September Parent MeetinG grades K - 2

1. September Parent MeetinGgrades K - 2 Welcome Parents to IDEA Academy Edinburg “Campus of the Year” September 27, 2013

2. Nora E. Perez Principal Mara Wenzel Assistant Principal of Instruction (Grades 3-4) Melissa Finch Assistant Principal of Instruction (Grades K-2) Irma L. Martinez Assistant Principal of Operations Rosy Gonzalez Academic Counselor

3. Uniform policy • Monday-Thursday: Students wear khaki pants with pantone blue shirt, black belt, black shoes, and white socks • Friday: Students wear Spirit Shirt, polo shirt or a College Shirt with Jeans, black shoes, black belt, and white socks.

4. School time • Drop off Time is at 7:00 A.M. • Breakfast is served in the classroom at 7:15 - 7:30 A.M. • Instruction starts at 7:30 A.M. • Academic Block starts at 7:45 – 8:45 A.M. • Tardy Bell is at 7:45 A.M. • Pick up time is at 3:45 P.M. 

5. Attendance • Your child has the following schedule everyday: Academic Block, Reading – 3 hours, Math – 1.5 hours and Electives – 1.5 hours. • Please make sure your child attends school everyday and on time. • We will be having daily recognition for the classrooms with 100% attendance.

6. Core values • Closing the achievement gap and ensuring college success is the best way to help our students succeed in life, contribute to their communities, and overcome the obstacles they face. Achieving this requires the following beliefs and behaviors: • No Excuses: We control our destiny. What we do during the day matters more than poverty, parent education level, or other external factors. When the adults in the system get it right, our students are successful. Conversely, when our students fail, we don’t blame unsupportive parents, parent education level, or other external factors: we look in the mirror and take responsibility. • Whatever it Takes: Through continuous improvement we achieve ambitious results. Those most successful at IDEA seek feedback, pore over the data, identify root causes, and implement solutions. • 100% Every Day: Our mission and goals apply to 100% of our students, 100% of the time. Creating opportunities that didn’t exist isn’t easy, and it requires that people give their best every day. • Sweating the Small Stuff: The difference between excellence and mediocrity lies in paying attention and caring about the countless details that go into effective execution. • Team and Family: As the source of strength for our organization, we are committed to attracting and developing high caliber people.

7. IDEA Academy Goals BetterIDEA • BetterIDEAis made up of two components: The new core curriculum and the hybrid-learning component for individualized learning for all students. New Core Curriculum • Direct Instruction (DI) powers IDEA’s new core curriculum. It is a model that emphasizes carefully-planned lessons focused on learning in small increments and focuses instruction around clearly-defined teaching tasks. DI is based on the theory that by using clear instruction and teaching to mastery, teachers can accelerate learning for all students – high performers as well students with learning disabilities.   • Under DI, Students will be placed in flexible, homogeneous groups in reading, language and math. Students are expected to score 90% or higher on daily and weekly assessments. Skills are taught and scaffolded along the way so that 85% of each lesson reviews previously taught skills and 15% of instruction is introducing new skills.  Students advance through the program only once they have demonstrated mastery of the concepts. Students who show exceptional progress can fast-cycle through lessons if they show continued mastery of concepts. Students are individually assessed every 5 to 10 lessons and their progress is meticulously tracked by the teacher.

8. Individualized Learning for All Students Individualized Learning is made up of the a computer-assisted math lab and an independent reading lab. iLearning Hotspot • The iLearning Hotspot will consist of a one to one ratio of student to computer. Students will be working on adaptive math software in the this space. Kinder through 2nd grade students will be using Dream Box math software while 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students will be using Reasoning Minds and 6th and 7th grade students at Edinburg, Weslaco, McAllen, Brownsville, Pharr, and Allan will be using ST Math. The software is adaptive; the program uses algorithms to develop the learning path for each individual student. The learning lab manager will monitor students and analyze data to determine students' success and areas of need. Data culled from the software will help drive interventions in the math classroom, as it provides teachers with information of students' strengths and weaknesses. Accelerated Reading Zone • The more time a student spends actively reading a book at his or her level, the better reader he or she becomes. The purpose of the reading lab is to provide students with ample time to complete independent reading at their reading level. In the Accelerated Reading Zone, students will choose from a selection of books. They will read the in the lab and take software-based Accelerated Reader exams. The reading lab manager will help students set goals around their reading level; teachers will determine the percentage of questions students should be answering correctly on AR exams and the quantity of reading they should have completed by a specified time. The students will be competing around each of those metrics as individuals and as a class, with the ultimate goal of increasing reading levels.

9. A DAY IN THE LIFE … IDEA ELEMENTARY STUDENT (please see document)

10. State Assessments • In the spring of 2012, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) replaced the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). • The STAAR program includes annual assessments for Grades 3–8 in reading and mathematics; assessments in writing at grades 4 and 7; in science at grades 5 and 8; and in social studies at grade 8.

11. IDEA Academy Edinburg Results • In Spring 2013, IDEA Academy Edinburg 3rd Grade students did a good job with their STAAR test. • IDEA Academy Edinburg was #1 in STAAR Reading and #2 in STAAR Math across IDEA Public School District. • We need to prepare our Kinder – 2nd Grade students for State Assessments rigor.

12. Questions? • Please write your name, student’s name, grade and questions on index card provided. • We will include Q&A on Parent Weekly or will call you to discuss your concern.