The first week back at White Oak Intermediate has really been a good one. Students and staff are building relationships that will make this a successful year for all. Routines and expectations have been shared, and together we intend to move forward toward the transformation that will take place over the next 180 or so days.

This week we will begin with our Universal Screenings in Reading and Math for all third, fourth, and fifth grade students. This establishes the baseline for our students and helps to guide instruction for our teachers throughout the school year. Screenings are given at the beginning of the year, middle of the year, and again at the end of the year. We know that our students will put forth their best efforts to show what they already know. We know this because that’s just what Roughnecks do! We always do our best!

The staff of White Oak ISD was addressed by several of its peers on Thursday, May 31st, to kick off two important phases of collaborative learning, Project Based Learning and Professional Learning Community. Teachers from each campus were given opportunities to share the higher level thinking involved in PBL and also to showcase over 90+ Web 2.0 tools and apps. It was impressive to see the level of instruction that our students receive from our White Oak ISD teachers. Equally impressive was the development of problem-solving skills and collaboration that our students, from primary through high school, demonstrated through “voice and choice” presentations

Resources for the Web2.0 tools and apps are linked to the image above. Several of the resources are already posted on the new PLC Blog.

Recently we had a big honor day where one of the activities was chalk writing. By far, the number one message that was written by our intermediate students was, “We will miss you, Mrs. Dickson.” This is certainly an understatement.

Mrs. Dickson has honored us by serving as our academic and spiritual leader for 18 years. This year she has decided to retire and has posted her “Farewell From the Pond”. Lives, both young and old, have been shaped by her leadership. She led by example and loved children unconditionally. It is said, “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” Thank you, Mrs. Dickson, for lighting the way — for us as educators and for the children who will go on to be the reflections of us all.

Parents, please make note of these Early Release Dates and Times. Primary will release early on both Thursday, May 24th, and Friday, May 25th at 11:00. Intermediate will dismiss at 11:30 on both days. Intermediate Car Pickups will be dismissed at 11:15 on both days.

Third, fourth, and fifth grade students will take the STAAR test on April 24, 25, and 26.

TUESDAY, APRIL 24TH

3RD & 4TH GRADE MATH

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25TH

3RD & 4TH GRADE READING

THURSDAY, APRIL 26TH

5TH GRADE SCIENCE

Our third and fourth graders will be participating in Benchmark tests on Tuesday, March 6th, and Wednesday, March 7th. Math will be given to both grade levels on Tuesday followed by Reading on Wednesday. Students will need to go to bed early, have a good breakfast, and be sure to arrive on time.

NO electronic devices, including cell phones, will be allowed on these practice testing days.

Our fourth and fifth graders will be participating in Benchmark tests on Wednesday, February 22nd, and Thursday, February 23rd.  Fourth grade will test in Writing on both days.  Fifth grade will test on Math on Wednesday and Reading on Friday.  Students will need to go to bed early, have a good breakfast, and be sure to arrive on time.

NO electronic devices, including cell phones, will be allowed on these practice testing days. 

Food brought in for lunch will NOT be allowed on testing days.

MAKEUP tests will be given to all students who are absent during these days.

Thank you for all your support in our efforts to create for every child the best positive learning environment possible.

Successful kids and successful schools usually share a secret ingredient: supportive parents!

Here are 5 ways you can be involved in your child’s education. Some support your child directly and others benefit the whole school, including your child. Remember, you don’t have to do everything! Choose the activities that fit your interests and schedule.

1. Make sure your children go to school ready to learn. In the morning scramble to get out the door on time, your children may skip breakfast or leave homework behind. The day gets off to a much better start if they pack their backpacks the night before, get plenty of rest and have a good breakfast.

2. Make time for homework. Set up a study area with good lighting and a dictionary, and limit television on weeknights to be certain homework gets done. Make reading an everyday habit. Children who have “no homework” can always review the day’s lessons or read a book for fun.

You may also need to curtail extracurricular activities. Children who take part in other nonacademic activities for 20 or more hours per week usually don’t have enough energy to perform optimally in school.

3. Monitor your children’s academic progress. Don’t wait until report cards come out to check up on how your children are doing. Attend scheduled parent-teacher conferences to get acquainted with their teachers, and don’t hesitate to contact teachers at other times to find out whether your children are keeping up with assignments.

4. When there’s a problem, work with the school on your child’s behalf. If your child starts to slip academically, make an appointment with the teacher to put together a plan for correcting the problem. Teachers appreciate parents who reinforce the importance of schoolwork, and your child will have a better chance of succeeding if you and the teacher agree on a strategy.

If your child has difficulties with a teacher, try to keep an open mind and find out all the facts before jumping to conclusions. It’s always best to try to work out differences with teachers before going over their heads and complaining to the principal.

5. Attend school functions. Going to back-to-school night, the spring concert, school plays, talent shows and other school events shows your children that you value their schools. In a 10-year study of 20,000 teenagers, Laurence Steinberg found that only one-fifth of parents regularly attended school functions, and that those who did were much more likely to have high-achieving students.