Food for Thought on this Thanksgiving Eve...

It's Poverty, Not Stupid ~ December 3rd 2013 PISA test results will be available. This is the international test used to rank and compare the few countries who participate in this international assessment (65 in 2012, down from 75 in 2009). Before we begin interpreting these scores or worse yet, just believing what the media machine feeds us, please take into account how poverty factors into the US scores. With strong evidence that poverty lowers PISA scores, comparing US schools of poverty with international schools of poverty would create better comparisons. This becomes difficult as some countries will not report their poverty levels. The US poverty rate in 2009 was 21.7% and our score was 520. Finland who scored the highest at 536 only has a 3.4% poverty rate. Japan scored 520 and they have a poverty rate of 14.3%. New Zealand comes the closest to our poverty rate at 16.3% and their score was only one point higher than the US at 521. Breaking it down even further, if you only look at our schools with less than 10% poverty rate, the US score is 551, far exceeding Finland at 536. 

Read more at It's Poverty Not Stupid

Thanksgiving Break

Wishing each of you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving break.  There is no homework over the break, however as always it is important for students to read read read!!!  This week was full of excitement. We finished up our projects on Wednesday. On Thursday we created Thanksgiving placemats to put out on your holiday tables. On Friday we ended our week with a school wide viewing of The Lorax. I look forward to seeing all the students back at school Monday, December 2nd.

HOMEWORK ~ Nov. 8th - 15th

* Week 5 spelling words: Test Friday, Nov. 15th
* Reading Log: Read at least 20 minutes, 5 days this week and turn in your log on Friday, Nov. 15th

Conference Week!

Welcome to Parent/Teacher Conference Week,

I am looking forward to meeting each of you. Conferences are Tuesday evening, Wednesday evening, Thursday, and Friday morning.  Don't forget, there is NO SCHOOL for students Thursday, Friday, and Monday.  Enjoy your long weekend. Also, there is only a reading log. Students do not have writing or spelling homework this week.