Have a great and safe summer!
MEMO
TO: Arizona Educator
FROM: Frank M. Brashear, III Director of Test and Item Development, Dr. Leila Williams, Deputy Associate Superintendent, Roberta Alley, Associate Superintendent
SUBJECT: Transitioning to Arizona’s Common Core Standards and the PARCC Assessment
DATE: July 30, 2012
Dear Arizona Educator,
In an effort to foster the successful transition to Arizona’s Common Core Standards and the PARCC assessment, the Arizona Department of Education is providing the following information regarding the Spring 2013 and 2014 AIMS assessments and the changes that are necessary to effectively transition to the PARCC assessment.
Changes to the Spring 2013 and 2014 AIMS Assessments
Although the AIMS assessment will remain the same concerning the blueprints and format, the passages and items will have several changes as outlined below. The focus of the AIMS test will be to move closer to the expectations of the PARCC assessment.
Passages
In order to prepare for the expected rigor of the PARCC passages, the AIMS passages will contain an increase in text complexity as well as higher Lexile levels. The language used will have sophisticated text, both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Items
Many of the AIMS items are written at the Concept level, allowing for multiple Performance Objectives within a Concept to be addressed in a single item.
The item’s complexity will be raised through selecting items at the Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels of 2 and 3. Please note the attachment – Webb’s Depth of Knowledge Levels (Table 1) and Hess’ Cognitive Rigor Matrix (Table 2).
To further support the transition from the AIMS assessment to the PARCC assessment, the test items have been aligned to the 2003 (Reading), 2004 (Writing), and 2008 (Mathematics) Standards as well as to Arizona’s Common Core Standards for Mathematics and Language Arts.
Transitioning to Arizona’s Common Core Standards and the PARCC Assessment
Since Arizona’s Common Core Standards are the building blocks of the PARCC assessment, the following documents are provided to help make the transition a little smoother from the old standards/AIMS assessment to the new Common Core Standards/PARCC assessment.
The English Language Arts Standards Summary of Changes and the Mathematics Standards Summary of Changes can be found at http://www.azed.gov/standards-development-assessment/aimsparcctransition/.
Frank M. Brashear, IIIDirector of Test and Item Development
Dr. Leila WilliamsDeputy Associate Superintendent
Roberta AlleyAssociate Superintendent
Important Parking Announcement
Greetings Maricopa High Community!
In order to provide a safe and orderly student drop-off/pick up before and after school, we are asking parents to utilize the area located on Taft Street between the 100 bldg. and the Old Gym only. The front office parking is designated for visitors and staff entering the front office and is not a designated location for student drop off or pick up.
If your student drives to and from school they are required to park in the student parking lot on Taft Street and display the official MHS parking pass. Please visit the MHS Bookstore to purchase a student parking pass if needed.
We will continue to assess the parking lot and will make every effort to direct traffic to the designated location.
PLEASE PLAN TO ARRIVE AT SCHOOL EARLY before 7:05 a.m. to ensure your child is marked present and not tardy for 1st period.
Please let us know if you have any concerns or questions. Thank you for your continued support of MHS!
MHS Administration
Tardy Policy
Greetings MHS Community!
Has your child ever woken up late and missed the bus? Forgot to set their alarm clock? Stayed up too late and needed to sleep in? Walked too slowly to school? These scenarios occur quite often and cause students to be late for school. Unexcused tardies at MHS are on the rise, are detrimental to a student’s success, and are a disruption to the classroom. Research shows that making school attendance a priority helps students learn both work and study habits that will not only serve them well now, but throughout their adult lives. Grades and test scores will also rise!
Our current tardy policy is as follows:
Students who have five tardies in a class will receive a referral to their grade level administrator and will be placed on an attendance contract. When the contract is broken, we will assign Saturday school detention. This Saturday Scholar Program Notice to Attend outlines the expectations for the program.
School needs to be number one in students' lives, and together we can support this charge by:
- Helping students stay organized with their daily life and schedule.
- Setting reasonable curfews.
- Scheduling appointments outside school hours.
Yours in education,
MHS Administration
Welcome to Maricopa High School, Home of the RAMS! We have proudly educated the children in the community of Maricopa, Arizona for over 50 years. Located in a rapidly-growing suburban area 16 miles south of Phoenix, our high school is proud to offer exemplary academic and athletic opportunities available in the educational arena.
Dear Parents and Students,
Welcome to the new face of Maricopa High School! I am proud and excited to be part of the growth of our school community. The renovation of our high school has brought with it excitement. Our dedicated administrative team and staff are eager to provide academic challenges and a wealth of extracurricular activities. We are committed to a safe learning environment that focuses on student achievement and an appreciation for cultural diversity. As Maricopa High school continues to embrace its rich traditions, I extend an invitation to our school community to explore its own personal footprint. I encourage parents and students to take advantage of our expansion and help build our school community together.
Sincerely,
June Celaya
Principal
Summer Office Hours
Monday - Thursday
7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
GO RAMS!!!!
GO TIGERS!!!!
GO PANTHERS!!!!