News from the Mill

May Update

Dear Parents,

Thank you for sharing your children with us this year and for your exceptional support of Garrison Mill. We were thrilled to learn that our Garrison Mill PTA received the 3^rd place award for District 9 this year. This is quite an honor and speaks very highly of our level of parent participation. We want to invite all of our parent volunteers to our Volunteer Brunch on May 8^th from 8:30-12:00. This is our “thank you” to each of you for all your support this year! Please  join us in congratulating the following staff members. They were recently elected by their peers to serve in honored positions for 2009-2010:

• Classified Employee of the Year- Jane Broaddus, Fourth Grade Paraprofessional

• Teacher of the Year- Krissy Longyear, Fifth Grade Teacher

We also want to wish our retiring staff members a wonderful retirement and to also thank them for many dedicated years of service at Garrison Mill. We are losing some long time staff members this year and will surely miss them. Our retiring staff members are: Pam Britton, School Counselor; Diane Dion, First Grade Teacher; Heather Fowler, Fourth Grade Teacher; Phyllis Nichols, Kindergarten Teacher and Peggy Snook, First Grade Teacher.

We hope that you will continue to encourage your child to grow in the following areas this summer: reading, math and writing. Our closest public library, Mt.View Branch, has a brand new children’s department that is well worth checking out! The easiest way to get your child hooked on reading is to find books that capture their interest. Be sure to also review math facts this summer and check out math websites on the GM web page for some great ways to review. We also want to encourage our students to continue writing and would like to encourage them to keep a journal of summer travels and activities to keep writing skills sharp.

Most of all- we hope that you will find time to play, relax, laugh and enjoy each other this summer! Thank you again for a fantastic school year and we look forward to seeing you all again at Sneak-a-Peek on August 7^th/First Day of School- August 10^th. It has been a pleasure serving you this year.

Paula Huffman and Vicki Stasiak

 

Spring Update

Dear Parents,

Spring is here and with that comes spring sports, great weather and spring testing! We are working hard to make sure that all of our students are very successful this year. We are proud of how hard they work each day. As your principal, I have a few requests regarding upcoming events:

1. Spring Testing: The CRCT will take place on April 21-23 for grades 1^st- 5^th. Third, Fourth and Fifth grade students will have an additional two days of testing on April 24^th and April 27^th. Please support your child by making sure they are here on time, get plenty of rest the night before, and eat a healthy breakfast. We also want to take a moment to thank our teachers who have provided after school tutoring for students who need extra support. If your child has participated in our Fall or Spring School, we hope you have found it to be a valuable learning opportunity.

2. Technology Support: Currently, we are well ahead of other schools in Cobb Countywith our classroom Promethean Board installations. Thanks to the Promethean Board donations from Promethean World and the generous contributions from both PTA and Foundation to purchase the LCD projectors and mounts, we have boards in ALL classrooms in grades 2-5! Promethean Boards have also been recently installed in three 1^st grade classrooms and one Kindergarten class. We truly appreciate the parental support from previous PTA and Foundation fundraisers that made this possible and hope to continue this support through Foundation fundraisers such as Boosterthon which begins on March 25^th.

3. Class Placement for 2009-2010:  Over the next few months, a committee of administrators, counselors, specialists and your child’s grade level teachers will be working hard to create proposed class lists for next fall. To the best of our ability, we create proposed classes of students by paying close attention to balancing a heterogeneous blend of boys and girls, learning styles, academic performance and work study habits, and by using the individual teachers’ knowledge of each student. We have been very successful in matching teachers and students for many years because of the dedication of our faculty.

If you wish to send a letter outlining your child’s needs and learning style, it is due by April 3, 2009. Please do not name specific teachers but instead focus on the needs of your child. Letters are not necessary- with or without a letter we will place your child with great care.

4. ASP Activities: This year we have provided Chess, Computer Club, extra art lessons and Drama Club for our ASP students. We are celebrating the end of Drama Club with a performance of The Jungle Book on Friday, March 27^th at 7:00 p.m. A donation of $2 at the door is requested but not required and all proceeds will benefit the Drama Club. This spring we were offered free art lessons for our K and 1^st grade ASP students from Young Rembrandts and we are beginning foreign language classes with World Language Institute for students K-5 on Fridays (this class is for an additional fee). We are hoping to offer both Young Rembrandts and World Language Institute (both for an additional fee) again in the fall and possibly also add a sports activity from YMCA. Look for information on all these activities next August at Sneak-a-Peek!

 We have much to look forward to this spring! Thank you for your continued support of Garrison Mill.

Paula Huffman

Principal

 

February Update

Dear Parents,

It’s hard to believe that our students have already celebrated the 100^th day of school. In the blink of an eye, we have nearly covered two-thirds of our school year! The remaining of the school year is fast approaching and with that in mind we need to focus on the upcoming Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The CRCT is part of the required assessment program for the state of Georgia

. The CRCT will take place April 21-23 for first and second grades and April 21-27 for grades three through five. The content areas of Reading, English/Language Arts and Math are tested in 1st through 5^th grade. Science and Social Studies is also tested in 3^rd-5^th grades. The tests are based on the Georgia Performance Standards and are designed to measure knowledge and skills taught in Georgiaclassrooms. They assess how well our students have learned the content standards in their particular grade level. You can preview the content for each grade level by going to the Cobb District website http://www.cobbk12.org  and then choosing the Picasso link.

            Two of the grade level tests are designated as benchmark tests in order to be promoted to the next grade level. Students in 3^rd grade must pass the reading test in order to be promoted to the fourth grade. Fifth graders must pass the reading and math portions of the tests in order to be promoted to sixth grade. 

            Students who are familiar with the test format and types of questions asked are more relaxed and generally tend to score better on the tests. For this reason we ask parents to help their child to access the internet Online Assessment System (OAS) and take the practice tests provided by the State Department of Education. Information about this was sent home in December and again in January during conference week. There is no charge for the assessments, and you can easily monitor your child’s progress. The practice tests are based on the skills and knowledge that will be tested in April, and test items are presented in the same format that students will see on the actual tests. The website to locate these tests is http://www.georgiaoas.org. Each student will need to log in with his/her specific 10 digit Georgia Test Identification Number provided to you at conference time. The password is education. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, concerns or are in need of any additional information. We appreciate the support you provide for your children at home.

Dr. Vicki Stasiak

Assistant Principal

January Update

Dear GM families,

Happy New Year! It is hard to believe that we are already halfway through the school year! It’s been a pleasure working with your children this year and I look forward to the next semester.

January is always a great time to reflect, organize and plan for the new year ahead. One of the things we do as a staff in January is to review our staff theme for the year. This year’s staff theme was “Commit…Collaborate…and Celebrate!”

When we kicked off the school year back in August, we discussed our commitment to student achievement and planned how we would be working collaboratively with each other and our Garrison Mill families this year. We also promised to take time to celebrate our students’ success and also to celebrate our staff success when working together to plan instruction, design assessments and create new lessons using our Promethean Boards!

 As I reviewed our 08-09 theme with the staff, I thought about the ways that this theme is also our hope for all of our GM families:

Our hope is that as parents you will also commit to your child’s school success by reading with them at home or making independent reading a priority, practicing math facts, making sure they complete homework assignments and attending parent conferences. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with you through conferencing, phone calls and always want to keep the lines of communication open. We also hope that you will celebrate your child for the special individual that they are! Your love and support mean the world to your child and when we as adults show that school work is important it is reflected in student beliefs and behaviors.

Thank you again for the support you provide at home. It is greatly appreciated. We look forward to seeing you at conference week!

Paula Huffman

December Update

Garrison Mill Wins Governor’s Silver Highest Achievement Award!

Twenty-two Cobb County schools (15 are Elementary schools)  have been named award winners for student achievement and academic improvement by the Georgia Department of Education and the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. The awards are based on student performance on the 2007-08 CRCT tests (for elementary and middle schools) or the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (for high schools), state assessments that help determine a school’s status under federal No Child Left Behind standards. Each award has four honor levels – Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze – that correspond to a school’s consistent performance and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) status. Garrison Mill was the recipient of the Silver Award. This means that 96% of our students in Grades 1-5 passed the CRCT in April 08 and 25% or more of our students scored at the exceeds level. Way to go Greyhounds!

November Update

Dear Parents,

Over the past year there have been changes in the reporting of grades for Kindergarten, First and Second grade students. All Cobb County K-2 report cards are now standards based. This means that we are looking for mastery of the Georgia Performance Standards (Georgia’s state curriculum). Instead of E’s and G’s, progress is now reported with numerical values of 3 – Consistent and successful progress toward meeting the standard; 2 – Progressing toward meeting the standard; and 1 – Limited or minimum progress toward meeting the standards. 

            In order to assign these numerical values assessments are created. You may ask…Why do we assess our students? Teachers, parents, and administrators want to know if, and to what degree, students are making progress toward explicit learning goals. “The more information we have about students and their learning, the clearer the picture we will have about achievement, about gaps in achievement, and about how instruction might be modified to focus more precisely on what students know and are able to do

(Garrison and Ehringhaus, 2007).

Assessment can be divided into two types - formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments are designed to help students improve and are not used to determine grades. Formative assessments occur while knowledge is being learned. The formative assessment process provides feedback to adjust teaching and learning to improve student achievement on instructional goals and objectives. Think of formative assessment as “practice.” Formative assessments can include: timed tests, homework, class work, reading logs, morning work, and quizzes, spelling tests, vocabulary tests, unit reviews and study guides. The information from these “practices” are gathered, analyzed, and then utilized to give teachers the next step in instruction. It is at this time that misconceptions are corrected and differentiation of instruction provided so students may understand the concepts and move forward.

            Summative assessments are designed to measure student achievement and are used for grading. Summative assessments are given periodically to determine at a particular point in time what students know and do not know. Some examples of summative assessments are: statewide assessments such as the CRCT, district benchmark tests as found in the Achievement Series and any other designated final assessment. Other tests may include: end-of-unit tests, end-of-term or semester exams. A key is to think of summative assessments as a means for checking cumulative student learning of content standards. Information from summative assessments can be used to grade student learning or help administrators and teachers evaluate the effectiveness of programs, school improvement goals, alignment of curriculum, and student placement in specific programs.

            A simpler way to differentiate between the two forms of assessment is to think of a football game. Roger Stauback, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys team is quoted as saying, “spectacular achievements are always preceded by unspectacular preparation,” Think of formative assessment as the everyday practice that all athletes must go through day in and day out. As the team succeeds the coach and players might start thinking of playing in the Superbowl. The Superbowl in this case would represent summative assessment – the one opportunity to make it in the big leagues!  Please feel free to contact myself or Mrs. Huffman if you have any additional questions. There is also much information available on the PICASSO link from www.cobbk12.org about the new report card.

Dr. Vicki Stasiak

Assistant Principal

October Update

Dear Parents,

Our year is off to a wonderful start! I am truly enjoying my new role as principal and hope that your child is having a successful year so far. I wanted to take some time to update you on our annual School Improvement Plan so that you would be aware of what we are working on as a staff this year.

Our school goals are determined each year by staff consensus after data evaluation. Our staff met in grade level teams last May to discuss moving forward with our current school goals. In most cases, School Improvement Plan goals are in place for a three to five year period. This is year three of our plan. The decision was made last May to continue with our current school goals of math problem solving and using conventions (grammar skills) in writing.

Our Garrison Mill Student Performance goals are:

1. Students will show growth in problem solving as a result of utilizing process skills to solve problems in math and other content areas.
2. Students will demonstrate increased proficiency in the application of English language rules.

In math, your child will be learn age appropriate strategies to solve non-routine word problems, determine the most efficient way to solve a problem, utilize a visual checklist for problem solving and further develop the skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division at appropriate grade level standards.

In writing, your child will be applying grade level appropriate conventions and grammar skills.

Kindergarten: Uses capitalization at the beginning of sentences and punctuation at the end of sentences.

First Grade: Begin to use common rules of spelling and edit writing to make corrections.

Second Grade: Use common rules of spelling and write in complete sentences.

Third Grade: Spell accurately and use grammatically correct sentences.

Fourth Grade: Use correct mechanics and spelling along with varying sentence structure.

Fifth Grade: Apply appropriate application of conventions and grammar in writing.

In addition to these two student performance goals, we also have a school performance goal of teacher collaboration.

Our Garrison Mill School Performance goal is:

1. Teachers will collaborate to positively impact student achievement in performance-based classrooms.

Our teachers are working together in grade level and specialists teams to design high level instruction and effective classroom instruction as a team. Collaborating with each other to determine how best to help each child do well in school is a powerful tool for teachers as they strive to help each child be successful.

The majority of our teacher training on Early Release Days and faculty meetings on Tuesday afternoons will be centered around these School Improvement Goals. Our teachers will learn how to support math problem solving and writing through the use of the Promethean Board technology. We have also dedicated some of our meeting time for grade levels to work together as a collaborative team.

A link to our current School Improvement Plan is located on our Garrison Mill website. Thank you for your support of our academic program. We truly appreciate the reinforcement you are able to provide at home.

Paula Huffman,

Principal

September Update

Dear Parents,

We have had such a wonderful start to the school year. Mrs. Huffman and I are working diligently to lay a foundation for student success. Teachers and staff are focusing on your children so they can get to know them and differentiate their instruction to aid your child in flourishing intellectually and emotionally.

As a new member to Garrison Mill’s staff I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in the community for the warm welcome you have extended me since my arrival. I can honestly say that your children delight me in their happiness to be at school! I feel confident in my new position at Garrison Mill because of my prior experiences, which include four years as being an Assistant Principal at Murdock Elementary, twenty years in teaching as a Speech/Language Pathologist and learning from a multitude of experiences in the most important role of my life - being a parent. It is through nurturing and guiding; love and discipline that a child can be successful in our world.

To continue the tone for student success, we ask that time be made at home to reinforce some simple principles. As a parent, there are many things you can do to increase the odds that your child will thrive and flourish this school year.

Show your child enthusiasm for learning and school. Excitement is infectious! Your child can catch your positive attitude about school. If your child knows that you are passionate about learning such as reading, writing, or math he or she is likely to do well.

Show your enthusiasm for school by getting involved. Being a member of the PTA and Foundation enables you to be a voice for your child. Attending school functions such as Spirit Day at Carvel, Parenting Workshops, Fall Festival, Reading Night, Grandparents Luncheon, Conferences, etc. lets your child know you are always willing to learn and support your school. When your child sees that you value school and enjoy being there, they will too. Spend time each night reading with your child. Write notes telling them how much you care and how proud you are of them for even their small achievements. Stick these notes in their lunch box, place it on their pillow or tape it to the bathroom mirror. When shopping let your child add the prices of the first three items you buy. Let them predict how much your groceries will cost. Making connections between what your child is learning and the real world makes those important connections for them on which to build knowledge upon.

Help establish a positive relationship with his or her teacher. Your child’s interactions with teachers are vital to his or her success in school. Meet with the teacher to help them understand your child’s needs. If you establish a working relationship with the teacher at the beginning of the school year, it will be easier to meet with them later if any potential problems occur. Teachers and students should show mutual respect for each other. If this is modeled by you, it is most likely to be established between your child and the teacher.

Success breeds success. Celebrate the small successes that happen each day at school. If there are hurdles to overcome, either academically or behaviorally let them know that you’re there for them and that the bumpy patches in the road can be a growing experience to make them stronger and wiser.

Finally, we want you to know you are welcomed to be a part of our school family. We look forward to seeing you and being involved in learning, nurturing, and the development of your child. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Vicki Stasiak

Assistant Principal

Welcome Back!

Dear Garrison Mill Families,

Welcome to the 2008-2009 school year! I am truly thrilled to begin my first year serving as principal at Garrison Mill. Dr. Stasiak and I pledge to continue the excellence that defines Garrison Mill. We are a child-centered school with high achievement from our students, innovative instruction from our staff and exceptional support from our parents.

Our mission at Garrison Mill is to provide a safe, caring environment in which children can succeed and become productive members of society. Our teachers recognize the fact that while we are teaching the children of today, the reality is that we are shaping the leaders of tomorrow. Our educational program addresses the needs of all children through a collaborative effort of staff, parents and community support.

This year we welcome Dr. Vicki Stasiak as our new Assistant Principal. Dr. Stasiak has four years of previous administrative experience at Murdock Elementary and I am looking forward to working closely with her this year. Other new staff members include Jill Clark in first grade, Kerri Gatlin in third grade, Audra James in fourth grade and Jeannie Moore as a half-time kindergarten teacher.

I look forward to working with all of our Garrison Mill families this year. I maintain an "open door" policy and invite you to contact myself or Vicki Stasiak if you have questions or need any assistance.

Sincerely,

Paula Huffman

Principal

Paula.Huffman@cobbk12.org

Meet Your New Principal

I hope all of you enjoyed a wonderful Spring Break and had time to rest and relax as a family. As most of you already know, Mrs. Wilson is retiring on June 1^st. Mrs. Wilson is a dedicated, child-centered leader who has made such a difference during her five years as principal at Garrison Mill. She has been an inspiration to us all and I will miss her a great deal. Although I know her shoes will be big ones to fill, I am honored to have been chosen as the next principal for Garrison Mill.

My career history includes eighteen years in education, with four spent as an Assistant Principal both here and at Rocky Mount Elementary. I also worked as an elementary classroom teacher and media specialist in Cobb and Coweta County. My degrees include a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood from Berry College, a Masters Degree from Georgia State University and an Ed.S. from Lincoln Memorial University. I am looking forward to continuing the excellence that defines Garrison Mill. We are a child-centered school with high expectations for our students, exceptional instruction from our staff and a wonderful sense of community involvement. Please feel free to contact me if I can ever be of assistance. I look forward to our continuing relationship next year.

Paula Huffman