Our school now has access to a great resource for preparing our kids for the state standardized tests and targeting specific skills in which we identify kids as needing reinforcement. We have purchased a building license for a web-based program called Study Island, which is accessible to students from school or home. If you have Internet access, your child can access Study Island from home as well as school to prepare for the state assessments.

In 8th Grade Language Arts we plan to specifically provide required practice assignments in Study Island around grammar, usage, mechanics, and conventions. Sometimes your child will do the practice here at one of our classroom Computing Stations or in one of the school’s tech labs. Sometimes your child will need to do the practice/assignments outside of school. If you do not have internet access at home, please consider the multitude of options available to your child:

Using supervised open-lab times here at Jenkins (see the Front Office for details);
Having your student sign up for one of Miss Shanks’ Help Labs in Room F020 (Tuesdays after school or Thursdays before school);
Going to the public library where you can use their computers, Microsoft Office, and internet for an hour per day FREE;
Going to a public wifi hotspot like the public library, Starbucks, Panera, Village Inn, Pikes Perk, Einstein’s Bagels, Poor Richard’s, Dogtooth Cafe, etc. (although the wifi is free, it is certainly advisable to purchase something to eat or drink at these businesses to thank them for the service);
Visiting a friend or relative’s house and borrowing their internet connection for short periods;
Letting your student use a computer at your work if your employer allows it.
Last but not least: Study Island offers Printable Worksheets to do away from the computer!

This PowerPoint show provides an overview of the program. We are excited about the potential benefits this program can bring to our students, and we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity by using Study Island. Please feel free to contact Study Island at 800-419-3191 or support@studyisland.com if you have any questions.