Roderick Review (Week 24) 2/13/17-2/17/17

This Week at Roderick School....

Special thanks to Ms. Salazar for leading our 76-member Beginning Band!  Our student musicians did a tremendous job with their first concert this Wednesday evening!  There was a full program complete with solo pieces, various small group ensembles, as well as large ensemble selections.  Students also took charge of introducing classmates who were performing solos.  Check out pictures of the performance below!

Congratulations to all of our beginning instrumentalists who were also accepted into the Honors Band!  Bravi Tutti!

Fifth Grade Innovators!

Earlier this week, fifth graders put their knowledge of physics principles and simple machines to good use in creating a humane "Groundhog Trap" during science.  Check out these scientists in action.  These types of hands-on, authentic applications are reminiscent of the old "Invention Convention" and are now a regular part of our science instruction.  Not only were they great problem solvers individually, but each group functioned well and the students were able to be a part of a design team, each contributing something to the team's work.

Here's what you can look forward to after the February Vacation!

Hooray for Dr. Seuss Spirit Week!

Monday, February 27th - Hilarious Hat Day!

Tuesday, February 28th - Silly Sock Day!

Wednesday, March 1st - Wacky Wednesday Hair Day!

Thursday, March 2nd - LITERACY NIGHT! - Dr. Seuss-Inspired Clothing ALL DAY!

Friday, March 3rd - PJ/Comfy Clothes Day!

Literacy Night:  Fun with Reading and Math!

Who?                   Wrentham Students and Families

What?                  Scholastic Book Fair

                             Literacy Night: Fun with Math and Reading

When?                Thursday, March 2, 2017

                             5:30-7:30

Where?               Delaney School - Vogel Auditorium: Scholastic Book Fair

Roderick School: Literacy Night   

Why?                            It will be a Seussical Great Time!!

Please come join the Wrentham Public School faculty for Literacy Night. Start your journey at the Book Fair and then travel over to the Roderick School for some fun with math and reading. Be sure to pick up your “Literacy Passport” and receive a stamp after participating in each activity. Passports with 4 stamps or more may be dropped in the raffle box for a chance to win a Barnes and Noble gift card!

BOOK FAIR DETAILS

® When: Wednesday, March 1^st to Friday, March 3^rd

® Where: Vogel Auditorium

® Fair Hours:  8:15am to 2:30pm -- Each class will be scheduled to visit the fair during school hours

® Special Event: Fair is open on Literacy Night from 5:15 - 7:30pm.  Pick up your Passports there!

For more information about the Scholastic Book Fair, please check your email from Wrentham Public Schools on 2-17-17

Dr. Beauchaine is always looking for a good book recommendation.  Students, if you read a GREAT book over vacation or see a "must read" at the Book Fair, let Dr. B know!  :)

Enjoy the vacation with your friends and families.  

Roderick Review (Week 23) 2/6/17-2/10/17

 Thank you for your donation!

We received this donation of wonderful animal books and they are already being appreciated by our students!  Thank you! 

Coming Up This Week:

Wednesday, February 15th - Beginning Band Concert 

at 7:00 p.m. in the Gibbons Gym.

Thursday, February 16th - School Committee Meeting 

at 7:00 p.n. in the Roderick Library

February Vacation - February 20th - February 24th

School Resumes on Monday, February 27th

Wondering About the New MCAS?

Here is some helpful information in a Q & A format about the upcoming tests in April and May.

Q: What is different about these MCAS tests?

A:  The new tests include questions in the MCAS and PARCC formats that are based on the grade level standards and an increased focus on critical thinking as well.

Q:  What is the plan for moving towards online testing?

A:  This year, the DESE is requiring online testing for grade 4 and it was optional for grades 3, 5, and 6.  By 2019, all grades will have online testing in ELA and Math, with only a few exceptions for specific student accommodations.  This year at Roderick, grade 4 will have both ELA and Math online.  Grade 5 will be doing the paper version of ELA and Science (paper was the only option for Science), but students will have the online version for Math.  Grade 6 will be doing both ELA and Math online.

Q:  When are the MCAS tests this year?

A:  This year's tests will be administered on the following dates:

Grade 4:

ELA: 4/10-4/12    

MATH: 5/15-5/16

Grade 5:

ELA:  4/4-4/6      

MATH: 5/8-5/9

ST&E:  5/18-5/19

Grade 6:

ELA:  4/25-4/26

MATH:  5/10-5/11

Q:  What are students doing in school to prepare them for the MCAS?

A:  Most of the preparation is in the form of the learning that your children are engaged in each and every day in class that will build their knowledge in skills relative to the curriculum frameworks.  Mrs. Fox has also incorporated some of the technical skills that students need such as using scroll bars, toggling between tabs to read different reading selections, and "drag and drop" motions into the technology class.  There will be a brief practice test as well to be sure students feel comfortable and relaxed prior to the actual MCAS tests.

If you are curious about the types of questions that students will encounter, you can browse through some sample Test Items.  Beginning on February 1, the DESE will continue to roll out additional examples.

Roderick Review (Week 22) 1/30/17-2/3/17

THANK YOU!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to fill out the 

School Needs Survey this year!  

We had hundreds of responses from families at both schools!  Both Mrs. Wagstaff and I will be reflecting on the feedback and sharing this information with the School Council to inform our next two-year School Improvement Plan!  Stay tuned for more information from our School Council soon!  (Our next School Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 7th at 3:15 p.m.)

This week at Roderick....

Fourth graders were working on their biography project.  Students read several different sources, took notes, organized information into appropriate sections and some are beginning to put it together using Chromebooks.

Fourth graders are learning about camouflage and how some animals deter predators by looking like other animals, while others blend in with the habitat or can change color depending upon their surroundings.

In the photo above, there are actually two hidden butterflies.

Fifth graders are testing their knowledge with a student-created Kahoot quiz!

Fourth graders are working on solving problems in a group, each listening to the others and evaluating how they should approach it together.

As students solve the problems, they share the different strategies and their thinking behind their approach.

Friday, our Patriots Spirit Day, students and staff dressed to support their favorite teams!  (There is another fan behind the camera also sporting her TB12 jersey!  For more pictures, visit the homepage of the website!)