South Amboy Elementary School

Dear Parents/Guardians:

This month your students are going to be taking I-Ready Diagnostic testing online.  This is an important phase in both our Math and ELA programs.  You can click on this link to watch a short 6 minute video about the testing and how you can support your child.   I-Ready Diagnostic Family Resources 

Here are a few insights to our assessments and how you can support your child from home:

1.) What should I know and expect as a parent/guardian?
● Computer adaptive assessments are designed to determine what standards students know and don’t know yet.
● Remind your child they will see questions they might not know the answer to and some easier questions. We need to know what they do know and do not know yet. This is expected.
● The purpose of the i-Ready diagnostic is not to give your child a score or grade, but to determine how to best support their learning.

2.) How can I support my child during the assessment if they are working virtually?
● Provide a quiet space free from distractions and potential interruptions.
● Make sure your child is logged into their district Google account.
● Make sure they have paper and pencil to work out the math questions.
● Play the role of supportive teacher. Encourage them to do their best and reassure them.
● Encourage and support, but DON’T HELP. Think of it this way—would you help your child with a vision test? No, because hints won’t help the eye doctor help them. With i-Ready, hints on the test now could negatively impact your child’s instruction later.
● It is important that all questions are answered independently by the student.
● Use the phrases below or others here to help your child 
1.)  “Wow. That looks like a very advanced question. Remember, it’s okay if you don’t know it. Just try your hardest and give your best guess so that i-Ready can find your ‘just right’ level. And then move on.”
2.) “Looks like you could use a quick break. Do you want to finish this question now or when you get back?”
        3.) “Remember this assessment is finding out what you know, and do not know yet. It is okay that you don’t know something now because you’re going to learn it.”
● Your child is able to log off and back on, your progress will be saved.

Thank you for your continued support and for being a partner in your child’s learning.  

Sincerely,
Sean Dunphy
Principal~SAES

Dear Parents/Guardians:

When you go to sign in to your scheduled conference time, you will need to use your student's email address in order to be let into the conference.  We look forward to "seeing" everyone virtually at conferences Thursday (1:30-3), Monday (1:30-3), and Tuesday (6-8).  You can still schedule a conference in Genesis if there are any time slots left with your teacher.   If you do not get a scheduled time slot you will not be able to have a conference.

Sincerely,

Sean Dunphy

Principal~SAES

Parent-teacher conferences are coming up and will be held virtually this Thursday, 11/19, and next Monday 11/23, and Tuesday 11/24.   Thursday and Monday are from 1:30-3 and Tuesday from 6-8.  If you do not get a time slot you will not be able to have a conference with the teacher. You can sign up for conferences on Genesis.

To make a conference with a specials teacher you will have to do so under Ms. Cotter, they are all meeting together.

We will have an early dismissal on these days as well.  We will be dismissing PK at 12:30 and grades K-5 at 12:40.

Parents need to fill out the Covid-19 forms on Genesis Every Day.  If you are scheduled for in person learning and the form is not filled out we will not let your child into the building.  You need to make it a point every day to fill out the Covid -19 forms.