The First Day of School... It's Not Just for Kids Anymore!

There is simply nothing like the first day of school! For some, it is the VERY first day of school and for other students it may be their 13^th first day of school! It is my 20^th first day as an educator, and I still get butterflies…I can’t sleep…I dream about being late or lost…I am truly a mess! But, as soon as I get to school and watch the parents and children come through the doors, the nerves go away and IT all begins (the journey, the growth, the development, the fun, the mistakes, the learning)!

The faculty and staff spent several days meeting prior to the first day…not just about logistics, procedures, and information, but about relationships…about academics…about who we are as an institution…about our hopes and dreams for the school year! Our theme this year is “Above and Beyond”! Whether we are talking about relationships, partnerships, communication, lesson planning, events, etc… - we will go above and beyond this year!

(Enjoy the little bit of flight humor I shared with my faculty)

This summer, the faculty read a book relating to the hopes and dreams of Independent School parents called, "Understanding Independent School Parents." It is important that all educators, new to the independent school world or not, recognize the choice you have made as a parent! You have chosen to send your child to Oakhill Day School and the like! As much as we talk about individualization for our students, at Oakhill, we truly want to individualize the best we can for each family. Each family comes to our school with their own expectations, hopes, dreams, perceptions, and needs. We hope to know and understand each of our families so we may help guide them through this journey! (Want to read a little for yourself? Check out an excerpt here!)

As I enjoy the laughter in the hallways, the excitement in the air, and the energy that is Oakhill, I am thankful to be here! I hope to be a predictable Head of School (in a good way)! I want our families to know that it is my job to see the big picture and make sure all decisions are made for the right reasons…the students…the children! Everything we do and every decision we make is based on what is best for the children and their educational journey!

I am off to enjoy the rest of our big first week of school! IT has all begun, and IT is a great thing!

For more Independent School information and resources, check out NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) and ISACS (IndependentSchools of the Central States) online! 

Schools Need Parents Too...

I have been spending my free time reading this summer…magazines, educational journals, and all kinds of books. One book I have enjoyed is Uncle Dan’s Report Card.

This book is a parenting book that reveals how children were raised in the 20^th Century America, a time Tom Brokaw called raising the “Greatest Generation”. The author, Barb Unell, found her Uncle’s report card from 1914, a time when “everyone worked together with a common purpose: to raise a great generation of hard-working children who respected their elders, behaved responsibility, and believed in a better future for themselves, their community, and their country.”

The grade report had two parts – a school side focusing on academics and social, as well as a home side focusing on books read, helping mother, helping father, care of teeth, things made, money earned, truthfulness and honesty, habits of kindness, promptness, and more!

This book paints a wonderful picture of how home and school MUST work together to give the child the guidance and parameters he or she needs to grow and develop into a responsible citizen at school and beyond. I believe it paints a picture of the partnership we strive to achieve at Oakhill – in 2012 versus 1914, of course!

Prior to reading this book, I ran across a wonderful, heartfelt letter written by one of our very own 4^th grade teachers, Trish Stripling. Trish had no idea the impact her note would have on me, her parents, and anyone who has had the opportunity to see it. Her note, written the last week of school, captured the importance of the parental involvement in school life.

Dear Families, 

This final newsletter is a special edition of The Stripling Scoop.  It is my letter of thanks to all of you for the privilege and pleasure of spending this past school year with your child. 

When I was a little girl, my mom was the perennial volunteer - room mother, girl scout leader, field trip chaperone, etc.  I grew up with such happy memories of holding my mom’s hand at school events, smiling at her in the halls, and enjoying sharing my school experiences with her.   

When I became a teacher (in my early 40s) and began my career in public schools, I was saddened by the changes I saw.  There are still many, many caring parents who step up to volunteer, but the opportunities for them to do so are limited by the many constraints placed on public schools today.  My heart ached for my students, and their families, who I knew were missing out on wonderful school memories. 

Then,  Oakhill and I found each other.  So many times this year I have reveled in the strong family presence and enthusiastic participation at Oakhill’s many and varied events.  I so enjoyed watching my students build memories like I have of my school days.  I am certain that my mom’s commitment to my education played a primary role in my love for school, and for learning.  You have all done the same for your children.  Trust me - comparing you to my mom is the highest compliment I can give. 

So, thank you, from the bottom of my heart ~ not only for your volunteer spirit, but for rekindling in me those wonderful memories, renewing my love for the whole school experience, and reaffirming my belief that every child’s education can and should be caringly crafted and nurtured by the partnership of parents and teacher.  What a gift you have given me this year. 

Most gratefully, 

Mrs. Stripling 

Trish’s letter says it all. Oakhill is here for your child and his or her educational journey, but we are also here for you – the entire family. Working together, we can give your child everything he or she needs and wants…we can bring Uncle Dan’s Report Card to life once again.

We hope to bring the authors to Oakhill this fall during a PTO meeting, but in the meantime, I encourage you to read this wonderful book.

I have always been fascinated by one room school houses and 20^th century school memorabilia; hence the old school desks in the hallway – this book brought the nostalgia of yesteryear into today’s school environment.

Pick up a book and enjoy a good read!

Suzanne

Can you put a price on education?

Stepping in as “Admissions Director” while ours is out on maternity leave has been a wonderful opportunity that I’m grateful to be able to experience. There’s nothing like meeting prospective families for the first time. They come to their first tour of the school prepared with inquisitive questions about every facet of the building and the learning that happens inside. They are interviewing us as much as we are interviewing them. Let’s face it, choosing a school for your child is not an easy task…. Think about all of the choices… public, private, parochial? Will my child thrive in a small or large classroom environment? Do I choose a school that is close to home or am I willing to make a drive? Do they offer extracurricular activities? What does your school offer that another doesn't? Will my family fit in? Do you have extended care/tutoring services? Do I choose to pay tuition when I pay taxes?

In an interesting article by Sarah P. Daignault of the National Business Officers Association (a professional association for independent school business officers), she aims to tackle the age old question of Why Are Independent Schools So Expensive? And Are They Worth It? In the article, Daignault breaks down Independent school tuition explaining all of its components, which can include: salaries and benefits, classroom supplies, administrative costs, facility enhancements and maintenance, financial aid, auxiliary services and more; all things necessary to run a top notch educational institution. While touring with prospective parents, I give all of my reasons why an Oakhill education exceeds the cost of the tuition, but I always get the feeling that if I had a personal testimonial it would really bring all of these ideals, that I know to be true, to life. One day, I received an email from a past Oakhill family. I always love to get updates on our students and their many successes once they've moved beyond our walls. This family was really able to “quantify” their Oakhill experience and put it into words that I wish I could share with every prospective that walks through our doors.

Dear Oakhill, 

Joel Roney (Oakhill 1998-2007, Early Learners through seventh grade) is going to Drury University in Springfield this fall.  He will major in Theatre, Biology and Arts Administration (a business major for the arts) and minor in Spanish.  Yes, all of this is possible with his 28 hours of college credit from his high school IB curriculum and three classes over the summers at Maple Woods.  Why does he want to do all of this?  Joel says:  because he can.  This is the same reason he gave for taking an extra high level IB class (the very hard engineering math with only three people in the class).  I guess it is the Mt. Everest phenomenon.  See what Oakhill creates?  I feel fortunate I talked him out of the math minor! 

Now for some fun Oakhill math!  Figure $8,000 per year for K-7 (8 years)=$64,000.  The amount I paid for Early Learners, Pre-School and Pre-K would have been paid elsewhere, if not at Oakhill.  Tuition was not that much in the late ‘90s, but let’s use it for the sake of argument.  Joel got Drury’s Dean’s Scholarship for $11,000, Drury IB Scholarship for $3,000, Drury Theatre Scholarship for $3,500 and the Bright Flight for $1,750.  That is a total of $19,250 yearly over 4 years which = $77,000.  Joel is covering $77,000 of his own education.  Tuition at Drury is $21,000 per year, so he will cover all but $1,750 of his tuition yearly.  (Room and Board seems to be about the same at the colleges we checked out, so that’s why I did not include it in my calculation- that and the fact that I will buy less food at home and the water bill will be much lower). 

So considering the Roney family and our #2 son, we came out more than $13,000 to the good for an education that instilled in Joel a love for learning, a strong work ethic and confidence that he can accomplish great things!  Honestly, the intangibles alone are worth the 64K!  

Sincerely,

Melinda Roney

More good reading:
Values Added: The Lifelong Returns of an Independent School Education,www.nais.org/files/PDFs/NELSReport_2-3-04_FINAL.pdf. 

A great morning at Big Pine Key! Will be out at the reef snorkeling soon! The students loved the algae lab last night!

ITBS Testing…What is it? Who takes it? What is it for? Is my child ready?

If you have looked at the calendar, you are aware of the ITBS testing begins next week at Oakhill Day School…April 16-20.

What is the ITBS?

ITBS stands for Iowa Test of Basic Skills. This is a standardized test that has been around for many, many years. Students will be tested on the following sections: Reading (vocabulary and comprehension); Word Analysis; Listening; Language (spelling, capitalization, punctuation, usage & expression); Mathematics (concept/estimation, problem solving and data, computation); Social Studies; Science; and Sources of Information (maps & diagrams, reference material).

Who takes the ITBS?

We test students in grades 1st through 8th at Oakhill Day School. Each student will complete the entire test for his or her grade level within four to five days. The majority of the test is given during the morning hours when the children are most alert. 

Are these tests important?

The ITBS tests provide meaningful data to determine student growth year over year. It is important for the children to do their very best, as they should with any assessment.

Do we prepare for the ITBS?

Unlike our public school counterparts, we do not teach to the test. Teachers receive the testing booklet the week prior to the tests being administered; therefore, they are unaware of actual questions on the test. We take the test “cold turkey” so to speak. We do not simply cover content, but truly teach concepts throughout the year; therefore, our students have a wonderfully broad range of in- depth knowledge versus rote memorization of facts in which they are expected to regurgitate the information.

What are these tests used for?

You will receive the results of the test in early June. I encourage you to compare testing results year over year to look for growth and strengths, as well as areas in which more attention should be given. The ITBS is a mere snapshot into one week in the life of your student. Realize grade cards and daily assessment of your child’s growth and progress paint a much truer picture of your child’s ability and performance.

As an administrator, I use the results to chart year over year growth in each academic area, as well as trends. I look for grade level strengths according to the testing results, as well as areas of focus for the coming year. I am able to see grade level equivalent growth year over year, for both class and individual student, as well. By no means are the results directly related to the effectiveness of a given teacher or to the capacity of a given student.

How can I help my child perform to the best of his or her ability next week?

• Make sure your child gets a good night's sleep before testing, and make sure your child eats a proper diet the day of a test.

• Ensure that your child is present during testing (children generally perform better when taking tests in their groups rather than at a make-up time).

• Get your child to school on time the day of the test.

• Wish your child good luck each morning of the test. Tell your child to put forth his or her best effort.

• If your child is too ill to attend, please call the school office.

• Remind your child to listen carefully to the instructions from the teacher and to read the directions and questions carefully.

• Explain to your child the importance of using time wisely. If your child gets stuck on a question, encourage him or her to make the best guess and move on.

• Tell your child to attempt to answer all of the questions and not to leave any blank.

• Encourage your child to stay focused on the test, even if other students finish early.

• If your child is disappointed after taking a test, reassure him or her that there will be plenty of opportunities to improve and succeed.

 

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to call, email, or stop by... I love to talk test taking!

Read, Read, Read!

I read for information…to stay current with regards to educational best practices...and, to gain knowledge, but rarely do I make time for a good book just for reading’s sake!

In this month’s Educational Leadership Journal, I enjoyed an article about addressing reading concerns early. The article made many great points including the importance of alphabetical and phonetic awareness, but to summarize, the answer to good reading is to have your child read, read, and read some more!

This particular paragraph struck me.

A student in the 90^th percentile of reading volume (who reads 21.1 minutes per day) encounters 1.8 million words a year, whereas a student in the 10^th percentile (who reads less than one minute per day) sees only 8,000 words a year. Put another way, the first student sees more words in two days than the second reads all year (Cunningham & Stanovich, 2001). It’s no wonder that students with limited practice in reading (and, thus limited vocabularies and general knowledge) often struggle when they are expected to progress from reading relatively easy passages to increasingly difficult texts that require larger vocabularies, greater fluency, and more prior knowledge.

Know how important reading is to a child’s successes in school and in life. I challenge you to turn off the DVD’s in the car, lessen TV time at home, take time to help your child find a good book, and spend time reading together as a family. Whether you and your child read for fun, read for knowledge, or read to gain information, the important thing to do is read, read, read!

Bryan Goodwin’s article “Address Reading Problems Early” from March 2012 Educational Leadership

Oakhill Day School students from Toddler (Age 2) to Eighth Grade participated in the Read Across America Event this month. Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to Stop, Drop, and Read!
(click on the image to see our readers in action)

Mathematically Speaking

As I observe classrooms, view lesson videos in the Day in the Life presentations, and listen to the students applaud in the Tuesday Town Meeting when asked, “How many of you like math?” I am proud…of our math instruction.

Mrs. Driskill gave me a math article titled “Mathematical Swindling” by Eugene Maier. The article made me think about my own mathematical abilities. I was confident in math, got A’s in my classes, did what my math teacher told me, and coveted the right answer. I was a math swindler! As the article states, I “remembered computational procedures and techniques and applied them to textbook exercises during a weekly quiz”.

It wasn’t until I taught math that I truly understood the majority of the concepts. I knew how to calculate and recite math facts, but there is so much more to math than just this! Math includes the way you think about numbers, the way you manipulate numbers, the way you use the memorized math facts, and the way you recognize how numbers are used in real life applications.

When teaching math, it is important to focus on concepts, on specific objectives, and “how” to best teach these concepts and objectives to meet the developmental needs of each student. Conceptual understanding, memorized algorithms, and developmental approaches mix and mingle to create true mathematical awareness. For instance, 4x5=20 is not the same as 5x4=20. Four sets of five are very different than five sets of 4 although the answer is 20 in both examples.

Research indicates that students are not truly able to think abstractly about math until they reach 10 years of age…somewhere during their 4^th grade year. Throughout Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education, teachers move the students from the concrete to the semi-concrete to the semi-abstract manipulation of concepts. New concepts are best understood through hands-on exploration and discussion versus a “this is how you do it” approach.

With this said, math practice is another very important piece and one I do not want to dismiss. This includes class work, timed tests for math fact recall, homework, and Study Island.

In class, we will be developing each student…each mathematician…through concept building, algorithm exploration, and developmental math tasks. At home, we encourage ongoing computational practice, as well as weekly repetition through our Study Island program.

This is our second year utilizing Study Island as a supplemental piece of our math program with emphasis on standardized testing format. We have a building license for this web-based program which is accessible to students at school and at home. If you have internet access, your child can log on to Study Island. Although we have been using this resource at school, we now encourage you to use it at home.

Your children have the log-in information for the site – www.studyisland.com. If you have questions about this resource, feel free to contact your classroom teacher, Trish Stripling (Study Island Coordinator), or Study Island at support@studyisland.com.

Here is another excerpt from the Mathematical Swindling article.

“As part of a research project to assess children’s understanding of mathematics, an elementary school girl had been interviewed. The girl had no difficulty reciting subtraction facts. However, when the interviewer provided her with a collection of tile and asked her to demonstrate the meaning of the statement “16-9=7” with the tile, the young girl was at a loss. Finally, when urged by the interviewer to do anything at all with the tile to portray the statement, the girl used the tile to form numerals; much in the same manner she would have recorded this subtraction fact with paper and pencil. There were no meanings behind the symbols, yet this young lady would have made short work of a page of subtraction exercises.”

To end, I am very proud of the thinking that goes on in the classrooms with regards to math! Math should not be a mystery. Math should not be watered down to facts. Math deserves so much more, and so do our young mathematicians!

Enjoy Study Island,

Suzanne