Math Matters

This year teachers of grades K-8 and I are working with Dr. Robinson, our Administrator and Director of Curriculum, to review math resources and programs to determine which will be recommended to the board of education in winter/spring to be implemented in the 2018-2019 school year. 

Currently we are using a math program published by Pearson called enVision Math. This program has been used at ACA for the past 6 years. Through the use of this material, children have been able to become more capable as mathematicians to solve problems using a variety of strategies. The student achievement at ACA has increased in the area of math as noted on the ACA Iowa Assessment Tests when we transferred from our former math publisher to enVision. 

Second quarter and into second semester we will be looking over various math materials and textbooks from five publishers. We will view some of these products online while others are available to look at in hard copy located in the school's meeting room. Feel free to ask your child's teacher or me about questions you may have regarding math program materials. 

The math materials from the publishers below are being evaluated and rated for use at ACA:

1. ABeka

2. Association of Christian Schools International 

3. Bob Jones University Press (BJU)

4. enVision Math by Pearson

5. Go Math! by Houghton Mifflin 

Last Spring in the area of Math using Iowa Assessments taken by ACA students in February I was encouraged by our students who were proficient or advanced. 

See the information below that was shared last week at our School Improvement Advisory Council (SIAC) Meeting: 

Grade 3: 

86% of ACA students were proficient or advanced in math 

79% students were proficient or advanced math in schools located in Heartland Area Education Association (AEA 11)

78% of students in the state of Iowa were proficient or advanced in math 

Grade 4: 

86% of ACA students were proficient or advanced in math 

81% students were proficient or advanced math in schools located in Heartland Area Education Association (AEA 11)

78% of students in the state of Iowa were proficient or advanced in math 

Grade 5:

90% of ACA students were proficient or advanced in math 

78% students were proficient or advanced math in schools located in Heartland Area Education Association (AEA 11)

75% of students in the state of Iowa were proficient or advanced in math 

Grade 6:

85% of ACA students were proficient or advanced in math 

79% students were proficient or advanced math in schools located in Heartland Area Education Association (AEA 11)

76% of students in the state of Iowa were proficient or advanced in math 

Mandated by Iowa legislation this summer, ALL Iowa schools that choose to take Iowa Assessments will be required to test children in April.  Please note that our week for assessments will be April 9-13, 2017. I look forward to how our children will show what they know in the area of math when tested this year. 

Buttoning Up Quarter One!

My! The first quarter of school is coming to a close today. I have enjoyed much of what I have observed inside and outside of classrooms at ACA. I have included photos to highlight some top events that have blessed me that I'd like to share with you!

On Wed. Oct. 4th, the ACA student body took part in the state walk for schools and businesses to exercise for 30 minutes. At our school we called it a Walk in the Spirit and children walked and prayed for our president, political leaders, those in the military helping to protect our freedom, fire fighters, police, pastors, teachers, students and those who yet do not know Jesus Christ personally. The students did a wonderful job on the walk and many shared that it was a great experience.

Kaylei Jacob in Mr.Gascho's 4th grade class and her father Kelsey were motivated after hearing in church about the need for food for the hungry in central Iowa and decided there were other needs that they felt could be met by the donations of shoes that could come from ACA students who wanted to share with others. The ACA Shoe Drive was launched Monday, Oct. 16th and will run until Nov. 16. Toddler - adult shoes can be brought to ACA and placed in one of three bins around the school.

Chapel is a special time each week when the students gather together to hear a speaker share God's Word. ACA's Elementary Chapel spotlights students who love to praise the Lord through instruments and voices. We are fortunate that Mrs. Mungons, our music teacher, has many students who enjoy worshiping the Lord as they lead the elementary student body. 

Friday Oct. 13 was a day when students did not attend school, however we held an all-day professional learning where teachers met first in the morning to praise the Lord in song and prayer. Later in the morning, all faculty in  three different groups completed a task for our Christian School International (CSI) accreditation. The educators needed to rank where ACA was in various areas and give evidence for the rankings. Before lunch break, faculty worked together reading various articles to put into a resource bank on Biblical Worldview that could sharpen their minds and enhance their teaching methods. The Biblical Worldview Task Force members include Johanna England, Melissa Hult, Jenny Anderson and Joel Willoughby. These individuals were chosen in the spring of 2016 by ACA's Board of Education after the recommendation by the Instructional Leadership Team: Steve Robinson, Joyce Hansen, Alex Coleman, Lisa Ihnen and Suzanne Sears. In the afternoon, two technology presentations were made available for ACA educators. The SMARTboard presentation was led by Mrs. Hartmann, Miss Brugioni and Mrs. Appell where teachers learned recent strategies for SMARTboard operation. Lisa Ihnen facilitated a Chromebook in-service informing teachers of various ways to incorporate them into a variety of classrooms. Our professional learning priority is teaching from a biblical worldview, infusing into the classrooms more use of technology and working on a variety of curriculum tasks like evaluating K-8 math materials for future recommendation to ACA's Board of Education for implementation in 2018-2019. 

It is a pleasure to watch older students share their knowledge with younger children. Below view photographs of Mrs.Rose' fourth graders sharing their insect collections with Begindergarten students form Monica Dickinson's class. The children were able to view up close the insects and ask the scientists about the insects that they collected. 

ACA in its 25th year continues to be a school where our mission is evident: Building Christian Character for Tomorrow's Leaders! We are thrilled to partner with you as parents/guardians and appreciated all who came out during conferences to talk about your student(s) progress so far this year. I am excited to share much more with you in my ACA Elementary Principal's Blog second quarter!