Concentration

Traci Carollo (1B) concentrates intently on painting her birdhouse as part a first grade art project.

From the Principal

One of the most misunderstood concepts in education is the concept of the meaning of percentile on the achievement test. The achievement test offered at St. Joseph is the Terra Nova. The Terra Nova is a norm-referenced test which means that at a certain point in time it was administered to a representative sample of students from different economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds and that sample is reflective of the total pool of students in the country. After the test is administered, a ranking is given to students from 1 to 99. That number is called a percentile. One is the lowest score and 99 the highest. Fifty would represent the absolute average. That means that a student who scores 65 would score better than 64% of the students who take the test and below 34%.

The Terra Nova Test results should be in shortly. We will forward the test results to you. Please spend some time studying your child’s results. Test scores, whether we are pleased with them or not, do have meaning. Students are admitted and denied admittance to college based on test scores. Teachers work hard to prepare students for the achievement tests. There is another side of the equations, however. Total emphasis on test scores to the exclusion of art, music, physical education, and other non-academic subjects has been criticized by many noted educators. A good school can provide both excellence in academics as well as the arts and physical education. We strive for both here at St. Joseph. We also take time for prayer and reflection, for attending Mass and teaching values. As a Catholic school these matters take on a value well beyond the academic or the arts.

Important Calendar Changes

O May 23 - preK/K picnic
O May 24 - K promotion 9:00
O May 24 - preK promotion 12:30
O May 17-22 - 6-7th grade exams
O May 25 - field day
O May 28 - Awards Day
O May 28 - last day for students

Lost and Found

Please check through lost and found (located on a rack in the gym) for a variety of jackets, coats, shoes, and various uniform parts. Anything not claimed by the last day of school will be donated to charity.

Child Protection Class

A Child Protection Class will be offered in the St. Joseph School gym on Wednesday, May 30, from 6:30-9:00. Please register at www.christianformationbr.org. Child Protection Classes are mandatory for all volunteers at the school.

From the Band Department

Have an old band instrument in your closet or attic just taking up space? Donate it to the band program! We need a good selection of instrument for next year’s beginners, and we would like to be able to offer students a choice before they have to purchase a new instrument. Trumpets, clarinets, saxophones, flutes, etc. are needed. Even B-R-O-K-E-N instruments are acceptable.

Exam Schedule

8th grade
Wednesday, May 9 ….. 6th & 3rd periods
Thursday, May 10 ….. 5th & 2nd periods
Friday, May 11 ….. 1st period
7th & 6th grades
Thursday, May 17 ….. 7th & 4th periods
Friday, May 18 ….. 6th & 3rd periods
Monday, May 21 ….. 5th & 2nd periods
Tuesday, May 22 ….. 1st period

Summer Reading & Math Clinic

Now is the time to sign up for St. Joseph’s Summer Reading and Math Clinic.
The Reading Clinic will emphasize comprehension, phonics, word attack, reading speed, and enrichment.
The Math Clinic will emphasize the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers, decimals, and fractions, as well as money, telling time, and pre-algebra for older students.
The Clinic is taught by certified teachers with a low student/teacher ration of 5/1. Students completing grades K-8 are eligible to attend. Some of the classes are enrichment, and some are remedial, depending upon the students’ individual needs.
Please contact Dr. Toups at 985-386-6421 for more information and a registration form.


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