OCTOBER 30, 2012

Tuesday, November 6, is ELECTION DAY.  Gaudior and every public school in Michigan is closed next Tuesday to allow for voting to take place.  Please review the 6 proposals and make your voice heard.  Take your children so they can see, first-hand, how the voting privilege works in Michigan.

This year, we are initiating three new programs and we are proud to say that they are all off the ground.  Because of the Wayne State grant, the afterschool PAC (Physical Activity Club) has begun.  We started the tutoring sessions to go along with the PAC on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  We have also started a reading program.  Teams of students meet with staff to read and meet challenges that have specific goals.  Last week and this week, we worked on observation skills.  Staff taught students how to play Rummy, Crazy Eights, and Go Fish.  These games require players to notice suites and numbers.  Noticing differences is an important reading skill.  How else would you be able to tell the difference between “b”, “p”, “d”, and “q” – all letters that use a circle and stick – just in different places?  Please ask your child(ren) about what they did in Reading groups this week.

Level 3 had a great time at the UM-Dearborn Nature Center yesterday.  They pulled pond samples and looked at what was in the water using magnifying glasses and microscopes.  Thanks to Lloyd Tyler, Sr. (Manzell’s dad), Alyssa Banks (Anjali’s mom), Denise McDonald (Anjali’s grandmother), Dorothy Street (Michael’s grandmother), Regina and John Shaw (James and Eryca’s parents), Cassandra Bradshaw (Michael Bradshaw’s mom), and Quaitisha Washington (J’Dah & Jayden’s mom) for driving.  Last week, Level 2 went to Belle Isle for a nature study.  Both trips are helping students understand the science units they are studying this month.

Spirit Week started yesterday.  You should have seen the wild outfits and crazy hairdos.  Please see the calendar below to see what is next.

Upcoming Events:

Wednesday, 10/31 - Halloween.   Levels have sent home information about how they will spend the day.

Spirit Week – Wear orange and black instead of costumes.

Level 2 popcorn sale.  Popcorn is 50¢/25¢ more for flavor toppings.

Thursday, 11/1 - Spirit Week – PJ Day. Level 4 Pizza Lunch.  This is NOT part of the regular school lunch and forms/payment were due by today.

Friday, 11/2 - Spirit Week Friday – Sports/Jersey Day – NO HATS.

                BasketballTournament –All are invited. Come see the students vs the staff. The festivities start at 12:30.

Sunday, 11/4 – END OF DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME.  MOVE CLOCKS BACK 1 HOUR.

Monday, 11/5 – Science Fair.  6:30 to 8:00pm.  All are welcome.  This is a mandatory curriculum event.

Tuesday, 11/6 – NO SCHOOL. DON’T FORGET TO VOTE!  Professional Development day for staff.

Wednesday, 11/7 - Student Council Elections during lunch.

Thursday, 11/15 – Grads to DIA.  Families needed to drive and take students around the museum to choose their projects.

Monday & Tuesday, 11/19 & 20 – ½ days for conferences.  Lunches will be served to the children.

Wed-Fri, 11/21-23 – THANKSGIVING BREAK.  NO SCHOOL.  Enjoy time with family and friends.

The Westland Salvation Army is accepting applications starting November 12th and ending December 5^th for anyone interested in receiving their services.  They donate food and gifts for children up to age 14.  They take applications on Monday and Wednesday from 9-11 and 1-3.  Their location is 2300 S. Venoy Rd. in Westland.  Phone number is 734-722-3660.

Lisa and Coach Julie would like to offer a Clothing exchange for Gaudior Families.  If you are interested in helping organize this community service project, please call the office 313-792-9444.  They would like to have it set up for conferences on November 19^th & 20^th.

        STAFF MEMBER                                                          EMAIL ADDRESS                    

Rosemarie Gonzales- Associate Director                        rgonzales@gaudioracademy.org

Marie Lamberg- Office Manager                                   mlamberg@gaudioracademy.org

Mike Renaud- Building Manager                                   mrenaud@gaudioracademy.org

Jeri Enders- Food Service Coordinator             jenders@gaudioracademy.org

Jean Barber- Level 1 Teacher                      jbarber@gaudioracademy.org

Fran Powell- Level 1 Ed Partner                    fpowell@gaudioracademy.org

Jennifer Roberts- Level 1-2 Teacher             jroberts@gaudioracademy.org

Beth Gonzales- Level 1-2 Ed Partner            bgonzales@gaudioracademy.org

cheryl Garant- Level 2A Teacher                  cgarant@gaudioracademy.org

Sayrd Stack- Level 2A  Ed Partner                sstack@gaudioracademy.org

Cheryl Liedel- Level 2B Teacher                  cliedel@gaudioracademy.org

Ted Tripp- Level 2B Ed Partner                    ttripp@gaudioracademy.org

Lisa Laberge- Level 3A Teacher                   llaberge@gaudioracademy.org

Ann Hassell- Level 3A Ed Partner                 ahassell@gaudioracademy.org

Diana Stahl- Level 3B Teacher                     dstahl@gaudioracademy.org

Jose Mangune- Level 3B Ed Partner              jmangune@gaudioracademy.org

Julie Stone- Level 4A Teacher                      jstone@gaudioracademy.org

Laurie Nelson-Daniels- Level 4A Ed Partner    ldanielsnelson@gaudioracademy.org

Jennifer Perez- Level 4B Teacher                  jperez@gaudioracademy.org

Tim Fix Level- 4B Ed Partner                        tfix@gaudioracademy.org

Geri Stack- Level 5A Teacher                       gstack@gaudioracademy.org

Steve Barber- Level 5B Teacher                    sbarber@gaudioracademy.org

Jessica Moore- Levels 4/5 MATH                   jmoore@gaudioracademy.org

Mary Schneider- Levels 4/5 L.A.                   mschneider@gaudioracademy.org

Martie Biechler- Music                                 mbiechler@gaudioracademy.org

Debra McCann- Art                                     dmccann@gaudioracademy.org

Jayme Trachsel- Spanish                             jtrachsel@gaudioracademy.org

Jason Moore- Physical Education                   jamoore@gaudioracademy.org

http://michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140–69358–,00.html

The most successful test-takers tend to be students with good attendance, homework, and study habits; therefore, your daily assistance with homework and attitude toward school have the biggest impact on your child’s performance.

While the major burden of taking the test rests on the shoulders of your child, you as a parent share in the responsibilities of helping to prepare your student for their testing challenge. The following links offer tips and ideas on how to create a testing environment that allows your child to feel comfortable, prepared and successful.

Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) assesses students in grades 3-9 based on Michigan Curriculum Framework. The MEAP test is given throughout the State of Michigan at various grade levels. Developed by Michigan educators, the MEAP measures what students should know at their grade level. The MEAP is used to judge the performance of students at given intervals using the content standards prescribed by state educators.

These academic areas are representative of the general curriculum per grade level. The purpose of these tests is to provide information about student progress within that curriculum. These tests are a useful supplement to teacher observations as to what a student can do, and aid in the monitoring of year-to-year student development. Students in grades 3 and 4 take the Language Arts and Math MEAP tests, students in grades 5-8 take Language Arts, Math and Science MEAP.

Individual test score copies are sent home once the school has received classrooms totals. A score of 1 or 2 means that your child is proficient in that area. A score of 3 or 4 indicates that your child is not proficient and needs additional help in those areas.

The IOWA consists of leveled batteries that assess the extent to which a child is prepared to begin work in the academic aspects of the curriculum of each level.  In the Level 5 and 6 Batteries (generally kindergarten and first grade) emphasis is placed on academic skills found in the early childhood curriculum.  The Level 6 Battery offers additional optional reading tests for use with students whose literacy skills have begun to develop.

The batteries for Levels 7 and 8 assess a broader array of skills. Social studies, science, and sources of information tests are included, reflecting the expansion of the early elementary curriculum in grades 1 and 2. The structures of the language and mathematics tests also parallel a corresponding change in skill emphasis in these subject areas in grades 1 and 2.

Easy Spanish for parents
Good Morning = Buenos días

Did you finish your homework? =  ¿Terminaste la tarea?

Brush your teeth = Cepíllese los dientes

I love you = Te amo

Please take out the garbage = Por favor saque la basura

Thank you very much = Muchas gracias

You are welcome = No hay de qué or de nada

Good night = Buenas noches

Here is your allowance = Aquí está su asignación

Excuse me = con permiso

Have a good day at school = Tener un buen día en la escuela

Let’s read a book together = Vamos a leer un libro juntos

What would you like for dinner? = ¿Qué te gustaría para cenar?

Kindergarten – Second Grade

As a parent, no one needs to tell you how important literacy skills are.  The more your child can read, the more self-sufficient they are, the more knowledge they seek and the easier it is for them to express themselves using the written word.

One of the best skills you can help your child with is phonemic awareness by helping your child understand that words are made of chunks of sound.  Create word “families” such as “it”, “sit”, “bit” and “pit”. Play rhyming games based on this theme, where your child must rhyme as many words as possible off of one starting word, such as “bake”, “cat” or “star”.   The ability to identify certain sounds in relationship to the letters used to make them is critical in establishing fluency in reading.

Another valuable reading skill is the ability to recognize “sight words”.   Sight words are a group of words that are used regularly throughout your child’s age-appropriate text.  Sight words change per grade, so ask your child’s teacher for a recent copy. A group of 220 sight words comprises a whopping 70% of all text so when your child recognizes all 220 words instantly, he’s 70% closer to fluent reading.

Most importantly, read!  Read as often as you can with your child and to your child.  Offer a large array of printed materials – books, magazines, newspapers, so that your child can explore different types of media.  Studies show that good readers do well not only in reading but also in all sorts of other areas, like sociability and showing initiative.  There is no better way to instill a love of reading in your child than by sharing a book for 15 minutes every day.

Third-Eighth Grade

If your child is a student in Levels 3, 4 or 5, they have probably already mastered the basics of reading, and hopefully are even reading for pleasure.  As with any age, the more your child reads, the more their skills will improve.  It is important to keep encouraging and motivating your child to continue reading – both for enjoyment and for academics.

Even if your child is older, it can still be greatly beneficial to read out loud to and with them.  Reading a book together as a family is a wonderful way to connect with your child, especially if afterwards you discuss the book or ask questions related to the text you recently read.

excerpts from rif.org