On Monday April 4th, a total solar eclipse will be visible in our area. This is a fascinating natural phenomenon, but it's crucial to take safety precautions when viewing it. Our students will have the opportunity to safely view the solar eclipse in the afternoon as we have purchased certified eclipse glasses that meet safety standards and filter out harmful solar radiation. If you do not want your child to participate, please let the school know by noon on Monday.

As we gear up for the upcoming state testing at school, I wanted to share testing dates and some tips on how you can support your child's preparation at home.

Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR)

Tuesday and Wednesday (April 9th & 10th)

• Math and ELA Assessments (morning - afternoon)

Thursday

• Math Assessment (morning)

Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) - 8th grade only

Week of April 15th in science class

Tips at Home

• Make sure your child gets plenty of rest the night before the test.
• On the morning of the test, your child needs to get up in plenty of time so they won't feel rushed.
• Have your child eat breakfast either at home or here at school. Research shows that children do better on tests if they have had a good breakfast.
• Remind your student to charge their Chromebook the night before.

Your involvement and support play a crucial role in your child's academic success. Thank you for partnering with us in preparing your child for the state testing. Together, we can help them achieve their best performance.

This month we will be taking a look at PERSEVERANCE. Perseverance is the willingness and ability to keep going when things are tough. People who persevere show steadfastness and give the extra effort needed to do something despite how hard it is or how long it takes to reach the goal.

Why focus on Perseverance?

• Perseverance encourages positive self-talk and thinking. When faced with difficult tasks, perseverance helps students reframe with positive thoughts, such as: "I'm not good at this YET!"
• Perseverance develops empathy. Students gain a better understanding of who they are and develop more empathy and compassion for others who may struggle to reach a goal.
• Perseverance sparks personal growth. Pushing through complex tasks builds resilience and helps students discover how capable they are.

Perseverance in Action:

• Share stories and challenging experiences. Be vulnerable and share personal experiences when you have struggled with a task or concept and had to work hard to push through.
• Praise effort and process, not intelligence or performance. Affirm students for the process they used to tackle tasks and point out how their abilities grow through their own hard work.
• Give your students the chance to struggle. Struggle builds self-confidence, independence, and perseverance. Resist the urge to intervene immediately and give students time to figure it out.