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WHITEHEAD READ-A-THON FOR A NEW PLAYGROUND |
Parents:
Whitehead Elementary School's PTO is very excited about our Fall Read-A-Thon fundraiser. We are asking every student in the school building to participate. Students will ask adults to sponsor pledges for them to read books. Pledges can be set at any price but we suggest $1 for every book read. Sponsors can agree to pledge, just donate, or set a maximum amount for their pledge. We need every student to earn at least $40 towards the playground.
State Senator Dave Syverson has generously offered to match up to $15,000 that Whitehead raises in this fundraiser towards the playground.
Whitehead has 380 students enrolled. If each student does their part and earns $40, the Read-a-Thon will raise $l5,200. Sen. Syverson will match it with another $l5,000. Then, with the $10,000 our PTO raised last year for the playground, we will have our new playground built this spring.
We aren't talking about one year away, not two years away, but this year.
Think about it - $40 is less money than it takes to fill your gas tank. Times are tough, but we honestly believe this is our best chance ever to get a new playground built at Whitehead School.
If you don't want your child to participate in the Read-a-Thon, then just donate $40 to the cause.
Prizes for Participants:
The classroom that earns the most money in each grade level will receive a Papa John's Pizza Party.
K-2 grades: Top 2 students in each grade level visit Mayor Morrissey at City Hall and go to Discovery Center.
3-5 grades: Top 2 students in each grade level that earn the most money will be given a trip to Springfield, Illinois and have an opportunity to visit the State Capitol, Sen. Syverson in the State Legislature, and the new Lincoln Presidential Library.
Students who sell $40 will be invited to a special party in January at Carlson Ice Arena/Sapora Playworld.
Students who sell $20 will be given a free ticket to Rockford IceHogs.
All student participants will receive a free pancake from Stockholm Inn.
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Whitehead Celebrates 2008 ISAT SCORES AS BEST EVER |
Whitehead Elementary School teachers, students and parents have much to celebrate about the 2008 Illinois State Achievement Test (ISAT) scores. They were our school’s best ever since we began taking the test in 2003.
The ISAT test measures student achievement in Reading and Math. Test results are used to determine Adequate Yearly Progress. Under No Child Left Behind, Adequate Yearly Progress targets increase every year. In 2003, when the tests first began, AYP was only 40% proficient in Reading and Math. In 2008, AYP increased to 62.5% proficient. In order for a school to make AYP, its composite scores must meet the AYP target as well as each of its subgroup scores. Subgroups are reported when 40 students or more are in that group at each grade level. Subgroups are designated by the No Child Left Behind law and can include the following groups if 40 or more students are present: White, Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific, Native American, Multi-Racial, LEP, Students with Disabilities, and Economically Disadvantaged.
In 2008 Whitehead not only received its best scores ever in Reading and Math for its all student composite group, but for each of its subgroups as well: White and Economically Disadvantaged. Whitehead teachers specifically targeted the Economically Disadvantaged group since this group did not make AYP in 2007. The Economically Disadvantaged group scored 46.3% proficient in reading in 2007 and raised this score to 54.1% in 2008—a statistically significant increase of 8 percentage points. In Math the Economically Disadvantaged group increased from 71.3% to 73.3%.
Whitehead made AYP in both Reading and Math for its composite group, White group, and Economically Disadvantaged subgroup. In 2008, a Black subgroup was added for the first time at Whitehead since this group reached 40 or more students at each grade level. The Black subgroup made AYP in Math, but not Reading. Therefore, despite posting our best scores ever, Whitehead still did not make AYP.
Because of the nature of AYP, schools can improve significantly, but still not make AYP. This is because the AYP accountability percentages continue to rise every year. This school year, 2009, will see AYP increase to 70% accountability. By 2014, AYP will increase to 100% proficient under the current No Child Left Behind law.
Though few politicians want to admit it, 100% proficient is not a very realistic target for schools. Tests like the ISAT were designed to be a high look at standards attainment. To expect every student to score 100% proficient on the same day at the same time in the school year may be expecting too much.
Many educators expect the No Child Left Behind law to change after the upcoming Presidential election regardless of which candidate wins. Until it does though, schools like Whitehead, even though they posted their best scores ever, will still receive sanctions under NCLB. This year, because Whitehead had not made AYP for two years in a row, parents received a letter notifying them that the school was officially in improvement status.
Whitehead’s staff is committed to improving the achievement of all of its students regardless of their ethnicity or subgroup not because of NCLB but because it’s the right thing to do. This year our reading and math interventionists will provide services to all students but especially the Black and Economically Disadvantaged subgroups to raise achievement.
Parents will receive their child’s individual ISAT scores at Parent Teacher Conferences in November.
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Keep Learning with Study Island |
2nd – 5th grade Whitehead students and parents have an exciting opportunity to extend their learning with Study Island.
Study Island is a fast paced educational internet site filled with fun learning games that reinforce Reading, Math, and Writing. Students earn Blue Ribbons playing learning games that teach key skills and prepares them for success on the ISAT test.
Students can play Study Island anywhere they have internet access – at home, at their grandparent’s house, or while on vacation. Students should simply go to http://www.studyisland.com. They will then have to enter their user name and password. For all 2nd – 5th grade Whitehead students, their username is simply their first name followed by a space and their last name. Their password is their student ID number.
User Name: John Smith
Password: Student ID number
Students should then click on the section tab (math, reading, writing) that they wish to work on. If this is the first time they are using Study Island, they must first click on the word pretest. They must complete 10 pretest questions to unlock the rest of the content in the subject and to play the many learning games.
Study Island is far superior to any workbook or any store bought educational software program. We sincerely hope that you will take advantage of this learning program to continue your child’s educational achievement over the school year. It's a great way to tutor your children at home and to improve ISAT test performance.
If you have any problem using Study Island, you will be able to contact their help desk at 800-419-3191 or support@studyisland.com.
Our Title One funds paid for Study Island and we are interested in feedback regarding it.
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