Hello Parents,

Testing is just a few weeks away so here are some helpful tips to a successful testing experience for your child/children. Go over these tips with your child.

Top Ten Test-Taking Tips for Students

Here are the top ten tips to success!

1. Have a Positive Attitude
   • Approach the big test as you’d approach a giant jigsaw puzzle. It might be tough, but you can do it! A positive attitude goes a long way toward success.
2. Make a Plan
   • The week before the test, ask your teacher what the test is going to cover. Is it from the textbook only? Class notes? Can you use your calculator? If you’ve been absent, talk to friends about material you may have missed. Make a list of the most important topics to be covered and use that as a guide when you study. Circle items that you know will require extra time. Be sure to plan extra time to study the most challenging topics.
3. The Night Before
   • Cramming doesn’t work. If you’ve followed a study plan, the night before the test you should do a quick review and get to bed early. Remember, your brain and body need sleep to function well, so don’t stay up late!
4. The Morning of the Test
   • Did you know that you think better when you have a full stomach? So don’t skip breakfast the morning of the test. Get to school early and do a ten-minute power study right before the test, so your brain is turned on and tuned up.
5. Test Time
   • Before the test begins, make sure you have everything you’ll need – scratch paper, extra pencils, your calculator (if you’re allowed to use it). Understand how the test is scored: Do you lose points for incorrect answers? Or is it better to make guesses when you’re not sure of the answer? Read the instructions! You want to make sure you are marking answers correctly.
6. Manage Your Time
   • Scan through the test quickly before starting. Answering the easy questions first can be a time saver and a confidence builder. Plus, it saves more time in the end for you to focus on the hard stuff.
7. I’m Stuck!
   • Those tricky problems can knock you off balance. Don’t get worried or frustrated. Reread the question to make sure you understand it, and then try to solve it the best way you know how. If you’re still stuck, circle it and move on. You can come back to it later. What if you have no idea about the answer? Review your options and make the best guess you can, but only if you don’t lose points for wrong answers.
8. Multiple-Choice Questions
   • The process of elimination can help you choose the correct answer in a multiple-choice question. Start by crossing off the answers that couldn’t be right. Then spend your time focusing on the possible correct choices before selecting your answer.
9. Neatness Counts
   • If your 4s look like 9s, it could be a problem. Be sure that your writing is legible and that you erase your mistakes. For machine-scored tests, fill in the spaces carefully.
10. I’m Done!
    • Not so fast – when you complete the last item on the test, remember that you’re not done yet. First, check the clock and go back to review your answers, making sure that you didn’t make any careless mistakes (such as putting the right answer in the wrong place or skipping a question). Spend the last remaining minutes going over the hardest problems before you turn in your test.

To view our Connection Newsletters go to Resources > eDocuments or click here.  You will find them in the Parent Resources locker along with other helpful documents. 

The Connection Newsletters will give you helpful tips for helping your children with reading, math, and science.

April - Trustworthiness

When others trust us, they believe in us and feel we don’t need someone watching over us all the time.  In order to gain someone’s trust we must show that we can be honest, reliable, and loyal.  Being honest means acting and speaking in a way that expresses the truth, as best you know it.  A reliable person is someone who keeps the promises they make, even when it is hard.  Being loyal means sticking with people and things you care about.  Do you have what it takes to be trustworthy this month?

Grades K-3

• Tell the truth, even if it’s hard.
• Keep your promises.  Do what you said you would do and what you know if right.
• How can you be a good friend?

Grades 4-6

• What does integrity mean?  Who do you know that shows integrity?
• Truthfulness is presenting the facts to the best of your knowledge.  What’s the difference between being wrong and lying?
• Be reliable.  Show up on time, do what you said you would do, and return what you borrow.
• How do you look out for those who care about you?
• What are some secrets that shouldn’t be kept among friends?  (abuse or harm)
• Give examples of times someone decided you were trustworthy and examples of time when you lost someone’s trust.

Website last updated on 8/24/2011

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Milpitas Unified School District is now offering resources to parents on the topic of Digital Citizenship. These resources cover topics such as cyberbullying, protecting your child's reputation, online etiquette, respecting creative work, research skills, plagiarism, and more. For more information please access our Digital Citizenship page located in the Parent Resources section. We will be constantly adding more resources and information to this part of our website as we get them.

Click here to read the article.

Mr. Kepner promised the school last year that if we met our goal of an 800 API that he would shave all his hair. He happily kept his promise to our Weller Mustangs at a special assembly to celebrate our API of 864! Mr. Kepner had three messages to share on this special day:

1) Set a goal

2) Work for that goal

3) Keep your promise