1. Rio Rancho Public Schools WELCOME! 2012-13 Curriculum Night

2. Common Core State Standards New Mexico is one of 46 states that have adopted a new set of academic standards known as the Common Core State Standards.

3. Common Core State Standards Initiative Created by teachers, parents, education experts, and others from across the country, the standards provide clear, consistent expectations for what students should be learning at each grade in order to be prepared for college and career.

4. They’re modeled on success. The Common Core are aligned to international standards from the highest achieving countries. This means our students will be well prepared to compete both nationally and internationally.

5. College and career ready is the name of the game. These standards are designed to prepare students for success in whatever they choose to do after graduation. The Common Core State Standards will help to assure that ALL Students Graduate From High School Ready for College and Career.

6. Real life is really important. What students learn in school should be directly related to what they’ll be required to do once they graduate. The Common Core places a strong emphasis on reading informational and technical texts to prepare students for the demands of college and the workplace.

7. Focused with more time. The Common Core is focused, thus giving students and teachers more time to master the essential skills.

8. The standards are the same wherever you go. Common standards mean that students in Rio Rancho are learning the same thing as almost all students across the country.

9. Mathematics & English Language Arts CCSS will improve educational outcomes for students by developing a set of common, voluntary, internationally-benchmarked academic standards in mathematics and English language arts.

10. What is the benefit? One of the benefits of adopting clearer standards is that parents, teachers and students will have a shared understanding of what is expected in school. Studies have shown that when parents are actively engaged in their children’s education, student achievement outcomes are improved.

11. A Sample of What Your Child Will Be Working on in Kindergarten Using a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to describe an event, including his or her reaction to what happened Stating an opinion or preference about a topic or book in writing (e.g., “My favorite book is...”) Understanding and using question words (e.g.,who, what, where, when, why, how) in discussions)

12. A Sample of What Your Child Will Be Working on in 5 th Grade Multiplying whole numbers quickly and accurately, for example 1,638 × 753, and dividing whole numbers in simple cases, such as dividing 6,971 by 63. Building knowledge of academic words with an emphasis on those that signal a contrast in ideas or logical relationships, such as on the other hand, similarly, and therefore.

13. A Sample of What Your Child Will Be Working on in 8th Grade Citing the evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what is explicitly stated and/or implied from a book, article, poem, or play. Analyzing where materials on the same topic disagree on matters of fact, interpretation, or point of view. Solving linear equations (e.g., –x + 5(x + 1⁄3) = 2x – 8); solving pairs of linear equations (e.g., x + 6y = –1 and 2x – 2y = 12); and writing equations to solve related word problems.

14. A Sample of What Your Child Will Be Working on in High School Math Making inferences and justifying conclusions from sample surveys, experiments, and observational studies. Working with rational and irrational numbers, including working with rational exponents (e.g., rewriting (53)1/2 as 5√5) Solving real-world and mathematical problems by writing and solving nonlinear equations, such as quadratic equations (ax2 + bx + c = 0)

15. What Will Your Child’s Classroom Experience Be Like? Emphasis on teamwork and group learning Applying knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems Clear progression of learning throughout the school year and from grade to grade More time to explore key concepts in depth to make sure students fully understand them

16. Need further information? Visit www.rrps.net and click on Common Core State Standards.www.rrps.net Visit the National PTA website at www.pta.org. www.pta.org Download the The Parents’ Guide to Student Success developed by the National PTA, in response to the Common Core State Standards Common Core State Standards Attend a PTA/PTO meeting at your school and request more information about the Common Core State Standards.

17. We proudly serve you and your students. Using the Common Core State Standards, expectations will be consistent for ALL students, resulting in academic success that closes the achievement gap and encourages accelerated student progress. Student Excellence is our vision!