We only have a little time left together this school year; soon we will bid adieu to our 8th graders as we wish them well in high school and prepare to welcome another class of Knights! I look forward to celebrations to come these next two months!
April 4th is National School Librarian Day - our teachers will be wearing purple to show support for Ms. Harlow our fantastic librarian! Students are welcome to join us and wear purple because that is Ms. Harlow's favorite color.
There are many mixed feelings about STAAR testing - from educators, parents, students and legislators alike. Regardless of our own opinions we know one thing for sure- KLMS will be publicly graded on how well our students perform on the STAAR tests. I know that STAAR testing doesn't represent the strengths of individual students or even showcase their talents. However, collectively the STAAR test results helps us make sure KLMS remains an institution of learning with high expectations for all students.
Our kids and community are amazing - you all routinely step up to make KLMS a great place to work and learn together. To help reduce the anxiety and stress of STAAR testing, we try to make sure people don't feel surprised with the expectations. STAAR testing days are like no other day in the school. The information below is to help you prepare for testing.
STAAR Schedule
*April 9 - Writing 7 and Reading 8 (all 7th and 8th grade students)
*April 10 - Math 8 (all students taking Intro to Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-AP Math 7)May 8 - Algebra End-of-Course May 13 - Math 6 and 7 (all students taking Pre-AP Math 6, Math 6, and Math 7)May 14 - Reading 6 and 7 (all students in 6th and 7th grade)May 15 - Science 8 (all 8th grade students)May 16- Social Studies 8 (all 8th grade students)
*Please note that these dates are different than previously posted; all references have been updated and I apologize for any confusion this may have caused. If you're curious why the change it has to do with some of our 7th grader students testing in 8th grade math so the dates have to change from the posted TEA dates. If you want more information send me an email and I am glad to explain (Dina.Schaefer@pfisd.net).
For more information about STAAR, we've created a STAAR resource on the website. The pages are:
- Testing Calendar (including dates we expect results, retest dates, and summer school)
- TEA Links to the tested curriculum and released questions
- Strategies to prepare for STAAR at home (what parents can do to support learning)
- Testing Rules (what students can bring and wear, as well as general campus rules)
- How to find STAAR results once they are published
- KLMS performance reports (they are all currently from the 2017-18 school year)
- The importance of reading (statistics and strategies)
- STAAR FAQ (If you have a question for our FAQ section, please email me so I can add it the site because you're likely not the only parent wondering.)
Spirit Assembly - this will be our last pep rally style assembly. The 2019-2020 cheerleaders will make their team debut and our High School Musical Jr. cast will perform a sneak preview of the show.
8th grade dance - tickets should have already been purchased. For more information, check out the website for 8th grade transition events.
8th grade panoramic picture is April 16th. Dress code does apply, check the transition page for times and details. All 8th students are in the picture regardless of whether they purchase a copy.
Soccer - the first game for girls and boys is on April 11th.
Golf- the district Golf Tournament is April 29th, check the calendar for other tournaments.
High School Musical Jr. opens April 25th and runs through April 27th.
Hope you are staying warm this chilly Sunday! Thank you all for your continued support of KLMS,
Dina Schaefer
Honored Principal of the Knights