Hello and Welcome to our High Ability (HA) Blog!
This is where you can go weekly to get a peek into our classroom and see all the wonderful things your child/children are doing. I will send out a weekly email letting you know when the blog is up and ready to read. I do my best to get it up by Fridays. You can access the blog from a link at the bottom of all my emails OR through Yost's homepage under classrooms. Last year was my first time ever blogging, yet I really grew to enjoy it! I hope you do as well =)
I have grown up in Chesterton and actually went to Yost Elementary. My HA classroom was my kindergarten classroom as a child . . . how coincidental is that?!?!?
Ball State University is where I earned my undergrad degree (k-6). Later, I received my Masters Degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. I have twelve years teaching experience at the elementary level. I've taught first, second, third, fifth and sixth.
I began teaching in Lake Station, five years, and then I returned home to teach in Duneland for seven. I left teaching when I had our son and chose to stay at home to raise him until he went to kindergarten. This will be my second year in HA.
I am married to another Chesterton grad and we have a son who is now a first grader at Yost! Our family enjoys walking the beach looking for beach glass, crinoids and Petoskey stones. Our older dog, Kya, also enjoys these walks since she usually swims alongside us which must feel great on her old legs!
We will meet twice a week during flex time. It's a time set aside at Yost for students to be pulled from the classroom. What's great about flex time is that they will not miss any instruction during HA. Also, there's no homework given by me.
I will have Language Arts students on Mondays and Tuesdays, then math students on Wednesdays and Thursdays. If your child qualified for both, I will see them four days a week! Fridays are plan days at Liberty Elementary.
This year we will be using portions of the High Ability Language Arts Curriculum Project developed by the Indiana Department of Education. We will be using several of the trade books suggested by the state as a part of the curriculum. I'm very excited about this!
I will be at Liberty Elementary for the first few weeks finalizing lists, preparing lessons and getting things in order. I will begin with students Monday, September 8th. Permission slips will be going home before then and need to be returned before your child may participate.
My High Ability classes fluctuate from year to year. Students move in and out according to the most recent data that we have. Third and fourth saw the most changes due to current data. If your child was in last year and now they are not . . . they received or will receive a "did not qualify" letter showing their current scores and the requirements listed for High Ability.
I'm aware of several students new to Duneland who came from some sort of High Ability program. I will get to them soon for possible testing. In addition, will be going over the data given to us from their previous school. Please email me to make sure you are on my radar. As of right now, I do not have a list of students, but did meet a student at registration. Mrs. Harmison will get me the list.
Please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns. If your child is new to my class, please stop me and introduce yourself . . . I love connecting the parent faces to the students. I look forward to another GREAT year in High Ability!!!!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Koedyker
