Important CMAS Updates

Posted April 6, 2021

Dear Denison Families:

Denison will begin the administration of the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) assessments on April 13th and April 15th, 2021.

These assessments are aligned to the Colorado Academic Standards, which are statewide expectations of what students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade. The standards incorporate future skills and essential knowledge that the next generation will need to be successful in college and careers. These assessments are important because students and teachers work hard all year, and these tests allow students to demonstrate their incredible growth.

Opting In For Additional Testing

As you likely heard, The United States Department of Education approved Colorado’s waiver for reduced CMAS testing this spring. As a result, we have modified our testing schedule to reflect the reduced testing, per the waiver. Third and fifth grade students are only required to take the ELA test; fourth and sixth grade students are only required to take the math test. However, the waiver does permit families to request their student complete both assessments if desired. If you would like your student to take BOTH assessments, please complete CMAS Extra Testing no later than Friday, April 9. If you do not complete this form, your student will only take the required assessment unless you have opted out. If you have previously opted out of CMAS testing, no action is required.

Help your students to prepare

On each day of testing, please help ensure your student is ready to do their best on the assessments by…

Getting a good night’s sleep
Eating a healthy breakfast
Avoiding scheduling doctor’s appointments on testing days
Bringing their fully charged, school-issued Chromebook to school each day for testing

Schedule April 13th and April 15th

Drop off at their normal time on both days
Enter through the door they normally use.
If a virtual student is not sure where to enter, they should use the main door.
Tuesday, April 13th picked up as usual at 3:15 for 3rd grade students and 3:30 p.m. for Upper Elementary students
On Thursday, April 15th, we will have a half-day of school and students should be picked up at their regular dismissal location starting at 12:00 p.m.

Meals

April 13th- Breakfast and lunch are provided and children may bring a sack lunch from home.
April 15th-Breakfast is provided. A sack lunch will be available to anyone who wants to take it home at 12:00 that day.

Students who are not testing

If your 3rd – 6th grade child is not taking CMAS testing on April 13th and April 15th, they will have asynchronous learning with no Google Meets with their teacher. You will receive information from your child’s teacher around the learning expectations for this day. Students who have opted out of testing should not come to school.

First and Second grade in-person students will also be at home for asynchronous learning while our Primary students in ECE and kindergarten will be in the building for their regularly scheduled classes.

Virtual student reminders

As we shared previously, while we believe that these tests are important, we understand that some families may decide they do not want to come in-person to participate in testing this year due to COVID-19. All testing must be done in person as there is no remote testing option and families were given an opportunity to opt out of testing. As you were already informed, virtual learners may come into Denison to test but it is not required. If you are bringing your virtual student in for testing, and have not told us yet, please notify the front office by 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 9, 2021. We need to have an exact count of students who will and will not be participating so that we can adjust staffing, testing schedules and adhere to all health and safety guidelines.

We appreciate your support during this time. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. Thank you for your understanding and support!!

Natalie Fickes, Principal