Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parent Support topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Principal Lori Jones explains I-Ready rollout, testing timelines and practical tips for parents
Summary
Dr. Lori Jones reviewed attendance strategies, morning and homework routines, I-Ready diagnostic timelines (grades 1-8 in first two weeks; K in 4-6 weeks), Genesys posting timelines and details on gifted-program assessments (CogAT in grade 4, parents notified in February).
Dr. Lori Jones, principal of Gillette School and director of curriculum and instruction, led a parent-focused presentation on routines, attendance and the district's I-Ready diagnostic rollout.
She emphasized the instructional purpose of I-Ready: "The diagnostic is really how I look at it like a mini assessment," Jones said, explaining that I-Ready establishes a "MyPath" for each student and adapts as students answer questions so lessons are individualized.
Practical tips: Jones urged parents to re-establish sleep and morning routines, prepare backpacks and supplies ahead of time, create a quiet, well-lit study space and set a short homework routine with optional downtime. She advised parents to check the school calendar and weekly principal newsletters and to communicate regularly with teachers and administrators.
Attendance and supports: Jones cited AttendanceWorks statistics to stress the cost of absenteeism, saying, "when students miss two days of school per month, they'll miss 30 hours of math, 60 hours of reading and writing instruction," and pointed parents to district resources, guidance counselors and nurses for students experiencing stress or anxiety.
I-Ready specifics and parent access: Jones said I-Ready will be administered for grades 1-8 during the first two weeks of school (kindergarten assessments take longer, four to six weeks), and that results are posted in Genesys when a full class completes the diagnostic, typically about two weeks after completion. She invited parents to a dedicated I-Ready parent session later in September and said administrators will post required assessment schedules on the district website.
Curriculum and gifted programs: Jones said the textbook/curriculum review follows a three- to five-year cycle; the district is in year five of the current Big Ideas math program and will convene curriculum committees to research options (including I-Ready materials). She explained that the district administers the CogAT for grade 4 gifted identification and that parents are notified ahead of the assessment, typically in February.
Questions: Jones read several chat questions aloud and answered them: I-Ready is individualized (not a group test), parents can be informed of testing dates ahead of time, and the district can post testing windows and timelines on the website so parents can prepare at home.
The session was recorded and, according to the superintendent, will be posted on the district website within about 24 hours for families who could not attend.
