September 2016 (Please see attachment below)
Dear Parents and Guardians:
Welcome back to another new beginning in the Putnam Valley Schools!
I know that there is much to think about and a great deal of excitement at the start of the school year, and I need to share some important information with you about Academic Intervention Services (AIS) program. If your child sat for the New York State Assessment this year, you will be receiving a letter and the score reports shortly. The results of the NYS Assessment will be an important factor in the scheduling of your child for academic assistance. If your child’s scale score does not indicate proficiency in English Language Arts and Mathematics, we will be offering assistance through our AIS program. However, student performance on the State Assessment will not be the sole factor in the determination of services. State legislation also prohibits the placement of these scores on the student transcript until 2018.
If your child did not sit for the NYS Assessments, we will be utilizing other resources to determine your child’s need for supplemental services.
It is important to remember that Academic Intervention Services provide supplemental assistance to students in meeting the standards and that a number of measures may be used to determine whether assistance is needed, including, but not limited to, teacher feedback from classroom performance, achievement inventories, informal assessments and student grades. We also want to encourage parents who have questions about academic intervention to contact the guidance counselor or school administration. Academic Intervention Services must be made available to students with disabilities on the same basis as non-disabled students, as long as those services are consistent with the student’s individualized IEP.
We want to be sure you recognize that test scores represent one measure of student learning. This year’s results are indicators of student achievement in attaining the Common Core Curriculum Standards as measured by the state assessments. These standards are very challenging, requiring changes in instructional strategies and curriculum. The standards are the focus of our instructional goals guiding teaching and learning, and our teachers will continue to participate in professional learning activities this year to support this new rigorous curriculum and to engage our students in meeting the new proficiency standards developed to prepare them effectively for college and career success. Both at home and at school, our support is needed so that students put forth the effort needed to reach the high expectations we have for their attainment of new learning goals. Learning is a process of change. As with any change we experience, perseverance and determination are required to be successful.
Please feel free to call your child’s principal for further information. We are also attaching a memorandum from New York State Education Department that explains the AIS requirements.
Sincerely,
Dr. Frances Wills
Superintendent of Schools
(845) 528-8143
Sandra Intrieri
High School Principal
(845) 526-7847
Edward Hallisey
Middle School Principal
(845) 528-8101
Margaret Podesta
Elementary School Principal
(845) 528-8092
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