January 21, 2010
Re: High school transition
Dear Parents and Students:
While next fall may seem far away, it is time to begin thinking about the transition to the high school. We have been working closely with the high school administration and guidance staff to develop a placement process designed to make the transition as seamless as possible for our students. Our goal is to ensure that students are placed appropriately so that they are able to maximize their high school experience. To this end, there are a number of activities that impact both students and parents.
On Tuesday, February 2nd, all 8th grade students will be completing a writing prompt in the morning. This prompt was collaboratively developed by middle school and high school teachers and will also be collaboratively scored. It will be a literary analysis of a poem, similar in format to what students have been working on in class and are likely to see on standardized tests. In addition to providing data for high school placement, it will provide data for the middle school to use to reflect on our instructional practices.
Over the past several years, students have taken the NWEA on-line math and reading tests. Students will take the reading and math portion of the NWEA between March 9th and 19th and these scores will be incorporated into the placement process. These tests are nationally normed and parents will receive individual student reports on these tests in the summer.
Once the data is collected, the high school staff will begin to make placement recommendations in English, Math, Modern Languages, Science and Social Studies. English and Social Studies placement is based on the writing prompt, and NWEA reading scores as well as the students' grades to date in English, Reading and Social Studies. Math placement is based on the NWEA math scores, current math placement and grades. Science placement is based on current science grades and math placement. Modern Language placement recommendations are made by your student's current ML teacher and passed along to the high school.
Beyond the data portion of the placement, there are several opportunities for information to be shared with parents and students. The high school guidance staff begins the conversations with 8th grade students in mid-February, meeting with them as a team to review high school course offerings and explain the placement process. The guidance staff will return in April to discuss the details of registration. The registration materials need to be signed by a parent and returned to the middle school by April 26th in preparation for on-line registration. The high school guidance counselors will oversee the registration process in our computer lab.
In the fall, 8th grade students took part in the NECAPs which replaced the MEAs for state-wide standardized test. We anticipate receiving student data on the NECAPs at the end of January. These scores may also be considered in the placement process.
The high school invites parents of incoming freshmen to an Open House on Wednesday, February 24th from 6-8 p.m. at the high school. This is an opportunity to meet high school faculty and learn about curriculum.
If you have any questions about either the high school placement process or the NECAP testing, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Penelope Wheeler-Abbott
Assistant Principal
Important Dates to Remember
February 24, 6-8 p.m. Greely High School |
Open house for incoming freshmen & parents |
March 9-19 |
NWEA math and reading tests |
April 9 |
Placement letters mailed to parents |
April 26 |
Signed registration form due back to GMS |
April 27 |
Students pre-register for classes |
May 24-26 |
Students register for classes during mastery |
8th Grade Transition Night
2/24/10
6:00-6:10 Jazz Band
6:10-6:15 Opening remarks from Chris
6:15-6:21 Visual & Performing Arts
Band/Chorus (BAND ROOM)
Art/Drawing & Painting/Ceramics (ART ROOM)
Theatre I & II (ROOM 152)
6:21-6:24 English/Social Studies (LIBRARY)
6:24-6:27 Math (ROOM 120 & 121)
6:27-6:30 Science (ROOM 130)
6:30-6:33 Language (ROOM 247 & 248)
6:33-6:36 Technology/PE/HEALTH (ROOM 106)
6:36-6:39 SLC (ROOM 258-259)
6:39-6:42 Special Education (ROOM 123)
6:42-6:45 Social Work (ROOM next to Guidance)
6:45-6:48 IB (ROOM 151)
6:48-8:00 Break out to specific academic learning areas
****BREAK OUT SESSIONS ARE IN RED
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