Thursday Folder Fliers:
 |
| The Iron Horse Staff wishes you a very happy summer! |
As the school year comes to a close, our minds and hearts are filled to the brim. It’s been a great year! Together we’ve learned much and shared experiences that will long remain with us in the years to come. The strength of our community and wholehearted passion to make our school a wonderful place of learning for our children makes Iron Horse a truly special place.
Special thanks to all of you who have contributed in ways small, large and unimaginable! Thank you for working in the Junction, chaperoning on field trips, helping with school pictures, providing food and/or organizing treats for teachers, organizing events, working at these events, showing up to support your children, serving on SAC or PTO, sharing your talents, helping with traffic, and providing the resources to do what we dream and know is good for children. Thank you for getting your kids to school on time each day, for kind notes of encouragement that mean more than you know, for sending your kids with healthy lunches or snacks obviously packed with love, for making sure homework gets done… and turned in. Thank you for providing rich and engaging, well-rounded experiences for your children and knowing that education is about joy, wonder and fostering curiosity, along with the development of social skills so needed to succeed. For these, and a million other things, we are truly grateful.
As we reflect on the year, staff has continued to work hard in the area of literacy. Teachers are implementing the Jan Richardson framework for guided reading with fidelity. Staff was trained in the areas of Narrative and Response to Literature writing through our Write from the Beginning curriculum. Several schools, including Eagle Ridge Elementary, Castle Rock Elementary, and Cherokee Trail Elementary, as well as DCSD Alternative Licensure teachers, have visited us throughout the year to observe the amazing reading and writing instruction that is happening within our building.
Staff also worked collaboratively this year to create a revised vision for our school. Our newly revised vision is: We are committed to creating an inclusive, emotionally and physically safe environment where all students are engaged in purposeful learning through the development of perseverance, problem solving, and responsibility, while developing the skills necessary to excel in an ever-changing world. Staff has defined the skills necessary at each level to show problem solving and responsibility. As we finalize and define all of the skills contained within our vision, we will be sharing this information with you.
Looking at next year, the Legend feeder staff from all 6 feeder schools will be focusing on the implementation of Thinking Strategies in all content areas, and Marzano's Critical Concepts in the areas of Math, Reading and Writing. The Critical Concepts are the 8-12 standards in each content area that students should master within that grade level. The concepts were created by Dr. Marzano and his staff through over 10 years of research into state and national standards. Staff will begin to understand and utilize Marzano's Critical Concepts. Staff will also be trained in the Thinking Strategies and the workshop model for instruction. This work aligns seamlessly with the work we have already done at Iron Horse with Jan Richardson, Thinking Maps, and Write from the Beginning. Additionally, staff will continue their training with Write from the Beginning. We are also excited to share that we will be using a newly revised version of EnVisions that is more rigorous and will support our students as they transition to Cimarron (who also uses this curriculum).
To those who are leaving us for new places and adventures, we wish you all the best in your future! Kathy Hoover, Twyla Morton, Brooke Bullock, Michelle Chei, and Janet Williams will be pursuing new opportunities next year. We know that amazing things are on the horizon for them! Finally, congratulations to our very capable 5th graders who are moving on to the next stage in their academic careers!
It has been a tremendous year of learning and growing, both for staff and students! We are so excited to continue this learning next year with our students, both new and returning. The Principal Blog will resume the week of August 6, 2018. Enjoy your summer!
Kirsten
Spring Elementary Progress Reports (EPR) Released May 30th
Teachers are celebrating students’ growth as they complete spring Elementary School Progress Reports (EPRs). EPRs will be released to parents on Wednesday, May 30th, through Parent Portal. You will be able to access your child's EPR on this date by following the directions below.
· Click on the Parent Resources Tab
· Select Parent Portal and use your credentials to log in.
· Click "View Elementary Progress Report" under your child's picture
Class Letters:
Class letters for the 2018-19 school year will be sent home the week of July 30th. Please expect them to arrive by August 4th.
Back to School Open House:
We will hold an open house for all families on Wednesday, August 8th from 4:00-6:00pm. Kindergarten parents are invited to join us from 4:00-4:30pm to receive information about the upcoming school year (including curriculum, expectations, etc). During the open house, families can drop off their supplies and meet their teacher.
Adjustment to Start and End Times Next Year:
Next year, IHE's start and end time will be slightly different. As you may recall, time was added to our day to allow for 2 assessment days. The school district has mandated that all schools follow the same calendars beginning next year. We will continue to have a Fall assessment day (provided by the district), but will no longer have a Spring Assessment Day. Due to these changes our bell schedule will be as follows:
Start of the 2018-19 School Year:
Next year, IHE's start and end time will be slightly different. As you may recall, time was added to our day to allow for 2 assessment days. The school district has mandated that all schools follow the same calendars beginning next year. We will continue to have a Fall assessment day (provided by the district), but will no longer have a Spring Assessment Day. Due to these changes our bell schedule will be as follows:
- 8:18am - First Bell - Rolling Entry Begins
- 8:30am - Second Bell - School Day Begins
- 8:35am - Third Bell - Tardy Bell - Students Who Arrive After This Time Are Tardy
- 3:20pm - K-2 Students are Dismissed
- 3:25pm - 3-5 Students are Dismissed
Start of the 2018-19 School Year:
On Thursday, August 9th, we will begin our school year with our rolling start. Students will enter the school on their own between 8:18 AM and 8:35 AM. Staff members will escort students who need additional assistance to their classrooms. To ensure all students’ safety, we ask that parents
1) Not drop off their child before 8:18 AM
2) Say good-bye to their children outside of the building
Supervision, including cross walk supervision, will not be provided prior to 8:18 AM so it is essential that students not arrive prior to that time.
Assessment Day/School Pictures:
In an attempt to gain more targeted information regarding your child’s academic strengths and needs, Iron Horse will continue to hold an assessment day on Tuesday, August 28. Each child will come to school to complete classroom assessments. Having students complete assessments with their teacher after they have been in school for a few days allows students to adjust to classroom practices and procedures. The assessments administered will allow educators to alter their instruction to meet your child’s individual strengths and needs.
Parents will be able to sign up for an assessment and meet the teacher time using the online conference scheduler. Because we value the information we are obtaining on these days it is imperative that all children complete the assessments on August 28. At the end of your child’s assessment time, you will meet your child in the gym where school photos will be taken.
