The Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School Newsletter http://www1.pgcps.org/martinlutherkingjr Thank you for sending your child to school every day ready to learn. February 27, 2015 FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK: Dear Parents, Next week all students in the state of Maryland enrolled in grades three through eight, as well as students taking English 10, Algebra 1 and Algebra 2, will begin to participate in Maryland’s PARCC test. The federal No Child Left Behind Act requires Maryland to test in both English/Language Arts and math. Maryland’s new Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test will help measure students’ mastery of English language arts, literacy, and math. These are not “fill-in-the-bubble” tests. Students will be asked, for example, to write an essay, create a graph, or create a model. Testing will be given in two parts, beginning in March, and again toward the end of the school year. For grades 3 through 8, the test covers English language arts, literacy and math. It also serves as the new high school exam for Algebra I, Algebra II, and 10th grade English. Our testing window begins March 2nd and ends March 27th. All students will take 5 sessions of PARCC, 3 for English Language Arts and 2 for Math/Algebra. Students will take 1 session of testing each day, for a total of 5 days, during their assigned week. Week 1: March 2-6 - 8th Grade

Week 2: March 9-13 - 6th Grade

Week 3: March 16-20 - 7th Grade

Please make sure your child is in school every testing day according to the schedule noted above. Children absent on a testing day will participate in make-up testing, but it is best if they are here the day of the test. If your child is nervous or upset about testing, let us know and we will work with you and the student in order to find the best testing situation in order to relieve test anxiety. Thank you for encouraging your child to do his or her best on the PARCC assessment! The PARCC test requires the use of headphones/ear buds. We are asking all students to bring in a pair of ear buds to be used for testing. Ear buds will be maintained and secured by the homeroom teacher until testing is over. Once ear buds are brought to school, they will not be returned to students until their testing is completed. If students do not bring in their own ear buds, they will be provided with a set of headphones to use for testing. Ear buds can be purchased inexpensively at Five Below, The Dollar Store, Wal-Mart, Target, etc. If you have any questions, please call Alissa Dick, School Test Coordinator, 301.562.0650. If you are willing to purchase an extra pair and make a donation, please let Ms. Dick know. It is our hope that ALL students will have their own ear buds. We are asking parents to partner with us as we complete final preparation for PARCC testing by reviewing the following Test Taking Tips with your children: • • • • • • • • • •

Sleep well the night before each test. Eat a good breakfast the morning of each test. BE ON TIME TO SCHOOL! Concentrate! Do not allow yourself to be distracted by noises or movements around you. You will have plenty of time for each section; there is no need to rush through the test! Occasionally check the time and make sure you are on track. Read the directions carefully on the screen before marking your answers. Directions may be different from one question to the next. Some questions may allow you to select more than one answer. Use the technology tools that are available to you on the screen - highlighter, answer eliminator, flag items for review, line reader tool, magnification device, note pad, pop-up glossary, and formula reference sheets. Use your scratch paper or the notepad to jot down ideas, or to work out problems. Use the review screen to double check your work; go back to all items before the end of the session. If you answer all of the questions in a given section and there is time left, go back and re-read each question and check your answers and see if they make sense.

PARCC Test Item of the Week - This week PARCC presents two items from the Grade 4 English language arts practice test: items 3 and 7. As students’ progress through the course of study, teachers will scaffold questions to prepare students to gather ideas for written compositions. Scaffolding means that the sequence of questions asked during instruction is not random, but instead purposeful and intended to lead students to discover key ideas. PARCC items model this scaffolding and intentional questioning. The standards call for students to use and analyze sources. When writing the performance tasks, we start with the end in mind, and craft the proseconstructed response item that will provide an authentic reason for students to communicate their understanding of what has been read. More >> New Webinar On-Demand: A Guided Tour through the PARCC Test - Learn about the differences between old tests and the new PARCC exams, and see PARCC in action as experts take you through actual test questions in this prerecorded webinar. View the webinar, “A Guided Tour through the PARCC Test,” at: http://media.msde.state.md.us/2015/PARCC/TAKE.mp4 • •

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To access previously recorded parent webinars, please click here: http://bit.ly/parent-webinars Try your hand at the “PARCC Question of the Week” or a new English/language arts practice test. This week’s question is an example of a “performance-based” test question for Grade 7 mathematics. The question reflects a real-world situation, requires multiple steps to complete, and asks students to show their work and explain how they got their answer. Try the PARCC Question of the Week. You can also try a new practice version of the PARCC End-of-Year assessment in English/language arts (ELA), which Maryland schools will begin administering in April. Take the ELA End-of-Year practice test.

For more PARCC resources and up-to-the-minute information: • Sign up here to receive email updates on the PARCC assessments and other topics of interest • Visit MSDE’s Prepare for PARCC webpage • Follow MdPublicSchools on Facebook and Twitter • Join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #PrepareForPARCC Attention 8th grade parents: Per PGCPS policy, all students transitioning to high school are required to have updated proof of residency on file before the end of the 2015 - 2016 school year. You will receive a letter in March explaining what documentation is needed. It is important for you to understand that this is a county requirement for all transitioning students, including those planning to attend Eleanor Roosevelt High School, private schools, or schools out of Prince George's County. Ms. Swartz, the guidance secretary, must update each 8th grade student record before the student leaves MLK. The end of the year brings many tasks to our guidance office staff. Your immediate response to providing the needed documents will be greatly appreciated. Important Dates:

March 2-6 March 9-13 March 9 March 10

March 13 March 16-20 March 23, 24 March 26 March 27 March 30 April 1 April 2 April 3 - 10

8th Grade - PARCC – PLEASE DO NOT SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS OR BE LATE TO SCHOOL 6th Grade - PARCC – PLEASE DO NOT SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS OR BE LATE TO SCHOOL Progress Reports Released PTO Executive Board Meeting – 4:45 p.m. Main Office Conference Room PTO Parent Round Table Meeting - MLK Community Budget Meeting – 6:30 p.m. Media Center Spelling Bee at the Clarice Smith Center, University of MD – 7:00 p.m. 7th Grade - PARCC – PLEASE DO NOT SCHEDULE APPOINTMENTS OR BE LATE TO SCHOOL Personality Pictures, March 23rd – Grades 6 and 7; March 24th – Grade 8 8th Grade Orchestra Festival - Northwestern High School - 3:30 p.m. 8th Grade Band Festival - Northwestern High School - 4:30 p.m. 7th Grade Choral Assessment Festival - Bladensburg High School - 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 8th Grade Choral Assessment Festival - Bladensburg High School - 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The grading window for 3rd quarter closes. Report cards released on April 15th. School closed for students; grade/teacher planning day Spring Break – Schools Closed For Students – School Reopens on April 13th

Congratulations to the Renaissance Roll winners from February 20, 2015. Students who have demonstrated good citizenship, academic achievement, and the King Principles are recognized by their teachers with Renaissance Living the Dream cards. Part of each card is placed in the weekly Renaissance drawing. Prizes this week were pens, pencils, folders and highlighters. Team M6 Kaiyah McClain Christopher McCray Omar Ross-Staley Imelda Uruejoma

Team L7 Montana LeGrand Angel Morales-Vega Bryan Sawta N’Deye Walton

Team K8 Andre Brown Patrick Dwyer Derek Ohringer Isatu Wurie

SAT WORD of the Week: Rehash (verb) – To discuss again. "Sandra," said her mother, "I am tired of rehashing this same topic over and over."

An Introduction to Maryland’s New State Assessment for Public School Students

“Staying on track is the key to every student’s success” What is the Maryland “PARCC” test? Maryland’s new Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) will help measure students’ mastery of English language arts, literacy, and math. These are not “fill-in-the-bubble” tests. Students will be asked, for example, to write an essay, create a graph, or create a model.

Why is the PARCC test needed? In 2010, our state adopted new, higher standards for student learning in all schools. Maryland’s new College and Career Ready Standards will help our schools provide students with relevant, real-world knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in the future. The PARCC test helps us measure progress toward grade-level mastery as well as graduation.

When does testing begin? Testing will be given in two parts, beginning March, and again toward the end of the school year. For grades 3 through 8, the test covers English language arts, literacy and math. It also serves as the new high school exam for Algebra I, Algebra II, and 10th grade English.

When will I see the test results—and how will I know what they mean? Parents should expect to see the results by the end of the 2015 calendar year. At that time, information on how to understand the scores will be provided. It is important to note that passing the high school level PARCC assessments in Algebra I and English 10 will not be a graduation requirement until the 2016-2017 school year.

How should I help my student prepare for testing? Your children’s teachers have been preparing students all along, with practice tests and other activities. You can encourage your children to take the test seriously but not to worry too much; to get a good night’s sleep the night before; and to eat a good breakfast on the day of the test.

Can my child opt out of taking the test? No. The Maryland State Board of Education states that while parents have a fundamental right to choose whether to send their children to a public school, they cannot selectively choose or reject parts of the public education program itself—including student testing.

What accommodations will be offered to my child with special needs or who speaks English as a second language? The tests provide accommodations that can address many visual, auditory, and physical-access barriers for students with disabilities, while enabling them to take assessments at the same time as others in the class. There will also be accommodations for English language learners at various levels of language proficiency.

To learn more, visit: www.MarylandPublicSchools.org and click on “Prepare for PARCC: What Every Parent Should Know.”

“I’m ready to show what I know”

Introducción a la nueva evaluación de conocimientos del estado de Maryland para estudiantes de escuelas públicas

«Mantenerse al día es la clave para el éxito de todo estudiante»

¿Qué es la prueba «PARCC» de Maryland? La nueva Asociación de Evaluaciones de Preparación para la Universidad y la Vida Profesional (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, PARCC) ayudará a medir el dominio de los estudiantes en las materias de artes del idioma inglés, literatura y matemáticas. Estas no son pruebas donde se rellena una hoja de respuestas. A los estudiantes se les pedirá, por ejemplo, escribir un ensayo, crear un gráfico o un modelo.

¿Por qué es necesaria la prueba PARCC? En 2010, nuestro estado adoptó nuevos estándares más exigentes de aprendizaje para los estudiantes de todas las escuelas. Los nuevos estándares de preparación para la universidad y la vida profesional de Maryland ayudarán a nuestras escuelas a proporcionales a los estudiantes conocimientos y destrezas relevantes y del mundo real que necesitarán para tener éxito en el futuro. La prueba PARCC ayuda a medir el progreso hacia el dominio en cada curso así como hacia la graduación.

¿Cuándo comienza la prueba?

¿Cuándo veré los resultados de la prueba y cómo entenderé su significado? Los padres deben esperar los resultados para el final del año calendario de 2015. Para ese entonces, se habrá proporcionado la información necesaria para comprender la puntuación. Es importante señalar que, hasta el año escolar 2016-2017, la aprobación de la evaluación PARCC del nivel de escuela secundaria de Álgebra I e Inglés 10 no será un requisito para graduarse.

¿Cómo debo ayudar a mi hijo(a) a prepararse para la prueba? Los maestros de sus hijos los han estado preparando desde el primer momento, con pruebas prácticas y otras actividades. Usted puede incentivar a sus hijos a tomarse la prueba con seriedad pero sin preocuparse demasiado; a descansar bien la noche anterior y a tomar un buen desayuno el día de la prueba.

¿Mi hijo(a) puede optar por no tomar la prueba? No. El Consejo Escolar del Estado de Maryland establece que aunque los padres tengan el derecho fundamental a elegir enviar a sus hijos a una escuela pública, no pueden elegir o rechazar selectivamente partes del programa de la educación pública, lo que incluye las pruebas realizadas a los estudiantes.

La prueba se aplicará en dos partes a principios de marzo y nuevamente al final del año escolar. A partir de los grados 3.° a 8.°, la prueba comprende artes del idioma inglés, literatura y matemáticas. También sirve como el nuevo examen de escuela secundaria para Álgebra I, Álgebra II e Inglés de 10.° grado.

¿Qué consideraciones se le ofrecerán a mi hijo(a) con necesidades especiales o que hable inglés como segunda lengua? En la prueba se tendrán adaptaciones que pueden solucionar muchas barreras de acceso, como visuales, auditivas y físicas, para estudiantes con discapacidades, que les permitirán tomar las evaluaciones al mismo tiempo que sus otros compañeros de clase. También habrá consideraciones para los aprendices del idioma inglés en varios niveles de dominio del idioma.

Para obtener más información, visite: www.MarylandPublicSchools.org y haga clic en «Prepararse para PARCC: Lo que todo padre debe saber».

«Estoy listo para demostrar

Top 10 Things Parents Need to Know about Testing in Maryland Updated November 2014

Maryland implemented new, higher standards for student learning in all schools across the State in 2013. The Maryland College and Career Ready Standards are based on the Common Core State Standards, which have been adopted by Maryland and over 40 other states, and provide students with the relevant, real world knowledge and skills needed for success in college and careers. In order to measure student mastery of the new standards, this year Maryland will implement new statewide tests – the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments – which replace the current statewide tests, the Maryland School Assessment (MSA). The PARCC tests in English 10 and Algebra will replace the High School Assessments (HSAs) in those subjects this year, while the HSAs in Government and Biology will continue to be administered. As we continue this transition to the PARCC assessments, the Maryland State Department of Education has compiled a list of the 10 most important things parents need to know about testing.

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) tests in English language arts/literacy and mathematics will be given each spring.

  The new PARCC tests are designed to be given online, but paper and pencil versions are available.

Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 will be given the new assessments. These tests, aligned to the new standards, mark a major step forward for education in Maryland.

Many classrooms will be administering the PARCC tests on computers or tablet devices, but due to technology constraints felt in some classrooms there will be paper and pencil versions of the test available at least through 2017.

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The PARCC assessments represent a complete reset of Maryland’s state testing system.

Scores will not be comparable with the old MSA tests in English language arts/literacy and mathematics. The new tests look at different content and use an entirely new grading system. Data for the 2014-15 administration will represent a new baseline for students and schools.

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The PARCC assessments are a better measure of student learning.

These are not the typical multiple choice bubble tests that have been prevalent for decades. The new PARCC assessments will measure problem solving skills that students need to be successful in college and careers. The PARCC tests will also provide timely information about what individual students are learning and whether or not they need extra help.

MarylandPublicSchools.org

The science MSA will continue to be administered.

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The computer-based MSA science exam is still given to students in grades 5 and 8 in March or April, as it has been administered for the past decade.

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Scores on the first full administration  of the PARCC assessments will be available by the end of 2015.

MarylandPublicSchools.org   Federal law requires that all Maryland students take an annual statewide assessment, or the State  risks losing millions of dollars in funding.

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Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), all students in grades 3-8 must be tested every year in reading and mathematics. Annual testing is important to help ensure that all students are making progress.

Information on student achievement in mathematics and English language arts/literacy will be available for students, parents, and educators; and will include specific information about progress toward college and career readiness.

Parents of students with #  disabilities will be contacted by their child’s IEP or 504 team to discuss allowable PARCC accessibility features and accomodations.

  The PARCC tests in Algebra and #  English 10 replace the Maryland High School Assessments (HSAs) in Algebra/Data Analysis and English 10.

Accessibility features and accommodations will continue to be tailored for individual student needs. There are some accommodations in current IEP or 504 plans that:

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Students will not be required to pass the Algebra and English 10 PARCC assessments in order to receive a Maryland High School diploma until 2016-17. They must still take and pass the Biology and Government HSAs to graduate, and must complete and pass all their coursework.

For additional information and resources, please visit: PARCC Website: www.parcconline.org PARCC Practice Tests: http://parcconline.org/practice-tests Maryland State Department of Education: www.marylandpublicschools.org Maryland school, district, and state scores: www.mdreportcard.org

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• Are no longer allowable for the PARCC assessments, • Are included for all students as an accessibility feature, or • Have specific guidelines that IEP or 504 teams must consider when selecting the  accommodation, such as text-to-speech,  calculator, scribe, or word prediction.

If you have additional questions about testing, ask your child’s teacher or principal.

These educators and administrators will have the most accurate information about what is happening in your child’s classroom and school. They can also share ideas on what you can do at home to help your child succeed.

RESTAURANT WEEK Come join the fun at the

Taste TNI SAMPLE delicious foods from East Riverdale/Bladensburg restaurants and from across the County

FREE EVENT

SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2015 4 PM UNTIL 7PM BLADENSBURG HIGH SCHOOL 4200 57th Avenue Bladensburg, MD 20710 Sponsored by E. RIVERDALE/BLADENSBURG TNI *Accepting donations to benefit the Bladensburg High School Culinary Arts program.

SEMANA DE RESTAURANTES Venga y participle en el festival de comida

El Sabor TNI Pruebe la deliciosa comida de varios restaurantes del Este de Riverdale y Bladensburg al igual que de otras partes del Condado

EVENTO GRATIS

DOMINGO, 1 MARZO DEL 2015 4 PM HASTA LAS 7PM BLADENSBURG HIGH SCHOOL 4200 57th Avenue Bladensburg, MD 20710 Patrocinado por EL EQUIPO DE TNI E. RIVERDALE/BLADENSBURG *Se aceptaran donaciones a beneficio del programa de Artes Culinarias de Bladensburg High School.