Administration Center

15000 Laramie
Oak Forest IL 60452
708-687-3334
708-687-8887 FAX
Dr. Paul McDermott
Superintendent

Ms. Heather Rose
Director of School Business

Dr. Roberta Morris
Curriculum Coordinator

Mr. Brian Skibinski
Chief Information Officer

Mr. Tom Beaver
Supervisor of Buildings & Grounds

Dr. Lori Leppert, Director of
Pupil Personnel Services

Ridge Early Childhood Center

5151 W. 149th Street

Oak Forest IL 60452
708-687-2964
Mrs. Elizabeth Ehrhart, Principal

Kerkstra Elementary School

14950 Laramie Avenue

Oak Forest IL 60452
708-687-2860
Mr. Jeffrey Kulik, Principal

Foster Elementary School

5931 W. School Street
Oak Forest IL 60452
708-687-4763
Mr. Curt Beringer, Principal

Hille Middle School

5800 W. 151st Street
Oak Forest IL 60452
708-687-5550
Mr. John Orth, Principal

Mrs. Amanda Brown,
Assistant Principal

District Website

/ March 17, 2017
Dear Parents and Guardians,
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessment will be administered to Forest Ridge District 142 students in grades 3 through 8 beginning April 6, 2017.
These spring assessments correspond with what your child is learning in the classroom and with the performance expectations of the Illinois Learning Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics. They should not require time outside of school to prepare for the test.
This is the third year Illinois has participated in the PARCC assessment. The format and number of tests remain the same as last year. Test results will allow you to see how your child is growing in his or her knowledge and understanding of the state’s learning standards, which are focused on college and career readiness.
District 142 students will once again take the online version of the PARCC exam. In an effort to reduce daily testing time for elementary students, consolidate testing devices and maximize technology support to students and staff, the testing window for Hille Middle School will differ from Kerkstra Elementary School and Lee R. Foster Elementary School. The test schedule and number of English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics units per grade is displayed in the chart below:
School / Test Window / Number of Test Units
Hille Grades 6-8 / April 6-April 12, 2017 / 3 ELA/ 3 Math
Foster Grades 3-5 / April 18-April 25, 2017 / 3 ELA/ 4 Math
Kerkstra Grades 3-5 / April 18-April 25, 2017 / 3 ELA/ 4 Math
No assessment can ever fully capture the skills and abilities of a great teacher or the extraordinary benefits and positive impact of a great school. This assessment is simply one reflection of your child’s academic growth. Assessments help provide a sense of where and how we are succeeding and where and how we must improve, along with other indicators, such as classroom work samples and teacher observations. The PARCC assessment is designed to give schools and teachers more information to support improvement efforts and personalize teaching to better guide your child’s learning.
You can help your child prepare for these assessments by:
1) Encouraging your child to continue to do his or her best in school
2) Ensuring, if possible, that your child attends school on the days oftesting
3) Encouraging your child to get a good night’s sleep the night before testing
4) Encouraging your child to eat breakfast on the morning of testing
5) Reminding your child to ask the teacher questions if he or she does notunderstand testdirections
6) Reassuring your child that you have confidence in his or her abilities
If you have any questions regarding the PARCC administration or the test schedule, please contact me or your child’s principal. We look forward to sharing the results of the assessment with you in the fall.
Sincerely,
Dr. Roberta Morris
Curriculum Coordinator