Harvard CUSD 50 will administer district-wide benchmark assessments from Monday, Aug. 24, through Friday, Sept. 11.
These assessments give teachers and families a clear picture of each student's academic growth throughout the year, helping educators tailor instruction to meet every child's needs.
Students will complete assessments on their Chromebooks based on their grade level:
Kindergarten - 1st Grade: MAP Reading Fluency and MAP Math Growth
2nd Grade - 5th Grade: MAP Reading Growth and MAP Math Growth
6th Grade - 8th Grade: NWEA MAP Reading Growth and i-Ready Inform Mathematics
Please note that students will not be testing every day during this time. Schools will schedule specific days and times for students to complete assessments within the Aug. 24-Sept. 11 window.
Families will receive letters with more details about each assessment and what results mean for their student's learning. Find those letters below:
K-5 NWEA MAP Parent Letter - https://aptg.co/gnRXPm
6-8 NWEA MAP/iReady Parent Letter - https://aptg.co/XRph9D
Questions about benchmark testing? Contact your child's school office.
Hello Crosby Families,
We are excited to begin another wonderful school year at Crosby Elementary School! Welcome to the first Family Newsletter of the year. You'll receive a new edition on the first of each month to keep you informed. We look forward to partnering with you to make this a successful and memorable year!
https://app.smore.com/n/541rs-crosby-family-newsletter
We are excited to begin another wonderful school year at Crosby Elementary School! Welcome to the first Family Newsletter of the year. You'll receive a new edition on the first of each month to keep you informed. We look forward to partnering with you to make this a successful and memorable year!
https://app.smore.com/n/541rs-crosby-family-newsletter
Using inspiration from Ed Emberley's Picture Pie: A Circle Drawing Book, Mrs. Spraker's math classes combined art, literacy, and math to create their own pictures using fraction circle pieces. Look at that creativity!
Today, the Class of 2026 proudly walked through the hallways during our annual Walk of Scholars. Watching our students celebrate how far they’ve come while inspiring the younger classes was such a special moment. Congratulations Seniors! 🎓
In our life skills classroom, students participated in an exciting jungle-themed animal sound hunt during speech with Ms. Bailey and Ms. Serrano. Students worked together as a team to search the classroom for hidden jungle animals, listening carefully for different animal sounds and matching each sound to the correct animal. This engaging activity encouraged communication, listening skills, turn-taking, problem-solving, and collaboration while making learning fun and interactive :)
Third grade Spanish classes from Mr. Rodriguez, Mrs. Juarez, and Ms. Pinilla had a fun-filled day exploring our cross-curricular Weather and Climate unit through Benchmark and STEMscopes! ☀️☁️🌦️
We started with a collaborative reading lesson, connecting literacy and science as we shared ideas and learned together. Then, we headed outside with our “Cloud Hunters” to spot and identify different types of clouds in the sky. 🔎☁️
It was a great day full of teamwork, discovery, and sky-gazing fun!
We started with a collaborative reading lesson, connecting literacy and science as we shared ideas and learned together. Then, we headed outside with our “Cloud Hunters” to spot and identify different types of clouds in the sky. 🔎☁️
It was a great day full of teamwork, discovery, and sky-gazing fun!
Mrs. Spraker's mathematicians learned about error analysis as they determined if fraction comparisons were true or false. Students had to work together in small groups to reach a successful end. Great job, class!
Ms. Mercado & Mrs. Garay's classes have been working with reversible and irreversible changes using heat in science. We had a delicious snack after graphing how long different materials would take to melt with heat. Our 2nd graders were super engaged! Great job 2nd grade :)
Today, our kindergarten children experienced something truly special 🦋✨
Through a hands-on activity, they observed the butterfly life cycle step by step: from a tiny caterpillar, to the chrysalis, and finally becoming a beautiful butterfly.
Each day was a chance to learn, care, and discover how nature changes over time. And today was the most exciting moment… we released the butterflies! 🌿💫
With big smiles and curious eyes, the children learned that every process takes time, and that growing also means transforming.
A meaningful experience they will always remember 🦋💛
Through a hands-on activity, they observed the butterfly life cycle step by step: from a tiny caterpillar, to the chrysalis, and finally becoming a beautiful butterfly.
Each day was a chance to learn, care, and discover how nature changes over time. And today was the most exciting moment… we released the butterflies! 🌿💫
With big smiles and curious eyes, the children learned that every process takes time, and that growing also means transforming.
A meaningful experience they will always remember 🦋💛
On dinosaur day Mrs. Manzano ran around and said hello to all our kindergarten classes! Say hello to Manzanosaurus!!!!
Mrs. Ewart’s class cozied up for flashlight reading on “Book Day” during the ABC countdown—it was so much fun! ✨📚
With Miss Miguel at SLA, four of the six learning centers are designed to support language development and early literacy in a dynamic and meaningful way ✏️📚
One of these centers is based on puzzles where the final syllables of words match. Through this activity, connections between similar sounds are established and linked to corresponding images, promoting phonological awareness, auditory discrimination, and vocabulary development 🔤🧩
Another center focuses on simple sentences accompanied by a drawing. In this space, students color, trace, and copy sentences, while also connecting the illustrated action to the written content 🎨✍️ This strengthens early reading comprehension, fine motor skills, and the relationship between written language and images.
The third center focuses on reading, writing, and word building. It involves forming words by cutting out and arranging letters to match a given model ✂️🔡 This activity supports letter recognition, correct sequencing, and understanding word structure.
Finally, there is a creative center where letter stamps are used to create drawings or words through imagination 🌈🔠 This space encourages creativity, free expression, and playful engagement with written language.
Main benefits:
Development of phonological awareness and sound discrimination 🔊
Improvement in reading comprehension and text-image association 👀📖
Reinforcement of writing, letter recognition, and word formation ✍️
Development of fine motor skills through hands-on activities 🤲
Encouragement of creativity and personal expression 🎭
Meaningful learning through play and experimentation 🎲
En SLA con Miss Miguel, cuatro de los seis centros de aprendizaje están diseñados para potenciar el desarrollo del lenguaje y la lectoescritura de forma dinámica y significativa ✏️📚
Uno de estos centros se basa en el uso de puzles en los que las últimas sílabas de las palabras coinciden. A través de esta actividad, se establecen conexiones entre sonidos similares y se asocian con sus correspondientes imágenes, favoreciendo la conciencia fonológica, la discriminación auditiva y la ampliación de vocabulario 🔤🧩
Otro centro propone el trabajo con frases simples acompañadas de un dibujo. En este espacio, se deben colorear, trazar y copiar las oraciones, además de relacionar la acción representada con el contenido escrito 🎨✍️ Esto refuerza la comprensión lectora inicial, la motricidad fina y la relación entre lenguaje escrito e imagen.
El tercer centro se centra en la lectura, escritura y construcción de palabras. Se trata de formar palabras recortando y organizando letras, reproduciendo el modelo propuesto ✂️🔡 Esta actividad favorece el reconocimiento de letras, la secuenciación correcta y la consolidación de la estructura de las palabras.
Por último, se incluye un centro creativo en el que se utilizan sellos de letras para crear dibujos o palabras a partir de la imaginación 🌈🔠 Este espacio fomenta la creatividad, la expresión libre y la familiarización lúdica con el lenguaje escrito.
Beneficios principales:
Desarrollo de la conciencia fonológica y la discriminación de sonidos 🔊
Mejora de la comprensión lectora y la asociación entre texto e imagen 👀📖
Refuerzo de la escritura, el reconocimiento de letras y la formación de palabras ✍️
Desarrollo de la motricidad fina a través de actividades manipulativas 🤲
Estimulación de la creatividad y la expresión personal 🎭
Aprendizaje significativo mediante el juego y la experimentación 🎲
One of these centers is based on puzzles where the final syllables of words match. Through this activity, connections between similar sounds are established and linked to corresponding images, promoting phonological awareness, auditory discrimination, and vocabulary development 🔤🧩
Another center focuses on simple sentences accompanied by a drawing. In this space, students color, trace, and copy sentences, while also connecting the illustrated action to the written content 🎨✍️ This strengthens early reading comprehension, fine motor skills, and the relationship between written language and images.
The third center focuses on reading, writing, and word building. It involves forming words by cutting out and arranging letters to match a given model ✂️🔡 This activity supports letter recognition, correct sequencing, and understanding word structure.
Finally, there is a creative center where letter stamps are used to create drawings or words through imagination 🌈🔠 This space encourages creativity, free expression, and playful engagement with written language.
Main benefits:
Development of phonological awareness and sound discrimination 🔊
Improvement in reading comprehension and text-image association 👀📖
Reinforcement of writing, letter recognition, and word formation ✍️
Development of fine motor skills through hands-on activities 🤲
Encouragement of creativity and personal expression 🎭
Meaningful learning through play and experimentation 🎲
En SLA con Miss Miguel, cuatro de los seis centros de aprendizaje están diseñados para potenciar el desarrollo del lenguaje y la lectoescritura de forma dinámica y significativa ✏️📚
Uno de estos centros se basa en el uso de puzles en los que las últimas sílabas de las palabras coinciden. A través de esta actividad, se establecen conexiones entre sonidos similares y se asocian con sus correspondientes imágenes, favoreciendo la conciencia fonológica, la discriminación auditiva y la ampliación de vocabulario 🔤🧩
Otro centro propone el trabajo con frases simples acompañadas de un dibujo. En este espacio, se deben colorear, trazar y copiar las oraciones, además de relacionar la acción representada con el contenido escrito 🎨✍️ Esto refuerza la comprensión lectora inicial, la motricidad fina y la relación entre lenguaje escrito e imagen.
El tercer centro se centra en la lectura, escritura y construcción de palabras. Se trata de formar palabras recortando y organizando letras, reproduciendo el modelo propuesto ✂️🔡 Esta actividad favorece el reconocimiento de letras, la secuenciación correcta y la consolidación de la estructura de las palabras.
Por último, se incluye un centro creativo en el que se utilizan sellos de letras para crear dibujos o palabras a partir de la imaginación 🌈🔠 Este espacio fomenta la creatividad, la expresión libre y la familiarización lúdica con el lenguaje escrito.
Beneficios principales:
Desarrollo de la conciencia fonológica y la discriminación de sonidos 🔊
Mejora de la comprensión lectora y la asociación entre texto e imagen 👀📖
Refuerzo de la escritura, el reconocimiento de letras y la formación de palabras ✍️
Desarrollo de la motricidad fina a través de actividades manipulativas 🤲
Estimulación de la creatividad y la expresión personal 🎭
Aprendizaje significativo mediante el juego y la experimentación 🎲
📚✨ The countdown is ON! ✨📚
We’re so excited to kick off our ABC Countdown to the End of the School Year! Each day will bring a new letter—and a new fun way to celebrate all the learning, growth, and memories we’ve made together this year. 🎉
From A to Z, your child will enjoy special themed days filled with creativity, laughter, and a whole lot of school spirit. Be sure to check out the calendar so you don’t miss out on any of the fun!
Let’s make these last days of school unforgettable! 💛✏️
We’re so excited to kick off our ABC Countdown to the End of the School Year! Each day will bring a new letter—and a new fun way to celebrate all the learning, growth, and memories we’ve made together this year. 🎉
From A to Z, your child will enjoy special themed days filled with creativity, laughter, and a whole lot of school spirit. Be sure to check out the calendar so you don’t miss out on any of the fun!
Let’s make these last days of school unforgettable! 💛✏️
Our new literacy theme is holidays and celebrations. The Lily students are working on writing their introduction sentence for their very own narrative about their favorite celebration!
Math time or play time? Why not both! 🎲 the last few weeks our kindergarteners tackled their teen numbers and decomposing numbers . But the best part wasn't the math itself—it was watching them celebrate, show patience, and support every single friend in the room. Learning and inclusion always go hand in hand! 🧠💖
Kindergarten students worked together to showcase different habitats:
❄️ Arctic – 🐧🐻❄️
🏜️ Desert – 🐫🦎
🌊 Ocean – 🐠🐙🐢
🌲 Forest – 🦊🦉🦌
🌴 Amazon Tropical Rainforest (focused on Colombia 🇨🇴) – 🐒🦋🦜
The animals were created by the children during science class, with support from Math class, showing their creativity and learning. 🎨✨
❄️ Arctic – 🐧🐻❄️
🏜️ Desert – 🐫🦎
🌊 Ocean – 🐠🐙🐢
🌲 Forest – 🦊🦉🦌
🌴 Amazon Tropical Rainforest (focused on Colombia 🇨🇴) – 🐒🦋🦜
The animals were created by the children during science class, with support from Math class, showing their creativity and learning. 🎨✨
In Spanish Language Arts, Ms. Kalivoda’s and Mrs. Fusillo’s students have been strengthening their reading and writing skills through dictation practice, self-correction, and building fluency in both oral language and sentence formation.
Students in the Rose Room loved getting books from Bernie's Book Drive. They spent time looking through the books and finding all the heart words and words they could read in the books!
Mrs. Ewart's class practiced making fractions using Lucky Charms on St. Patrick's Day.
Crosby's Social Committe hid raffle tickets inside plastic eggs for all the staff and three winners won raffle prizes!
