News from Mrs. Luscre

CRCT is Around the Corner - Important Parent Information

Our school year is passing quickly and we wanted to take the opportunity to point out some valuable parent resources that our available for you in order to best support your child’s educational experience.

The first important parent resource is PICASSO.

PICASSO gives you an overview of the Cobb County curriculum. You can access PICASSO by visiting http://picasso.cobbk12.org    Click on the Parent Tab at the top of the screen. You will see GPS (Georgia Performance Standards) Brochures for parents by grade level. This brochure will give you an overview of the curriculum for that grade level. Under the CCSD Curriculum Standards heading you will find curriculum standards listed by subject areas. Georgia has made a transition over the past several years from Quality Core Curriculum to Performance Standards. Performance standards are designed to be assessed by a student’s ability to “perform” certain tasks. Performance tasks can be activities, exercises or problems that require a student to show what they can do. For example, a task might be to solve a particular type of mathematics problem, fill in a political map of Europe from 1945 and explain how it is different than the map of today, or to jump rope in P.E. These tasks are often designed to be “real world” experiences so that they will be more authentic. Please take the time to review the GPS brochure and/or the curriculum standards for your child so that you will be familiar with the curriculum. The CRCT (Criterion Reference Competency Test) is based on these Georgia Performance Standards.

The second important parent resource is the Online Assessment System.

As many of you are aware, we will be giving the CRCT Criterion Reference Competency Test) beginning on April 23^rd. This test is in the area of Reading, English Language Arts and Math for grades 1 through 5. Grades 3-5 will also be taking tests in Science and Social Studies.

Our State Department of Education has created a test bank containing practice tests your child can take at home if he/she has access to the internet.  There is no charge for the assessments and you can monitor your child’s progress easily.  The practice tests are based on the skills and knowledge that will be tested in April and test items are presented in the same format that students will see on the actual test. 

Every parent should have received a letter explaining this online assessment program during conference week. The website is http://www.georgiaoas.org

Each student will need to log in with their specific Georgia Test Identification Number (also provided to you at conferences). The password is education.

If you have any questions about using this program or did not receive your child’s password, please contact me at:  kelly.luscre@cobbk12.org

The third exciting resource for parents is the Cobb Virtual Library.

This contains many exciting and absolutely free online resources, completely accessible for home use! Online encyclopedias such as World Book Online, Grolier Encyclopedia, Culture Grams (information on countries and states), eLibrary (access to magazines and newspapers from around the world) are available at http://cvl.cobbk12.org You will need the user name: cobbes and the password: dog  in order to access these from home. They are wonderful resources for class projects, research papers, etc. If you have middle or high schoolers at home, there are resources for those age levels available as well.

Thank you for your continued support of our curriculum program. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding any of these resources.

Our school year is passing quickly and we wanted to take the opportunity to point out some valuable parent resources that our available for you in order to best support your child’s educational experience.

The first important parent resource is PICASSO.

PICASSO gives you an overview of the Cobb County curriculum. You can access PICASSO by visiting http://picasso.cobbk12.org    Click on the Parent Tab at the top of the screen. You will see GPS (Georgia Performance Standards) Brochures for parents by grade level. This brochure will give you an overview of the curriculum for that grade level. Under the CCSD Curriculum Standards heading you will find curriculum standards listed by subject areas. Georgia has made a transition over the past several years from Quality Core Curriculum to Performance Standards. Performance standards are designed to be assessed by a student’s ability to “perform” certain tasks. Performance tasks can be activities, exercises or problems that require a student to show what they can do. For example, a task might be to solve a particular type of mathematics problem, fill in a political map of Europe from 1945 and explain how it is different than the map of today, or to jump rope in P.E. These tasks are often designed to be “real world” experiences so that they will be more authentic. Please take the time to review the GPS brochure and/or the curriculum standards for your child so that you will be familiar with the curriculum. The CRCT (Criterion Reference Competency Test) is based on these Georgia Performance Standards.

The second important parent resource is the Online Assessment System.

As many of you are aware, we will be giving the CRCT Criterion Reference Competency Test) beginning on April 23^rd. This test is in the area of Reading, English Language Arts and Math for grades 1 through 5. Grades 3-5 will also be taking tests in Science and Social Studies.

Our State Department of Education has created a test bank containing practice tests your child can take at home if he/she has access to the internet.  There is no charge for the assessments and you can monitor your child’s progress easily.  The practice tests are based on the skills and knowledge that will be tested in April and test items are presented in the same format that students will see on the actual test. 

Every parent should have received a letter explaining this online assessment program during conference week. The website is http://www.georgiaoas.org

Each student will need to log in with their specific Georgia Test Identification Number (also provided to you at conferences). The password is education.

If you have any questions about using this program or did not receive your child’s password, please contact me at:  kelly.luscre@cobbk12.org

The third exciting resource for parents is the Cobb Virtual Library.

This contains many exciting and absolutely free online resources, completely accessible for home use! Online encyclopedias such as World Book Online, Grolier Encyclopedia, Culture Grams (information on countries and states), eLibrary (access to magazines and newspapers from around the world) are available at http://cvl.cobbk12.org You will need the user name: cobbes and the password: dog  in order to access these from home. They are wonderful resources for class projects, research papers, etc. If you have middle or high schoolers at home, there are resources for those age levels available as well.

Thank you for your continued support of our curriculum program. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding any of these resources.

Getting Ready for Your Child's Conference

Happy New Year Nicholson Stars -

As you know, annual parent teacher conferences are coming up the week of January 22-25 and Monday January 28th.  Your child's teacher should have sent home a form with a date and time for your conference.  Here are some helpful tips to help you work with your child to make them more successful in school.

TIPS FOR PARENTS

IMPROVING YOUR CHILD’S STUDY HABITS

1.         Encourage your child to talk with you about school and what he/she is learning.  Listen and share what you know about the subject.  This helps to generate enthusiasm an interest.

2.         Provide a proper home study setting with a place to work, good light, adequate materials and free from distractions.

3.         Ask to see your child’s homework assignments frequently.

4.         With your child, plan a regular time for studying each day.  We recommend an hour a day.  Consider family schedule, extracurricular activities of your child, as well as your child’s best time for studying when deciding on study time.

5.         Help your child understand that studying is more than just reading or doing homework.  Share techniques you know for learning new material.

6.         Help your child with organizational skills such as time planning and organizing notebooks and materials.  Share ideas that help you.

7.         Treat school as your child’s job.  Encourage regular attendance and punctuality.  Habits set now will follow the child into adulthood.

8.         Be sensitive to your child’s health needs.  Proper sleeping, eating, and exercising help your child to be more alert when studying.

9.         Encourage your child to do his/her homework. Support and encouragement from parents are important but you should not do homework for your child.

10.       Make exceptions realistic in terms of your child’s abilities.  Be sensitive to frustration regarding schoolwork.

11.       Try to be positive if your child brings home poor work or tests.  Approach it from the standpoint of how you can help him/her do better.

12.       Notify the school counselor or teacher when family situations arise that may worry your child and keep him/her from concentrating at school.  Teachers need to be aware of the emotional concerns of students since such concerns may affect their day-to-day performance in class.

Happy Thanksgiving

I’m Thankful for You

Thanksgiving is the appointed time
for focusing on the good in our lives.
In each of our days,
we can find small blessings,
but too often we overlook them,
choosing instead to spend our time
paying attention to problems.
We give our energy
to those who cause us trouble
instead of those who bring peace.
Starting now,
let’s be on the lookout
for the bits of pleasure in each hour,
and appreciate the people who
bring love and light to everyone
who is blessed to know them.
You are one of those people.
On Thanksgiving,
I’m thankful for you.To All Nicholson Stars - Thank you for making my first few months wonderful.  I am thankful to each and everyone of you.  I hope you all have a happy holiday, and come back to school rested and ready to learn!!Mrs. Luscre

Testing Time!!

Dear Parents of Students in 1st, 3rd and 5th Grade -

On September 26, 27, and 28th all students in 1st, 3rd and 5th grade will be testing on the Cognitive Abilities Test.  The following week, October 1-5, all 3rd and 5th graders will be taking the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.  The CoGAT is a test to measure a students ability in the classroom and the ITBS is a test to measure a students achievement.  These are given around the same time in order to see if a student is learning up to their potential.

Here are some helpful tips for parents and students in order to prepare for testing!

Tips for Students

(These are in addition to the ones found in the State Assessment Handbook)

1. If you do not know the answer, but do know the process, try working back from the answer choices.

2. If you cannot solve a problem, go to the next one and return to the skipped problem later. Be sure to

skip that number on your answer sheet.

3. Check your answer to see if it makes sense. Work problems out on paper or in your booklet. Double,

even triple check your computations. Refer back to reading selections to find proof of your answer choice.

4. Read everything! (Title, introduction, italics, and subtitles)

5. Look for key words in the question. Be sure you understand what is being asked. Use all the information

given.

6. Never leave an answer blank. It is better to make an educated guess than leave a question blank.

7. When unsure of an answer, eliminate choices you know are wrong.

8. If you do not know the answer, but do know the process, try working back from the answer choices.

9. If you cannot solve a problem, go to the next one and return to the skipped problem later. Be sure to skip

that number on your answer sheet.

10. Check your place to be sure you mark the answer number that goes with the question number.

11. Check your answer to see if it makes sense. Work problems out on paper or in your booklet. Double,

even triple check your computations. Refer back to reading selections to find proof of your answer

choice.

Tips for Parent(s)/Guardian(s)

1. Make sure your child attends school regularly. Remember that tests reflect the overall achievement of

your child. Time spent in learning situations increases the likelihood that he/she will do well on tests.

2. Give your child encouragement. Praise him/her for the things done well throughout the year. A child

who is afraid of failing is more likely to make a mistake.

3. See that your child has a well-rounded diet. A healthy body leads to a healthy, active mind.

4. See that your child completes homework assignments. Homework supports classroom instruction and

can help your child increase his/her comprehension of the classroom work.

5. Meet with your child's teacher(s) as often as possible to discuss your child's progress. Parents and

teachers should work together to benefit the child.

6. Ask the teacher(s) to suggest activities for you to do at home with your child. Such activities can help

your child improve his/her understanding of schoolwork.

7. Make sure your child is well rested on school days. Children who are tired are less likely to pay attention

in class or to handle the demands of class work and tests.

8. Try not to be overly anxious about test scores. Too much emphasis on test scores can be upsetting to

children.

9. Find out which tests your child will take and for what purposes. The school principal or counselor

should provide you with a schedule of testing for the year and explain the use of the tests.

10. Make sure your child arrives on time for school.

11. If your child wears an assistive device, such as a hearing aid and/or glasses, be sure he/she remembers to

bring it/them and wear it/them during all testing sessions.

Helpful Web Sites for Test Taking Tips and Strategies

The sites listed below have useful test-taking tips and strategies. They may be copied and shared with teachers,

parents, and students.

http://www.testtakingtips.com

http://www.eop.mu.edu/study/

Welcome Nicholson Stars

Welcome Back to School!

I am so happy to join the staff at Nicholson as the new Assistant Principal. Let me take a moment to introduce myself.  I have been an educator in Cobb County for 10 years.  Before becoming an Assistant Principal, I was a special education teacher, Instructional Lead Teacher, and an Area Lead Teacher. 

I live in the area and have two sons that attend Cobb County schools.  Both of them are very active in sports so you may see me around the soccer fields as that is where I spend most of my time away from Nicholson!

Please feel free to stop by my office or give me a call if I can do anything to help.  This is going to be a great year!