Brooks Families:
Welcome to spring! We had a wonderful spirit week this week and like you, we are excited to have a week off (March 25 - April 1). Take this time to reflect and rejuvenate. I will leave you with this poem from Langston Hughes...In the Time of Silver Rain
In time of silver rain
The earth puts forth new life again,
Green grasses grow
And flowers lift their heads,
And over all the plain
The wonder spreads
Of Life,
Of Life,
Of life!
In time of silver rain
The butterflies lift silken wings
To catch a rainbow cry,
And trees put forth new leaves to sing
In joy beneath the sky
As down the roadway
Passing boys and girls
Go singing, too,
In time of silver rain When spring
And life
Are new.
Best Buddies Color Run
The Best Buddies and Special Olympics sponsored Color Run is a Fun Run event, with a 1mile course. It will be held at Maple Park on Sunday, April 24th. In the event we are rained out, it will be on Sunday May 1st.
Cost is $15, and includes a t-shirt. Shirts cannot be guaranteed after 4/1. We recommend eye wear, and expect to be COLORFUL by the end!
You can sign up online at HERE
Research for Better Teaching: Parent Session #2 Follow-up
Thank you to all the parents who came out to our 2nd RBT session. Please join the discussion about Effective Effort on Padlet.
PARCC
Please send your student with earbuds each day for PARCC Testing. Additionally, we will not interrupt testing to pull students out for early dismissals, so please consider the testing schedule and make appointment after school. The schedule is attached .
As is required by law, every student who is eligible to take the PARCC assessment must be presented with a test ticket for each of the seven test units (three for ELA and four for Math). In keeping with the practice we implemented last year, any individual who elects not to take the assessment will be permitted to read a book after the teacher has read the directions to the class and students have begun the testing process. Since students will not be allowed to go to the school library during the administration of the test, we ask that you please make sure your child brings his/her book to class during the PARCC testing window (April 4 to May 13).
New Science Assessment
In addition to PARCC, public school students in grades five, eight and 10 will be required to take a new assessment this year that is aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards. The test will be administered in late spring via a computer-based platform, and is estimated to take no more than 60 minutes to complete. The Illinois State Board of Education is expected to provide additional information about this assessment in the days ahead. We will share this information with you as soon as it is available.
Allow me to introduce...
Ms. Brock from our English department and Ms Stamp from the science department. Read their bios HERE!
Yours in education,
LeeAndra Khan, Principal
Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School - Oak Park, IL
See my weekly announcements at Middle Matters
Follow us on twitter @brooksOP97
