March 2016

Karen’s Corner

Don’t Stress over Standardized Tests …

As we approach April, our focus moves towards state assessments for our students, mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Teachers have been working all year to prepare students for upcoming PSSA and Terra Nova assessments which will take place during the months of April and May. We are confident that our planning has fully prepared students for a stress free examination period. Historically our students have performed well on these exams, and those scores are a factor in School Lane’s continued academic reputation.

April is Families and Reading Month. Our Special Education Department will host a reading workshop for grades K-1 and their families to reinforce the importance of reading together as a family, as well as core literacy skills. Parents who attend will be given additional information on how they can support their child’s reading development outside of school.

A final congratulations to our Varsity boys basketball team who finished the regular season at 5-5. This led to a playoff spot and a close game against the eventual conference champion. Over the past few years our team has worked hard and earned recognition for their sportsmanship within the community.

Plans for 3340 and 3350 Tillman Drive are nearing completion. Final demolitions are in progress at both locations, and we are moving forward with plans to create engaging learning spaces for students which include lockers, carpeting and furniture inventory and purchases. Families of all current and prospective students have been made aware of our plans to expand and shift grades into new buildings for the 2016-2017 school year.

The final application for the IB Diploma Program is ready to be submitted to International Baccalaureate. As we expand, this will allow SLCS to expand our IB curriculum to all grades as we focus on readying our high school students for post-secondary education.

Current Enrollment: 1,087

All number grades are currently at their capacity of 100 students with the exceptions of Grade 10 with 64 students and Grade 9 with 98 students. Additionally, Kindergarten has 125 pupils.

2016-17 Waiting Lists: 521

Kindergarten: 251 (51 siblings, 107 Bensalem residents, 92 from other districts)

Grades 1-8 total: 237

9th Grade: 23

10thGrade: 4

11th Grade: 6

High School Report

As we expand our school, we have posted several jobs for new teachers at the high school level, and have invited several highly qualified applicants to interview.

Middle and High School students participated in student run report card conferences where they reviewed their portfolio with their parents and teachers.

Grade 10 students’ Personal Projects are complete and will be presented on April 14 in a special evening exhibition. Personal Projects serve as a culmination of their IB learning experience.

GradesK-3 Report

In celebration of Read Across America, our K-2 students took part in a day of reading activities that included creating healthy snacks, crafting and pledging to read all in honor of Dr. Seuss. The Courier Times was on hand to cover the event, and witnessed our largest turnout of parents to date.

Grades4-6 Report

Students in Grades 4-6 expanded their learning outside of the classroom on several field trips last month including the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Sixth grade students held a creative Night of the Arts, showcasing their latest work.

Grades 7-8 Report

Students in Grades 7 & 8 hosted a variety of interesting exhibitions this past month as they remain focused on several challenging subjects this marking period. The interactive shared learning experiences have allowed students to immerse themselves in career exploration, public speaking and poetry.

With the assistance of our middle school counselor, students have engaged in mini-lessons on various life skills and topics including how to obtain working papers, fill out job applications and time management skills.

Learning Support

Lee Ann Gordon, Vice Principal for learning support and two SLCS teachers attended an IB training session last month which addressed providing inclusion in years 4 and 5 of the Middle Years Program, and the Diploma Program. Techniques and best practices from this training session will be shared with teachers during an upcoming Professional Development session and maximize the IB experience for our students.

The SLCS Special Education Department is still working to implement the School Based Access Program.

Upcoming Events and Closings:

  • April 9 – Kindergarten Class Screening
  • April 22 – H&SA Family Bingo
  • April 27 – Trimester 3 Progress Reports Distributed

PSSA & Terra Nova Assessment Dates

  • April 12-15 – PSSA Language Arts, Grades 3-8
  • April 19-21 – PSSA Math, Grades 3-8
  • April 26-29 – Terra Nova, Grades K-3
  • April 26-27 – PSSA Science, Grades 4 & 8

Board of Trustees Meetings

  • April 28: Regular meeting, 7 p.m.