PUTTING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE

Yesterday, my grade level team met with our principal, school psychologist, math intervention specialist, and reading intervention specialist to analyze data gathered on our second graders through the STAR Reading and Math Assessment.  Students took a twenty-minute test in each subject on computer and then there scores were graphed by color with green meaning at grade level, blue meaning borderline, and yellow/red meaning requiring intense remediation.  My group's results revealed no surprises.  After 9 weeks of working with my students, I already knew which ones were not "on track" and whose progress needed to be monitored closely.  The test results aligned with my natural instincts as an educator, and now improvement plans must be written and additional instructional programs put in place to help the at-risk students grow.  I will spend much of my weekend planning and perusing new resources so that on Monday we can begin the arduous and often overwhelming process.  Our staff motto for this year of multiple state mandates and curricular initiatives continues to be "Keep Calm and Carry On."  I will do my best to chant the mantra and meet the needs of my little ones head on....