Principal’s Coffee Chat
Elon Park Elementary
March 20, 2015
Today’s Chat
Coffee Chat Norms
Today’s Agenda
•
Please put cell phones on vibrate

Vision and Mission Statement
•
If you have to take a call, please go
into the hallway

Harris Teeter Playground Grant

School Report Card
•
Limit sidebar conversations
•
Hold questions until the end of each
segment

Reading 3D MOY Update

MOCK EOG
Focus on issues that are within our
control

EOG Prep Books
•

School Grades
Vision
 At
Elon Park Elementary, staff, students,
families and community members
collaborate to provide an extraordinary
learning environment where all reach their
full potential, enrich their individual
talents and exhibit school pride…at ALL
times, in EVERYTHING they do.
Mission
At Elon Park Elementary, the school community will support the commitment to
the following:

Providing every student with rigorous, engaging and balanced instruction.

Basing all decisions on student strengths and needs according to all available
data.

Appropriate, effective collaboration among staff, families and community
members for the benefit of each student.

Facilitation of 21st century learning through implementation of best practices.

Delivery and participation in effective professional development.

Continuous school improvement.

180 School Days resulting in a minimum of one year’s growth academically for
every student.
Harris Teeter Grant
$5000
Thank you Melissa Lanoue for writing the Harris Teeter Grant that has allowed us to purchase swings for the new
playground. The PTO will be paying for the installation. Thank you to Ross Mandell who donated money for us to
purchase a Gah Gah ball pit. We should have it built by the end of the month. We are currently working on a Jimmie
Johsnon grant to buy additional equipment for the new playground.
School Report Card
The state of NC decided to give each school a letter grade based on the proficiency and growth of our students over
the course of a year. Information was sent home in Monday folders and you find our school report card on the school
website as well. Read to Achieve letters will be going home in Monday folders to students who have not met the
state’s benchmark for proficiency at the third grade level. We will continue to work with your child until the end of
the school year.
Reading 3D, Middle of Year Assessment
 Reading
3D is an assessment required by the State
of North Carolina for all students in grades
Kindergarten through Third.
 Middle
of Year administration procedures.
 Review
of process
 Feedback
 End
from parents
of Year Procedures
Middle of the Year Reading 3D assessments went well with the new state of NC procedures. Testing was completed
with another teacher other than the homeroom teacher. Some of students did not make the progress we had hoped
but we are glad that we began the new administration process so that our students will be more comfortable with the
end of the year assessments that begin April 27th.
Mock EOG


When?

3rd, 4th, 5th Reading – March 23rd

3rd, 4th, 5th Math – March 24th

5th Science – March 25th
Why?


How we use the data?


All this testing seems crazy…
½ Day planning sessions
About the test.
MOCK EOGs are scored by objectives. We do not use the MOCK EOGS as a grade. Teachers use this information along
with MAP data to plan reteach, practice, and enrichment lessons as part of our EOG preparation. We will flexibly
group students. The small group may be taught by another teacher other than the homeroom teacher so that we can
maximize instruction.
EOG Prep Books


How we will use the Prep books
that you have already
purchased

Standards and objectives

Flexible Grouping

Certified Support Staff
Purchased through the
school
Other Resources:

Lakeshore Learning

Matthews
10005 E. Independence Blvd.
Matthews, NC 28105
704-849-2370
Monday-Friday 10:00-9:00
Saturday 10:00-8:00
Sunday 12:00-6:00
Optional books for home


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
NC Dept. of Public Instruction

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/
Optional Tutors
EOG prep books will begin being used after Spring Break. We also have optional EOG prep books that can be
purchased to be used at home. The letter is going home in Monday folders. Make sure to pay by April 2 nd. We will be
ordering the books over spring break and can’t accept any payments after spring break.
Parent Feedback and Questions
1.
2.
3.
What about test anxiety? Test anxiety does exist with some of our students. Our guidance counselors held a test
anxiety workshop earlier this month for parents. Our guidance counselors also meet with small groups of students
who show signs of text anxiety to help them develop strategies to cope with text anxiety. EOGs will most likely
begin on a Friday like last year. Our plan is to have a kickball tournament just like last year. It is our way to show
the students that we have confidence in their ability to do well on the test and not add any stress.
Is TD different this year? Yes, it is different; but more impactful. We are a model school for the district based on
our approach this year. We cluster our TD and catalyst students. Our TD teachers co-teach with the classroom
teacher. The teacher is then about to use the strategies taught by the TD teacher all day long. We also sent 14
teachers to the TD conference courtesy of the PTO to continue learning strategies to help our students. We will
send the link to our monthly TD newsletter in the Friday principal email. We will also set up a tab on our school
website to access the link as well.
Would you recommend buying an optional EOG prep book to use at home? It will depend on your child. Some
children need the review only at school. They need to play when they get home. Some children will need the
extra reinforcement at home. It really will depend on your child.