I believe that all of us have become more aware of how vulnerable children using the Internet can be. With the popularity of sites like Snapchat and Instagram, children think erroneously believe that once the image is gone, it is gone forever. That, however, is not the case.
I am writing this month about Cyber bullying and the effects of such.
Cyber bullying involves the use of information and technology such as e-mail, instant messaging, the publishing of defamatory personal web sites, and online personal polling web sites that are used to support conscious, willful, deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by one or more people with the intent to harm others
On-line harassment or threatening is Cyber bullying and it is on the rise.
What is cyber bullying?
· When one student targets another on-line
o Mean, vulgar or threatening email
o Forwarding a private communication to others
o Humiliating text sent over a cell phone
o Web site mocking others
o Posting embarrassing photos or video
o Impersonating someone else to spread rumors
o Intentionally excluding someone from an online groupPosting sensitive, private information about another person
How can you prevent being cyber bullied?
Don’t give out private information (Passwords, PIN)
Be careful about posting personal information such as name, address and cell numbers· Don’t share buddy list
Delete messages from people you don’t know
Posting embarrassing photos or video
When something doesn’t sound right, leave the chat room
Intentionally excluding someone from an online group
Assume no digital communication is private
How can you prevent miscommunication or becoming a cyber-bully?
Don't email when you are angry
Don't forward an email that someone sent as a private message
Don't email with friends and target someone for entertainment
Questions before you post or send
Is this communication kind and respectful
How would I feel if someone else sent this to me
Does this violate any rules, pledges or laws
How would I feel if my actions were printed in the newspaper
Assume no digital communication is private·
Would it be “okay” in real life or "face to face"
How will this reflect on me and my family
Help for those who are not Internet Acronym Trained (IAT)
With the advent of email and text messaging, “short cuts” in writing have become prevalent. While LOL (laugh out loud) and TTYL (talk to you later) are among the most common of these short cuts, other acronyms are frequently used online. Several that adults should be the most aware of are those that are used to “keep secrets” or to communicate data best kept private.
Are you aware of:
ASL or A/S/L : Age/Sex/Location
POS: Parent Over Shoulder
PM: Personal Message
CD9: Parents Nearby (Code 9)
MorF: Male or Female?
MOOS: Members of the Opposite Sex
MWBRL: More Will Be Revealed Later
NIFOC: Nude in Front of the Computer
Discussion starters for parents/guardians: www.netzsmartz.com
Safety suggestion: Write the telephone number of parents and/or guardians in black permanent marker on the inside of younger children’s shoes. This can be a secret place where they can find the number if they need it in an emergency.
NEW JERSEY ASSESSMENT OF SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE (NJ ASK)
‘Tis the season for the annual New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) testing for students in third through fifth grade. This year, the 5th grade students will take their tests Monday May 6th through Thursday May 9th. Third and 4th grade students will be taking their tests the week of May 13th.
The testing security and protocol for the administration of the NJ ASK are set forth by the New Jersey Department of Education and are rather stringent. We have no flexibility in the rules for administration. Testing will begin promptly at 9:00. Any student arriving once the testing has begun will have to wait until the test session is completed before entering the classroom.
Although the testing is required and we want our students to perform well, we do not want them to feel that their performance will have any bearing on their grades, report cards, or placement in fourth, fifth or sixth grade.
NJ ASK is considered a large-scale assessment and, like all assessments, it is designed for a specific purpose. Those used in most states today are designed to rank-order schools and students for purposes of accountability. But assessments designed for ranking are generally not good instruments for helping teachers improve their instruction or modify their approach to individual students. First, students take them at the end of the school year, when most instructional activities are near completion. Second, results are often not received until well after the school year has ended, by which time the students have moved on to other teachers. Third, the results that we receive usually lack the level of detail needed to target specific areas for improvement.
Student learning is best assessed through the quizzes, tests, writing assignments and other formal and informal assessments that teachers administer on a regular basis in their classrooms. Teachers trust the results from these assessments because of their direct relation to classroom instructional goals. Plus, results are immediate and easy to analyze at the individual student level.
Consequently, no one assessment tool or instrument should be more highly ranked or valued than another when we review results as we continually evaluate our programs and instructional techniques. Assessments are a vital component in our efforts to improve instruction, but should not be considered in isolation when identifying a student’s academic strengths and needs. Rather we should view both standardized and curriculum based assessments as an integral part of the instructional process, a central ingredient to student learning, and only one of many different methods used to evaluate success
Parents frequently ask what they can do to help their child perform well on these tests. The best thing you can do is to make sure that your child gets a good night’s sleep, eats a nutritious breakfast and arrives at school on time.
Multiple Choice Test Taking Tips
Read the question before looking at the answers
Come up with the answer in your head before looking at the possible answers. This way the choices given on the test won’t throw you off or trick you.
Eliminate answers you know aren’t right.
Read all the choices before choosing an answer.
Don’t keep changing an answer; usually the first choice is the right one, unless the question was misread.
Quantitative Math Questions
Read the directions carefully and don’t forget to answer all parts of the question.
Show all your work, when it is requested, and write as legibly as possible.
Even if you know the final answer is wrong, don’t erase your entire work because you may get partial credit for using the correct procedure.
Check over your test after you are done with it. If you have time, redo the problems on a separate piece of paper and see if you come up with the same answers the second time around.
Look for careless mistakes such as making sure the decimal is in the right place.
Be sure you copied the numbers correctly.
Test Taking Tips
Have at least two pencils with good erasers with you.
Keep a positive attitude throughout the whole test and try to stay relaxed. If you start to feel nervous take a few deep breaths to relax.
Keep your eyes on your own paper.
When you first receive your test, do a quick survey of the section so you know how to efficiently budget your time.
Do the easiest problems first. Don’t stay on a problem that you were stuck on, especially when time is a factor.
Pace yourself, don’t rush. Read the entire question and pay attention to the details.
Write legibly. If the grader can’t read what you wrote, your score may not be representative of your answer.
Always read the whole question carefully. Don’t make assumptions about what the question might be.
If you don’t know an answer, skip it. Go on with the rest of the test and come back to it later.
Don’t worry if others finish before you. Focus on the test in front of you.
If you have time left when you are finished, look over your test. Make sure that you have answered all the questions. Look for careless mistakes and proofread your essays and/or short answers.
Thank you for all your support!!!
School Security Drills
NJ State Law requires schools to conduct school security drills of some variety once per month. This is in addition to the fire drills, we have been practicing each month for a number of years now. A school security drill is defined as an exercise to practice procedures that respond to an emergency situation including, but not limited to, a non-fire evacuation, lockdown, or shelter situation. We will holding school security drills monthly throughout the school year. If you observe these drills taking place, please do not be alarmed. In the event of an actual emergency, we will notify you through our Honeywell, reverse 911 system.
Thanks for your anticipated cooperation.
Click here for an excellent article on "Strategies for Managing Your Child's Resistant Behavior" by John W. Maag.
Please take some time to read! There have been additions and changes to the prior handbook.
Parents, please review with your child(ren).
This folder contains strategies that you can help your child adopt when dealing with others who aren't nice to them.
Excellent article sent by the Community School in Paramus
The aggregated scores for the 2012 NJ ASK test for your review.
Similarities and Differences between Rough-and-Tumble Play, Real Fighting, and Bullying
Use this form to report an alleged HIB incident.