Academics
 

[ Achievement Testing | Accelerated Reader | Area Reading | Reading Recovery | Star Reading & Math ]

GRADING SCALE

top of page

ACHIEVEMENT TESTING

Limelight Test- District assessment to measure growth in grades K,1,2,4,5 in the areas of Language Arts and Math.

South Dakota State Test of Educational Progress of Dakota STEP - Given in grades 3 - 6 in the Spring of the year to measure achievement in Reading and Math.

Stanford Writing Test - Given in grade 5 to measure writing performance.

top of page

ACCELERATED READER (AR) PROGRAM

Mellette School students in grades 1-6 utilize the Accelerated Reading Program where children check out library books at the school library or the Watertown Regional Library.  After reading an AR book students have the opportunity to take a computerized comprehension test that measures the comprehension level of the material read. With the Accelerated Reading program, children develop a love for reading and improve reading skills while earning points for each book read.

AREA READING PROGRAM 

Mellette Elementary School is part of the Advanced Reading Enhancement Approach. AREA is designed to provide the best research-based training for 1st - 6th grade teachers and building administrators with the ultimate goal of ensuring reading success for all students. The main focus of this program is to assist classroom teachers in the area of guided reading, word development, self-selected reading and writing.

top of page

READING RECOVERY

Reading Recovery is an early intervention program that helps the lowest achieving first grade students to develop effective strategies for reading and writing, which will enable them to become successful, independent readers and writers. Reading Recovery is based on the premise that early intervention in the education process needs to occur before students develop poor habits that can be difficult to change.  Mellette Elementary School currently has two Reading Recovery teachers.

SUCCESS MAKER

One of the supplemental programs at Mellette Elementary School is the Success Maker software program.  It uses innovative strategies to assist teachers in improving students' reading and math skills. 

The Success Maker program provides individualized, self-paced instruction for each student in reading and math.  After the student completes 300 questions in math and 250 questions in reading, Success Maker places the student at the appropriate grade equivalent based on data gathered during this time.  After this initial placement, the Management System tracks each student's progress and automatically provides the level of instruction appropriate to each student's needs.  Additionally, it mixes the content, skills, and strategies taught and provided additional practice in areas in which performance is weak.  Because each student proceeds at his or her pace, this allows the student to to take on greater academic challenges while building new skills, knowledge and strategies.  Success Maker has proven to be extremely effective in motivating students.

Immediate access to on-demand assessment tools is another innovative strategy employed by Success Maker. Teachers have access to numerous reports, which provide immediate and accurate information detailing student performance.  Examples of the information available from the reports include:

• Number of correct problems out of the total number attempted and the length of the session.

• Cumulative number of problems, percent correct and total time.

• Grade level equivalent gains in reading and/or math to date.

• Specific objectives with which a student or group of students is struggling.

• Projection of the time needed to achieve a certain gain or to reach a particular grade level goal.

The teachers to monitor growth and to prescribe any needed intervention, use these reports on a daily and weekly basis.

Each student in grades 1 - 6 spends 1/2 hour per day in the lab working with the math and reading components of Success Maker.  Students who have been identified as scoring more than 1.5 years below grade level in math and /or reading receive compensatory time on Success Maker using classroom computers, extra computers in the lab, the learning centers and during the Kidscope after-school program.

The keys to the success Mellette students have experienced lies in the effort put forth by the classroom teachers.  Faculty and staff members have actively contributed to and participated in the successful implementation of this program.  Each teacher accompanies his/her class to the lab and along with learning center teachers, teacher aides and the Success Maker staff provides one - on - one tutoring as students work with Success Maker.  In addition to this on - the - spot intervention, teachers also carry the responsibility of reviewing reports and prescribing any needed intervention while motivating students to achieve.

Community members and parents are welcome to come and visit the Success Maker Lab.

Junior Kindergarten

Junior Kindergarten is a program that acts as a bridge between pre-school and kindergarten by granting the gift of time.  It is a program that is designed for students who may be young going into kindergarten and may need a little more time.  We try to develop the love of learning and give the students time before entering kindergarten.

top of page

Title 1

Mellette is a Targeted Assisted Title 1 School.  With these additional federal funds we are able to provide students with Reading Recovery intervention as well as follow-up to the intervention.  We have several parent involvement activities as well as a series of pre-kindergarten activities sent home each year during the summer prior to entering kindergarten.

GATE (Gifted and Talented Enrichment) Program

The GATE program is for students with high academic abilities.  A student ay be referred for testing by a parent, teacher, or Principal.  To be eligible for the gifted program, a student must score 2 or more years above grade level on an educational achievement test in reading or math, and 130 or higher on an IQ test.  Classroom enrichment and challenges or individualized programs are available for students who qualify.

top of page

Parent Teacher Organization

Mellette School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is an active group of parents who work hard to provide parental involvement in our school.  Mellette PTO consists of parents appointed to serve on the Mellette PTO board for a specific term limit.  The PTO meets monthly to plan for family fun night activities and to act as a sounding board for parents.  Mellette PTO prides itself on acting on the best interest of our school, staff, students and parents.  Parental involvement is the true key to a child's success in school.  They also do one fundraiser per year that usually happens in November.  The proceeds of our fundraisers have been used to support teachers in classroom and school activities, help purchase innovative technologies, and make playground improvements.

Our PTO officers include:  Sarah Elbert (President), Trish Eachen (Vice President), Lisa Ulrich (Secretary), Jodi Mankie (Treasurer) and Mark Bellum (Teacher Representative).

GIFT Program

We have a unique GIFT to offer our third through sixth grade students here at Mellette.  After school, students have the opportunity to take their homework to the library and Get It Finished Today!  This homework room runs from 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.. Sessions are held Monday through Thursday.  A snack break is also provided during this time.

top of page

STAR of the Week

1. Every student at ME will get a chance to be a Mellette STAR.  One student will be selected from each class every week.

2. All the Mellette STARS to come to the office on Monday mornings at 8:40 for 5 minutes.

3. Each STAR will be asked to bring a picture of themselves with or without their family.  Also a piece of school work or something from home they are proud of.  We will display these in the display case by the front door of our school.

4. When they come to the office we discuss BEAR PRIDE and thy receive a Mellette "BEAR PRIDE" pencil.

5. On Friday the STARS of the week will eat Pizza with the Principal in the office.

top of page

Welcome / Academics / Business Partners / Calendar / Information / Programs / Staff / Technology/  Blue Handbook / Supply List / Mellette School Song / Newsletters & Fit For Life  / Library

Harvest Party / Listserv