by the state based on daily student attendance, so to provide a successful program, it is important for each enrolled child to be present.

Additional information regarding summer school will be sent at a later date to those enrolled. Please call the Primary School Office (573-657-2148), Elementary School Office (573-657-2145) or the Middle School Office (573-657-2146) if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Lucas Karr - Primary Summer School Director
Ashley Tanksley - Elementary Summer School Director
Will Beaudoin - Middle School Summer School Director

https://forms.gle/QV7Mv5onQxBLV9BJ9

Thank you to all the family and friends who came to visit during GrandFigures day!

Our 3rd graders did a great job at their music concert. A big shout out to Mr. Hennessy for teaching the students beats and engaging songs.

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.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1j3RYJ7irh7Ea12svfrnl_BwCcbHTNPACtonQu-UtJE0/edit?usp=sharing

Mrs. Shepherd will be starting a “Book Swap” time in our building next year! This event will take place once or twice a month in our library computer lab area. It will be from 7:30-8:00am. Students will be able to swap out a book from home for a new book OR students may receive a coupon for a free book due to their reading log steps. If you have any extra books you are willing to part with, Mrs. Shepherd will gladly take the donation.

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.

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!

• 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. This includes afterschool activities, we will need a note each day the student is planning to stay for an activity.

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.

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