June 2017 Scoop

SIGSBEE SCOOP

Respect, Responsibility, Resilience

June, 2017 

SUMMER OFFICE HOURS

Monday - Friday 9 AM- 3 PM

Closed July 4th

OPEN LIBRARY

Wednesdays 9:00-12:00 PM

UPCOMING EVENTS
Wednesdays 9:00 AM -12:00 PM Open Library
Tuesday, July 4th: Office Closed
Thursday, August 10: Kindergarten Round Up 12:00-2:00 PM
Friday, August 11: Kindergarten Round-Up 9:00-11:00 AM
Sunday, August 13th: Class lists and schedules are emailed to parents
Monday, August 14th: Meet the Teacher 8:30-10:00 AM (K-8)
Wednesday, August 16: Students' First Day (Early Out)
8:00-12:00 PM K-5, 
8:00-2:00 PM Middle School . 
Enrichment I Starts K-5 12:00-2:00 PM
Thursday, August 17: FULL Day
8:00 AM-3:00 PM
Sunday, August 27: PTO: Family Meet-N-Greet at Higgs Beach 3:00-5:00 PM
Wednesday, August 30: Back to School Night for Parents: 5:30-7:30 PM

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE
Summer is a time for updating our website.  Please check out www.sigsbee.org for new information regarding policies, staffing and events.  This year, grades K-4 will continue to receive communications via Jupiter Grades.  Students and parents in grades 5-8 will transition to the new student information system, Focus.  We will send out directions for creating your accounts in July.  Until then, please check the monthly blog and our website for updates.

PASSES

Please remember that you do not have access to the base over the summer unless your child is attending summer school.  If you need to visit the school, please call us or email us in advance so that we can grant you access.  

CELEBRATIONS

Congratulations to the following students for qualifying for the Duke University Talent Identification Program (4th-6th grade):

Marcus Crewe

Lyla Holland

Sam Holland

Virginia McGrail

Jason Rodriguez

Amalia Strunk

Eddie Strunk

Congratulations to the following students for qualifying for the Duke University 7th grade Talent Search:

Elisabeth Bendall (State and Grand Recognition)
Gabby Lee
Alana Snyder
Mackenzie Zintsmaster

A shout out to our two winners of the Rotary Club of Key West Citizenship Award

5th grade: Will Stolze

8th grade:  Laila Jones

SIGSBEE SOARS ON STATE ASSESSMENTS
Congratulations to our students and teachers for the excellent performance on statewide assessments.  We know how hard everyone worked to do their best and the efforts were obvious in our school results.  A few highlights:

• SCS 8th graders taking English 1 Honors (9th grade English) scored highest in the District, outperforming all of the high schools in Monroe.  One-hundred (100) percent of our students were proficient compared to 51% in the state.  All students in SCS earned a 4 or 5.
• ALL of our middle school mathematics classes ranked #1 in the District on their FSA tests and End of Course Exams, scoring 27%-46% higher than the state average on each test.
• ALL of our Geometry 1 Honors students scored a 4 or 5 on their EOC, 75% of whom scored a 5.  One hundred (100) percent of our Algebra students were proficient on their EOC
• Our 8th graders also ranked #1 in the District on the Science Grade 8 FCAT with 85% scoring proficient.
• Ninety-one (91) percent of our 7th graders were proficient on the Civics EOC, 2nd in the District.
• Our third graders ranked second in the District for both Mathematics and English.

We have never been a school that focuses on standardized tests or teaching toward the test.  We've always believed that good instruction and dedicated students will reach a positive result.  This is a great showing for Sigsbee Charter School.

STATE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION: WHY DO THEY MATTER?

If you are the parent of a student in 3rd-8th grade, you should have received a Jupiter message with your child's achievement levels on any state assessment (FSA, FCAT or EOC).  All grades were received after school ended.  We do not have the parent score reports at this time but will make them available to you at the start of the year when they arrive over the summer.

You may have some questions about the implications for the state testing.  For students who took an End-Of-Course Exam (Algebra 1 Honors, Geometry 1 Honors or Civics), the assessment affects the student's final grade point average.  It is averaged into the yearly average as follows:

Achievement level 1: 55

Achievement level 2: 59

Achievement level 3: 89

Achievement level 4: 95

Achievement level 5: 100

Most students took the Florida State Assessment in English Language Arts (grades 3-9) and the Florida State Assessment in Mathematics (grades 3-8).  The FSA tests do not average into the students' grades nor do they affect promotion.  Instead, they are used to monitor the progress of the school and the teacher in meeting expected learning gains for each student. Individual scores are used to determine whether the student met his/her learning target, established by prior achievement. In most cases, our students fared extremely well, outperforming state and district averages by significant amounts (see below).

The Science 2.0 FCAT in grade 5 and grade 8 is similar to the FSA in that it does NOT affect the students' grades.  Again, this assessment is used to measure the school's success with demonstrated proficiency of expected content.

You can learn a great deal about each examination and the scoring process by researching the site below:

http://www.fldoe.org/accountability/assessments/k-12-student-assessment/fsa.stml

SNAPSHOTS FROM CUBA

Our eighth graders successfully completed the first international SCS field trip to Cuba!  They returned after an 8 day/7 night cruise to three different ports: Havana, Cinfuegos and Santiago de Cuba.  It was an amazing experience for students and parents alike.  Of course, we received innumerable compliments on our students' behavior and attitudes.  Below please find a quick slideshow of our People-to-People exchange:

You never know where your Sigsbee Family may find you.

A highlight of our trip was a surprise welcome at the port in Havana by the students' fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Coats.  Mr. and Mrs. Coats greeted us as we came through customs.  Mrs. Coats retired from Sigsbee Charter School and is now working at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba.  Below is a picture of her and the students she taught four years earlier.

SUMMER RENOVATIONS

Middle School is looking open!

We are excited about our complete renovation of the middle school wing. This is the second time this wing has been renovated since we opened the charter school and it will include a complete overhaul.  In addition, we are looking forward to the installation of our new playground, spalling and roof repairs to extend the longevity of our building and the completion of our grade 4 science lab renovation.

Please remember that our grounds are a construction site and children should not be on the property at any time.  It is important that you tell your children to stay away from the building and the property during the summer months so that they are not injured.  Thank you.

MIDDLE SCHOOL UNIFORMS

Click HERE to place your order for middle school uniform shirts.  Check out our website for dress code requirements.

SAVE THE DATE:  PASTA FOR OUR PEOPLE!