To TAKS and Beyond...Thoughts From Principal Cuellar
by Shawn McClelland
March 06, 2010
Saturday, February 27th marked the end of the second month of NFCS Saturday TAKS Camps. Our students and staff are working hard to prepare for the upcoming TAKS assessments. I would also like to extend a big “thank you” to all the parents that have supported our instructional staff by allowing your children to participate in all after school tutoring sessions and Saturday TAKS Camp extended learning opportunities. Please feel free to visit your child’s teacher if you have questions regarding the various before, during, and after school learning opportunities that are currently in operation at NFCS, especially if you would like your child to attend.
On this same note, if you have a child that has been targeted to attend and is reluctant to come, please call to share this concern with your child’s teacher and/or our school counselor so that we may help encourage your child to come and participate in these meaningful learning opportunities, so that they will be better prepared to tackle the TAKS.
As we move closer to the testing period, you may notice your child talking more about the upcoming TAKS and possibly express some concerns about how well they may do. This is something that educators call, “test anxiety.” This phenomenon may be more pronounced in our 3rd grade students who are taking the TAKS tests for the first time. As a parent, you can alleviate or dismiss this unwanted stress by letting them know that you are confident in them and proud about their study habits and current level of academic success in school.
You may also want to visit the Texas Education Agency website and access the interactive study guide with your child to help study and to reinforce their skill level of the objectives that will be tested o the TAKS. You may access the interactive study guide if you have internet access by typing in the following website address below: http://perspective.pearsonaccess.com/perspective/appmanager/tx/family/
Finally, feel free to take advantage of scheduling a conference with your child’s teacher so that they may provide you with more ideas as to what you may do to help reassure you of your child’s progress and helpful ideas of what you may do to help your child be better prepared for the upcoming TAKS test. Remember, it is our goal to help your child reach their full academic potential and we know it is shared effort between parents and teachers to do "whatever it takes" to help our students reach their highest level of academic success, because it is together that we will continue to "Thrive with Cougar Pride!" 
