Welcome to a Snowy April (Tuesday)….who would have thought???

(If you have no one taking the PSSA’s you can skip to the last paragraph:)

Next week our third through eighth grade students will start taking the state tests: PSSA’s.  I have a few reminders to help us all do well in these weeks.

1.  A good night’s sleep is the best first step.  Routines for sleep help every day, but especially when the schedule at school changes (as it will for the three weeks of the PSSA’s).

2.  Please encourage your student to eat a good breakfast, either at home or at school.  All our students have the opportunity for a good breakfast at school.

3.  Comfy clothes are a huge help.  By “comfy” I mean clothes that move with them such as sneakers, t-shirts, sweatpants.  The test requires a bit of sitting which will not be the norm for our students; every little bit helps.  Please remember that torn clothing (especially pants, at the knees or other areas is not part of the dress code).

4.  A snack when they get home is usually helpful and some encouragement to get out and run around!  We will take many breaks at school but again, every little bit helps.

5.  Have conversations about the PSSA’s; these tests are not something for our students to lose sleep over.  These tests are ONE way we (and the state) assess learning; they are not the determining factor in someone’s life plan.  These tests help us, at the school level, to plan for the following year.  We use this data to see where we are thriving and where we need to fill in gaps for the student. Remember that the last two years have had an impact one way or another on our students; this is the first time in two years that we have had an”almost” normal year so I am expecting “almost” normal results:).

Lastly I have two important favors to ask:

1.  PLEASE make sure that your student is in school for the PSSA’s.  We have seen that the students who take the test with their classmates do better in the normal classroom environment.  Meaning, when their routine is disrupted BUT they are with their peers they tend to relax more, stress less and get through the work.  If a child is absent, he or she will not have the opportunity to test with his/her classmates; that adds additional pressure due to lack of familiarity with their peers and lack of the new routine.

Also if a child arrives late to school and the test has already begun, the late child has to wait until the test is finished to enter the classroom (that becomes boring fast!).

2.  As you may have seen and heard, we are running a new ad campaign for this coming fall…it is dynamic and states simply that we are the best (my words ….the advertising company put it better than that!)…so we are looking for brief testimonials as to why you are happy with your choice of Fell Charter School.  Some testimonials may be used on our Website, some may be on our Facebook page and possibly in some ads.  We are looking for 3 or 4 lines.  Please send those to me and I will forward them to our Team.

Be well, stay safe and warm!
Miss Walsh