Epping Elementary Cool News

Epping Elementary Cool News
October 30, 2015
UPCOMING EVENTS
Oct. 31st—Epping Trick or Treat, 5pm to 7pm
Nov. 5th—Veteran’s Day assembly—Wear your Eagle shirts
Nov. 6th—NO SCHOOL, Professional Development Day
Nov. 11th—NO SCHOOL, Veterans Day
Nov 17th—1st Grade Field Trip, The Music Hall “Click, Clack, Moo”
Nov. 18th—NEHS Induction ceremony in the EES Gym AT 6:30
Nov 25th-27th—NO SCHOOL, Thanksgiving Recess
Dec 3rd—EES Art’s Committee Holiday Craft Fair 6:00 to 7:30 in the EES Gym
Dec 7th—Chorus Field Trip, Rockingham County Nursing Home, 3:30 to 5:00
Dec 15th—Winter Concert, Grades 1, 2, and 3, 6:30 @ Middle School Gym
Dec 16th—Winter Concert, Grades 4, 5 band and chorus 6:30 @ Middle School gym
Dec 24th-Jan 4th—NO SCHOOL, Holiday Recess
Epping Elementary School
Mark Vallone, Principal
Erin Milbury, Assistant Principal
www.SAU14.org
603-679-8018
NO SCHOOL
Nov 6th
Professional
Development Day
Principal’s Corner
Halloween 5:00 to 7:00 Tomorrow For those families that are going out for Trick or Treat tomorrow night, please have fun and be safe.
Veterans Invited to Lunch Epping Elementary School extends its annual invitation to Epping veterans to have lunch at EES during
the week of Veterans Day (November 9-10-12-13) the invitation serves as a small token of our school’s appreciation for veterans’
service to our community and to our country. If there is a grandparent, parent, aunt, or other family member who is a veteran in
your family, he or she is invited. Staff members and their relatives who are veterans are also included. The only requirement is
that individual’s contact the school to let us know what day and lunch they would like to attend. (Some vets stay for more than
one lunch if there is more than one child at school and that is OK) Veterans can call the school at 679-8018 to make arrangements.
Don’t Forget. No School Next Friday November 6 which is a professional development work day for teachers and staff members.
Report Cards are going home soon before conferences. Still trying to figure out the new report cards that will
be sent home before conferences? Here is an article from schoolfamily.com to help prepare for the new report
card and parent teacher conference. Please note the article has been edited to use the language of Epping’s
new report cards and has been shortened.
Article: “Standards-Based Grading: What Parents Need To Know “
From schoolfamily.com an online newsletter for parents
“As schools trend toward standards-based grading, their report cards are changing, too. It’s important to
understand both.
by Joanna Nesbit
For an increasing number of students, report cards with traditional letter grades are a thing of the past. Instead
of A’s and B’s, their report cards might have 2’s and 3’s or unfamiliar letter grades like O and P. This new
look is a result of standards-based grading, an approach in which students receive scores for both academic
achievement and student work habits.
Standards-based report cards have been most commonly used at the elementary level, but some middle
schools and high schools are adopting them, too. ….
What Is Standards-Based Grading?
Standards-based grading, sometimes called proficiency grading, is a method for teachers to measure how students are doing in meeting the learning goals for their grade as determined by their state’s standards. Learning goals, sometimes called learning standards, are the academic skills your child should know or be able to
do for his grade level by the end of the school year.
Standards-based report cards give a grade for each learning goal, so students receive multiple grades in each
subject area. In 5th grade math, for example, you’ll see the subject broken into several categories, such as
operations/algebraic thinking and fractions. Under each category, you’ll see a list of math skills your child
should be able to do, as well as a grade showing how your child is doing.
Work habits—educators may call this learning behavior or success attributes—are graded separately to provide an accurate picture of your child’s academic achievement. Behavior includes aspects like completing
tasks on time, going to class prepared, and contributing positively to class discussions.
How Standards-Based Grades Differ From Traditional Letter Grades
Providing grades for academic proficiency and work habits gives parents more information about the areas in
which their child needs to improve than the traditional letter grading system. The traditional grading system
combines many elements—test scores, quizzes, completed homework, classroom participation, coming to
school on time, extra credit—and averages the semester’s work into a percentage that correlates with a letter
grade.
Miguel Boriss, a teacher in Bellingham, Wash., explains letter grades this way: “One student might bring
home a B because she did all the work, turned in all her homework, and participated in class but didn’t quite
understand the concepts. Another student might bring home a B because he aced all the tests and quizzes but
didn’t do any of the homework and didn’t participate in class,” he says. “Each student earns the same grade
but for very different reasons, and the grade doesn’t tell parents very much about what the student knows.”
Because standards-based report cards separate the two, you can see if your child needs help with an academic
concept or can’t remember to turn in homework. Both should be addressed. An overarching goal in education
these days is to develop students who not only master academic content but also demonstrate attributes for
successful learning beyond school.
How Progress Is Measured
Schools vary in their report card scales and terminology, but often they use a four-part scale to denote levels
of achievement with descriptors such as:
4
Consistently exceeds the performance standard. Applies all key concepts and skills accurately and
independently
3
Consistently meets the performance standards for the grade level. (Proficient)
2
Demonstrates some understanding of the performance standards for the grade but is not consistent
1
Does not meet the performance standard for the grade. Does not show understanding of key concepts
“The big switch with standards-based grading is we work by levels, not percentages,” says Ken O’Connor,
independent educational consultant and author of A Repair Kit for Grading: Fifteen Fixes for Broken Grades.
It’s more useful to know that your child has met a standard than that she has a B with 84 percent. Each grade
on the report card represents a skill or knowledge standard your child has had the opportunity to learn, so it’s
a meaningful snapshot of academic achievement. For behavior, report cards often use numbers, plus signs, or
minus signs.
In some schools, it’s possible to earn top grades during the first grading period because proficiency is what is
expected at the time of the report card. In others, students are measured against year-end standards and they
mostly earn 1’s in the first grading period, 2’s during the second, and then the 3’s begin to appear as they
master the learning targets. That grading approach is less common, O’Connor says. It’s important to ask your
child’s teacher which time frame is being used.
How Do You Know How Your Child Is Doing?
The number of categories on a standards-based report card can make your head spin. To help parents understand them, many districts post frequently asked questions and sample report cards on their websites. Because
districts vary, don’t be afraid to ask your child’s teacher to explain the grading and how your school defines
behavior. Many schools using standards-based grading also allow quiz retakes and late homework, which can
feel strange to parents, but the goal is for students to master the standards. Find out how your school works.
If you’re confused by what the levels mean, you’re not alone. Keep in mind that a 3 or “proficient” isn’t the
same as a B. It means your child has met grade level standards, and that’s good.
Also, even top students can earn a 2 or “Demonstrates some understanding” grade, which can be a shock for
some families. But it’s more important to know if your child is struggling with a concept than to see a slew of
top grades because of stellar work habits. On the upside, early low grades often move to higher final grades—
so once your child masters the concept, her final grade shows that. Along the way, O’Connor suggests communicating with your child’s teachers before problems go too far. “The report card should never come as a
surprise,” he says.
Level 4, or the top level, may be the trickiest to understand. If your child earned A’s on traditional report
cards, she may have received them for meeting the teacher’s requirements, not necessarily for excelling at or
going beyond grade level according to state standard. In the new system, 4’s may be harder to come by (and
3’s should be celebrated). However, earning 4’s should be achievable in the classroom, O’Connor says, and
it’s important that teachers’ lessons offer opportunities for students to excel and reach level 4. This is an area
schools may be developing if they’ve recently adopted standards-based grading and are still determining
standards for level 3.
As the grading system becomes familiar, you’ll get more comfortable. The important thing is that your child
is learning and making progress. Celebrate learning, and the grades will follow.
Joanna Nesbit writes about education, parenting, and family travel for online, national, and regional magazines. She lives in Bellingham, Wash., with her husband and two children.”
EPPING SCHOOL DISTRICT
BLIZZARD BAG
COMMUNITY FORUM
THURSDAY, NOV. 19, 2015
7:00 PM EPPING TOWN HALL
Parent and students:
The Epping School community wants feedback regarding the possibility of bringing a
Blizzard Bag program to Epping for the 16-17 school year.
An Invitation to Epping’s Veterans
From Epping Elementary School
Lunch with a Veteran Program
Choose one day: Monday
November 9
Tuesday
November 10
Thursday
November 12
Friday
November 13
Epping Elementary School would like to say “Thank you!” to veterans by inviting you to a free
lunch at our school during Veterans Day week. This is a very informal event with veterans
seated at the tables with students. Any veteran who attends will be recognized and
introduced to all the students and thanked for his or her service.
Lunch times are
11:20 to 11:45
for grades 4 and 5
11:50 to 12:15
for grades 2 and 3
12:20 to 12:45
for kindergarten
12:25 to 12:50
for grade 1
You don’t have to have children, grandchildren or other relatives currently attending Epping
Elementary School. If you are veteran you are invited.
If you plan to attend, please call the school at 679-8018 or send in a note with a student
relative or by mail telling us what lunch you plan to attend. Please note that school is closed
on November 11.
LEDDY CENTER
38C LADD’S LANE
PO BOX 929
EPPING, NH 03042
Info@leddycenter.org
www.leddycenter.org
OPEN AUDITIONS FOR STAR SPANGLED GIRL AT LEDDY CENTER, NOVEMBER
21ST.
Director Elaine Gatchell is holding open auditions for Leddy's spring production of Neil Simon’s, hilarious play Star Spangled Girl on Saturday, Nov. 21. Star Spangled Girl is the story
of a love triangle, mixed with politics, set forth with the masterly skill and inventiveness that
are the hallmarks of Neil Simon.
Both male parts and the one female part are open. Just call Leddy Center at 603-679-2781, M,
T, W & F, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm and Thursdays from 3:00pm to 6:00pm to make your audition appointment. Auditions are being held at Leddy Center’s theater on Ladd's Lane in Epping, NH. Please bring a headshot with you to your audition appointment.
Rehearsals begin February 1, 2016, and are on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00pm and Sundays at 1:00pm. Shows are March 11 through March 20 for two weekends, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2:00 pm and one Wednesday matinee at 2:00pm.
Leddy Center is celebrating its 42nd Season of bringing Broadway musicals and classic drama
to our greater communities as a non-profit 501c3 NH Arts and Education Organization.
E.B. WHITE’S “CHARLOTTE’S WEB” OCTOBER 23 THROUGH NOVEMBER 11 AT LEDDY Center!
EPPING, NH—Leddy Center proudly presents E.B. White’s classic book, Charlotte’s Web, adapted for the stage by Joseph
Robintte, October 23 through November 11! This delightful play, featuring music composed by Charles Strouse (Annie, Bye
Bye Birdie), tells the story of Fern Arable (Calista Stocker of Dover, NH), her pig Wilbur (Ryan Behan of Hampton, NH as
Little Wilbur; Greg deZarn-O’Hare of Fremont, NH as Big Wilbur) and Charlotte (Kella Bourgeois of Exeter, NH), the spider
who spins words in her web to save Wilbur’s life. Beloved characters in this musical, are Homer Zuckerman, (David MacGregor), Edith Zuckerman, (Carole Bilodeau), Avery, (Deckard Thompson), Templeton the Rat, (John Seymour), Goose, (Nicol Hotaling), Gander, (Dion Zatistas), Sheep, (Terry Pratte), Lamb, (Danielle Stough) Bat, (Megan McFadden) , Owl, (Arlynn Whitman), John Arable, (Michael Denison) and Martha, (Melissa Opalka and Gilda Gouin). This heartwarming show is directed by
Elaine Gatchell with musical direction by J. Bruce Gatchell.
This is the fifth time since 1995 that Leddy Center has presented Charlotte’s Web and it is the fifth time that E.B. White’s
great-niece, Lindsay Morand, will be in attendance and present her great Uncle’s book of “Charlotte’s Web” to Fern on stage.
After seeing the play presented all over the world, Ms. Morand claims Leddy’s production is “the best production” she has
seen, and that “Leddy Center’s presentation is exactly the way her great Uncle would have loved to have seen it portrayed.”
Come and see for yourself!
Performances are Fridays at 7:30pm, and Saturdays, Sundays and one Wednesday, November 11, at 2:00pm. Tickets are
$18.00 for all seats. Group rates are available. No one under age 3 admitted.
To reserve your tickets for this “terrific-terrific-terrific” show, please visit www.leddycenter.org anytime or call 603-6792781 between the hours of 3:00pm and 5:00pm, M, T, W, & Friday and 3:00pm and 6:00pm on Thursdays.
Charlotte’s Web is sponsored by Ace Hardware/Ben Franklin Store of Raymond, NH and Popovers at Brickyard Square
in Epping, and sponsored in part by NH Public Television, Seacoast Coca-Cola Bottling Co. and the Shark 102.1-105.3FM.
Leddy Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit New Hampshire arts and education organization.
WEAR YOUR COSTUME TO THIS SATURDAY'S 2PM MATINEE OF
"CHARLOTTE'S WEB"
THE BROADWAY MUSICAL!
THEN GO TRICK OR TREATING
AFTER THE SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, you can really make YOUR Halloween super special this year!!! Show off your costume at Leddy Center to Wilbur
and all the barnyard animals in "Charlotte's Web," and be ready to go trick or treating from 5-7pm when the show is
over!! With a run time of just over two and a quarter hours there will be plenty of time for trick or treating after the
show!!!
Children are captivated, and adults are entranced by this delightful play, featuring music composed by Charles Strouse
(Annie, Bye Bye Birdie), tells the story of Fern Arable (Calista Stocker of Dover, NH), her pig Wilbur (Ryan Behan of
Hampton, NH as Little Wilbur; Greg deZarn-O’Hare of Fremont, NH as Big Wilbur) and Charlotte (Kella Bourgeois of
Exeter, NH), the spider who spins words in her web to save Wilbur’s life. Beloved characters in this musical, are Homer
Zuckerman, (David MacGregor), Edith Zuckerman, (Carole Bilodeau), Avery, (Deckard Thompson), Templeton the Rat,
(John Seymour), Goose, (Nicol Hotaling), Gander, (Dion Zatistas), Sheep, (Terry Pratte), Lamb, (Danielle Stough) Bat,
(Megan McFadden) , Owl, (Arlynn Whitman), John Arable, (Michael Denison) and Martha, (Melissa Opalka and Gilda
Gouin). This heartwarming show is directed by Elaine Gatchell with musical direction by J. Bruce Gatchell.
Performances are Fridays at 7:30pm, and Saturdays, Sundays and one Wednesday, November 11, at 2:00pm. Tickets are
$18.00 for all seats. Group rates are available. No one under age 3 admitted.
To reserve your tickets for this “terrific-terrific-terrific” show, please visit www.leddycenter.org anytime or call 603-6792781 between the hours of 3:00pm and 5:00pm, M, T, W, & Friday and 3:00pm and 6:00pm on Thursdays.
Charlotte’s Web is sponsored by Ace Hardware/Ben Franklin Store of Raymond, NH and Popovers at Brickyard
Square in Epping, and sponsored in part by NH Public Television, Seacoast Coca-Cola Bottling Co. and the Shark 102.1105.3FM.
Tickets $18 on line at www.leddycenter.org, 24/7, or by visiting or calling the box office M,T,W,F, from 3:00pm to
5:00pm and on Thursdays, 3:00pm to 6:00pm at 603-679-2781.
Leddy Center is a 501c3 non-profit NH Arts and Education Organization.
COME ONE AND ALL TO
CELEBRATE FALL!
Harvey-Mitchell Memorial Library is holding a
fall festival/Halloween party on
st
Saturday-October 31 , from 2-4pm.
You are invited to come join the fun-we will have
cookie decorating, pumpkin painting, trick or treat
bag decorating and more!
We will also have a surprise guest to help us
celebrate!!
We will be hosting a book–swap too! Bring a
Book, Take a Book
(Books for children and adults)
Registration will help us know how many to expect.
Epping Elementary School
Student of the Week
Week of October 26th-30th, 2015
1st Grade
2nd Grade
Mrs. Barrett—Noah Gerard
Mrs. Boelter—Jesse Grant
Mrs. Bilodeau—Teagan Gagne
Mrs. Demers—Aidan Murphy
Mrs. Sweitzer—Amelia Prohaska
Mrs. Bliss-Mitchell—Jackson Pelland
Mrs. Tulchinsky—Adam Rowe
Mrs. Pattee—Logan Lewis
3rd Grade
4th Grade
Mrs. Butt—Maria Guenard
Mrs. Beaton—Sarah McTague
Mrs. Dwyer—Abby Stich
Mrs. Gulick—Chloe Yergeau
Ms. Kennedy—Lindsey Duffy
Ms. Nelson—Malaney McAniff
Mrs. Rossel—Eoghan Brown
Mrs. Yates—Robbie Currier
5th Grade
Mrs. Baker—Luke Snyder
Mrs. Thompson—Kaylin Hennessy
Mrs. True—Olivia Armstrong
Mrs. Zinno—Daniel Johnson