Orchard Farms PTO

The New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) will be administered to our students in grades 3 through 8 during the month of October; results of these tests are expected to arrive mid-winter. The NECAP assessments are a part of the State of Rhode Island effort to comply with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). These assessments are mandatory for all students and school attendance during the scheduled test sessions is critical. Please avoid all absences during the assessment period.

A copy of the Cranston Public Schools Test Schedule was sent home with all students on Monday, September 8, 2008. For your convenience this schedule information has been added to our web-site calendar. Please confirm all schedule information with Orchard Farms; in the event of errors, schedule changes, etc., the schedule obtained from Orchard Farms supercedes all information on this web-site.

You can help your child(ren) do their best on the NECAP tests by:

• Discussing the upcoming assessment with them to determine their feelings and to reduce any possible test anxiety; provide gentle reassurance that they should try to do their best
• Telling them that the test is on skills and strategies that they learned in previous grades; they are being asked to show what they already know and are able to do
• Ensuring that they get a good night's rest and eat a good breakfast before each testing session

More information about New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) and Grade Level Expectatons is available on the Rhode Island Department of Education web-site and from Orchard Farms Elementary School.