Academic Progress

Today the first progress report for the year was sent home.

Did you notice how I used the word “progress” and not “report” card? That is because this is the start of the progress your son or daughter is going to make this year.

Often the first report of the year is the hardest for parents. Parents remember the high marks at the end of the previous year and expect that the start of this year will be no different. What is often forgotten is that your child is not mastering last year’s content. He/she is now being exposed to new, more difficult content.

Our report is based on the current grades expectations. Your student is not being compared to other students in his/her class but on benchmarks of performance for that grade. Our report uses numbers to signify the following things:

4- Exceeds grade level expectation

3- Meeting grade level expectation

2- Making progress toward grade level expectation

1-Below grade level expectation


Students should not exceed all grade level expectations this time in the year. There is a lot of knowledge still to be acquired. We want to challenge students and cause them to work towards mastery. This is how we progress in our pursuit of knowledge. The best progress is one that allows for and celebrates student growth.

Keeping Kids Safe in the Digital Age

Lori Getz, an Internet safety expert, presented to our middle and upper school students this week. Although she did not speak to the lower school students, her message can benefit children of all ages with the help of parents. It is important in this digital age that parents set boundaries and be cognizant of who and what our children are interacting with in the digital vortex. The earlier these guidelines are developed the better.


If you would like to hear Lori’s answers to modern day parenting questions such as, “should I spy on my child’s online activities?” or “how do I know if an app is appropriate or not?”, click on this link:

http://www.kidsinthehouse.com/expert/parenting-advice-from-lori-getz-ma

Lori Getz Parent Presentation 

Creativity

When businesses predict skills needed for the 21st century workforce, creativity is always on the list. Knowing how to think outside the box to conceive new ideas or products is an essential skill in today’s society.


This year, one way we are developing our students' creative force is by offering art to our list of speciality classes available to the Lower School students.
Art happens at least once a week for every student in grades K-12.


Ms. Butenschoen (our art teacher) has the students stretch their minds by offering a variety of mediums for them to work with. She not only helps them create unique works of art, but also incorporates art history and introduces them to famous works of art.



Art not only expands creativity and lets students see the world from a new perspective, but it also helps finely tune their visual-spatial and motor skills. Over all, art is not just beneficial for our students, but it is also transforming our space into one full of color, contrast, and of course, creativity!