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EESAC Meeting

Our next EESAC Meeting will take place on Thursday, April 2 at 3:15 p.m. in the media center.

FCAT Writing Concern

Source: Miami Herald (Miami, FL.)
2/7/2009

The same week Astrid Arrojo read to her students at Flamingo Elementary in Hialeah about how the little boy in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day wanted to escape to Australia, three of her students worked escape plots into practice essays for the FCAT.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami-dade/story/892400.html


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TV Slide show

In order to help minimize interruptions during the day and to provide everyone with better access to school-wide information, we ask that you please leave your television on channel 8 throughout the day on a daily basis.  
Please inform the media center if you are experiencing any difficulty with your television. 

Thank you.


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Grade 3 Parent Meeting

We will be holding an FCAT informational meeting for the parents of our third graders on Wednesday, January 14 at 6:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to review the state guidelines, expectations of the test and suggestions to enhance student achievement.

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EESAC Meeting

Allow me to inform you that we will be holding an EESAC meeting on Thursday, January 8 at 3:15 p.m. in the media center. The purpose of the meeting is to review our Mid-Year School Improvement Plan.

Thank you


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PTA Fundraiser

The fall fundraiser is scheduled for delivery on Thursday, December 4.  PTA will send home a fundraiser pickup dates notice for selected students.  Due to the holidays around the corner, the PTA limo ride is tentatively scheduled for January 9 or 23.  Also PTA has science boards on sale for $6.00.    

 ****We still need your support by joining Parkway Elementary PTA for $6.00.  You can pay your membership to Ms. Kerr.  The PTA would like to thank you in advance for your continuous support. 

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Community Beautification Grant

The city of Miami Gardens is now accepting applications for the Community Beautification Grant.

The application is available at http://www.miamigardens-fl.gov

If you have any questions, please call (305) 622-8009.



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SIR Visit

Our school-wide instructional review is Friday, December 5 from 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Details To Come.



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FCAT cuts

In addition to eliminating the summer FCAT retake exams, the state is cutting other test-related expenses to save money:

• Eliminating the NRT used to compare Florida students to other states will save $11.5 million.

• By getting rid of the FCAT parent network, which allowed parents to look up their children's scores online, the state will save about $1.3 million.

• Doing away with the seals on the answer booklets for the eighth- and 11th-grade math and science tests, the state will save an additional $79,000. Schools will have to police the booklets closely to make sure the absence of seals doesn't lead to cheating.

• Cutting out paper reports for teachers will save $54,000.

• Kids who do well on the FCAT will no longer get certificates of achievement, saving an estimated $13,000.

Free Math and Science Technology Symposium

Join your K-12 mathematics and science colleagues and earn 8 MPP for a day of innovative professional learning. The 2008 K-12 Mathematics and Science Technology Symposium will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2008 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Ronald Reagan Senior High School located at 8600 NW 107th Ave Miami, FL 33178.

Registration for grade K, 1, and 2 teachers is as follows:
Infusing Technology K-2
Elton Earl Hilton
November 15, 2008

Registration for grades 3, 4, and 5 teachers is as follows:
Mathematics and Science Technology Symposium 3-5
Maria Teresa Diaz-Gonzalez
November 15, 2008

See Ms. Cisely Scott's e-mail for additional information.

Math PD Opportunity

Many of you desired to participate in professional development on our last PD day but were unable to register for a session. Therefore, I am now informing you of upcoming professional development so that you can register early. Ms. Alexandra Martillo, our regional math curriculum support specialist, will be conducting two math sessions on our upcoming teacher planning days. The registration information is as follows:‬‪ ‬‪

Title: Learning Targets/Benchmarks Math Grades 3-5‬‪
When: January 16, 2009 (teacher planning day) and February 6, 2009 (PD Day)‬‪
Location: Rainbow Park Elementary School‬‪
Instructor: Alexandra Martillo‬‪ ‬‪

Please register as soon as possible to secure your spot in one of these sessions. If you have any questions or concerns, please see me, Ms. Cisely Scott.

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Science Fair

It is time for our Science Fair. Please click here to read Ms. Cisely Scott's memo and see her if you have any questions.

S. Fla. schools saved from closure

Source: WSVN (Miami, FL.)

S. Fla. schools saved from closure

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (WSVN) -- A pair of South Florida high schools facing closure have been granted a second chance to improve their failing scores.

A Miami-Dade School Board member announced that Miami Carol City High and Miami Norland Senior High will not close because of their "F" status.

Instead, new programs will be implemented to motivate students to improve their performance.

Both schools have two years to improve their score to a "C" before they are re-evaluated.

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Dr. Holloway Town Hall Meeting

Our school board member, Dr. Tee Holloway will hold a Town Hall Meeting tonight at 6:00 P.M. at the Miami Norland Senior High auditorium. The school is located at 1050 NW 195 Street. This will give you an opportunity to meet Dr. Holloway in person and participate in a discussion of the various educational issues in our community.

Proposed 2009-2010 MDCPS Calendars

UTD, through its committee, developed a proposed calendar for the 2009-2010 school year. Please click the title bar above to see the calendars and click here for other information.

School Board Agenda

Please click here for the November 18 School Board Agenda.

Math Homework Packets

Grades 3-5 Teachers,
Please collect the math homework packets and submit them to the office with your attendance folders. Mrs. Lewis will be checking these items on Wednesday.

Thank you.

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Collier County: 50 is the new 0.

NAPLES -- (AP) -- Fifty is the new zero for Collier County elementary school students.

The school district has replaced 0 with 50 as the lowest score a student can get on an assignment. Officials say zeros are punitive and rarely reflect a student's overall abilities.

Students will not be allowed to ignore assignments and just accept an automatic 50. They will be required to make up any work they skipped.

The union that represents most of the district's teachers says it undermines teachers' credibility in the classroom, and that students need to know there are consequences for not doing the work.

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Four Day Week Survey

All employees received an e-mail providing them with the opportunity to complete a survey which sought your feedback regarding the possibility of having a four day work week for our staff and students during the 2009-2010 school year. If you did not complete the survey, please click the title bar above.

Student Work Display

Teachers,

Mrs. Lewis and I saw some productive learning experiences in several classrooms this week. As a friendly reminder, please make sure that student work for November is clearly displayed within a designated area of the classroom. If you more clarity is needed, please contact one of our CSS members.

Thank you.

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Going Mobile!!!

Due to the advent of technology, you can now view our blog on your handheld devices. Whether you have a Blackberry, Iphone, Treo or simply a regular cell phone with mobile web access, you can access and bookmark the site at http://parkwayelem.wirenode.mobi

Of course the more functional main blog site is still http://parkwayelem.blogspot.com

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DIBELS Assessment

We will be testing all of our students on the DIBELS from Thursday, November 13 to Wednesday, November 26. Details to come.

Tutoring companies To Be Graded Based on FCAT

Source: Sun-Sentinel

Tutoring companies will be graded based on student success in FCAT

Starting March 1, the state Department of Education will issue grades to tutoring companies that provide extra help to low-income students so they perform better on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.

Much like schools' grades from the state are based on students' FCAT performance, the state will issue grades to the tutoring companies based on their clients' test scores. The better they score, and the more progress they show, the higher the grade.

Proponents say the grades will help parents choose which state-approved tutoring company could best help their child, and will help school districts evaluate providers. The state Legislature passed the new grade requirements during the 2008 session, and Gov. Charlie Crist signed it into law in June.

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School class-size rules may be relaxed

Source: Sun-Sentinel

Florida's popular class-size law may be put on ice, thanks to a weakening economy and a statewide budget crisis.

Despite strong public support, a broad consensus is forming that the goal of limiting class size is simply too expensive during the current economic crunch.

School superintendents, grappling with budget cuts, would welcome the move. And the Florida Education Association, the state's teachers' union, said it would not object but only if the changes were temporary.


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