September was a busy month. Students were learning all of the routines and expectations of not only the school building, but the day to day in their classrooms. They are all doing an excellent job!
One of the other important tasks for the month of September is assessing student needs in order to provide necessary academic interventions. We utilize assessments and classroom based information from our teachers in order to get the best information for our staff to develop a plan of support. The NWEA MAP Growth assessment measures reading and math skills. The information we get from this assessment helps the staff to determine what particular areas of math and reading that students may be struggling in. It also tells us if we need to challenge students that are scoring high in certain areas. FastBridge is another assessment that is used in the lower elementary grades, which has a face to face component, rather than online, for assessing reading and math. This gives an additional amount of foundational skill information in a different format. There are other short assessments that teachers may use to dig deeper into specific areas, if they see concerns in order to pinpoint a particular skill.
There is a great deal of collaboration between classroom teachers, Title I staff, our Instructional Coach, and support staff. We meet to go through all the collected data and create teams and small groups that target need areas for students. These teams and small groups can change as students meet their goals and master concepts. There is a progress monitoring process to make sure that the strategies and interventions being implemented are having an impact. October will start Title I teams and intervention groups within the classrooms. Teachers will share information on your child's progress during Parent Teacher Conferences at the beginning of November. Please reach out to your child's classroom teacher if you have any questions.
Sandy Knoll will once again have Halloween activities on Tuesday, October 31st. Students will be participating in fun activities within their own classrooms, and we will also be having an all school Halloween parade. I will be sending a separate letter with all of the details of the Halloween Day activities. We do ask that for student safety, parents NOT wear costume masks at the parade. Students will be allowed to wear masks, but please make sure that they are able to see properly out of them for safety walking in the parade and getting on and off the bus. The masks, along with any costume, must be free of blood, gore, guns, and knives (props are not allowed). Further information will be sent via Skyward soon.
What is Title I? Sandy Knoll, along with our other elementary schools in the district are Targeted Title I Schools. Title I is a federally funded program that offers support services to students who need extra time and instruction to master grade-level curriculum based on district assessments, along with classroom based evidence. There are cutoff scores that we use to determine if your child qualifies for Title I services. These services may be short-term or long-term depending on the individual needs of the student. We implement the necessary interventions, then progress monitor continuously throughout, to make sure that the intervention strategies are making an impact for your child. You will be receiving information soon, if your child has qualified for our Title I services. If you have any questions, please contact the school.
Please consider being involved in our Sandy Knoll School Association. The SKSA meets once per month, and is the driving force for many of our school events throughout the school year. SKSA is looking for members to become actively involved by volunteering for school events and serving on committees that will be responsible for the many activities that are planned for students and families. If you are interested in volunteering for any activities, please make sure to fill out a MAPS volunteer form. The SKSA also has their own Facebook page to keep everyone updated on events. We have several events coming up soon. There will be volunteers needed for Popcorn Days, the Pizza Fundraiser delivery, "Make a Difference Day" raking event on our school playground, and the Book Fair at the beginning of November. The next meeting will be Tuesday, October 17th @ 6:00 pm in the library here at SK. Childcare will be provided by volunteers from the MSHS National Honor Society.
Meet Our New First Grade Teacher - Ms. Sarah Garceau
While Ms. Garceau is not a new face here at Sandy Knoll, this is her official first year as a classroom teacher in our building, and she LOVES Sandy Knoll so much! She graduated from Northern Michigan University in May of 2023 with her degree in Elementary Education. She also served on the Marquette Alger Reading Council for several semesters, while attending NMU. Ms. Garceau has served in many roles here since 2016 such as Noon Hour Supervisor, Instructional Aide, Substitute Teacher, and any other role that she has been asked to fulfill.
Ms. Garceau has two dogs, Piper and Sarie, that she loves walking, especially in the fall. She is a Green Bay Packer fan and is having fun with the kiddos at the school who enjoy various sports teams! Ms. Garceau spends a lot of free time with her nieces and nephews doing various activities around Marquette. Her favorite month to work in a school is December because she loves the extra cheer and joy spread throughout our hallways and inside of the classrooms. We are so lucky to have Ms. Garceau join our Sandy Knoll family!!!
What skills have we been working on?
Our school counselor and SEL instructors have been working to prepare grade appropriate lessons for students in order to enhance our students' skills. Our SEL instructors are using the TRAILS curriculum for Social Emotional Learning throughout the grade levels. All grade levels of classes have been working on thoughtfulness, mindfulness, and being kind in these first few weeks. The playground and cafeteria are areas that we continuously reinforce social skills and conflict resolution skills on a daily basis. Miss Emily, our school counselor, will be working will small groups and individual students to focus on specific skills. We have a great deal of support and resources to share with parents. If you are having any concerns about your child, please feel free to reach out to the school office with any questions.