Highlight of the Week
Assessment Gains Are Cause
for Celebration!
The School Advisory Committee approved the school’s unified
improvement plan (UIP) this week. Each
school in the District is required to create a UIP each year based on the
school’s state assessment results for the previous year. I was happy to report that Gold Rush students
made tremendous gains last year on the Transitional Colorado Assessment Program
(TCAP)! Student achievement, or the
percent of students scoring proficient or advanced on the state assessment,
rose substantially in reading and math last year. For example, 89% of third
graders and 90% of fifth graders last year scored proficient or advanced on the
state assessment in reading. Wow! The data also show that more students are
making typical and high growth from one year to the next in both reading and
math. The percentage of students making
typical and high growth in reading grew 12 percentage points from fourth to
fifth grade in reading and 13 percentage points in math. Cimarron Middle School Principal, Mrs.
Tarbell, recently affirmed that our students are prepared for middle school
math. She shared that 84% of current
students are receiving either an A or B in math this year. I could not be prouder of Gold Rush students,
faculty and parents for their hard work and collaboration. I believe that our collective efforts are
responsible for the school’s gains. I
also believe that we have many reasons to celebrate!
Restorative
Practices
Gold Rush’s educational assistants were recently trained on
restorative practices during their last monthly meeting. Restorative practices are a way to restore
peer relationships that have been damaged as a result of peer conflict. This approach allows students who were
wronged to have a voice by allowing them to share how they felt and what they believe will
allow them to move forward. It also
ensures that the individual that harmed another realizes the implications of
his/her actions on others and teaches them a way to create a new plan for responding
to a similar event in the future.
Those mediating
conflict using restorative practices ask those who are demonstrating
challenging behaviors questions such as the following:
·
What happened?
·
What were you thinking at the time?
·
What have you thought about since?
·
Who has been affected by what you have done and
in what ways?
·
What do you think you need to do to make things
right with those you have hurt?
The mediator also helps those harmed by asking…
·
What did you think when you realized what
happened?
·
What impact has this incident had on you and
others?
·
What has been the hardest thing for you?
·
What do you think needs to happen to make things
right?
The educational assistants, teachers and administrators will
use restorative practices to address student conflicts to ensure that
individual relationships are mended.
Mark Your
Calendar!
* 2013-2014 Feeder Calendar Community Meeting
Tuesday,
December 4 at 6:30 PM @ Cimmeron Middle School
Topic: The
pros and cons of all feeder schools moving to the split fall break
modified
calendar
* Kindergarten Registration
Wednesday, December
5 at 6:30-8:00PM @ Gold Rush
In addition to your
registration forms please remember to bring a copy of your
child’ birth
certificate, immunization record and proof of residency
* Preschool Registration
Click here
for additional information.
Winter Reminders
As I am learning, the Colorado weather can change
drastically over the course of the day! Please
make sure to send your child to school with a warm coat so he/she is
comfortable. Please also remember that
students are required to have a doctor’s note if they need to stay indoors
during the winter months due to an illness or prior condition.