NEWCASTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS / From the desk of Dr. Cathy Walker
We’ve had a fantastic start to the school year! We welcomed 2,618 students back to campus on the first day of school, and the energy has been incredible.
It has been reported that there will not be state testing this year. That information is false. We will have state testing but it may look a little different. Right now, we are preparing to use our STAR math and reading benchmark test in April as our state test. The science, social studies, writing test, and ACT test will remain the same. It will be very important for every child to do their very best on the STAR benchmark tests throughout the year. These tests provide us with data to identify areas where students excel and areas where additional instruction is needed. I will keep parents posted as there are currently continuous conversations around this topic.
Reading is an essential skill for all students. One way parents can help support their child is to read to them or with them. Reading comprehension and vocabulary are two areas that are heavily emphasized on state tests. Any additional reading at home will help students grow in these two areas. Your child’s teacher or principal will also be able to provide you with additional strategies to help your child increase their reading skills.
We have also had a great start to athletics. Cross country, volleyball and softball are all having great seasons. We will travel to Bartlesville for our first high school football game of the season Friday night. Our first home football game will be September 12 against Blanchard.
The high school bond project is coming along nicely. The east and west renovations are complete and students are enjoying the new classrooms. The south and west parking lots are also open. The next milestone of this project will be the band room, which is scheduled to be completed some time in March.
The School Board recently passed a bond resolution to put a $10.8 million dollar bond on the ballot in November (story on page 3 of this issue). The items included in the bond are purchasing land for another elementary school, safe rooms for the current upper elementary school, additional seating and restrooms at the stadium, and renovations to the track. I will be visiting civic organizations, PTO meetings and hold several community meetings to present the bond information in more detail.
One thing to remember is due to our growth in Newcastle, this bond will not raise taxes and will be paid off at the same time as the current bond. Additional information about community meetings will be released in the next few weeks.
Thank you for your continued support of Newcastle Public Schools! It’s a great day to be a Racer!
Dr. Cathy Walker Superintendent
