Week of April 4, 2016 Announcements

New York State Tests Overview
Students in grades 3-8 in schools across the Archdiocese of New York will be taking the New York State Assessments in ELA (English Language Arts) and Mathematics in April.
Assessment Dates are:
April 5th, 6th and 7th - English Language Arts
April 13th, 14th and 15th - Mathematics

The New York State Exams are intended to provide students, Families, educators and the public better measures of student proficiency in the knowledge and skills  students need to succeed in college and careers. (engageny.org)

The following is a break-down of the New York State ELA assessment for grades 3-8.

Grades 3 & 4
Book 1- 24 multiple choice questions; 4 passages

Book 2 - 7 multiple choice questions; 3 passages (1 Reading, 2 Writing); 2 short-response questions; 1 extended response question.

Book 3- 3 passages (writing); 5 short response questions; 1 extended response question.

Grades 5-8
Book 1 - 35 multiple choice questions; 5 passages

Book 2 - 7 multiple choice questions; 3 passages (1 Reading, 2 Writing); 2 short response questions; 1 extended response question.

Book 3 - 3 passages; 5 short response questions; 1 extended response question.

The following is a break-down of the New York State Mathematics Assessment

Grade 3
Book 1 - 22 multiple choice questions.
Book 2 - 22 multiple choice questions
Book 3 - 5 short response questions; 3 extended response questions

Grade 4
Book 1 - 22 multiple choice questions
Book 2 -  23 Multiple choice questions
Book 3- 6 short response questions; 4 extended response questions

Grade 5
Book 1 - 22 multiple choice questions
Book 2-  23 multiple choice questions
Book 3 -  6 short response questions; 4 extended response questions

Grades 6-8
Book 1 -  26 multiple choice questions
Book 2 - 25 multiple choice questions
Book 3 - 6 short response questions; 4 extended response questions

Resources for Students at Home
www.learnzillion.com
www.khanacademy.com
www.readwritethink.org

Changes to the 2016 New York State ELA & Math Assessments
-A new company is responsible for the construction of this year's test forms and guidance    materials
-Greater Involvement of Educators in Test Development Process
-Decrease in Number of Test Questions
- Shift to untimed testing allows students to work at their own pace.

Monday April 4, 2016 - School resumes

Tuesday April 5, 2016
New York State ELA Test Grades 3-8

Wednesday April 6, 2016
New York State ELA Test Grades 3-8

Thursday April 7, 2016
New York State ELA Test Grades 3-8

Friday April 8, 2016
Dress down day for orphanage in Haiti.

Sunday April 10, 2016
Biology Class 9:00 AM
Reconciliation Class 12:00 noon
Mass for all students 1:00 PM

Week of March 14, 2016 Announcements

Year of Mercy Visit to St. Francis X. Cabrini Shrine
Students in grades 4-8 will visit the Shrine of St. Francis X. Cabrini on Tuesday March 15th as part of the Year of Mercy celebration to visit selected holy sites as proclaimed by Pope Francis.
Students are to be in full uniform.  They will visit the shrine at 11:00 AM and be given a tour and Mass will be celebrated at 12:00 noon. Students will be sent home a permission slip on Monday that must be signed and returned to the classroom teacher.

Engage Nee York Module IIIB Assessments - Week of March 14th
Students will be administered unit exams for Module IIIB during the week of March 14th. Please make sure that your child has gathered all the review material for the tests that will be posted by the classroom teachers on the blog.
Monday March 14, 2016 - ELA- English Language Arts
Tuesday March 15, 2016 - Trip to Mother Cabrini Shrine for the Year of Mercy 
Wednesday March 16, 2016 - Mathematics and Religion
Thursday March 17, 2016 - Reading and Science
Friday March 18, 2016 - Social Studies 

Easter Recess
Easter recess will begin after dismissal on Friday March 18th at 3:00 PM. 
There will be no After School Program on Friday, March 18th.
School will resume on Monday April 4th. Parents are reminded that New York State ELA tests begin on April 5th and there should be no extended vacation days taken or missed plane excuses.
Students will need shopping bags to pack their books this week for storage over the break so that the classrooms may be cleaned and waxed.

New York State Exam Review - Easter Recess
Students should practice 20 or 30 minutes a day using IXL and/or Achieve 3000 during the Easter Recess. The New York State ELA test will be administered in grades 3-8 on April 5th, 6th and 7th.
This year the time limit has been lifted so that students may work at their own pace. Also a new company was employed by the New York State Education Department to design the test. Parents are reminded that testing is part and parcel of life.
Would you want your child's doctor not to have taken a medical exam and passed?  
Testing at the elementary level is just one measure of student success and should not be a cause célèbre ( an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy) like it has been made into the last couple of years. Testing, classroom participation, teacher made tests, a child's ability to make a classroom presentation etc. are the things that measure what a child knows.  The NYS tests should assist parents in knowing what academic areas their child excels in and what areas are in need of improvement- period. 
NYS Math tests will be administered April 13th, 14th and 15th.

Monday March 14, 2016
Module IIIB ELA Assessment

Tuesday March 15, 2016 - Ides of March 
District 6 Speech Contest 9:00 AM - St. Rose of Lima School. Kately Suarez, Sofia Santiago and Yarissa Molina.
Trip to the Shrine of St. Francis X. Cabrini- Grades 4-8

Wednesday March 16, 2016
Module IIIB Assessments in Mathematics and Religion 
ELA coach will work with students in grades 2-4

Thursday March 17, 2016 - Feast of St. Patrick, patron of the Archdiocese of New York 
Green Day.
Students may wear green clothes and not need to wear their uniform.
Module IIIB Assessments Reading and Science

Friday March 18, 2016 - Feast of St. Cyril of Jerusalem
Lenten Prayer Service 9:00 AM - parents welcome
Module IIIB Assessment - Social Studies 
Shopping bags need to pack up student textbooks in closets.
Easter  Recess begins at dismissal at 3:00 PM 
No After school program today. 

Sunday March 20, 2016 - Palm Sunday 
First Day of Spring
Reconciliation Class 12:00 noon
Mass for all students in sacramental program 1:00 PM

Week of March 8, 2016

Engage Nee York Module IIIB Assessments - Week of March 14th
Students will be administered unit exams for Module IIIB during the week of March 14th. Please make sure that your child has gathered all the review material for the tests that will be posted by the classroom teachers on the blog.
Monday March 14, 2016 - ELA- English Language Arts
Tuesday March 15, 2016 - Trip to Mother Cabrini Shrine for the Year of Mercy 
Wednesday March 16, 2016 - Mathematics and Religion
Thursday March 17, 2016 - Reading and Science
Friday March 18, 2016 - Social Studies 

Easter Recess
Easter recess will begin after dismissal on Friday March 18th at 3:00 PM. There will be no After School Program on Friday, March 18th.
School will resume on Monday April 4th. Parents are reminded that New York State ELA tests begin on April 5th and there should be no extended vacation days taken or missed plane excuses.

Reconciliation Class Students
There will be class each Sunday during March at 12:00 noon
March 13, 2016
March 20, 2016

Monday - March 7, 2016 Feast of Sts. Perpetua and Felicity
CCSS Module IIIB Week 7
Tuition Suspension Day 

Tuesday March 8, 2016 Feast of St. John of God
Touring Tuesday - 9:00 AM -11:00 AM

Wednesday March 9, 2016 Feats of St. Frances of Rome 
Sacrament of Reconciliation for students in grades 3-8
Map A Month Due
Anti-bullying curriculum will be covered
ELA Coach will work with students in grades 2, 3 & 4

Thursday March 10, 2016 
Parents are requested to check their e-mail for financial aid awards.

Friday March 11, 2016 
Early Dismissal Day -12:00 noon - Faculty meeting
Stations of the Cross 8:30 AM - Parents welcome to attend

Saturday March 12, 2016 
Turn clocks ahead one hour before going to bed.

Sunday March 13, 2016 - Fifth Sunday of Lent 
Daylight Savings Time Begins
Biology Class 10:00 AM
Reconciliation Class - 12:00 noon
Mass for students - 1:00 PM