Good evening, Burruss families!
As we work our way through the last quarter of the school year, I wanted to reach out regarding some important topics for the end of this year and the planning process for next year.
Georgia Milestones testing starts on Wednesday, April 17 for grades 3 and 5. Our fourth grade students start their testing on Wednesday, April 24. Below is a detailed testing calendar:
Milestones testing begins at 8:45 each day, and we are asking that students arrive at school by 8:30, fed and ready to begin their day. Remember that we do have free breakfast for all students, but we need them to be here by 8:25 to have time to eat before testing starts. We are only taking one section of the test each day, so students should be finished no later than 10:30 each morning they test. Teachers are planning engaging breaks and review for students after the test. We will run a modified schedule each afternoon, but students will have the same lunch schedule, they will still have recess each day, and they will have a 30-minute specials class.
Students in grades K-2 will start MAP testing this month as well, and grades 3-5 will take MAP a couple of weeks after they finish Milestones. Teachers will be in touch with families with details of their class's MAP testing schedule.
We certainly hope that all students try their very best on every test. The Milestones scores inform our CCRPI achievement and progress rating as a school; however, I believe in a balance of pressure with support, and I have encouraged my staff to approach the test with the same mentality as they talk with their students. Nervousness is perfectly normal, but we want to prevent severe anxiety about the test, as we feel that students are so much more than a test score.
As we move through Milestones and MAP testing, we also start planning for classes for next year. Part of our process is gathering feedback from staff members and families. Before spring break, a pink form came home with all students in grades K-4 called a Parent Input Form. I have received many of these back from you already--please return them to the front office by April 19 if you would like to take advantage of this optional process. I have attached the form to this email for your convenience.
If you have any questions or concerns, I always enjoy hearing from you. Please reach out anytime!
Kind regards,
Dr. Jillian Johnson
