Dear Parents,

 

SRINGING into the fourth quarter…

 

Hard to believe the school year is in winding down and classes are becoming less structured on lessons and more focused on end-of-the-year activities such as Field Day, Boosterthon and Evening of the Arts. This time can be very exciting and fun; however, it may also feel chaotic, unpredictable, and even sad for some children; children who are uncomfortable with change, children who have had a very successful school year and may anticipate a new school year with upsets, and children who may be switching schools for varying reasons. As we transition into our final seven weeks of school, remember to keep those lines of communication open between your child, the teacher and yourself.

 

We feel confident in our staff for next year and look forward to revealing your child’s teacher for next year on the fourth quarter report card on the final day of school. A friendly reminder, we don’t have a “teacher request” system at Lookout Mountain. Your child’s current teacher assists in placement. We trust that all of our teachers are qualified professionals. We work hard to develop balanced classrooms.

 

 

Thank you for your continuous support.

 

Tricia Johnson, principal

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Dear Parents,

It’s almost that time again – standardized testing is right around the corner. We will be administering AzMERIT for grades 3-6 starting on March 28.  You play an important part in helping students give their best performance on this important test.  As you know, we have been busy preparing and reinforcing the skills necessary for students to demonstrate their learning.  Even though this assessment is a snapshot – one single perspective – it is important that our students have every advantage to do their very best.  We don’t want to cause test anxiety, rather we want our students to be as prepared as possible.  There are many ways in which you can help your child put his or her best foot forward.  The following guidelines can help set our students up for success:

 

The night before the test:

1. Make sure your child goes to bed on time so he or she is well-rested.

2. Keep your routine as normal as possible.  Upsetting natural routines may make children feel insecure.

3. Be positive and confident in the fact that you know your child will do his or her best.

4. Plan ahead to avoid conflicts on the morning of the test.

 

The morning of the test:

1. Get up a few minutes early to avoid rushing and make sure your child arrives at school on time.

2. Have your child eat a nutritious breakfast. There is a strong correlation between eating breakfast and                     memory and cognitive functioning.

3. Have your child dress comfortably.

4. Be positive and communicate that this is your child’s chance to show what he or she knows. The most                     important thing you can do right before the test is to build confidence about doing his or her very best.

 

After the test:

1. Talk to your child about his or her feelings about the test.

2. Discuss what was easy and what was hard; discuss what your child learned from the test.

3. Explain that performance on a test does not define him or her as a person.  It is just one opportunity to                 demonstrate learning.

 

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in your child’s education.

 

Tricia Johnson, principal

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February 1, 2017

Dear Parents,