FriendshipPublic Charter School

Dear Parents,

Next week, your child will begin taking the District of Columbia Comprehensive

Assessment Test (DC-CAS)—one of the most important exams of the school year.

Friendship principals, teachers and support staff have worked tirelessly to ensure

that your student is ready with the academic skills and confidence needed to achieve

DC-CAS performance standards.

We believe parents should be informed and involved in the test preparation process.

That is why we encourage you to review Friendship’s Countdown to DCCAS news-

letter. In this newsletter, you will find vital DC-CAS information, testing dates and

test-taking tips for students and parents.

At Friendship, we believe that every student can achieve the highest standards!

What is the DC-CAS?

The DC-CAS is the District of Columbia’s basic skills assessment test for students in grades 3 through 8 and grade 10.

The test evaluates students’ annual yearly progress in the areas of math, reading, composition and science. This year,

the DC-CAS will be administered over a two-week period starting Tuesday, April 17 through Thursday, April 26.

Introduced in 2006, the DC-CAS is more rigorous than the District’s previous assessment test, the Stanford-9, because

it measures students’ knowledge through a combination of multiple choice and constructed-response questions. Students

are required to analyze and compare data; identify clues to problem-solving and explain in three to four sentences how

they arrived at their answers.

Additionally, the higher-level thinking skills measured by the DC-CAS are aligned with federal No Child Left Behind

standards that require schools to annually measure how well students are learning what is taught in the classroom.

Countdown To DC-CAS NewsletterGet Ready, Get Set!

DC-CAS Prep Across Campuses

From the first day your child entered a Friendship school, he or

she is exposed to the highest academic standards.

Elementary & Middle School

At Chamberlain, Southeast, Woodridge and Blow Pierce, daily

instruction and homework assignments challenge students to

stretch their knowledge across subject areas and demonstrate

their understanding with written and oral responses — a skill

essential to DC-CAS success. To encourage 100% proficiency,

classrooms are decorated with creative artwork that display

DC-CAS objectives and student accomplishments.

Grades 3 through 8 measure their mastery of core subjects with

the DC-BAS, a practice exam that identifies academic strengths

and weaknesses. From this exam, teachers assess ongoing student

progress and develop personalized intervention strategies.

Students are encouraged to sharpen their academic skills with

after-school tutorials and struggling students raise performance

levels by attending Friendship’s Saturday Learning Camp.

Additionally, all four campuses kicked-off spring break with

an energetic DC-CAS rally, complete with food, fun and

homework packets.

High School

At our Collegiate Academy high school, the campus hallways

“talk” DC-CAS. Every inch is covered with examples of student

work along with iridescent, multicolored banners promoting

excellence.

Students in need of academic support start the school day at 6:45

a.m. with an early morning tutorial and reinforce their studies

with an afternoon study session.

Collegiate’s Within Reach program dedicates a full-hour block

during the day to give struggling students the push they need to

cross the line toward proficiency. Each Friday, the school cele-

brates their hard work with a Blast the DC-CAS Pep Rally.

Based on DC-BAS results, teachers develop individual student

portfolios in Algebra, Geometry, Science, English composition

and vocabulary. Daily DC-CAS math and vocabulary trivia spur

healthy competition among classmates. As a reward for scoring

proficient or advanced on the DC-BAS, Collegiate presented

students with certificates at a school-wide awards ceremony.

Test Taking Tips…For Students & Parents

Twas’ the Night Before theDC-CAS

� Go to bedOn Time.

� Pack a few #2 pencils in your school bag.

� Talk to teachers about any concerns you have about the test.

� Parents, encourage your students to follow these steps!

The Morning Of The DC-CAS

� Eat a healthy breakfast.

� Think of what you will do to relax after you get home from

school.

� Always, THINK POSITIVE!

While Taking theDC-CAS

Multiple Choice Questions

� If you don’t understand directions,

ask for help.

� Read the question and answer all

choices before marking anything.

� Do not change your answers unless

you are very uncertain about your

first answer choice.

� Try to answer every question. Make

your most intelligent guess.

Pace Yourself

� Don’t spend too much time on any one

question. Do your best and move on.

� Answer the easiest questions first, but

be sure to go back to those questions

you skipped.

Process of Elimination

� After you have been through all of the

questions once, go back and find ques-

tions you have some knowledge about.

� If you can eliminate two wrong answers,

your chance of choosing the right

answer is greater.

� Eliminate choices that you know are

incorrect.

Answering Questions

� Don’t guess blindly. If you have time

to think about the best answer choice,

make it!

� If you finish early, check to make sure

you have answered all the questions.

� Find key words or phrases in the

questions that will help you choose

the right answer.

� Make sure you understand the question

asked and respond to that question.

Reading Passages

� If you are required to read a passage,

read the questions first.

� By doing this, you will know what you

are looking for as you read.

� When there are several questions, look

for clues in other questions. That will

help you with those questions about

which you are unsure.

Math Computation

� Use scratch paper and double check

to make sure that you have copied the

problem correctly from the test booklet.

� Line up the place value on your scratch

paper (thousands, hundreds, tens, ones)

or the answer will be incorrect.

� If your answer does not match one of

the choices, reread the problem, recopy

the numbers and try again.

AMatter of Time

� If any time remains, spend it on those

questions that you know nothing about.

� Remember, your first guess is usually

right.

Final Test Tips

� Fill in bubbles fully.

� Write neatly.

� Erase stray marks.

� If your arm tires during the test,

relax the grip on your pencil.

� STAY POSITIVE! YOU CAN

BLAST THE DC-CAS!

DC-CAS Testing Calendar April 17-26, 2007

CampusesMon.

Apr. 16

Tues.

Apr. 17

Wed.

Apr. 18

Thurs

Apr 19

Fri.

Apr. 20

Mon.

Apr. 23

Tues.

Apr. 24

Wed.

Apr. 25

Thurs.

Apr. 26

Chamberlain

School is

open as

usual. Please

be sure your

students are

on time and

ready for the

last day of

DC-CAS

preparation

before the

test.

Math

Grades 3-5

Composition

Grades 3-5

Math

Grades 3-5

Reading

Grades 3-5

Reading

Grades 3-5

Reading

Grades 3-5

WoodridgeReading

Grades 4 & 7

Reading

Grades 4 & 7

Composition

Grades 4 & 7

Composition

Grades 4 & 7

Math

Grades 3-8

Math

Grades 3-8

SoutheastReading

Grades 3-6

Reading

Grades 3-6

Composition

Grade 4

Math

Grades 3-6

Math

Grades 3-6

Blow PierceReading

Grades 6-8

Reading

Grades 6-8

Reading

Grades 6-8

Reading

Grades 6-8

Math

Grades 6-8

Math

Grades 6-8

Math

Grades 6-8

Composition

Grade 7

Math

Grades 6-8

Collegiate

Reading/

Language

Arts

Grade 10

Reading/

Language

Arts

Grade 10

Reading/

Language

Arts

Grade 10

Reading/

Language

Arts &Math

Grade 10

Composition

Grade 10

Composition

Grade 10

DC-CAS Breakfast MenuBreakfast is free at all campuses during testing week.

Free breakfast sponsored by Friendship GEAR-UP – Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.

Tues.

Apr. 17

Wed.

Apr. 18

Thurs.

Apr. 19

Fri.

Apr. 20

Mon.

Apr. 23

Tues.

Apr. 24

Wed.

Apr. 25

Thurs.

Apr. 26

Waffles,

Sausage

Links,

Scrambled

Eggs, Grits,

Apple Juice

and Milk

French Toast

Sticks,

Scrambled

Eggs, Grits,

Orange Juice

and Milk

Pancakes,

Sausage

Links,

Scrambled

Eggs, Grits,

Grape Juice

and Milk

French Toast

Sticks,

Scrambled

Eggs, Grits,

Apple Juice

and Milk

Apple

Pancakes,

Sausage

Patties,

Orange Juice

and Milk

Mini Bagels,

Yogurt,

Apple Juice

and Milk

Waffle

Sticks,

Scrambled

Eggs, Grape

Juice and

Milk

French Toast

Sticks,

Sausage

Links, Apple

Juice and

Milk