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Narragansett Elementary School
NECAP Testing
TO: Parents of Students Grades 3-5 Great Falls School, Narragansett School, Village School
FROM: Brian Porter, Assessment Director, Gorham School Department & Principal, Village School
Michael Lortie, K-5 Assessment Coordinator and School Counselor, Great Falls School
DATE: September 17, 2012
Dear Parents,
The purpose of this letter is to provide you with an overview of the October 2012 New England Comprehensive Assessment Program.
All students in grades three through five in Maine will participate in NECAP testing during the first two weeks of October. The tests at Great Falls, Narragansett and Village School are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (October 2, 3 and 4) for grades 3, 4 and 5, and also on Monday (October 8) for fifth graders. All students are assessed in the areas of Reading and Mathematics. Fifth graders are also assessed in Writing. Considering the testing schedule, it is important that your child is on time to school and is not dismissed before 2:45 if at all possible. There will be two testing sessions each of those days, scheduled around lunch and specials. All students in the same grade at three schools are required to be tested at the same times.
The fall NECAP tests in reading, mathematics, and writing were designed to measure your childÃs progress in meeting the standards for each grade level and the skills and knowledge a student should have mastered by the end of each school year. The grade 3 test, for example, will measure what a student should know and be able to do after completing second grade. The reading tests include short and long reading passages with related multiple choice and constructed response questions. The mathematics tests include multiple choice, short answer, and constructed response questions. The writing tests include multiple choice and constructed response questions, and a single extended writing prompt. A constructed response question requires students to show their work and/or explain their reasoning. Test results
in reading, mathematics, and writing for grades 3 through 8 will be available at the end of January 2013.
The New England Common Assessment Program is one of the important tools available to parents and educators to determine how well our schools are helping students meet standards and grade level expectations. In every assessment, scores are only as meaningful as the effort students put into the tests. Encourage your child to take the test seriously and to give his or her best effort. You can best help your child prepare for the assessment by making sure that she or he is rested on the days the tests will be given. And, as with every day, it is critical that students have a good breakfast before heading off to school. Thank you for supporting your child and our school during the testing period.
Please call Michael Lortie at 222-1169 or Brian Porter at 222-1300 with any questions that you might have.
Sincerely,
Brian Porter
GSD Assessment Director and Principal,
Village School
Michael Lortie
K-5 Assessment Coordinator and School Counselor,
Great Falls School
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