907 South SR 267, Avon, IN 46123

Phone: 317-544-6300, Fax, 317-544-6301

Email-www.avon-schools.org

School Hours:

8:50 AM—3:40 PM

Students are TARDY if not in

class by 8:50 AM

Hickory Calendar Nov. 3– NO SCHOOL FOR

STUDENTS -Teacher Work Day

Nov. 4- 1 Hour Delay Staff Prof. Dev. Day 9:50-3:40pm Nov. 5-PTO Mtg. 7pm Nov. 9-20-CoGAT testing

Grade 4 Nov. 11– Veterans Day

Luncheon –12noon Veterans Day Program- 1:30pm Nov. 20 - Progress Reports

sent home Nov. 24– 3rd Gr. Musical –

6:30pm Nov. 26-27-NO SCHOOL–

Thanksgiving Break Dec. 2- 1 Hour Delay Staff Prof. Dev. Day 9:50-3:40pm Dec. 7– Healthy Smiles

visit Hickory students

Once Again- Four Star School

Hickory Elementary is recognized as a Grade A School

by the Indiana Department of Education.

Lunch Times

FDK- 11:35—12:05

1st- 11:00—11:30

2nd- 11:20—11:45

3rd- 12:00—-12:25

4th- 12:15-—12:40

October 30, 2015 Highlights, Issue 07

Dear Hickory Families: Welcome Back! We have had a great first week back following Fall Break! I hope that you all had an enjoyable two weeks making memories with your families. My family and I enjoyed our trip to Arizona during the first week of break. It was our first time visiting the 48th state, and we spent the majority of our time in the capital city of Phoenix. The weather was very warm, and Carter and Claire enjoyed a lot of pool time cooling off. The two most memorable days of our trip included road trips through the mountains to The Grand Canyon and to Sedona. I would highly encourage a trip to include visiting these amazing places. I look forward to a return trip someday when we can include more time exploring them by hiking the

trails.

This morning we held our end of the month convocation where we recognized our Superflex Students of the Month, October student/staff birthdays, and learned more about our latest Superflex Unthinkable-Rock Brain (pictured at left). Rock Brain will make you get stuck on your ideas. The entire school will be learning this month about how to keep Rock Brain from invading our brains.

Our Veterans Day program is rapidly approaching, and will take place in the Hickory gym on Wednesday, November 11th at 1:30pm. Our PTO has planned a luncheon for our veterans which will begin at noon. Information flyers about this were sent home earlier this week with your

children, and we ask that all RSVP forms are returned back to us by Wednesday, November 4th.

Next Tuesday, November 3rd, is a combined day of professional development and parent teacher conferences for our teachers. Children do not attend school on November 3rd. The following day, Wednesday, November 4th, we have a one-hour school delay for additional staff meetings and professional development. *Please remember to set your clocks back one hour on Saturday night.

Daylight Savings Time ends at 2:00 a.m. on November 1st.

I look forward to seeing you at all of our upcoming school and PTO sponsored activities! Mr. Rininger

From the Hickory Principal-Keary Rininger

Teacher

Work Day

Highlights, Issue 07 Page 2

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! A very special thank you to Crossroads Church for the beautiful fall decorations in front of the school. The staff and students of Hickory Elementary appreciate everything you do! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

AEF FREAKY FRIDAY-NOV. 6TH Be Creative. Be Fun. Be Freaky!

On Friday, November 6, the Avon Education Foundation will hold its annual Freaky Friday fundraiser to support education programs in all twelve of Avon’s schools. On this day, all students (and staff!) can donate $1.00 to AEF and dress in their craziest school-appropriate attire. So, go ahead and wear mismatched socks, your most unique look, or even ask to raid your par-ents’ closet for their freaky clothes. On Freaky Friday, anything goes and it all goes for a good cause.

. To view the minutes from the

recent meeting, on October 6th,

please click here or visit the APPC

webpage on the ACSC Homepage,

Parents Tab.

Highlights, Issue 07 Page 3

If you have any questions, please email Cheryl Carew at tacarew@sbcglobal.net .

Academic Needs Assessed for Differentiating Instruction in the Elementary Grades

Kindergarten Information

During the months of November and December, all Avon students in Kindergarten are administered the Cognitive Skills Ability Screener

(CogAT). The CogAT Screener is used to appraise the cognitive abilities of students at all levels in learned reasoning abilities. It provides a

reading, mathematics, and a non-verbal score which reveals the potential ability of a student in that specific academic area. Students will also be

taking the NWEA adaptive achievement test in January and May. This assessment shows us how a student actually performs in the academic area

of reading, language and mathematics. Because January will be the first time a Kindergarten student takes a computerized version of the NWEA

assessment, we consider this primarily a practice exercise. However, we will use this data for baseline information. Both NWEA and the CogAT

will give us valuable information for the purpose of instructional differentiation and cluster grouping in grades 1-2.

Second Grade Information

All 2nd grade students will take the Cognitive Skills Ability Test (CogAT) in November. This assessment reveals a verbal, quantitative and non-

verbal score. Students also took the NWEA adaptive achievement test in August and will take it again in May. These assessment instruments will

be used for two purposes. The first purpose will be to differentiate instruction within the classroom to meet the individual needs of the student.

The second purpose will be to identify and place students in the High Ability Program. This program starts at the third grade level. High Ability

Identification will not be made until after the second NWEA assessment in May. Notification letters will be sent home to a select group of

students in early June. The appeal window for students who do not initially qualify within the 96%ile on any portion of the CogAT or the 95%ile

on reading or mathematics on the NWEA assessment will be open June 6th - June 22nd. The assessment date for all appeals will take place on July

12, 2016.

Fourth Grade Information

The CogAT assessment will be given again to all students during the 4th grade. This year the assessment will be taken online. The testing

window will take place in November. Students also took the NWEA adaptive achievement test in August and will take it again in May. These

assessment instruments will be used for two purposes. The first purpose will be to differentiate instruction within the classroom to meet the

individual needs of the student. The second purpose will be to identify and place students in the High Ability Program at the Intermediate level.

High Ability Identification will not be made until after the second NWEA assessment in May. Notification letters will be sent home to a select

group of students in early June. The appeal window for students who do not initially qualify within the 96%ile on any portion of the CogAT or

the 95%ile on reading or mathematics on the NWEA assessment will be open June 6th - June 22nd. The assessment date for all appeals will take

place on July 12, 2016.

Off-Grade Levels

Any student in grades 1, 3, 5 and 7 who are new to Avon may be assessed in either or both CogAT or NWEA upon entry to the district at the

request of a parent, teacher or administrator.

1st Grade Bailey Prock

Danny Ryan

Jacob Fultz

Rhyan Pendygraft

Gabe Richter

Eva Bracey

Alexandria Muir

Abram Gossett

Kindergarten Trevor Drosche

Devin Bitar

Olivia Pappas

Elijah Tago

Haley Bangel

Meron Alemu

Braydon Callahan

Madison Rytlewski

2nd Grade Brittain Bills

Chase Reinken

Olivia Drosche

Joanie Byrd

Zach Wyen

Ashley Ahern

Natalie Karnes

Gabe Clark

3rd Grade Sydney Byers

Keegan Grubbs

Rion Bolden

Emma Walter

Jonah Merlin

Nevaeh Wren

Connor Franco

4th Grade Karly Anderson

Joey Perron

Ahtziri Pelayo-

Pelayo

Kasie Kerner

Dean Leeper

Gabbie Francis

Jace Hurd

Chris McLoughlin

Kelsey Babinec

Highlights, Issue 07 Page 4

Highlights, Issue 07 Page 5

Click on the links below to

view opportunities and

events offered in Hendricks

County

More Info:

Click Here

NEW Flyers

This Sunday, November 1st

2p-4p @ Fairgrounds