Moretown School Update, October 6, 2017

Moretown students
 taking advantage of the
amazing fall weather

Important Information Regarding Upcoming School Conferences

Dear Moretown School Families,

We are excited to continue our shift this year to engage you, as parents and families, in setting goals for your child during our family/teacher conferences.  Please note we will follow the same process as last year: sending progress reports in January and June. Together we will build a culture more focused on the excitement of learning rather than traditional grading.  We feel that too strong of an emphasis on grades may actually reduce student interest in learning and may create situations where students are less likely to take risks or to explore creative solutions to tasks. We believe we will set the right tone by starting the year with an emphasis on student learning goals, strengths, and interests. Our practice will ultimately prepare students as they progress into Harwood Union and beyond.

So, the upcoming October/November Parent Conferences (Oct23 - Nov 3) will focus on students’ goal and interests. Our goal is to empower our students to take a  role (this will look different for dependent on grades)  in reflecting upon and communicating about their learning. This practice helps to build dispositions and skills that will be vital to students’ education now and in their future years here in our school. To prepare for the November conference, we may ask that you spend some time with your child developing a goal for them to work on this year.  A specific goal setting guide will be sent home with your children prior to the conferences.  Teachers will also work on a similar goal setting guide as well here at school, which will look different for different grade students.   We will use the “online” family conference scheduler this year as we have in the past, the link for this will be sent to families once the dates and times are set (the week of October 9th)

Sincerely,

Duane Pierson

dpierson@wwsu.og

6th Graders with the learning buddies.  

5th Graders with their learning buddies.  

Oct 2017

October 11	HUUSD Spelling Bee Hosted at the Fayston School 8am start time
October 12	Picture Day
October 18	Community Meeting 6:30pm School Meeting that will include topics around, Curriculum, Communication and Climate Topics.  More on this meeting coming soon,
Oct 23 to Nov 3	Conferences Link to our online conference scheduler will be sent the week of Oct 9th.
October 31	Annual PTN Halloween Party at the school.  4:30 - 6:00.

HUUSD and Vermont 2016-17 Assessment Results Released

On 9/13/17 Secretary of Education, Rebecca Holcombe announced statewide results from the 2016-17 Smarter Balanced Assessments, a set of computer adaptive tests for English Language Arts and Mathematics developed by a national consortium currently made up of 15 states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Bureau of Indian Education. This was the third year Vermont students, statewide, participated in the Smarter Balanced program.

These tests, which were administered this spring to students in grades three through eight and grade 11, were designed to assess student mastery of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Mathematics. These standards are deliberately ambitious, to ensure we have high expectations for our students. Over time, the results will provide community members, teachers, and parents with an increasingly reliable and accurate snapshot of children’s mastery of these standards as well as the progress of our schools at improving the performance of our students relative to these standards.

MATHEMATICS

2017 Smarter Balanced Results	Proficient Scaled Score	STATE of VERMONT		HUUSD
		Scale Score	Total Proficient and Above	Scale Score	Total Proficient and Above Proficient
Grade 3	2436	2438	52%	2452	62%
Grade 4	2485	2476	47%	2488	54%
Grade 5	2528	2505	42%	2514	46%
Grade 6	2552	2519	39%	2535	41%
Grade 7	2567	2541	44%	2552	50%
Grade 8	2586	2555	41%	2551	43%
Grade 11	2628	2555	37%	2549	25%

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

2017 Smarter Balanced Results	Proficient Scaled Score	STATE of VERMONT		HUUSD
		Scale Score	Total Proficient and Above	Scale Score	Total Proficient and Above Proficient
Grade 3	2432	2425	49%	2442	60%
Grade 4	2473	2466	59%	2497	63%
Grade 5	2502	2508	55%	2520	61%
Grade 6	2531	2531	52%	2562	72%
Grade 7	2552	2555	55%	2570	59%
Grade 8	2567	2570	55%	2548	51%
Grade 11	2583	2599	59%	2580	54%

Like several other SBAC consortium member states, Vermont saw its scores decline slightly this past year. “The relationship between strong academic skills and financial security and wellbeing is stronger than it has ever been, regardless of whether our students are headed to careers or college when they graduate. Tests don’t measure everything that matters to a happy and successful life, including our ability to participate in democratic life,  but there is no path to prosperity for students who don’t master reading, writing, and mathematics,” said Secretary of Education Rebecca Holcombe. “We were disappointed to see those score declines. The achievement gaps between our vulnerable youth and students with greater privilege remain, and in some cases were narrowed, but this was largely a result of score declines for more privileged groups. As we work to implement more personalized learning and flexible pathways, we need to make sure we continue to challenge and engage all our students, while providing the extra support our more vulnerable children need to thrive. And, we need to support our schools and teachers as they figure out how to support better learning outcomes.” This is the first year scores will be used to calculate the growth measures (to show a change in performance from the preceding year) in Vermont’s state plan for the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Federal dollars are used to provide extra support for students for whom those dollars will make the greatest difference. 

The Smarter Balanced Assessments, which challenge students to apply their knowledge and skills in areas such as critical thinking, analytical writing and problem solving, are computer adaptive tests, administered online. Computer adaptive tests adjust the difficulty of the test question based on how a test taker responds to each successive question. If a student answers incorrectly, for example, the computer delivers a slightly easier question. If the student answers correctly, the next question is a bit harder. This process continues until the best possible prediction of a student’s ability is determined. This means very few children take a test that feels too hard or too easy. It also means the test can provide a more precise measure of what students can and cannot do.

Comparative results showing HUUSD in relation to other schools like us and showing result over the three years will be compiled and posted to the HUUSD website soon. This entire data report will include demographic breakouts including Gender, Social Economic Status, and IEP comparisons.  

We understand that these tests do not assess all of what it is that makes each child unique. The people who create these tests and score them do not know your children the way that your teachers do or families do.   They do not know that some may speak two languages. They do not know that some can play a musical instrument or that some can dance or paint a picture. They do not know that you write poetry or songs, play or participate in sports, wonder about the future, or that sometimes they take care of little brothers or sisters after school. They do not know that some have traveled to really amazing places or that some know how to tell a great story or that some really love spending time with special family members and friends. They do not know that some can be trustworthy, kind or thoughtful and that they try, every day, to be their very best. The scores will tell you something, but they will not tell you everything. There are many ways of being smart, successful and inspired.   There are many ways to assess how our children are doing.

Community Announcements

Please note that the opportunities/events listed below are not specifically endorsed or screened by school staff; as always, families should use their own standards and review processes to determine appropriate activities.

Skills Assessment for Spring 2018 Soccer
Sunday Oct 15 2017 for U10, U12, U14 & U16
U10 Girls (Birth year 2008 & 2009) 9:00-10:00am
U10 Boys (Birth year 2008 & 2009) 10:00-11:00am
U12 Girls (Birth year 2006 & 2007) 11:00-12:00pm
U12 Boys (Birth year 2006 & 2007) 12:15-1:15pm
U14 & U16 Girls (Birth year 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005) 1:15-2:15pm
U14 Boys (Birth year 2004 & 2005) 2:15-3:15pm
If your child wishes to play spring soccer,
please email registrar.mrvsa@gmail.com with
your child’s name, date of birth & town.
Also indicate if they will or will not be at the skills assessment.
NOTE: There will be Spring soccer for younger groups (Pre-K, Kindergarten,
Grades 1 & 2), but we do not hold skills assessment for these ages. Look for
registration information for these age groups in March 2018.

Mad River Youth Basketball Registration is now open for boys and girls in grades 3 - 6!   Fees:  $65 for early registration by October 3, 2017.  $75 for late registration after October 3, 2017 until registration closes on October 15, 2017.  
Register by email or in person.  Scholarships are available!
In person registration night is October 3, 2017, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m., at Waitsfield Elementary School.  There will be organized drills provided for the kids! Open gyms begin October 10, 2017, more details to come.
Regular season practices will begin in mid-November and games will start in mid-December.    Email:  madriverybb@gmail.com with any questions and to request a registration form.

BOOK RELEASE PARTY, Saturday, Oct. 7th, 11 am—2 pm, at The Collection, Waitsfield
NY Times best selling author & illustrator of The Sheepover John Churchman will be personally signing his newly released book A Farm For Maisie.  Come meet Farmer John and the main character Maisie the border collie!  Laddie will be greeting everyone too!

Vermont Youth Dancers (VYD) will present A Better Place, A Twist on Oliver at Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center on Saturday, November 4, 2017 at 3 p.m., and on Sunday, November 5, 2017 at 3 p.m..  VYD puts a modern spin on the classic story Oliver Twist. Through dance and popular music, VYD performs the uplifting tale of Oliver and her orphan friends. VYD delights audiences with their unique blend of electrifying hip-hop and graceful lyrical choreography, with song choices that help “tell” the story. The lines between dance and drama are blurred, as dancers bring characters to life through dance, acting, and imaginative staging. Tickets are available online for $18-$22 (sprucepeakarts.org). Call 802-760-4634 for more information. (Assigned seats). Visit vermontyouthdancers.org