Iowa Assessment Test Scheduled For Monday and Tuesday

Oskaloosa Indians

March 21, 2013

Dear Parents,

The Iowa Assessment Tests will be given to OMS students on Monday and Tuesday morning. These tests measure our student’s level of achievement when compared to state and national norm groups. The results are also used for our accountability purposes. For these reasons, getting accurate results are very important to us. I want to make sure we are doing all that we can to do our very best, to get the most accurate results from our kids. As testing time gets closer, I’m sure you can imagine what our children might be feeling. I am writing to share some ways to help our children shine when they take these important tests.

I know that all parents want to see their children perform well in school. I am also certain that parents play an important part in helping our children give their best performance on these tests. Here are some ideas that may serve as a guideline for helping our children prepare for testing.

First of all, we know that your student is learning on a daily basis. These skills sets have built the foundation for him or her being able to demonstrate high achievement on tests. Please begin to talk with your student about the importance of giving their best effort during testing. The following thoughts will help you in preparing your child for being ready to give the test his or her all.

The night before the tests:

1. Help your child get to bed on time. Research shows that being well rested help students do better.
2. Help children resolve immediate arguments before going to bed.
3. Keep your routine as normal as possible. Upsetting natural routines may make children feel insecure.
4. Mention the test to show you’re interested, but don’t dwell on it.
5. Plan ahead to avoid conflicts on the morning of the test.

The morning of the tests:

1. Get up early to avoid rushing. Be sure to have your child at school on time.
2. Have your child eat a good breakfast but not a heavy one. Research shows that students do better if they have breakfast before they take tests.
3. Have your child dress in something comfortable.
4. Be positive about the test. Acknowledge that tests can be hard and that they’re designed so that no one will know all of the answers. Explain that doing your best is what counts. The important thing is to make your child comfortable and confident about the test.

After the tests are given:

1. Talk to your child about the tests, make sure you acknowledge the effort such a task requires.
2. Discuss what was easy and what was hard about the test; discuss what your child learned.
3. Discuss what changes your child would make if he or she were to retake the tests.

Thank you for all the encouragement you give your children everyday.

Andy Hotek, Principal