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Stop Summer Academic Loss

What does summer loss look like?

First, the good news. Regardless of a child's reading ability when he or she enters school in the fall, the child grows at about the same rate as his or her peers. Now, the bad news. The reading skills of low-income children generally diminish over summer break, and the gap between them and their peers widens each summer. By the end of fifth grade, low-income children are approximately 2 1/2 years behind their more affluent peers in terms of reading ability, primarily because the zigzag appearances in the graph below accumulate. For more information, please read our white paper on summer learning loss (PDF).

The graph below depicts the typical relationship between income levels and reading achievement both during the school year and the summer. The graph assumes that children are NOT attending a summer learning program. The bottom line represents the average reading achievement level of low-income children, and the top line represents the level of middle-income children. Low-income children lose a significant amount of reading knowledge over the summer months while middle-income children make slight gains. This contributes to the widening of the achievement gap.

Fairchild, R. McLaughlin, B. & Brady, J. (2006). "Making the Most of Summer: A Handbook on Effective Summer Programming and Thematic Learning." Baltimore, MD: Center for Summer Learning.

Upcoming Meetings

April/May School Activities
29 Field Day  2nd and 3rd
30 Field Day K-1st
May 1st Field Day 4th  5th 

May 3rd  Career Day

Parent Worshops

Q: Why should parents attend parent workshops or  meetings?

 Parents who attend get a better        

 understanding of:

• the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS) and the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AYP).
• state and local assessments.
• the requirements of Title I and its programs.
• the school’s status.
• how to monitor your child’s progress and work with teachers to improve their  academic   achievement.
• the components and instructional strategies of math, science, social studies  and reading.

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Wednesday, February 20, 2012

Kindergarten Parent Academy  7:45AM    Making Words and Number Sense. 

If you have a kindergarten student who is struggling academically, and you would like to attend the meeting, call  Cherie Ameyaw at 678-344-4410 or reply this email in order to RSVP. Parent Reviews:  "My child is making a lot of progress since I have been attending the program!"   "They need this program in other grade levels."

Welcome Wagon New Parent Meeting   8:30AM   Come out and learn more about your child’s school.

Kindergarten Parent Academy  10AM    Making Words and Number Sense. If you have a kindergarten student who is struggling academically, and you would like to attend the meeting, call  Cherie Ameyaw at 678-344-4410 or reply this email in order to RSVP.

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GCPS invites community, staff to participate in curriculum review for proposed and current AKS through Feb. 15

How will the new Common Core standards impact your level of parental involvement?

Here is what Derrick Meador had to say on the issue:

The level of parental involvement will need to increase in order for students to be successful with the Common Core Standards. Parents who value education will love the Common Core Standards because their children will be pushed like never before. However, those parents who fail to be involved in their child’s education will likely see their children struggle. It will take a total team effort beginning with the parents for students to be successful. Reading to your child every night from the time they are born are beginning steps to being involved in your child’s education. A disturbing trend in child rearing is that as a child gets older, the level of involvement decreases. This trend needs to be changed. Parents need to be as involved in their child’s education at age 18 as they are at age 5.

Parents will need to understand what the Common Core Standards are and how they impact their child’s future. They will need to communicate more effectively with their children’s teachers. They will need to stay on top of their child making sure that homework is complete, providing them with extra work, and stressing the value of education. Parents ultimately have the most impact on their child’s approach to school and no time is this more important than it will be in the Common Core Standard era.

Read more here: http://teaching.about.com/od/assess/a/Common-Core-Standards.htm
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Benefits of Parent Involvement

The benefits of parental involvement for students include:

· higher academic achievement.

· better attendance.

· higher grades and test scores, and enrollment in higher-level programs.

The benefits of parental involvement for parents include:

· a deeper understanding of  

· educational programs and how  schools operate.

· increased confidence in their ability to help their children learn at home.

·  increased support for their children.

The benefits of parental involvement for teachers, administrators, and schools include:

· higher student achievement.

· increased student attendance.

· a network of supportive parents and communities.
Source: http://www.clayton.k12.ga.us/departments/federalprograms/parentinvolve/

Step It Up! Slide Show Presentation