Country Meadows Principal's Message - August 23rd

Dear Country Meadows Families,

Our Assistant Principals reported that it was so great to meet so many of you at Curriculum Night this past Wednesday. I hope you left feeling encouraged and excited about the school year ahead. If you have any additional questions related to the information that was shared, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Mr. Senatore or Mrs. Garlick and they would be happy to clarify any topics that were discussed. If you were unable to attend Curriculum Night, please connect with your child's teacher.

Our first full week with students was filled with classroom community building and student learning! Students are becoming more familiar with classroom routines and they were able to enjoy a full week of their specials classes. Students also took the MAP test and their teachers and I are very proud of the effort the students put forth. Here is a glimpse of some classroom read alouds connected to our school theme of Say Something!

NEW *MAP TEST UPDATE*

Please read the following change regarding MAP testing and student score information.

We made the decision this year to turn off the ability for students to see their RIT score immediately upon submitting their test.  In past years, this feature has been turned on. Instead, students will receive their scores through an individual discussion with their teacher at some point following the MAP testing window.  In addition, MAP score reports will be emailed to parents on Friday, September 6th beginning at 3pm.  

The main reasons for this decision are as follows:  

We believe it is best for students that their results are shared personally.  Teachers can help put student results into context and discuss areas for further growth and areas of strength.  A RIT score in isolation does not communicate this level of detail and simply becomes a number to compare themselves to others. 

Some of our students have demonstrated a high level of anxiety with the level of sharing that occurs when the RIT scores are shown upon test submission.  This change will allow students to simply take the assessment and not be concerned about the immediacy of the feedback.  

NEW *HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT*

Human and Growth and Development information handouts were sent home by 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom teachers. If you did not receive a copy, please see the links below.

Third-grade lessons are on plants, animals, and babies.

Fourth-grade lessons cover the development of babies and puberty.

Fifth-grade lessons are on puberty and a discussion on Erin's Law with the social worker Ms. Johnson.

The links below contain a document with more information and a waiver if you wish to opt out of the Human and Growth and Development unit. The opt out forms must be signed and returned to the PE team.

3rd Grade & 4th Grade (Info & Waiver for Human & Growth Development Unit)

5th Grade (Info & Waiver for Human & Growth Development Unit)

REPEATING *BAND REGISTRATION*

Dear 5th Grade Parents: 

Band registration is still open for any 5th grader who would like to join. Most students signed up last spring, but whether you are new to the district or just decided you’d like to join, we’d love to have your child play in the band!

Please click this link to visit the band website, learn about the program, and sign up.  And please feel free to email the band teacher Mr. Craw with any questions.

REPEATING *PTO Update*  

Please read the latest PTO update!

Did you know the PTO uses Social Media to communicate about all events and experiences planned for our children and families? Please follow all of our social media platforms to stay up-to-date! The PTO has Facebook and Instagram @CountryMeadows PTO, and Twitter (@CM_PTO). New this year: Grade-Level Facebook Groups! 

2019-2020 Country Meadows Yearbook Cover Contest

Calling all Country Meadows students who are interested in the Yearbook Cover Contest for the 2019-2020 school year! This year’s theme is “Say something! The world needs to hear your voice!” Entries are due Friday, September 6th!

Find more information in the COUNTRY MEADOWS PTO BLOG!

REPEATING *Approved Snacks: What Parents Need to Know*

The District has revised the APPROVED SNACK LIST, adding more items to this list to give families more choices. The items the list includes are free of the Top 8 allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat. 

This list includes the foods that are approved for students' Daily Snacks. It also includes (for children in Grades 1–5) foods approved for Special Events such as birthday treats for a class or for PTO Halloween, Winter, or Valentine's Day parties.

IMPORTANT: All items for Daily Snacks–with the exception of fruits and vegetables–MUST be prepackaged to allow staff to easily check that snacks meet the approved requirements.

Director of Educational Services Amy Gluck also has provided responses to FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs) about foods approved for daily snacks/special events.

For your convenience, find links to the District 96 Approved Snack List and Approved Snack List FAQs on the homepage of the District 96 website and the homepage of each school.

REPEATING *School Hours*

Arrival time is between 8:10am and 8:20am.  The tardy bell rings at 8:25am. A parent/adult must accompany tardy students into the office and sign them in if you arrive after 8:25am.  Do not drop your child off at any door since all doors are locked and secured at this time. Please be aware that while we try to keep clocks on time, they can sometimes run a minute or two fast. If there are no adults outside, please walk your child into the front office.

• Dismissal: 3:00 p.m.

• Regular Day:  8:25 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.                                                                                

• Half Day: 8:25 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

• Early Release Day: 8:25 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Fondly,

Mrs. Meghan Bird, Principal