1739 NE Park Drive Issaquah WA 98029 425-837-7925
Grand Ridge Elementary E-News
March 14, 2008
Principal Corner
Your child will be bringing a report card home this Friday. One of my favorite quotes from Love and Logic is: “We don’t get report cards, kids do.” It is important that students know report cards are their business. As parents, we care about the report card; however, our child is the one who should to the “worrying” about the report card.
The grading system in elementary schools is on a standard based scoring system. This model is a non-competitive system. Students are assessed on their own work and how it compares to the grade level standard in the various content areas. The scoring criteria, often called rubrics, are noted as a 1, 2, 3, or 4. A score of “3” indicates that a student is doing excellent work at the level expected for their grade. Thank you for your continued support of teaching and learning at Grand Ridge.
District News & Upcoming Events
Humanities Plus
Highly capable fifth-graders: apply now through April 16 for Humanities Plus. This is a middle-school block class combining social studies and language arts for students who excel in an environment with added rigor, high expectations, and some acceleration of learning. Humanities Plus is the District’s extension of elementary classes for highly capable students.
Survey
Parents, please take an online survey to give feedback about what qualities are most important in middle- and high-school literacy instruction. What would you like to see your children learn in the subjects of reading, writing, and communication? This information will be used by a Secondary Language Arts Scope and Sequence Committee to guide future work developing curriculum. The survey closes March 21 at 4:30 p.m.
The Boundary Review Committee
Met for the first time this Wednesday. Committee members introduced themselves and received background information about how the District collects enrollment, capacity, and growth-projection data. Committee members will begin the process of looking at current and possible future boundaries at their next meeting on Wednesday, March 5. How can community members stay updated? Look for meeting dates, agendas, summaries, and minutes online; come to committee meetings, which are all open to the public; view the entire notebook of data available to committee members during committee meetings or during business hours at the Administration Building; and fill out comment cards at the committee meetings or e-mail brc@issaquah.wednet.edu—that feedback will be disseminated to the whole committee.
THE GRIZZLY GROWL:
The Grand Ridge PTSA newsletter, The Grizzly Growl will be published twice monthly on Fridays. To access the newsletter, go to: www.grandridgeptsa.org Click on the "latest Grizzly Growl”.
WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND TOWN
Looking for student- and family-oriented opportunities and information from community organizations? We have the webpage for you! Beginning next week, families will be able to view relevant community fliers online. Instead of separate E-news messages from community organizations—such as Scouts, Eastside Enrichment, and local civic groups–all of the information will be available in one central, always-current online location. You will find the link to our school’s Community Fliers at the bottom of every E-News message beginning next Monday. Please note: the Community Fliers are submitted by non-profit organizations to share information that is not endorsed or sponsored by our school or the District.
REGISTER FOR SUMMER CAMPS WITH i9 SPORTS
The #1 YEAR-ROUND youth sport program for kids ages 4-14. Our programs are taught by the best instructors in Seattle and we focus on FLAG FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, LACROSSE and CHEERLEADING. We’re serious about teaching sports and having FUN!
Experience the Difference! www.i9sports.com
Girl Scouts Skate Week at Castle Ice Arena March 9th - 15th Girl scouts receive a free skate rental and a chance to win a birthday party package
St.Patrick's Day Skate Castle Ice Arena March 17th 11am - 3pm Wear green and receive a free skate rental
Easter Skate at Castle Ice Arena March 21st 11am - 5pm Easter Bunny will be at the skate! Coloring Contest for the Easter skate can be downloaded at http://castleice.com/coloringcontest.htm entries received up until 4pm on March 21st Winners receive a birthday party package valued at $2oo
Dates to Remember:
MARCH
15 Region 2 PTSA Spring Conference, Mount Si High
School
20 Library Volunteer Training Session, 10:30 AM-noon,
Grand Ridge Library
21 NO SCHOOL for students (Learning Improvement Day
for teachers)
25 District Golden Acorn Reception, 7PM, I.H.S.
27 Library Volunteer Training Session, 10:30 AM-noon,
Grand Ridge Library
28 Grizzly Growl available on PTSA website
31 “Resisting Raising Children Who Feel Entitled,”
7-9 PM, Newcastle Elementary
APRIL
1 Art Docent Lesson Share Session, 10 AM–noon,
Blakely Hall
1 Inside-Out and Backwards Spirit Day
2 “5th Grade Transitions” 7-9 PM, Issaquah Middle
School
4 Grizzly Growl available on PTSA website
7-11 NO SCHOOL (Spring Break)
18 Grizzly Growl available on PTSA website
28 “Screen Smarts,” 7-9 PM, Maywood Middle
School, Adults Only!
MAY
22 Save the date – Luau at Grand Ridge
26 NO SCHOOL – Memorial Day
29 PTSA General Membership Meeting, 10 AM