| We’ve designed Central’s core curriculum to be inclusive, sequential and aligned with District/State standards – all while challenging our students to think critically. We provide standards-based curriculum and materials to all students in all subject areas. We are pleased to watch our curriculum be validated by ongoing students’ progress as evidenced in the improvement each year in STAR testing scores.
Central’s teachers and support staff work together to provide a rigorous and engaging program aligned to California State Standards, particularly in the school’s two areas of curricular focus: math and ELA. We adopted our new math program in 2002, after intensive research by the district-wide curriculum committee, consisting of teachers, parents and administrators. We selected Everyday Mathematics, a research-based, spiraling balanced program because of its rigor and focus on critical thinking skills.
In 2003 the District used the same process to adopt a new ELA program, Houghton Mifflin: Reading. This program aligns with state standards and integrates history/social science and science for each grade level. . In 2006 we adopted new Scott Foresman history/social science textbooks and a revised FOSS (Full Option Science System) science adoption..
This year, our staff targeted writing as a school focus, thanks to STAR data and local assessments. We searched for a model school with an exemplary writing program and found one in Danville, CA. Based on their great success record with the new ELA adoption, we sent a team of our principal, staff and SSC to visit the school. We witnessed firsthand that improving student writing has the greatest impact on all areas of ELA. Soon after this visit, Central and our district decided to use 6 Traits Writing as a springboard to better writing.
In science, Central has implemented the district-adopted Full Option Science Systems (FOSS) method. Our teachers use the hands-on, inquiry based method of teaching science encouraging students to learn through experimentation. Houghton Mifflin Discovery Works textbooks supplement our science curriculum.
Central’s PE program is designed to make fitness fun in noncompetitive ways. In 2003, teachers focused on improving PE by adopting Sparks (Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids) for all grades. Sparks was added to Central’s award-winning Boot Camp, a twice weekly morning exercise program for grades 3-5 that prepares students for the 5th grade Presidential Physical Fitness test. PE combines with our community outreach through two programs with NDNU (Notre Dame de Namur University). Central’s 4th and 5th graders partner with NDNU Men’s Varsity Lacrosse Team for six weeks, learning the elements of lacrosse, as well as good sportsmanship with their terrific college role models. We began a parallel program in January with NDNU Women’s Varsity Volleyball Team! At Central, our fifth graders attend Outdoor Ed, a rigorous yet re-energizing mind-body week long camp experience of hiking and communing with nature.
Outside of the normal classroom, all students participate in field trips, which extend core curriculum to real world experiences. Central also has after school classes in chess, Spanish and science to further bolster regular academic programs.
Thanks to our school community belief in the arts, our PTA-sponsored Art in Action (AiA) has allowed students to blossom through art activities that support our vision of “educating the whole child.” AiA is a standards-based art program promoting and giving multi-cultural expressions of art taught by trained parent/docents to grades 2-5.
Music for Minors (MFM) provides standards-aligned music enrichment in grades K-3. Third graders learn to play recorders and perform at a spring concert. Grades 4 and 5 also participate in band and chorus and perform at site assemblies.
Instruction and Support for Special Needs
"Pull-out" programs for students with specialized needs have been scheduled in order to provide an in-depth program for all students. Support for special needs of students begins with Student Study Teams who, meeting regularly, develop strategies to help students become more successful in school.
The Student Study Team (SST) is a group of concerned experts working collaboratively with parents to support students who are showing initial signs of difficulties at school. Through SST, the student’s strengths and needs are identified by reviewing assessment data, work samples, attendance data, developmental and health history, and current intervention approaches. The entire team develops new interventions that may be as simple as a classroom accommodation, or as intensive as a referral to special education, but most importantly, are particular to that student’s needs. For example, SST might recommend that a student with social or emotional difficulties participate in a facilitated playgroup at lunchtime. All team members receive printed summaries of each meeting to serve as an action plan to ensure accountability. We schedule follow-up meetings to monitor student progress.
Students identified as non-proficient, because they struggle with concepts and/or content, or perform one+ grade levels below standard on class work and testing, receive classroom modification strategies and/or other support services to help them succeed, including:
- Friends of Central program: (grades 3-5) curriculum-specific one to one tutoring.
- Reading Specialist: (grades 1-3) small groups focused on building ELA skills.
- Some classroom teachers offer before and after school individual student assistance.
- Homework Club (grades 2-5): homework assistance and one to one and small group instruction in ELA and math. Held twice weekly and led by a Teacher/Director.
- Learning Club (grades 3-5) targeted afterschool tutoring in math and/or Language Arts
- Teachers confer with on-site after school day care to offer strategies to help students.
- The district’s four-week summer school remedial program focuses on students at risk.
If a student is referred to special education, he/she receives special instruction in our new Learning Center at least part of the school day . The Learning Center Teacher and aides work with students in small groups implementing accommodations that help students succeed in the classroom.
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