SCHOOL CURRICULUMFALL 2011

HEATHER HOLDENTALISHA KEITH

EDWINA MCGOWEN

Vision for an Excellent School

Description of Our Ideal School

Public SchoolGrades 1-4Small Student Body, about 400 studentsRural Community

Description of Certified Staff at our Ideal School

5 classroom teachers at each grade levelApproximately 20:1 Student to Teacher ratio2 Special Education Teachers School CounselorSpeech TherapistPrincipalArt, Music, PE, and Technology TeachersPart-time Occupational and Physical Therapist

Description of Support Staff at Our Ideal School

2 office secretaries1 school nurse3 custodians2 special education instructional assistants 10 cafeteria staff4 grade level instructional assistants12 bus drivers

Student Demographics

320

60

20 24

Demographic Information

CaucasionAfrican AmericanLatinoAsian AmericanNative American

More Student Demographics

125

200

85

Lunch Program

PaidFreeReduced

Standardized Testing Results

Math Language Arts

90.10% 88.70%

Grade 3

Grade 3

Standardized Testing Results

Math Language

91.30% 90.20%

Grade 4

Grade 4

Mission Statement

Our Mission is to inspire our students to be life long learners and contributors to the global society.

*Teachers

*Parents

*Community Members

*Administration

*Students

Stakeholders A Partnership of Excellence

Teacher Commitment

*Provide challenging and engaging learning environment*Encourage each child to strive for their personal best*Commit to continual professional development*Communicate expectations to students and parents* Commitment to community service and project based learning

Parent Commitment

*Follow school policies and procedures*Attend school functions*Communicate with your child and school staff*Provide homework support*Support community service and project based learning opportunities

Community Commitment

*Support local school community*Provide donations of time and service to local school community*Provide tangible donations to school*Community members will attend school functions*Support project based learning

Administrative Commitment

*Provide ongoing training and professional development opportunities*Provide updated technology*Provide opportunities for community involvement*Provide diverse curricular offerings*Support community service and project based learning

Student Commitment

*Work to your full potential*Show respect for other students, staff, your parents, and your school*Serve your community*Connect your learning to the real world

*All Students can Learn*Commitment to Community*Provide a Safe Educational

Facility *Character Development*High Expectations for Academic Excellence

Core Values

All Students Can Learn

*Provide a variety of instructional methods and strategies

*Provide opportunities for project based learning and community service*Provide after school tutoring *Provide frequent feedback to students on progress

Commitment to Community

*Open Door Policy *Parent Support Group*Project Based Learning Opportunities*Projects that involve community stakeholders*Communication with community members

Provide a Safe Educational Facility

*School Safety Plan*Identification Badges *Secure Building Entrance*Safety Team*Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training

Character Development

Teach Core Character ValuesResponsibility

TrustworthinessAccountability

HonestyKindness

Work Ethic Community Service

High Expectations for Academic Excellence

* Communicate Expectations*Collaborate*Variety in Teaching Methods*Provide Homework and Academic Support Groups*Homework Hotline

CURRICULAR PROGRAM AND ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Vision School Curriculum

Project Based Learning

This curriculum will be driven by focus questions that require students to use 21st century skills and inquiry and innovation to help students find their own voice to present solutions confidently among their peers.

PBL Student Skills

Allow students to use their critical thinking skills, try PBL!

Service Learning

Community service opportunities will be built into the daily life of the school.

Teachers will provide learning through doing as students develop, organize, implement, and review their service learning projects.

Extra- Curricular Activities

The school will have a variety of athletic opportunities: a track team to compete in the county wide track meet, a field day with class competitions, and we will bring in instructors from the county recreation department for afterschool classes in dance, gymnastics, etc.

Extra- Curricular Activities

There will also be an academic games team, special music groups, TV production for the morning announcements, student government, and various other clubs each year based on student interests.

Curricular Assessment

The main assessment of student learning will be evaluations of student project based learning assignments, service learning reviews, and monthly student – teacher evaluation meetings.

The students will still participate in the state wide student assessments.

Diversity: School life in a Global Community

“If we cannot end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.” JFK

Project Based Learning and Service Learning curriculum have built in lessons in diversity.

The use of these programs on campus will create a school culture of embracing each others unique skills as students and staff seek common goals.

The Vision School will also use existing programs such as Sesame Street, the Muppets, PBSKids.org, and DiversityCouncil.org in order to keep the diversity conversation flowing.

This will help to meet head on any difficult issues that arrive with the school stakeholders.

Technology

The PBL curriculum lends itself to the use of modern technology to problem solve on both local and global levels.

The difficulty comes in teaching children to use these tools while demanding that they continue to think for themselves – not allowing them to become “cut and paste” students.

This pitfall can be overcome in the final project presentation. Students need to be able to speak confidently about their topic and answer probing questions from peers.

School on the Internet

Our Vision School will embrace technology. This will be done through the following:

A School Website to communicate with stakeholders

A School Facebook Page updated by students and staff as to the schools successes and events

Use of computers, ipads, itouches, and electronic books for students to access schools materials

Staff ProfessionalGrowth Plan

“The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live” ~Mortimer

Adler

Teachers will be given a full training on PBL before the school year begins. Continual learning opportunities at faculty meetings with a focus on the

seven elements proposed to create a successful Project-Based Learning community, this will include sharing of best practices.

Quarterly training revolving around the implementation of the program, each time focusing on two of the major elements.

Professional Learning Communities within each grade level to discuss topics given by administration

Early release time once weekly allowing teachers the ability to stay current with new strategies regarding topics as well as time to perform data analysis

“DEMOCRACY CANNOT SUCCEED UNLESS

THOSE WHO EXPRESS THEIR CHOICE ARE

PREPARED TO CHOOSE WISELY. THE REAL

SAFEGUARD OF DEMOCRACY,

THEREFORE, IS EDUCATION.” FDR

A Democratic Society

Curriculum

Specific PBL assignments in social studies will be aimed toward teaching the tenets of a democratic society.

Project Based Learning creates mini-democratic societies. It groups students together for a common goal where they must consider each partners point of view. Therefore, the basic school curriculum will create a culture of democracy.

Creating a Democratic Society

Teachers will run classes democratically. This can start with student teacher

collaboration on classroom rules and procedures and build up to classroom debates, speech contests, mock courtrooms, student government and mock elections.

Indicators of Success:

“Success is focusing the full power of all you are on what you have a

burning desire to achieve.” Wilfred Peterson

Focus is intently on the education and well-being of all children

Maintain a steady teacher retention rate due to the ongoing fulfillment of successfully educating all learners

Positive student retention and growth rates based on project portfolios and presentations through Project-Based Learning

Encourage and implement a high rate of community/stakeholder involvement in a culturally friendly manner…our door is always open

A deeply rooted understanding of technology in an ever changing society

Family-oriented school with a tradition of excellence

Indicators of Success

School Improvement Plan Evaluations

Heather Holden, Vero Beach High SchoolEdwina McGowen, Neil Armstrong ElementaryTalisha Keith, J H CastleClick on each hyperlink for our individual SIP

evaluations

Literature Review of PBL

Click on PBL Image for Literature Review