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March 2018
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MARCH … Happy and Sad
We are both happy and SAD to be receiving more than the usual number of phone calls from parents who are concerned with sending their children off to school every day. Bullying, shootings, crowded classrooms, low academic standards and just plain fear are just a few of the reasons parents are increasingly pulling their children out of public schools. Additionally, there are personal, medical, and professional reasons for schooling at home with online curriculum.
The Oaks Private School’s programs and courses represent an amazing opportunity for students who have been injured, are living with debilitating illness, are physically disabled, or are struggling with depression or other mental health conditions. Every student has his or her own unique set of needs. For students learning while managing any one of the conditions above, the chance to attend high school online offers a powerful and flexible solution to these unique needs.
The same is true for students victimized by bullying, which has made regular school attendance unbearable. We’re learning more all the time about systemic bullying and the real and damaging impact it has on students. Online high school attendance is a rational alternative for students who remain committed to their education even as they navigate the challenges of bullying.
In fact, online education is a valid alternative for all students who feel their school does not provide a safe or healthy learning environment. For students in districts blighted by crime, schools impacted by routine violence, or neighborhoods where even the daily commute to school feels dangerous, online high school provides learning in an atmosphere absent of these dangers or distractions. It can also be a portal to worlds that would otherwise be unreachable for students living in troubled neighborhoods and communities.
MARZO … Feliz y triste
Estamos contentos y SAD de recibir más llamadas que las habituales de los padres que se preocupan por enviar a sus hijos a la escuela todos los días. Intimidación, tiroteos, aulas abarrotadas, bajos estándares académicos y simplemente miedo son solo algunas de las razones por las cuales los padres están sacando a sus hijos cada vez más de las escuelas públicas. Además, existen razones personales, médicas y profesionales para la educación en el hogar con el plan de estudios en línea.
Los programas y cursos de la Escuela Privada Oaks representan una oportunidad increíble para los estudiantes que han sido lesionados, que viven con enfermedades debilitantes, que tienen una discapacidad física o que están luchando contra la depresión u otras afecciones de salud mental. Cada estudiante tiene su propio conjunto de necesidades. Para los estudiantes que aprenden al administrar cualquiera de las condiciones anteriores, la posibilidad de asistir a la escuela secundaria en línea ofrece una solución poderosa y flexible para estas necesidades únicas.
Lo mismo es cierto para los estudiantes víctimas de la intimidación, lo que ha hecho insoportable la asistencia regular a la escuela. Estamos aprendiendo todo el tiempo sobre el acoso sistémico y el impacto real y dañino que tiene en los estudiantes. La asistencia a la escuela secundaria en línea es una alternativa racional para los estudiantes que siguen comprometidos con su educación incluso mientras navegan los desafíos del acoso escolar.
De hecho, la educación en línea es una alternativa válida para todos los estudiantes que sienten que su escuela no ofrece un ambiente de aprendizaje seguro o saludable. Para los estudiantes en los distritos afectados por el crimen, las escuelas afectadas por la violencia de rutina, o los barrios donde incluso el viaje diario a la escuela se siente peligroso, la escuela secundaria en línea ofrece aprendizaje en un ambiente ausente de estos peligros o distracciones. También puede ser un portal a mundos que de otra manera serían inalcanzables para los estudiantes que viven en barrios y comunidades con problemas.
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MEASURE OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS (MAP) OVERVIEW
Measure of Academic Progress creates a personalized assessment experience by adapting to each student’s learning level-precisely measuring student progress and growth for each individual. MAP is an adaptive test, so, for instance, if your child correctly answers a question, the computer assessment provides a harder question next. If they miss that same question, then an easier question is asked. This provides essential information about what your child knows and is ready to learn. MAP gives teachers a way to focus and plan for how they use time for either intervening with students or providing enrichment to challenge higher-level students.
MAP is given via computer to children in grades K-12. Its structure is cross-grade, which provides measurement of students who perform on, above, and below grade level. It is multiple choice and provides questions that are depth of knowledge, so that you can see if your child performs at level 1, 2 or 3 of difficulty. The test is untimed, but students generally spend about 60 minutes per subject area. Feedback results are available in 24 hours.
MAP assessments reveal precisely which academic skills and concepts your child has acquired and what he/she is ready to learn. MAP assessments are grade independent and adapt to each student’s instructional level, so that you can track your child’s achievement and notice trends to help with setting objectives. Every item on a MAP assessment is anchored to a vertically aligned equal interval scale, called the RIT scale for Rasch UnIT-a stable measurement, like inches on a ruler, that covers all grades. Because the measurement is reliable and accurate, RIT scores serve as an essential data point in a student’s learning plan; parents and educators can see their student’s precise learning level and respond accordingly.
HOW WILL YOU GET READY FOR MAP?
Students in grades 3-12 are required to take the annual achievement (MAP) test. Exceptions to testing include:
- juniors and seniors who are already taking SAT/ACT exams for college entrance
- students with an IEP which precludes such testing. Call to request Exemption Form.
- unusual circumstances in which the parent requests to exempt student. This exemption will require an Exemption Form. Call the school office to discuss.
Please understand that this testing very important for your child. We will try to comply with your request for exemption but without true, valid reasons, all students need to take the exam to help you and the school staff learn to his/her best ability.
A few days before your child takes the MAP test, an instruction email will arrive. You will download a browser for testing day and save it to your desktop. On the morning of the test, your login information will arrive by email. Testing will begin at 9am in your LOCAL TIME. The tests are not timed. Your child will test in 3 subject areas – Math, Language Arts, Reading. Before the end of March, you may choose one, two, or three days for testing. Each test will take between one and two hours, although the exact time depends on how focused your child is. Please encourage your child to stay at task but without stressing him. We want to know what your child knows, not how fast he or she can work.
The MAP test is NOT a pass/fail exercise. It will just give a strong picture of your child’s strengths and weaknesses in Math, Language Arts, and Reading. This will allow us to prescribe practice work to increase skills without having your child repeat concepts they already know.
There is no need to “prepare” or “cram” or do specific studies for the exam. Because the MAP is adaptive, also called intuitive, it will be adapted to your child’s skills in the three areas of testing.
- Los estudiantes internacionales no están obligados a tomar la prueba MAP anual.
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Calendar
- March 1 and continuing: Preparation for annual MAP testing begins.
- March 1-31: Choose the MAP testing dates for your child.
- March 30 – April 6: Easter/Spring Break. School office closed
- April 24-May11: Map testing (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursdays only)
- May 28: Memorial Day (school office closed)
- May 31: End of Term 3 – reports due by June 5.
NOTE: The school calendars are available for download on the TOPS website under
Calendario
- 1 de marzo y continúa: Comienza la preparación para las pruebas MAP anuales.
- Del 1 al 31 de marzo: elija las fechas de las pruebas MAP para su hijo.Del 30 de marzo al 6 de abril: Semana Santa / Vacaciones de primavera. Oficina de la escuela cerrada24 de abril-11 de mayo: Pruebas de mapas (martes, miércoles y jueves solamente)28 de mayo: Memorial Day (oficina de la escuela cerrada)
- 31 de mayo: fin del período 3: informes para el 5 de junio.
NOTA: Los calendarios escolares están disponibles para su descarga en TOPS sitio web bajo RECURSOS.
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to new students in February
Benton B. – grade 10 – Oxford, MS
Landen H. – grade 11 – Palm Beach, FL
Luke G. – grade 9 – Owings, MD
Italy H. – grade 11 – Arlington, TX
Natalie B. – grade 10 – Lake Worth, FL
Nicholas S. – grade 10 – Quito, Ecuador
Kaleb L. – grade 11 – Newport, NC
Madelyn B. – grade 10 – Bushwood, MD
Alex B. – grade 6 – Austin, TX
Jorge C. – grade 10 – LaVergne, TN
Sofia C. – grade 4 – LaVergne, TN
Emilee G. – grade 7 – Nashville, TN
Alex B – grade 10 – La Libertad, El Salvador
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MARCH QUOTE:
An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. ~ Benjamin Franklin
CITA DE MARZO:
Una inversión en conocimiento paga el mejor interés. ~ Benjamin Franklin
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