Academic Info for Fourth - Eighth Grades

Dear parents of fourth through eighth grade students, 

As we round out the last few weeks of distance learning, I want to update you on important information for the end of the school year.

 

AR Deadlines- The AR Deadline for school goals this year is May 4th. Your child’s reading teacher may choose to extend this deadline for class grades for AR. You will (or may have already) received communication from your child’s teacher about this deadline.

 

Report Card Changes- With report cards right around the corner, I want to make you aware of a few changes to this nine-week’s report card:

STAR Assessments and Math Facts Assessments- Students in 4th-8th grade will receive a “n/a” for these assessments that were not administered in Quarter 4 due to distance learning. Students will take both STAR Reading and STAR Math at the start of the 2020-2021 school year.

Distance Learning- All report cards will also have a comment stating: “All Quarter 4 grades are reflective of a distance learning environment due to school closure.” As this is the students’ official transcript and record, we added this comment for reference in future years.

 

End of the Year Class Celebrations-On Friday, May 15th, all 4th-8th graders will have special class celebrations to wrap up the school year and give both students and teachers a sense of closure. Students will be working on a project the final week of school to use in their class celebrations. These celebrations are for students and teachers to recollect on an incredible, unique year. These celebrations are not about grades or honor roll (which are also so important, but will be celebrated at a different time)--they are about celebrating each and every student, their class, and all they have learned this year. On Friday, May 15th, students are all invited to two special zoom sessions, one with their homeroom and one with their whole grade level and team of teachers. More information will follow from each homeroom teacher, but for now please be aware of the following schedule. Please make every effort to have your student join us for these special events.

 

7th Whole Grade Session

5th Whole Grade Session

4th Homeroom Sessions

 

7th/8th Homeroom Sessions

5th/6th Homeroom Sessions

4th Whole Grade Session

 

8th Whole Grade Session

6th Whole Grade Session

As we wind down the school year, there are so many things that are different about this year’s end, but I am also so comforted by all of the similarity. Teachers, as usual, are working to impart final lasting lessons for their students; celebrations, as usual, are being planned to close out the year; and just last week our beloved eighth graders began their Farewell Speeches, a SPES eighth grade tradition that means so much to the eighth grade students as well as all those who hear them--one of which is read at the Eighth Grade Mass of Thanksgiving. So much is different, but so much is also still the same. I am so thankful that we are able to continue to be who we are at SPES and do what we do at SPES... even if it looks a little bit different in this time. 

Blessings,

Assistant Principal of Middle School