165 Eaton Avenue
  Tracy, CA  95376
  Tel  (209) 835-8018
  Fax (209) 835-2496

  St. Bernard's Parish Website

December 19, 2007

Dear Parents,

The first half of the school year is about to conclude. The Christmas season is upon us and we are glad, as Catholics, to be able to enjoy such a wonderful time as Advent. The first half of any school year brings many new experiences for our students. The new classroom setting and new grade level teacher are just two of the experiences that welcome each of our students. Academically our students are asked to do more than they have done in prior years. With goals in mind they are achieving and learning more than ever before.

St. Bernard’s staff works very hard evaluating the students through weekly assessments, as well as standardized testing (ITBS).This testing, that is conducted in September, enables our teachers to identify our students’ strengths and growth areas. The ITBS test results are an invaluable tool that each teacher uses to better plan lessons and address the needs of your child.

At Parent Conferences you were given your child’s individual test results. In this letter I would like to report how the school is doing from grades 2^nd to 8^th. The ITBS test is an achievement test that uses national comparisons. Some have asked, “How is St. Bernard’s doing in comparison to the public schools’ testing?” There is no accurate way of comparing the two tests. The tests given to the public schools are very different than the ITBS test that the Dioceses of California administer to their students. The ITBS test has a complete battery of testing in reading, language, math, social studies and science. As a measure of proficiency there are four categories that are used to rate the results of the test: Advanced, Proficient, Basic and Below Basic. In lay terms the following can be used: Advanced is far above grade level, Proficient is above grade level, Basic is at grade level to minimal grade level and Below Basic is below grade level.

Another method of determining the status of a class is to compare the Grade Equivalent (GE). The GE is defined to be “A score derived from a raw score on a given test that indicates the grade level at which a typical pupil makes this raw score”. Example for GE could be 3.7. This score indicates the students classroom average is at the 3^rd grade 7^th month in performance on the ITBS tests. Please remember the ITBS tests were given in the 2^nd month of the year or 3.2 would be a typical score for a 3^rd grader.

As you will see, the following test results will give you a better idea of how each grade did on their ITBS test as a class. We are very proud of our students’ work and wish to congratulate them on their wonderful accomplishments.

The following is a representation of our classroom grade ITBS testing:

GRADE EQUIVALENT FOR EACH GRADE AND SUBJECT TESTED

            Reading            Language          Math                Social Studies               Science

Grade

2          2.6                   2.3                   2.0                   2.2                               2.2

Grade

3          3.9                   4.1                   3.6                   4.4                               4.2

Grade

4          4.7                   5.9                   4.4                   5.2                               5.2

Grade  

5          5.4                   6.4                   5.2                   5.9                               6.4

Grade

6          6.1                   6.5                   6.3                   6.1                               6.6

Grade

7          8.3                   9.9                   8.6                   8.5                               9.4

Grade

8          9.8                   13+                  10.5                 10.0                             9.8

            Recent graduates from St. Bernard’s School that have gone on the Central Catholic High School and St. Mary’s High School have also continued their academic excellence with reports that have been given to St. Bernard’s School from their respective schools. To give you an example of our graduates’ work, St. Mary’s High School has reported to us that for the years 05-06 and 06-07 a St. Bernard’s graduate was number one in their class at the end of the first semester in their freshman year. Central Catholic High School has reported to St. Bernard’s that our graduates have a cumulative GPA greater than the cumulative Central Catholic GPA.

            Many of our graduates have gone on after graduation from high school to attend colleges and universities with success. Our graduates have or are attending the following colleges and universities:

·        University of California, San Diego

·        University of California, Davis

·        Gonzaga University

·        University of San Francisco

·        Stanford University

·        CSU San Luis Obispo

·        CSU Fresno

·        CSU San Francisco

·        Villanova University

·        CSU Stanislaus

·        CSU Sacramento

·        University of California, Santa Barbara

·        St. Mary’s University, Moraga

·        University of South Dakota

·        Santa Clara University

·        University of California, Berkeley

·        Cornell University

St. Bernard’s is blessed to have such wonderful students. We would like to wish all of our students and families a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Gary A. Abate, Principal

04/29/2008 11:08 PM

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