Parents of 6th, 7th and 8th graders: “Ms. Finch has taken a leave of absence. To make sure that our students get all the best educational and M-STEP assessment experiences as possible, we have arranged for Mr. Stedry to take over the eighth grade math classes. For seventh grade, we have a terrific new teacher for the remainder of the year, Ms. Bondy. Ms. Bondy he did her student teaching at Swan Valley and is a math major, which means she is highly trained and experienced to lead our students for the remainder of the year. I know both Mr. Stedry and Ms. Bondy will both do a great job.” Should you have any questions about this, feel free to contact Mr. Keyser or Mrs. Gronski or Mr. Killingbeck at our board of education office.
Hemlock Middle School students to take M-STEP starting the week of April 9, 2018.
Our students in grades 5-8 will be taking the 2017 M-STEP (Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress) over a testing window that stretches from mid-April through the end of May. Different grade level students will be tested at different times.
5th graders will test on the following dates:
Wednesday, April 11 during second and third hour they will test ELA
Wednesday, April 18 during second and third hours they will test math
Wednesday, April 25 during second and third hours they will test social studies.
Thursday, April 26 during second and third hours they will test SCIENCE.
8th graders will test on the following dates:
Tuesday, April 10 during second & third hours they will test Social Studies
Thursday, April 12 during second and third hours they will test English Language Arts
Tuesday, April 17 during second and third hours they will test Math
Thursday, April 19 during second and third hours they will test Science
Hope you all had a great spring break! Believe it or not, it’s already time for another round of Golden Apple Awards nominations!
All nominations are done online - it’s so fast and easy! The best part is that ANYONE can nominate someone! Staff, students, parents, anyone! To nominate a teacher, simply go to http://wsmh.com/station/contests/golden-apple-awards-10-02-2017
The Golden Apple Award recognizes hard working teachers that go above and beyond their job!
Again, nominating a teacher is so fast and easy! Just go to http://wsmh.com/station/contests/golden-apple-awards-10-02-2017
The winning teacher, announced during “FOX66 News at 10” in June, will receive a FOX66 Golden Apple Award and be recognized for their tremendous work on FOX66 throughout the month!
We’d love to see submissions from our school!
PARENTS and STUDENTS: M-STEP testing begins the week of April 9. This test is very important to our students, our teachers and our district. We expect full effort and maximum success from each student and have worked each day for months to be prepared to do our best. Attendance during this important testing period is essential for success. Fifth and eighth graders test in English, Math, Science and Social Studies during the weeks of April 9, 16 and 22. Sixth and seventh graders will test in English and Math during the first three weeks of May. Specific test dates will follow after we return from Spring Break. Please watch this 3 minute video about the M-STEP test, how to prepare for it, and how to be successful on it. Together we can make testing a success for everyone!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_90_4TFbgUU
M-STEP testing is right around the corner! Below you will find important information for parents and students about testing.
Our students in grades 3-8 will take the Michigan Test for Education Michigan (M-STEP) in Spring 2018.
The 2018 M-STEP will have the same modern features as last year’s M-STEP.
Our students the test online using their Chromebooks.
Depending on grade, M-STEP requires on average a total of 3-7 hours, or less than one percent of student instructional time, to complete.
Students in grades 9 and 10 will take the PSAT, which prepare them for the SAT taken in grade 11.
(NOTE: Starting in 2019, students in grade 8 will also be taking the PSAT, as well as M-STEP science and social studies)
Students in grade 11 will take the SAT, which will serve as both a college entrance and the state English language arts (ELA) and mathematics assessment. They will also take science and social studies M-STEP tests and the ACT WorkKeys work skills assessment.
M-STEP testing will begin after most spring breaks and end before Memorial Day.
Schools will have flexibility in scheduling the amount of time students spend in a single test session.
Schools will have access to preliminary student test results within a few days after testing is complete. This preliminary data is a first look, for school use only, until final results are available.
Final results—including M-STEP parent reports—should be available to schools prior to the beginning of the next school year.
The M-STEP uses Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) for the ELA and mathematics assessments given in grades 3 through 8.
CAT provides a more customized testing experience for students and a more precise measurement of what students know.
CAT adjusts the difficulty of grade-level questions throughout the assessment based on the student’s responses. If a student answers a question correctly, the next question will be harder; if a student answers incorrectly, the next question will be easier.
Balancing questions this way ensures students are engaged and challenged, but not overwhelmed. CAT also improves test security, since all students don’t all get the same questions.
M-STEP testing begins during the week of April 9. Check out this Parent/Student Video: What students can expect when taking the M-STEP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6YEkBQ6RVk&list=PLQNv-MrTjyhLZWGC8WhRGxoEmynfXUHuc&index=2
Michigan’s M-STEP testing system:
What It Is, What It Means, And What It Offers
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/2017_MDE_Assessment_System_What_it_is_flyer_final_jl_597162_7.pdf
PARENTS: You can help your child get ready for the M-STEP testing that begins the week of April 9. You can:
Find out the facts: To start, review the Michigan Department of Education’s Parent/Student Information at: www.michigan.gov/mstep, which includes valuable information on state assessments
and the Spring testing calendar.
Talk to your child about testing: Let them know that assessment is a regular part of learning. Make sure they understand why
they are being tested and how it is important to their future.
Keep state tests in perspective: Reduce your child’s anxiety about the test by reminding them that it is just one measure of learning, and another way to find out where their academic strengths and weaknesses are. Remind them of what they do well, and how they have improved with effort.
Take a look at the state practice opportunities and
encourage your child to practice at home:
Not only will this help you better understand the types of questions your child will be answering, it will help familiarize your child with the test format and features. If your child is struggling, let the teacher know so when your child takes the test, the focus can be more on test content and less on test navigation. Links to the below information can be found at www.michigan.gov/mstep in the parent/student section.
Elementary and middle school M-STEP sample test items can
be found at: www.michigan.gov/mstep/
Make sure that your child is well rested and eats a high protein, low sugar/carb breakfast: Children who are tired, hungry or have too much sugar and carbs are less able to pay attention in class or to handle the demands of a test.
Remember—Attending school matters: Tests reflect children’s overall knowledge and achievement. Missing school means missing instruction.
For more information, visit: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Student_Testing-What_Parents_Can_Do_to_Help_Students_Prepare_3.17.17_jl_555039_7.pdf
Many thanks to Richland Twp. DPW, David Garcia, Hemlock Family Dollar store manager and several Family Dollar customers for their generous donations of bottled water this week. Following work on our water main, we were left without drinking water the past 3 days. These benefactors ensured that our students and staff had bottled water to drink each day. Many thanks for your generosity!
Congratulations to our weekly paws award winners: Chad Brown, Madison Singler, James Hensler, and Jazmine Greenwood.
Layla Gardner has surpassed the million words read milestone in Mr. Schiller's 5th-grade class! Congrats!
PARENTS: M-STEP testing begins the week of April 9. You can get involved in M-STEP State testing by helping your child practice and prepare for the test, by ensuring that they are physically and mentally prepared each day,
M-STEP testing is just around the corner and will begin during the week of April. This testing is important to students, staff and our district as a whole. So that you have important information about M-STEP testing, please view the attached letter from State Superintendent, Brian Whiston about state testing for all students in grades 3-11.
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Parent_Letter_032417_jl_555114_7.pdf
Students are encouraged to bring bottled water again Friday. Drinking fountains will be off until boil water order is determined as unneeded by Richland Township. More info as it becomes available. Richland Twp. DPW generously donated several cases of water today so anyone who didn’t bring water had something to drink.
Please help to congratulate the students that competed and received medals in Tuesday's Head to Head FINALS: Reagan Keyser and Clay Urbaniak
MI Youth for Service Poster Contest
The Michigan Community Service Commission is excited to launch the 2018 Michigan Youth Service Poster Contest! This competition gives young artists the chance to gain statewide recognition for their talents, while also making an impact in their communities. As the state’s lead agency on volunteerism, we believe that all Michigan residents can empower and strengthen their communities from an early age.
Participation is open to all youth enrolled in grades K-12. Participants are required to construct an original design that reflects the theme of volunteer advocacy. Global Youth Service Day is April 20, and will serve as the deadline for design submissions. Winning posters will be unveiled at the Governor’s Service Awards on June 5, 2018 in Lansing.
For details and necessary information, please see the attached materials.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zRaMscGXpbZNCR8cUV8CruPXepozmi3t
Reminder: Spring Break-March 26-April 2!
Students are encouraged to bring bottled water Thursday. Drinking fountains will be off until boil water order is determined as unneeded by Richland Township. More info as it becomes available. Maple Street access between Gratiot and Wilson is still blocked.
Saginaw County Mosquito Control Contest is up and running. Check out the entry forma attached and the rubric for submissions at the link below. Try it out and good luck!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1T03ZK4hNiw01Qeeof_yDG7zYU5CnN2q0
