February Edition of the Twality Spotlight

February Edition of the 

Twality Spotlight

Smarter Balance Testing

Twality staff is preparing for the Smarter Balanced Assessment, which will be given to all middle school students this Spring.  Below is an article from our Curriculum & Instruction Department with more information and details about the Smarter Balanced Assessment.  We have added some additional Twality specific information as well.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.  Carol Kinch, Principal 503.431.5208

GETTING TO THE CORE OF THE MATTER

What is the New Smarter Balanced Test?

All students deserve an education that prepares them for their next step in life, whether it is going on to college or starting a career.  In the past, Oregon students have taken the OAKS test (Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) to measure their academic skills.  In 2014-2015, Oregon will replace OAKS with a test called Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC).  The SBAC is designed to measure how well students meet the new Common Core state standards.

How does Smarter Balanced compare to OAKS? 

Students will take the SBAC on a computer.  The first part of the test is very similar to OAKS and consists of multiple choice questions.  The test is untimed. The second part of the SBAC is called "performance tasks."  Performance tasks are activities and responses that measure depth of understanding, analysis, research and writing skills.  Students will be asked to do an activity.  After, they will be given a question or a prompt to respond to.  The purpose of this type of assessment is to measure skills that cannot be measured on a more traditional multiple choice test, like analytical and problem solving skills. 

How does Smarter Balanced support student needs? 

SBAC offers accommodations for students with disabilities and who are English Language Learners.  For example, SBAC is offered in Braille and with closed captioning.  It is also offered in Spanish, and has a special dictionary section for other languages.  

How does Smarter Balanced affect graduation requirements?  

Oregon students will continue to have many ways to meet graduation requirements.  If a student does not meet the standards on the SBAC, he or she can meet the requirements on another test or through work samples.  Schools work closely with parents and students to make sure that students have every opportunity to complete their graduation requirements.  

Using the SBAC test will allow Oregon students to compare their performance across the state and the nation.  For the first time, we'll see how prepared our students are to compete with their peers from around the country.

When will Twality students take the Smarter Balanced Assessment?  

• 6th grade students will be taking the test during the weeks of April 27th and May 8th.
  
• 7th grade students will take most of the assessment during the week of May 11-15, and the math performance task May 26-29. 
• 8th grade students will take most of the assessment during the week of May 18-22, and the math performance task May 26-29.

When will we receive the results?

We do not have a definitive timeline, but we anticipate receiving test scores during the summer of 2015. 

Common Core - February / March Newsletter

Please click here for the current newsletter about Common Core state standards.

ART IN THE BURBS - 2015

OPEN BOARD POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Yearbook and 8th Grade Baby Pictures

 The very last day to pre-purchase a yearbook will be on Friday, February 27th.  The cost is $30.00 and is due to Miss M. in the Main Office.  Order forms are available on our Twality website. There will be a very limited number of yearbooks available for purchase on yearbook distribution day in June.  If you are a parent of an 8th grade student and would like to have your child's baby picture in the yearbook with a message from you, please turn in the baby picture, the form and $15.00 to Amy Meisch in the main office by Monday, March 2nd.

Cheaper by the Dozen

Our Spring musical will be Cheaper by the Dozen!  The musical will be March 5-7.  Our students have been working hard to make this production spectacular for you! Tickets are on sale now in the main office.  Tickets are $10.00 per person with open seating at the Deb Fennel Auditorium at Tigard High School.  You may also purchase tickets online by clicking here.  

 

 Twality Springfest Auction

The Twality Springfest Auction will be held March 30-April 12.  This auction is one our most successful fundraisers!  Please help the PSO raise money for our school so we can fund our programs, field trips, classroom expenses, teacher hospitality and much more.  This helps PSO to support students and staff by providing resources to enable us to do amazing things, so please help.  If you have any services that you would like to donate to the auction, please contact Amy Meisch, Twality Bookkeeper at 503.431.5203

Val-O-Grams on Sale Now

 Val-O-Grams are on sale now through Feb 9th.  All grams will be delivered Friday, Febraury13 through RV class.  You can purchase grams from Miss M. in the Main Office.  1 gram for $.50 or 3 grams for $1.00.  Money collected goes back to Twality students for student store and student activities.  Thank you for supporting Twality students. 

 February 2015 Events 

February 9-13 - Val-O-Grams on sale in the main office and during all lunches
February 10 - Pizzacato Restaurant Fundraiser

February 11 - After School Soccer Jamboree at Hazelbrook
February 13 - 6th Grade Spelling Bee
February 16 - No School - Happy President's Day
February 18 - Exclusion Day for Immunizations
February 24 - Battle of the Books Competition at Fowler Middle School
February 24 - Parent Advocates of African American Students (PAAAS)
February 25 - After School Soccer Jamboree vs. Hazelbrook at Twality
February 26 - After School Volleyball Jamboree at Fowler Middle School
February 27 - LAST DAY TO BUY A YEARBOOK!  $30.00 to Miss M. in the main office 
March 2-3 - Pastini Pasteria Restaurant Fundraiser (Bridgeport)
March 2 - 8th Grade Baby Pictures DUE!  $15.00 and photo due to Miss M. in the main office
March 2 - Common Core Spanish Information Night 6:30pm
March 3 - Band Solo Night at Tualatin High School 6:00pm-9:00pm
March 5 - After School Basketball Jamboree at Hazelbrook Middle School
March 5 - After School Volleyball Jamboree at Fowler Middle School