Blythe Academy's News

From Our PTA President

Calling all Dads and Male Role Models!!
Friday, March 6th is the last of our 3M Luncheons for the year. So far, they have proven to be very successful. 3M (Men Who Matter Most) is a program of which we are very proud and for which we have won awards. It started several years ago when there was concern that very few men where coming into the school during
school hours. Still today, only ten percent of the national PTA membership consists of men. Our 3M Luncheons are a time for children to share with the men in their lives the place where they spend majority of their days. Not only is this exciting for our students, but it is good for them as well. The National Household Education Survey by the US Department of Education found that:

• Students whose fathers were highly involved at school were 43 percent more likely to receive A’s.

• Children of highly involved resident fathers were 55 percent more likely to enjoy school than those with uninvolved fathers.

• Students with nonresident fathers who participated in even one activity at school were 39 percents less likely to repeat a grade and 50 percent less likely to experience serious disciplinary problems.

Can’t make the next 3M Luncheon? There are many opportunities for you to participate in your child’s school, please see the list below. Don’t forget that the
simple things you do, like walking your child to school, doing carpool and talking to your student about their day have an impact as well.

See you at Blythe!
Kathy McClintock
PTA President

Media Center News

Media Center hosted storyteller David Novak!
Nationally acclaimed storyteller, David Novak, the Novateller, was our guest in the Media Center on February 10-11. Smithsonian Magazine say of the Novateller, "Novak, a gifted teller who regularly performs at festivals around the country, enhances his stories with a bag of tricks. His fluid voice can become a dozen different characters. He sometimes takes out a looped string and turns cat's cradle tangles into antlers, beards and other costumes for his protagonists."
Mr. Novak, of Asheville, North Carolina, made four presentations each day so that every student was able to attend. In addition, he created a "seed story" for us to develop into a school story that we can write after he left! Thank you PTA for sponsoring this outstanding opportunity for our students!

The Counselors’ Column

Did you know that spring standardized testing is right around the corner? Students in grade four will be taking the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) later this month on February 23-25. The new test for students in third through fifth grades that replaces PACT is the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS). The PASS test will be administered in two parts, with the writing portion given on March 10-11 and the reading, math, science, and social studies multiple choice tests will be given on May 12-15. The tests will be aligned to the state academic standards for each content area, and teachers have been working hard all year to prepare our students. With this issue we begin a two-part article on testing.

Standardized testing has been used to measure student achievement and ability for many years. Over the past few years, these tests have become more important than ever. Many states, including South Carolina, have defined specifically what students should know and be able to do, grade by grade. Our state and district use standardized tests to measure how well students achieve these goals. Here are some answers to some common questions about testing:

What are standardized tests?
Standardized tests are designed to give a common measure of how well students are doing. Some of these tests measure how much students know in particular subjects. Others test a student’s ability to learn in school. Standardized tests are created to see how students from one school or class compare to other students across the state or country.
What makes the tests standardized?
A test must have the same set of questions, the same test directions, and the same scoring no matter where the tests are given. There are two kinds of standardized tests: criterion-referenced and norm referenced. We will discuss the difference in the next newsletter.
How can testing help the school?
Tests can help evaluate a school’s program. The scores report on a student’s progress and can help a teacher diagnose a student’s strengths and weaknesses. Tests can help teachers identify a student’s aptitudes and design an instructional
program to meet an individual student’s needs.
How can testing help parents?
Tests help parents see how their child’s school achievement compares with other students. Parents can learn more about their child’s aptitudes in various areas and help children to better understand their strengths and weaknesses.
How can I help my child do better on tests?
Make sure you know when the tests will be administered. Avoid scheduling appointments and trips during these times. Ask the teacher what you can do at home. Before some state tests, the teacher might ask you to review math facts or social studies terms for example. Some teachers prepare study packets of practice problems. Encourage your child to read. The easiest and best way to prepare your
child for doing well on tests is to read often. Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep. Provide a good breakfast and have your child dress in layers. Kids do better on tests if they don’t have to think about how hot or cold they are. Don’t be too anxious. Say, “This test is important. I know you will try hard and do your best.” Your confidence will be contagious. On the day of the test, give your child
these tips:

• After you have finished, go back and check your answers carefully.

• Skip a question and move on if you don’t know the answer. You can always come back later. Maybe you will be ready to answer that question
  then.

We will bring you more information in the next edition on standardized testing. As always, feel free to contact us if we can ever be of assistance to you or your child.

Absence and Tardy Information

It is very important for students to arrive at school on time. Due to the number of tardies we are having in the mornings, students with excessive tardies will be given a Disciplinary Referral. Tardies are very disruptive to classroom instruction time. When a student arrives after 8:00 a.m., a parent/guardian MUST come into the school to sign them in. If your child misses school, please send a note to the attendance office. If you have a planned trip, send a note to the school before the absence, so Dr. Griffin can review your child’s attendance and possibly have the absence be an excused absence instead of unexcused. If the note is received after a planned trip, it will automatically be an unexcused absence. Please see
the following Greenville County Schools attendance policy regarding absences.
Mary D. Jeanfreau, Attendance Clerk

In accordance with the South Carolina Compulsory School Attendance Law, The School District of Greenville County has adopted uniform rules to assure that students attend school regularly. Each day that students are not in school, they miss hours of valuable instruction and opportunities for learning that they will not have again.
 

All children are required to attend a public or private school or kindergarten beginning at age five and continuing until their 17th birthday. If parents choose not to send their children to kindergarten, they must sign a waiver, which may be obtained at the local school.
 

Students are counted present only when they are actually in school, on homebound instruction, or are present at an activity authorized by the school principal.
 

Because 170 days are the minimum required by the state, the first ten (10) absences may be lawful, unlawful, or a combination. All absences beginning with the eleventh (11th) must be lawful and will be excused if they fall within the guidelines of lawful absences.

A. Lawful Absences

1.  Absences caused by a student’s own illness* and whose attendance in school would endanger his or her health or the health of others. *Verified by a statement from a physician within two (2) days of the student’s return to school. Absences for CHRONIC or EXTENDED illness will be approved only when verified by a physician’s statement.

2. Absences due to an illness or death in the student’s immediate family verified by a statement from the parent within two (2) days of the student’s return to school.

3. Absences due to a recognized religious holiday of the student’s faith when approved in advance. Such requests must be made to the principal in writing.

4. Absences due to activities that are approved in advance by the principal. This would include absences for extreme hardships. Such approval should be prearranged when possible. *Including doctor’s appointments

B. Unlawful Absences

1. Absences of a student without the knowledge of his or her parents.

2. Absences of a student without acceptable cause with the knowledge of his or her parents.

3. Suspension is not to be counted as an unlawful absence for truancy purposes.

*A truant child is defined as a child ages 6 to 17 years old who has three (3) consecutive unlawful absences or a total of five (5) unlawful absences. Students within this category will receive a disciplinary referral for truancy. The student’s parent will need to attend an Intervention Conference with the school administration to create an Intervention Plan for improving the student’s attendance. After the 7th consecutive absence or the 8th accumulated unexcused absence, the attendance supervisor at the District will be sent the Intervention Plan and a copy of the student’s attendance from the local school.

Front Office News

SIMPLE TRACKS PROGRAM

We have now set up our Simple Tracks Program in the front office. It is a computer program that allows you to check in and out of the school, it will add your volunteer hours up and it will also print out your name tag for you! It is very easy to use—so come and try it out.
 

VERY IMPORTANT!
If you wish to restrict your child’s access to the internet or if you do not wish for your name, address, or phone number to appear in the student directory, you must sign a waiver at the school’s front office.

FORMS
During the first few weeks of school, teachers send several forms home with students. Please complete all forms quickly and return them to your child’s teacher. Your help will make the start of the year go more smoothly for everyone.

STUDENT HANDBOOKS
Blythe’s 2008-09 Student Handbook  is  available online in the Student section at  www.greenville.k12.sc.us/blythe. 

Make a Difference! Volunteer!

Did you know…
That our OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERS have given 4,143.98 hours to our school so far this year? This represents a 5% increase over last year! Every minute counts! We entered 696.5 minutes manually! If you do work without signing in, please remember to complete an “Hours for Manual Input” form next to the sign-in computer in the front office. They add up quickly and really do matter! Remember, when logging in to the computer, if you are volunteering, please sign in as a volunteer rather than as a visitor! If you have any questions regarding how to sign in, please let me know! Thank you again for sharing your time!

Cheves Steck
Volunteer Coordinator
282-1888