RTI Update

This past September all of our Kindergarten through 7th grade students completed a Benchmark assessment in the area of Reading. Various basic skills were assessed, depending on the grade level of the students, including letter identification, letter sounds, oral reading fluency, and comprehension. These assessments take 1 to 3 minutes to complete depending on the skill being measured and students' performance is scored for speed and accuracy to determine proficiency.

To monitor the general progress of our students as a whole, this process will be repeated again with all of the students in January and May. In addition, data that is gathered from these Benchmarks assist school personnel in developing skill-based reading groups based on the needs of our students. Students with Benchmark scores below a certain target may be identified as needing more specialized academic instruction or intervention in the area of Reading. These students may also need more frequent monitoring to ensure that the the chosen intervention is resulting in adequate progress.

Back-to-School

Welcome Back! This time of year can be filled with both excitement and apprehension. The National Association of School Psychologists offers a few suggestions to help ease the transition and promote a successful school experience: Click here!

As part of the Student Support Staff at Center Cass School District #66, I am fortunate to work with such a collaborative and supportive group of parents and colleagues. This will be my third as School Psychologist for Prairieview School and Lakeview Junior High School. I will be updating this blog a few times a month to provide parents and staff with additional resources on issues related to education and the well-being of students. Please contact me if I can be of any assistance to you and your child throughout the school year.

Contact Information:

Kimberly Travis

ktravis@ccsd66.org

783-5112 (Lakeview) or 783-5159 (Prairieview)

Have a Great Year!

Center Cass School District #66 is in the process of implementing an Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) mandate, Response to Intervention (RTI). RTI is an array of procedures that can be used to determine if and how students respond to specific changes in instruction. RTI provides an improved process and structure for school teams in designing, implementing, and evaluating educational interventions.

Please look for additional information on RTI, which will be included with your child's end of the year Report Card.

Downers Grove Library: Childhood Obesity

Next week the Downers Grove Library is offering a free presentation on Childhood Obesity:

A Growing Epidemic of Broken Hearts: Childhood Obesity

Thursday, February 21st @ 7 p.m.

Childhood obesity is of great concern to parents and to physicians. A pediatrician from Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital will address this topic and offer advice on how to combat obesity. The epidemic rate of obesity in this country has become a national concern; however, it is important to recognize that in many cases obesity can be a preventable health condition.

Some suggestions for parents:

-Provide your children with healthy food choices & limit fast food.

-Limit sedentary activities such as "screen time" (TV, computers, video games).

-Involve your children in food purchasing by taking them grocery shopping & allowing them to select healthy foods. Also, involve them in food preparation (washing vegetables, pouring, stirring ingredients, etc.).

-Help children set realistic, well-defined goals for themselves. For example: "I will eat breakfast everyday this week" or "I will play basketball at least 3 days this week".