May 13-17

Message from Glenda Ritz
Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction
Re: ISTEP
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As Superintendent of Public Instruction, I want to reach out to you regarding the Online ISTEP+ testing interruptions that students may have experienced at their schools. I know how hard students, parents, and educators have worked to prepare for these test sessions and interruptions are unacceptable. I understand the frustration experienced by everyone.
Throughout the testing period, DOE has remained in constant communication with our testing vendor, CTB McGraw-Hill, to monitor the testing. When it was determined that the CTB servers were not able to sustain the volume of users for full-day usage, we made the decision to have schools alter their test schedules to lessen the number of users accessing the test sessions for a period of three days. We also extended the testing window until May 17 to allow for all students to complete all test sessions. I realize these decisions have been stressful for both students and parents and have disrupted both school and family activities/plans.
Our first goal is to complete the test sessions. After testing is complete, we will then work to determine the validity of test sessions. With students taking four to six test sessions, some sessions may be valid, and some sessions may be invalid due to interruptions. IDOE will be working with CTB, a third party, and schools to determine validity.
I want to assure parents that all test session results will be shared with students, parents, and educators even if there is a “note” that indicates the results of a particular test session may not be valid.
In closing, in addition to providing student learning progress information, the ISTEP+ tests are used to calculate school accountability grades and they inform educator evaluation. The IDOE understands these high stakes and will work diligently to determine how best to fairly address them with this year’s ISTEP+ results.
-Glenda Ritz, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction

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This Week's Agenda
Monday, May 13   (Blue)
1. Science: Review work on sun, moon, and stars
2. Social Studies project is due Monday, May 20

Tuesday, May 14   (Gold)
1. Science: Checkup (i.e. test) on sun, moon, and stars
2. Social Studies project is due Monday, May 20

Wednesday, May 15   (Blue)
1. Social Studies: Roots of the Civil War - Read and interpret
2. Social Studies project is due Monday, May 20

Thursday, May 16   (Gold)
1. Science: Energy conservation - workbook
2. Moon phase / Oreo project
3. Social Studies project is due Monday, May 20

Friday, May 17   (Blue)
1. Trip to GCHS planetarium
2. Energy conservation take home material
3. Social Studies project is due Monday, May 20