4/5/19
TGIF...Twin Groves it’s Friday! Welcome back!
I hope everyone had a relaxing Spring Break!
In an effort to spread positivity, Twin Groves uses our 5 Traits to recognize exemplars of the following qualities: Responsible, Accountable, Respectful, Safe, and a Community. In addition to the 5 Traits, we are also recognizing students for being an Upstander.
As part of this focus, the Twin Groves Staff would like to recognize and reward students who consistently demonstrate these qualities each month. For this month’s recognitions, we are pleased to announce that the following students have been selected for displaying these characteristics.
Kwame Adusei-Poku
Natalie Karamitis
Zach Karcz
Max Kazibut
Tyler Li
Brooke Olsen
Hadley Thomas
Kaisei Tsuchida
Filip Wal
Counseling Corner
Mrs. DiMare and Ms. McDevitt, School Social Workers
Mrs. Koulentes, School Counselor
Ms. Leverentz, School Psychologist
With all of the upcoming assessments in the last stretch of our school year, the Counseling Corner staff felt that you might find the following strategies helpful to enhance student success and minimize test-taking anxiety.
Pre-Testing Strategies: Tips for Parents and Students
Assure your student that any nervousness about testing is normal and that some level of anxiety can motivate students to study for these assessments. However, when this anxiety becomes excessive, it can completely impair students’ motivation to study, and often, their ability to recall the information they learned once they are in a test-taking situation. Be sure to present your student with realistic expectations for their learning- often, anxious children try to please adults and will try to be perfect if they believe it is expected of them.
Being prepared helps to minimize test anxiety, so be sure that your student studies, making use of study tools given by teachers, and self-created tools (e.g., flash cards, study guides). Encourage your student to study on a nightly basis, rather than “cramming” at the last minute. Encourage healthy eating and sleeping habits leading up to tests, and encourage study breaks. Work with your student to recognize the first signs of anxiety as a cue to use calming strategies, and teach them to block out any negative or critical thoughts that might come to mind about their future performance.
Test-in-Progress Strategies: Tips for Students
-When the test is handed out or started electronically, take deep breaths to keep yourself relaxed.
-Slowly read directions, underlining or highlighting key words.
-Skim through the test to preview what is presented and plan your pace, when possible.
-Start with the easiest questions first and then move to more difficult questions, when possible.
-Mark questions you are stuck on and then come back to them at the end.
-If you’re taking an essay test, make sure you first answer what the question is directly asking for, and then expand on your ideas.
-Keep a positive attitude. Remember, it is important to do YOUR best, not THE best. Each test is important, but each is only one test, and only part of your grade.
Post-Testing Strategies: Tips for Students
-Review your notes and books to relearn material that you may have missed on the test. Remember, learning is ultimately more important than an individual score.
-If you have a concern about your test, schedule a meeting with your teacher after class or afterschool to ask questions about what you missed.
More from the Counseling Corner
April is Sexual Assault awareness Month. Please see below for information about talking with young children about asking for consent and setting boundaries.
IAR Testing
Coming in Early April: IAR Assessment for Grades 3–8
The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) is the new English/language arts and math state assessment for Grades 3–8 students in Illinois public schools.
The IAR replaces the PARCC assessment given the previous few years and is, in fact, very similar.
The testing window is designated as Apr. 8–26, but our students do not test every day during that period.
Read more info about the IAR, including our Testing Schedule, the impact of participation, and more.
As your building principal, I'm happy to answer any questions you have about the IAR assessment. Please call our school office or send me an email.
8th Grade IAR Schedule for Twin Groves
-Monday, April 8th-ELA 1
-Tuesday, April 9th- ELA 2
-Thursday, April 11th-Math 1
-Friday, April 12th- Math 2
-Monday, April 15th- Math 3
7th Grade IAR Schedule for Twin Groves
-Monday, April 8th-ELA 1
-Tuesday, April 9th- ELA 2
-Thursday, April 11th-Math 1
-Friday, April 12th- Math 2
-Monday, April 15th- Math 3
6th Grade IAR Schedule for Twin Groves
-Tuesday, April 16th- Math 1
-Wednesday, April 17th- Math 2
-Thursday, April 18th- Math 3
-Monday, April 22nd- ELA 1
-Tuesday, April 23rd- ELA 2
Parents of D96 Middle School Girls
District 96 middle school girls can sign up of Dream Day 2019. The DreamGirls Initiative is a nonprofit organization committed to inspiring young women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) by exposing them to female role models.
This is a FREE workshop, however, you must register. Space is limited to the first 150 girls.
This event will take place Saturday, April 6th from 10AM.-1:30PM.
REGISTER at this LINK
6th Grade Dental Information
Attention parents of 6th Graders. Proof of dental exams for all 6th graders are due by May 15th. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Borzych at 847-821-8946.
We are Twin Groves...A Celebration of Culture
Please save the date…..May 7, 2019
Given the rich diversity of the cultures in our shared community, we are looking forward to engaging students and families in a night where we celebrate our own culture, learn/celebrate the cultures of others, and build on a shared community culture. The event will run from 7:00PM to 8:30PM.
This evening will be open to all Twin Groves families.
If your student and/or family is interested in performing or presenting during the event, please indicate by completing this Google Form. When we have a better understanding of how many presenters sign up, we will be communicating logistics of the event.
Daily Announcements
The Daily Announcements will be posted each morning. Please see Twin Groves website for up to date school announcements. The announcements let you know what exciting activities and clubs are going on at Twin Groves. Please click HERE to access the Daily Announcements.
PTO
Attention PTO Volunteers!
When you are volunteering for an event at Twin Groves, please don’t forget to sign in and out in the front office. Thank you!
Upcoming Events
-April 17th Dessert Day
-April 24th Special Lunch
-May 15th Dessert Day
-May 21st 8th Grade Pizza Lunch
-May 22nd Special Lunch
-Mary 29th 6th and 7th Grade Pizza Lunch
Please click HERE to access the Membership Toolkit. All items for sale from the PTO will be available on this website.
Band & Orchestra Boosters
Please click the BLOG to access the latest news from the Band & Orchestra Boosters.