Spring feels like it is here; and the temperature isn't the only thing heating up.. The busy season for our students is just arriving. Check out the calendar and you will find something exciting happening at Scranton Public School every day.
The 3rd nine-week grading period has come and gone. Parent-Teacher conferences were a success as we had wonderful participation once again. We want to continue to have our parents engaged in the learning process here, and these conferences let us share some of the many great learning activities our students are participating in. From science fairs, to FBLA and FFA contests, and math meets and more, our students are taking their work beyond the classroom. It is always fun to see cross-curricular activities taking place and learning opportunities for our students that go beyond the norm.
We are focusing on increasing the rigor in our classroom and trying to get the students a little more engaged in the learning process. At the high school end of the building, we have begun scheduling classes for next school year. To help with the engagement, we are offering a wider range of classes for our elective courses. Our high school students will be registering soon as the ITV and online course catalog for the 2024-2025 school year is out. I know Mr. Cagle will be registering students soon and it is our intention to make sure the parents are informed in the class offerings available to our students. While online classes are not our favorite mode of providing educational programming, we know as a school it is important to offer classes that interest our students and allow for career exploration. If any parents have questions on our class offerings, please feel free to reach out to Mr. Cagle and he would be happy to assist.
In elementary school, we are having an extremely busy March with Reading Month. Mrs. Erickson took the lead in planning a great month around the theme of the “Exploring Space.” The entire staff brainstormed great dress up days, reading activities in the gym, as well as contests to inspire our students to pick up a book and engross themselves in reading. We currently have a Planetarium Dome set up in our gym that students are using to learn more about our galaxy and beyond. Also, thank the Bismarck Larks for providing wonderful prizes as part of their reading program. We want to challenge our students to continue reading as it is a life-long skill that is used to continue the learning process and as a means of entertainment and enjoyment.
As Spring Break comes and goes, that means it is the time of the year for state testing once again. Our staff will publish a schedule for these tests. While a one-time standardized test does not completely show the success our students are having academically, it is used by the state to measure the success of our school and students. The news outlets are always using these tests to paint a picture of successful and failing schools. We want to give our students the best chance at showing our growth educationally. With this in mind, if you see your child Is testing moving forward, please make sure they are rested properly heading into the tests. We have all taken standardized tests, being mentally rested heading in can have a positive impact on your child’s results.
As we move forward, it will only get busier. We will have music contests and concerts, speech contests, and many more activities to keep our students busy. Spring fever is upon us and we cannot wait to get outside and expand the learning opportunities for our students. Once again thank you everyone for your support! Go Hawks!
Kelly Pierce
Superintendent