Text Box: On Day 2, students answer multiple choice and short response questions based on a listening selection and complete a paragraph editing task. Grade 4: The test is given over three days on Wednesday, January 9th, Thursday, January 10th, and Friday, January 11th. On Day 1, students answer multiple choice questions based on reading selections, On Day 2, students answer short and extended response questions based on a listening selection, On Day 3, students answer short and extended response questions based on a paired reading selection. Very often, children feel anxious in testing situations. We do everything we can to alleviate their stress and address their concerns. Our teachers work extraordinarily hard to ensure that children feel prepared, confident, and relaxed. The students have had multiple opportunities to become familiar with the structure of the examination and to participate in sample assessments that mirror testing conditions. Should your child become ill during assessment week, please be assured that they will have the opportunity to take the examination. If students do not feel in top form, it is better that they rest, regain their health, and take the test during the make-up period the following week. There are many ways to support your children during this period. A good night’s sleep followed by a hearty breakfast will enable them to feel alert and refreshed on each testing day. Demonstrating your confidence in the preparation work they have done will ensure that they are primed to perform well. And above all, they will need your help in keeping the impact of elementary school assessment in perspective. The State Education Department’s website has a large amount of information on ELA and Mathematics testing. Please go www.emsc.nysed.gov/osa to learn more about standardized assessment. Earth Committee Report The ECHO Committee wishes to thank all of the families that contributed sneakers and plastic bags. We live in such a KIND and GIVING community! We will not be collecting bags any longer for our plastic bag rug. We thank all the parents and PTA for their help working on it. The rug will be proudly displayed in Concord Road in the near future. Keep an eye out! Hundreds of pairs of donated sneakers were loaded into a truck the week after Thanksgiving. As you read this, those sneakers are en route to thankful children in Nicaragua. How wonderful it was to see our children partake in such a successful RE-USING campaign. We encourage families to consider donating winter clothing that children have outgrown. We will be collecting these winter items in March and they will be sent to needy families throughout the Northeast. More info to follow...