Monday, March 30, 2015

New Milestones Test



The week following spring break students will be taking the new Georgia Milestones test, which replaces the CRCT.  Below is some basic information about Milestones from the Dept. of Ed. website:

The Georgia Milestones Assessment System (Georgia Milestones) is a comprehensive summative assessment pro​gram spanning grades 3 through high school.  Georgia Milestones measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the state-adopted content standards in language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.  Students in grades 3 through 8 will take an end-of-grade assessment in each content area, while high school students will take an end-of-course assessment for each of the eight courses designated by the State Board of Education.
Features the Georgia Milestone Assessment System include:
  • open-ended (constructed-response) items in language arts and mathematics (all grades and courses);
  • a writing component (in response to passages read by students) at every grade level and course within the language arts assessment;
  • norm-referenced items in all content areas and courses, to complement the criterion-referenced information and to provide a national comparison; and
  • transition to online administration over time, with online administration considered the primary mode of administration and paper-penc​il as back-up until the transition is complete.
 

What is the purpose of Georgia Milestones?

The Georgia Milestones Assessment System is designed to provide information about how well students are mastering the state-adopted content standards in the core content areas of language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.  Importantly, Georgia Milestones is designed to provide students with critical information abou​t their own achievement and their readiness for their next level of learning – be it the next grade, the next course, or endeavor (college or career).  Informing parents, educators, and the public about how well students are learning important content is an essential aspect of any educational assessment and accountability system.  Parents, the public, and policy makers, including local school districts and boards of education, can use the results as a barometer of the quality of educational opportunity provided throughout the state of Georgia.  As such, Georgia Milestones serves as a key component of the state’s accountability syste​m – the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI).  

What content areas and grade levels are tested?

Students in grades 3 through 8 will take an end-of-grade assessment in the content areas of language arts, mathematics, science, social studies.  These tests are administered towards the end of the school year, typically in April or early May.  Each school district selects a local testing window from within the state designated time frame to administer the end-of-grade measures.

Middle school students who are enrolled in one or more of these courses will also take the end-of-course measure.  The end-of-course measures are administered at the completion of the course, regardless of the grade level.  These measures serve as the final exam for the course, and contribute 20% to the student’s final course grade.  Each school district selects a local testing window, based on their local school calendar, from within the state-designated testing window.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Student Work Permits

This time of year 8th grade students begin thinking ahead to summer jobs. The link below provides information about the worker's permit process.

Student Worker's Permit website

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

8th Grade Classroom lessons



This week 8th grade classes are discussing the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens in classroom guidance, 




The 7 Habits are:

  1. Be Proactive
  2. Begin With the End in Mind
  3. Put 1st Things 1st
  4. Think Win – Win
  5. Understand then be Understood
  6. Synergize
  7. Sharpen the Saw
In the classes so far, some of the most interesting discussion centered on these pictures and the debate about what they see.


Monday, March 9, 2015

Identifying and Preventing Human trafficking event



Permission Slip for Freshman Academy Tour


Students will be receiving permission slips for the North Cobb Freshman Academy tour this afternoon in 7th period.  Forms have to be returned by the end of the day Wednesday.  Any student who does not return a form will not be allowed to participate in the tour.





Wednesday, March 4, 2015

N Cobb Freshman Academy tour rescheduled for March 13th

The 8th grade tour of the 
North Cobb Freshman Academy 
has been rescheduled for 
Friday, March 13th 
from 9:30-11:00

 Only students zoned for
North Cobb will participate
in the tour