EC Principal Letter
Dear ANCS Elementary Families,
February is going to be a busy month here at the EC. It is Black History Month and we have a lot planned to celebrate! I will keep you all informed with all upcoming events and how you can get involved in my future courier letters, but please go ahead and mark the evening of February 27th on your calendars for our Black History Month Program. It will be here at the elementary campus from 6:00pm to 7:15pm.
Also, we hope to see everyone at Family Math Night tomorrow night from 6:00pm to 7:15pm. This is going to be a fun night of playing games that will stretch your creative and critical thinking skills.
It is important for me to note that while we are highlighting and celebrating the accomplishments of African Americans and significant historical events during February, we recognize that one cannot separate Black history from American history as a whole. Though we are choosing to highlight and celebrate certain African Americans and Black culture throughout Black History Month, it is important to us that students learn about famous, and not so famous, African Americans through our regular curriculum and in their own exploration of history.
Just a little background on how Black History Month was started. Historian, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, was concerned by what he viewed as scholarly neglect or misrepresentation of his people. In 1926 he announced the second week of February to be “Negro History Week.” This week was chosen because it marked the birthday of both Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglas. Black History Month has been observed in America since 1976, but is also celebrated throughout the world, including Canada and the U.K.
On a different note, after careful consideration, we have decided to administer the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) to all students in 1st through 7th grades this year. The CogAT is a reasoning assessment that helps us understand how students think and approach problem-solving in areas such as verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning. It is not an IQ test, does not measure learned academic content, and is not intended to label or track students. The CogAT provides different information than the MAP assessment: while MAP measures what students currently know and can do in reading and math, CogAT focuses on learning processes and reasoning patterns. Together, these assessments offer a more complete picture of each student and help educators plan instruction that supports growth and opportunity for all learners.
As always, I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Enjoy the remainder of your week!
Wishing you well,
Lara
Lara Zelski
Lara Zelski began working at ANCS in 2007. Previously, she worked at the Howard School and taught art, Spanish, reading and math. She taught 6th, 4th, and 2nd in DeKalb County. She taught 4th and 5th grade in Decatur and then moved to Title One reading and math instruction for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. She taught 5th grade at the ANCS elementary campus for two years.
