October 7, 2009

Dear Parents,

Happy Fall NECAP Time!

NECAP Testing.  As required by federal law under the “No Child Left Behind Act,” every school in the country must give standards-based tests to all students in grades 3-8.  In Vermont, this test is the New Eng­land Common Assessment Program, known as NECAP, which is given every October.  Our stu­dents in all those grades will take tests in reading and mathematics.  Stu­dents in grades 5 and 8 also will be tested in writing.  The test schedule for each grade is listed below. 

The NECAP’s were designed to measure students’ progress in meeting the state’s Grade Level Expec­tations, which define the knowledge and skills students should have mas­tered by the end of each school year. As with every assessment, scores on the NECAP are meaningful only if students put real effort into the tests.

You can help them pre­pare for these tests by doing the following:

1.  Please encourage your children to take the tests seriously and to do their best.
2.  Make sure children are rested on the days the tests are given.
3.  It is important that students have a good break­fast.
4.  Please do everything possible to have your child in school on time for the entire test periods shown on the schedule (unless, of course, he or she is sick).  No one may enter a test late, and we hope to have as few make-up tests as possible.

We hope to get the test results for all students by February.  Thank you for sup­porting your child and our school during the testing period. Please call if you have any questions about anything above.  Again, please check out the NECAP schedule below.

Newton School NECAP Schedule, October 2009
Grades 3-4-5 (reading & math): 8:20-9:55 am on the following dates:
                            Wed, 10/7,   Thur. 10/8,    Fri. 10/9,    Mon. 10/12,    Wed. 10/14,    Fri. 10/16

Grade 5 (writing): 8:20-9:55 am on the following dates: Mon. 10/19 & Tues. 10/20

Grades 6-7-8 (reading & math): 8:15-10 AM on the following dates:
           Wed. 10/7,    Thurs. 10/8,    Fri. 10/9,    Mon. 10/12,   Tues. 10/13, Wed. 10/14

Grade 8 (writing): 8:15-10am on Thurs. 10/15
                                      8:15-10am on Fri. 10/16

Thank you!

Sincerely yours,

Jonathan Freeman
Principal