Hawk Pride demonstrates the values that we want to instill in our school community. The W in Hawk stands for Work Hard. The staff within the Montevideo Public School District work hard at providing an exemplary education and supporting our students. In response, we want our students to put forth their best efforts in achieving their highest potential. One of the methods for measuring how successful our school is at reaching that goal is through our state’s assessments called the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs). Montevideo students in grades 3-11 will begin taking the MCAs in Reading, Math and Science in April.
Here is a list of what can be done at home to help our students do their very best during the MCAs:
Make sure your child gets a good night sleep before the assessments.
Eating a nutritious breakfast the morning of the assessments is another great way to prepare students for the day.
If your child is struggling with any areas in reading or math, here are a couple of resources to try at home to support your child’s learning development:
Almost all of the teachers in Grades K-8 offer online resources for supporting your child's learning. To find a teacher's webpage, click on the Staff button in the Menu on the school website. Use the search area to type in the name of your child's teacher. Click on the website link that appears with the teacher's name and classroom information.
While there are many benefits associated with reading to a child, some of the most important things an adult can do to improve a child's knowledge is to read for 20 minutes every day. Reading helps children develop language skills and improve listening comprehension. Along with building a child's vocabulary, it also helps to increase their attention span. Reading isn't just for our young children, it's also important for older children, as well. Enourage your children to read everyday and then ask them to share what they are reading about.
Another resource that helps with math is called Math@Home. Math@Home is a free website that provides the parent with activities to help their child at home. Activities can be found by typing in the child's State, Grade and Keyword. Some activities are worksheets, but several others include videos and online games that support math growth.
The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) are state-mandated assessments in Reading, Math, and Science that meet the requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). These assessments are aligned with all the grade level standards required by law to be taught in Reading, Math, and Science. The MCAs are given every year in the spring to measure students' achievement on the Minnesota Academic Standards.
More information about district assessments and testing schedules can be found on the district website under the menu item Assessments.
Contact Dr. Vera Weber, District Assessment Coordinator and Director of Professional Learning, with any questions about the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments.
E-mail: vweber@montevideoschools.org
Telephone: 320-269-8833, ext. 2119