It Takes A Village: Preparing for the PSSA at Home

You’ve heard it said that it  takes a village to raise a child.  It also takes a village to prepare students for the PSSA.  Teachers, specialists and students have been hard at work since August and now it’s your child’s time to shine.  As parents you may be wondering, “What can I do at home to help my child prepare?”  Well, you may not have realized it but you’ve already begun.  You’ve prepared them by ensuring that they attended school regularly.  You’ve sat with them while they completed their homework and prepared for tests.  You’ve reached out to teachers with questions about how to help them be successful.  You’ve provided books and magazines for your child to read at home, which helped them learn new words.  So as the PSSAs approach, keep doing what you’ve been doing!  In addition, here are a few ways that you can set your child up for success on the test.

Before the Test:

Build your child’s confidence by reminding them that this is their opportunity to show what they know.  Remind them of their strengths.  If you know your child has struggled in a particular area, you can help him or her by providing extra practice at home using workbooks, apps, or online resources.  

Reduce anxiety.  Keep conversations about the PSSAs encouraging and low key.  Reduce anxiety triggers at home if possible, and familiarize your child with the testing schedule ahead of time.  Everyone will feel a little better when they know what to expect.

On Testing Days:

Make every effort to keep these days as stress free as possible. As such, please avoid  scheduling appointments during test days and arrive to school on time. Testing begins promptly at 8:30.  Students that arrive late will not be allowed to enter the classroom and will need to complete the missed portion of the test on a make-up day.  Also, make sure your child gets plenty of sleep in the days preceding the PSSAs and provide a good breakfast on testing days.

After the test, ask your child how they felt. What went well? What could have gone differently? Praise their efforts and reward their honesty. Then make time for some play and exercise, a hearty dinner, and a wonderful night’s rest. Remember, this test is just a tiny slice of a child’s academic portfolio. These tests can be viewed as a way to celebrate your child’s growth.  It’s their opportunity to apply all the knowledge they’ve gleaned so far this year and demonstrate it in a formalized way.

Mrs. Lisa Krammes

ES K-3 Reading Specialist

Lehigh Valley Academy

We can’t believe it is almost time for the PSSA’s!  LVA students work incredibly hard during the school year learning and applying many test taking strategies.  Our students feel prepared to take on any challenge, but we need the help of our families too!  “There is a superhero inside all of us, we just need the courage to put on the cape”- Unknown.  

Prior to testing, there are many ways families can help their superheroes gain the courage and confidence to power through the PSSAs.  In school we work in quiet classrooms; you can try creating a quiet working environment for homework too!  Helping your child develop good study habits will directly benefit them in the classroom.  Since your child brings homework home most nights, take this opportunity to reinforce the testing strategies that are being taught in school.  Having your child double check their assignment, allows you to ask questions about what they have been learning throughout their school day.

All superheroes want to enhance their super powers; one easy way to do this is through reading.  In the 4-6 building, we encourage our scholars to read for a minimum of twenty minutes each night.  We also have reading incentives, where our students record the amount of minutes that they are reading nightly.  Once they reach the goal, the students are rewarded with a reading party.  This winter, we held a snowball themed Minute-To-Win-It party!  Since our students are challenging themselves to read at home, there are several ways you can help your child take part in our future reading incentive parties.  Reading books together with your child is a great way to get started.  Even though your child is older, this doesn’t mean you can’t read together!  Whether you are reading a picture book with a younger sibling or reading a novel along with your child, the options are endless.  While reading, ask your child questions about the text to encourage deeper thinking.  These questions may lead to quite an engaging discussion!
During the weeks of the test, there are multiple ways to continue to help your superhero soar!  Encourage your child to practice the Mindful Minute as a strategy to calm and destress themselves at the end of the day.  Getting to bed on time allows our body the much needed rest we require during this busy time of the year.  Each morning, try to start the day with a healthy breakfast and some positive and encouraging morning chatter.  Arriving to school on time is also important, as we will need plenty of time to prepare for our busy and productive day!  Also, please try to keep your schedule as normal as possible.   Reflecting on these thoughtful tips can help your child gain courage to wear their superhero cape with pride!

Mrs. Sarah Cunningham

ES 4-6 Reading Specialist

Lehigh Valley Academy RCS

Lehigh Valley Academy Regional Charter School (LVA) has provided full day Kindergarten since the school opened in 2002.  We are the only school in the area to practice looping, which means students will have the same teacher for both Kindergarten / First Grade and Second/Third Grades.  This creates a sense of comfort and community within the classroom and allows for more continuity between grades.

We offer a before and after care program (ESP – Extended School Program) which is available for all K-6 students.  This enables parents and caregivers to drop off children as early as 6:45 am so that they are able to head to work.  During this time, the staff will provide homework help and supervise students during activity and play time.

In order to ensure a smooth start to the school year for our Kindergarten students, LVA provides a number of opportunities for the student and family to become familiar with the classroom and our Kindergarten program.  Prior to the start of the year, everyone is invited to our K-6 Open House.  This is followed by Kindergarten Orientation, where families learn more details about the Kindergarten Program and the students practice bus etiquette by riding the bus.

Each classroom has  interactive white boards, infusing technology into their lives every day.  Most of our Kindergarten teachers start their day with a short academic activity to wake up their students’ minds before circle time.  During circle time, students join their teachers in the common play space to review the goals for the day and some basics such as the date and days of the week, weather, the letter of the day or any other special things students need to know.

A bulk of the morning is spent on Language Arts – for Kindergarten students this means phonics, basic comprehension skills, and handwriting.  One of the most exciting things about LVA is that students begin their study of Mandarin Chinese at this age.  Every other day, students will work with their Mandarin Chinese teacher and receive introductory lessons to the language.  LVA also has three reading specialists who visit the classrooms throughout the day to help students where needed.  By the end of Kindergarten,  the goal is for all LVA students to know how to read!

LVA operates on a six-day rotation with one specialist class each day.  Kindergarten students will have art, drama, music, library science once in the six days, and PE twice. After specials, all Kindergarten classes head to the cafeteria so students can socialize with one another during lunch time.   Post lunch is every Kindergarten student’s favorite part of the day – recess!  An active body is just as important as an active mind.  From our large playground to inside spaces, LVA teachers make sure students have plenty of time to “shake their sillies out” during the day!

Kindergarten teachers utilize center time throughout the day, where students are placed in small groups for more individualized instruction.  As an IB World School, even our youngest students are introduced to the idea of inquiry-based learning.  Six units of inquiry are taught during the course of the year, encouraging students to learn about themselves and the world around them.  These units are based on the Pennsylvania State Standards in the areas of Social Studies and Science.  For math, students spend their days learning about number sense.  When necessary, students receive extra help from three building level math specialists.  The Primary Years Programme (PYP) guides all students in K-6 at LVA, and fully adheres to the PA Core Standards set by PDE.  PYP students are encouraged to ask questions, develop a lifelong love of learning and become global citizens of the world.

Kindergarten students wind down their day with some much needed quiet time to rest and reflect before packing up.  Bus dismissal flows smoothly and students who are a part of the ESP after school program can stay until parents are able to pick them up, as late as 6 pm.

During the school year, parents can stay connected to the classroom and ensure their child’s success through weekly newsletters, volunteering to help with classroom activities, attending Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences or chaperoning one of the field trips.

Kindergarten is a fun and exciting time for many families – we are so excited that you opted to take this journey with LVA!  For more information about Kindergarten admissions, please contact the LVA Admissions office at 610-866-9660 extension 4100 or admissions@lvacademy.org.