South Row School

Curriculum Night September 2014

Tonight’s Schedule / Purpose

PURPOSE:• Understand the curriculum for your child’s grade level and

the organization of their classroom.• Tonight is a general curriculum meeting, it is not a night to

conference with teachers.

SCHEDULE:• 5 – 5:25 Principal Presentation• 5:30 – 6:15 K,1&2 Presentation• 6:15 – 7:00 – Support Staff / Specialists available in classrooms• 7 – 7:25 Principal Presentation• 7:30 – 8:15 3&4 Presentation

Our Staff

• Secretary / Clerk / Nurse• Classroom teachers• Reading Specialists • Speech, OT, Psychologist, Guidance• Specialists – Art, Music, PE, Comp & Library• Special Education Staff – ECC / LC / RR (2)• Coaches • IPSPs - - Paraprofessionals• PSPs - - Aides• Porters (Custodians)• Café Staff• ***Principal Designee – Deb Dubray

Building upgrades this summer

• Painting of offices, library, second lab, café, hallways• Landscaping • Classroom sinks upgraded• General cleaning, waxing, etc• Five classrooms received mounted overhead LCD

projectors (Thank you PTO!)• Café will receive mounted overhead LCD projector

(Thank you PTO!!)

Calling in absences

• PLEASE CALL INTO THE OFFICE IF YOUR CHILD IS GOING TO BE ABSENT• (978) 251-5177 X6• We will call you beginning at 9:30am if we

do not have a call from you.

• I am looking into an email address to report absences

Curriculum Overview

• Reading – Journeys / Guided Reading• Writing – Writer’s Workshop / 6 Traits• Math – Math Expressions• Science – Foss Kits / Common Core Standards• Social Studies – Common Core Standards• Handwriting – Writing without Tears• Spelling – Words Their Way

• Instructional Blocks• Common Core State Standards

How YOU can support the curriculum?

• ATTENDANCE / On time to school.• Check over your child’s homework.• Read with your child daily.• Skip counting, flash cards, games, and find math in daily living.

(Money, clocks, measurement, etc.)• Discuss family history, town history, and what makes a community.• Daily Science– weather, nature, the stars, animals, etc.• Have your child active daily.• Promote healthy eating habits.• Discuss what your child is learning in art, music, library,

computers and physical education.

What if my child is struggling?What if my child needs a challenge?

• Daily differentiation to meet the needs of all students• Small group instruction daily• Universal Screening Measures / Progress Monitoring• Individual Goal Time – Daily 30 minutes• Reading Specialists• Speech & Language, Learning Center, Resource

Room, Early Childhood Center, OT, ELL• School Counselor / School Psychologist• Caring / Knowledgeable / Professional Staff• Student Study Team / Response to Intervention

Social Competency

• Second Step• Problem Solving, Understanding feelings /

emotions

• Lion Pride• P – Perseverance• R – Respect• I – Integrity• D – Dedication• E - Empathy

• Expected Behaviors – School Wide

Common Core overview

• Thinking skills• Deeper into skills / Less coverage• Career and college ready

• MA ADAPTED the Common Core to be:

Massachusetts Common Core State Standards

• PARCC – next year / MCAS this year gr 3&4

Quick video…

Common Core ELA

In classrooms, you will hear more about specific standards per grade level. But the major shifts from the MA standards to the MA Common Core State Standards:• Reading• Close Reading focus – Going back to the text• Non fiction focus – Not just fiction texts

• Writing• 3 Genres (4) – Narrative (Fictional), Opinion, Informative• 6 Traits – Ideas, Organization, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Voice,

Conventions

Common Core Mathematical thinking

Common Core Websites

• http://www.corestandards.org

• http://www.doe.mass.edu/candi/commoncore/

• http://www.ab.mec.edu/curriculum/curricpdf/common-core.pdf

• Video - http://vimeo.com/51933492

SCHOOL-HOME COMMUNICATION

•Home Link –Weekly (through Ed Connect)•Website – Changes Monthly•Resource Guide – School Level•Handbook – District Level **Please

review appropriate sections

Home-School Communication

• Communicate with US. • Keep your phone numbers / email

current on X2 and call us when you have questions or concerns.• Let us know if there is something

going on at home that could affect school.

How you can get involved.

• PTO – • Volunteer to run an event• Volunteer at an event• Come to meetings• Think about your own skill set and what you can offer

(even from home).

• DIRECTORY – Link sent today for the family directory. Please fill it out by Saturday September 20th.

• Ice Cream Social• 4th Grade Activities

PLEASE……

• Get involved at South Row.• Get excited about your child’s educational career and

all the opportunities they have ahead of them.• Check in at the office whenever you come to the

school.• Support your child(ren)’s teacher and the school.• Ask questions / Contact me.• My email: mcmahonmE@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

On the back table

•MAPS•How to access teachers’ X2 pages (specialist too)•Specialist Info •Adult Bathrooms are around the corner

THANK YOU! Go Lions!