Elementary - Education For Live

February 7, 2023

Project Based Elementary School Pivots To Teacher-Led/Parent-Owned Model: Could It Work For Your Child?

(This is a guest post by Amanda Reeves Fellner, Ed.D. Amanda is a mom of a first grader at Portfolio School and is committed to project-based learning as a method for elementary education. She is also a Lecturer in the Early Childhood Program at Teachers College, Columbia University where she works with pre-service teachers and studies children’s interactions in their school and outdoor environments.)

Project Based Learning is a model of schooling that prioritizes hands-on curricular experiences where students explore academic concepts through larger projects. Students in project-based classrooms have been shown to demonstrate growth in academic areas, as well as increased motivation and engagement (Duke et al., 2021).

When looking for schools for my child, I was searching for a small, project-based school where I knew my child would be seen and heard. Portfolio School [https://www.portfolio-school.com/], located on Hudson Street in Tribeca, is where I found it. Originally launched in 2016, Doug Schachtel and Babur Habib (founders of Portfolio School) sought to transform the traditional model of education by focusing on integrated, project-based learning. See more about their vision for schooling here:

Few schools in NYC carry out the project based model of learning and the parents of Portfolio feel strongly that a school like this should exist.

In a Project Based Learning environment, children’s ideas are met with seriousness and they are given the tools to successfully bring them to life. What they don’t realize is that the teachers are carefully and thoughtfully embedding academic concepts and teaching them to solve the problems of the future. Through relationships with teachers, and one another, our children found a place where they know their voice matters and where they learn to be in community with others. This is what Project-Based Learning is all about, agency in learning.

In an effort to ensure Portfolio School and the Project-Based model of learning remains at the forefront of educational change, the school has begun a transition to a Teacher-Led, Parents-Owned school. What this means is that our school will be governed by a board made up of parents, educational leaders, and the founders of the school while the head of school and teachers take ownership of the curriculum. This novel way of thinking about school governance allows the best of both worlds; parent involvement at a high level while maintaining the educational autonomy of the teachers and school administrators.

The co-operative model, primarily used in preschools, has been established as a way to build long lasting connections between parents, students, and teachers while also lowering school tuition costs. It is less common in elementary schools, especially here in New York City, but we’re here to change that. Moving to a Teacher-Led, Parents-Owned model gives parents an opportunity to be hands-on in their children’s education. From volunteering at the front desk to recommending after-school programming to actively engaging in events, parent involvement is at the crux of how the school operates. Each parent or caregiver comes with their own assets and supports the school in the way that they are able. When parents are involved in the day-to-day operation of the school, they know what is happening in the classroom and are better able to support their students. The school community also benefits from the diverse array of perspectives parents bring, leading to diverse experiences for the students.

As parents, we’ve worked with the school’s existing founders, teachers, and educational consultants as we’ve begun the shift to a Teacher-Led, Parent-Owned Cooperative School. Our board will include three parents, in addition to one of the founders of the school, and leading educational experts in Project-Based Learning. And while parent involvement is central to our model, we also prioritize the teacher-led component. Teachers and the head of school will have autonomy over the classroom curriculum and parents will support that vision. We believe that teachers are experts and with the guidance of an educational director/head of school, they are empowered to do good work.

If you want to learn more about our model, sign-up for an Open House here. We’re happy to share our process of moving towards a Co-Op model of education.

References:

Duke, N. K., Halvorsen, A. L., Strachan, S. L., Kim, J., & Konstantopoulos, S. (2021). Putting PjBL to the test: The impact of project-based learning on second graders’ social studies and literacy learning and motivation in low-SES school settings. American Educational Research Journal, 58(1), 160-200.

February 5, 2023

Columbiaville Elementary School sees results from ‘WIN Time’ program

Fourth-grade students Bryce Burrows, Logan Arredondo and Brooklynn Fosdick play a match game designed to help with phonics. Photos by Nicholas Pugliese

Fourth-grade students Bryce Burrows, Logan Arredondo and Brooklynn Fosdick engage in a match sport created to support with phonics. Photos by Nicholas Pugliese

COLUMBIAVILLE — At Columbiaville Elementary University, it’s all about “WIN”-ning.

Commencing this calendar year, all college students in the college have observed part of their working day devoted to Win Time, or “What I Have to have.” It is a time period throughout which just about every college student receives concentrated instruction on an area of learning discovered as in want, and educators are currently seeing outcomes.

Each individual day, looking through and math intervention teachers Annette Thueme, Amy Harris and Kim Riley are joined by a variety of other educators and directors to run split-out compact teams of college students based on studying areas. Each individual of the school’s 387 K-4 pupils be a part of 3 lecturers, three interventionists and 5 paraprofessionals for sport-centered learning.

The concept’s dependent on the e book “Win Time: Fearlessly Transforming Your School” by Morris Lyon and Stephanie McConnell. “It will take a great deal of info, a whole lot of screening,” said Thueme, but the final results are now revealing them selves.

Intervention teacher Annette Thueme helps out fourth-grade students Sophia Carter and Connor Napora during a WIN Time session on Monday.

Intervention trainer Annette Thueme helps out fourth-quality students Sophia Carter and Connor Napora in the course of a Acquire Time session on Monday.

Just about every team is based on the individual needs of just about every university student. For the to start with yr, claimed Thueme, it was resolved throughout preliminary meetings to “really work” on reading through instruction prior to branching into math in the long term. “It actually lets us drill down on distinct competencies,” she reported. “Whichever ability they seriously require.”

Pupils get targeted instruction in quite a few spots, together with rhyming, suffixes, segmenting and a lot more.

Roughly 90{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of Columbiaville’s learners on an Specific Examining Advancement System (IRIP) have previously met their original intention and are already making progress towards their subsequent one. Details also demonstrates advancements in a range of looking through locations, together with letter recognition amongst kindergarteners as effectively as vowel competencies in fourth graders.

Unlike other approaches that crack out students centered on normal overall performance, Win Time’s precise concentrating on of competencies is concentrated on possibly what extra help students might will need, or provide enrichment or an more obstacle. Gain Time replaces traditional intervention that may well eat into regular tutorial time. “It seriously works on both equally ends of the spectrum, so given that everyone’s doing it, no unique group is singled out,” explained Thueme. “It’s incredibly centered time — all organization.”

Kindergartener Morgan Mulholland uses learned skills to solve a puzzle during WIN Time.

Kindergartener Morgan Mulholland utilizes discovered skills to address a puzzle in the course of Get Time.

In an academic earth that is continue to coping with the lingering outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic and affiliated on the net understanding, educators in Columbiaville are observing Acquire Time as a way to “catch up” students. “There’s a good deal of COVID stuff, when we experienced blanket lessons where every person was executing this or that,” reported Thueme. “You really do not realize how a lot they select up on from just being in the classroom.”

And at the finish of the working day, 1 of the most critical features of Gain Time for the students concerned is that it is simply just entertaining. “Kids like it, and it comes about extremely almost never that little ones are saying ‘please train me,’” claimed Thueme. “Maybe we’re on the correct observe.”

The games-based learning of WIN Time has been a hit with kindergarteners like Radley Moore, all the way up to fourth grade.

The online games-primarily based studying of Earn Time has been a hit with kindergarteners like Radley Moore, all the way up to fourth quality.

February 4, 2023

Clovis Unified to name new elementary school

By March, Clovis Unified School District will name its newest elementary school based on community input.

So far, of nearly 300 people surveyed, most believe the school should be named after a local landmark or feature, such as a mountain or something related to agriculture. Many had mixed feelings about naming the school after a person.

Across the country and as close as Central Unified, school districts have changed school names because of a namesake’s views or actions.

“I have some strong feelings on how important it is to honor people who’ve done wonderful things for our school district with school names,” Trustee Steven Fogg said at a Jan. 18 meeting on the topic. “There’s also people who feel that naming schools after people — they’re imperfect.”

Along with the survey of families in the Clovis East area, CUSD will continue garnering input throughout February, district spokesperson Kelly Avants said.

Set to open in August 2024 to prevent overcrowding, the school will be the district’s 35th elementary school, located near Fowler and McKinley avenues in the southeast area of the city.

Clovis Unified School District is opening its 35th elementary school at Fowler and McKinley avenues in the southeast area of the city to prevent overcrowding. Pictured is a site drawing of the new school. Courtesy of Clovis Unified School District

Options for names: Person, place or thing

The parent/student committee formed to recommend school name options have been examining the family survey results and previous suggestions for school names.

Laura Reynolds, the new school’s principal, conducted the informal survey of Clovis East families, those from Boris, Reagan, Freedom, Miramonte, Temperance-Kutner, Fancher Creek and Young elementary schools.

From the survey, 52{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of 273 people said the school should be named after a local feature; 22.4{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} chose a person of historical significance, either in the Central Valley or the nation; 13.2{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} prefer a person of “great character” that either works or previously worked in Clovis Unified; and 5.5{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} said an important historical moment.

If the school is named after a local feature, common themes include agriculture, foothills or mountains, blossoms, orchards or the rodeo.

Students at schools with similar names such as Mountain View Elementary and Valley Oak Elementary don’t know the significance of their school name, Fogg said.

“I still feel strongly that we should look at those who have served our community and consider their names though it may be safer to name it after an object,” he said in January.

If the school is named after a person, important characteristics to survey respondents included diversity, veterans, commitment to service in the Valley, honesty or integrity.

If the district were to name the school after an important historical event, survey takers said it should be something related to equality or be meaningful to diversity, shows patriotism, be historically important to CUSD or be related to independence or the revolution.

School names that have been suggested in the past, according to Clovis Unified, are:

Carol Putnam, a former principal and district-level administrator
Carlo Prandini, a former deputy superintendent
Earl and Muriel Smittcamp, longtime Clovis residents and district supporters
Einer Cook, a Clovis High graduate and founding board member
Gary Prentice, a former Clovis High counselor
Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play major league baseball
Wanda Rogers, a longtime Clovis resident and district supporter
Walt Buster, former superintendent
Ralph Lynn, a longtime board member who helped found the Foundation for Clovis Schools
Stan King, a former mayor
Dan Kaiser, a former deputy superintendent
Lloyd Harline, former principal
May Case, who established Clovis Independent in 1919 and was the oldest-working journalist who worked until her death at age 93
Peg Bos, the first female city council member and former Clovis mayor
Jerry Cook, of Cook Land Company, who is still active in the community

Using that information as well as feedback the district continues to gather, the committee will recommend either a person, place or theme, which is outlined in board policy.

What’s next?

The board is expected to vote on the school name at its March 1 meeting as well as the school attendance boundary at its Feb. 15 meeting, the board agenda details. Avants on Friday said the board decided during a subcommittee meeting to name the school in March.

Parents can still access information on the new school, including the boundary study, school location, school site drawings, frequently asked questions and a form to submit feedback online.

A study of school enrollment showed that elementary schools will be overcrowded with over 1,000 students at the Clovis East area elementary schools within 10 years.

Most of the Clovis East area schools’ capacity are at either 750 or 800 students.

The study examined student enrollment for the last 15 years, including student transfers to the district, and accounted for the number of students who’d most likely transfer to Clovis Unified over the next decade.

After the school naming, the principal will lead the effort to pick school mascot and colors.

The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab at its website.

This story was originally published February 3, 2023 5:30 AM.

Lasherica Thornton is the Engagement Reporter for The Fresno Bee’s Education Lab in Fresno. She was previously the Education Reporter at The Jackson Sun, a Gannett and USA Today Network paper in Jackson, TN for more than three years.

February 3, 2023

Banks County Elementary School principal, 2 teachers resign after sexual misconduct investigation

3 elementary faculty workforce resign immediately after ‘unethical behavior’

Condition investigators from the Expert Expectations Fee are now looking into alleged sexual misconduct on the Banking institutions County Elementary College campus.

Financial institutions COUNTY, Ga. – Banking companies County Elementary College is a area intended for discovering, but a new Banks County Board of Education and learning report exhibits a lot more has long gone on within just its walls.

Point out investigators from the Specialist Expectations Commission are now seeking into alleged sexual misconduct on the elementary school campus. It arrives soon after the release of a 5-site Banking institutions County Board of Instruction investigative report that particulars a decades-long alleged affair amongst the principal and a PE trainer.

“What had been the educators wondering,” said Verdaillia Turner, President of the Georgia Federation of Academics.

Turner is reacting to the report launched to FOX 5. The report says not only is there evidence to confirm the marriage concerning Banking companies County Elementary School Principal Dr. Dana Simmons and PE instructor Dylan Charles but there is a image that demonstrates inappropriate sexual action happened on campus.

“It should have in no way occurred,” Turner reported. “It reveals weak judgment, it shows a lack of excellent character, and it also displays a deficiency of regard for the taxpayer’s house.”

The report claims Charles admitted he and Simmons routinely employed the faculty to satisfy and engage in sexual actions, a little something Simmons denies. University officers validate each Simmons and Charles have resigned adhering to the investigation.

“This is pretty unfortunate, it must not have transpired, and it has occurred,” Turner claimed. “If the investigation took place adequately then the punishment is ideal.”

Financial institutions County Superintendent Dr. Ann Hopkins denied our ask for for an job interview but sent FOX 5 a statement that reads:

“Any troubles concerning unethical carry out are completely investigated, tackled appropriately, and documented to the Expert Standards Commission as necessary. Upon receiving allegations involving the subject at hand, the District instantly hired unbiased investigators to conduct an investigation and provide a report of results. The investigative report in query was reviewed by law enforcement for evidence of felony activity and none was observed. The educators concerned are no more time educating Banking institutions County pupils. The protection and perfectly-remaining of our pupils are usually our initial priority. The investigation into this function did not yield any sign that scholar safety or stability was compromised.”

In accordance to “Banking institutions News Nowadays,” a 3rd employee resigned Wednesday She is identified as Kelsey Charles, a 3rd-grade instructor at the faculty. According to the board of schooling report, she is married to Dylan Charles and advised investigators she recorded sexual encounters amongst her partner and Simmons.

“This is just another warning to most people to use your head and regard those codes,” Turner claimed.

FOX 5 achieved out to the men and women concerned but did not listen to back.

The Specialist Benchmarks Commission which certifies academics in Georgia claims it has been given studies on both equally educators and is now investigating.

February 2, 2023

Launching career activities in elementary school? Keep the focus wide

Dive Brief:

Job schooling teaching and things to do generally start in middle and large university, but professionals believe there is a reward to launching them before and giving pupils a window into what’s feasible as early as elementary school.
Specialization can even commence at this age, as demonstrated with the STEM aim learners at A.J. Whittenberg Elementary College of Engineering in Greenville, South Carolina. That amount of focus can be fruitful for recruiting usually underrepresented learners into STEM fields, explained Alisha Hyslop, senior director of community plan for Affiliation for Profession and Technological Education and learning, nevertheless she cautions educators really should be thorough not to silo pupils when they are young.
“Don’t slim occupation concentration too early,” Hyslop reported. “In elementary college, it ought to be very broad, and they really should be exposed to all forms of chances.”

Dive Perception:

Numerous elementary schools keep occupation times where pupils master about work they may possibly pursue. But educators can open the doorway a little bit broader by exposing early quality students to concepts and arms-on activities that variety the bedrock of some careers, whether or not which is constructing straightforward robots and machines or opening a lunchtime retail outlet for their friends. Doing so permits pupils to find regions that desire them although also finding them began on building skills.

“Getting them to grapple with ideas of professions at an early age helps them find out what occupation paths might be probable and make decisions about instructional and career choices as they get older,” stated Hyslop. “A college student uncovered to robots and engineering in elementary school may perhaps want to acquire robotics or Algebra 1 in middle faculty.”

These things to do can also aid bridge fairness issues in educational institutions. Some college students might have crafted robots at residence with their moms and dads, even though some may not have family members associates with work opportunities in technological innovation or the prospect to understand about similar subjects and ideas. Bringing these options into elementary grades can support broaden possibilities to students who are not traditionally represented.

“It’s all about exploration and normalization,” said Hyslop. “Students need to see there are occupations accessible to men and women who appear like me, stay wherever I live, and are in this local community.”

But educators must be mindful that learners, particularly those people who are young, are very likely to adjust their interests and their minds about what they want to go after when they get older — as even grownups do. That is why Hyslop advises it’s critical that schools, even all those with a distinct emphasis, expose college students to all academic parts.

“Just since you are a magnet faculty, all capabilities are important so that irrespective of what pathway a college student can take, they’re organized,” reported Hyslop. “That’s real by way of significant school. Students have to have the foundational abilities to be thriving in any postsecondary option.”

February 1, 2023

New playground planned for Newark’s Lincoln Elementary School this year

College students at Lincoln Elementary College will have a new place to run and engage in by the finish of the calendar year many thanks to a new initiative to expand entry to inexperienced spaces and recreational locations in Newark.

Most of the city’s public schoolyards are lined in asphalt and organizations this sort of as the nationwide nonprofit Have confidence in for Public Land and Newark’s Congregation Ahavas Sholom are partnering with Newark General public Educational institutions to redesign out of doors playgrounds.

Past 7 days, the Newark Board of Training authorized a partnership with Trust for Community Land and Ahavas Sholom to design and create a new playground at Lincoln Faculty at no value to the district.

The around $2 million project is funded through the Green Acres Grant Program and the Community Recreation Enhancement Grant.

“A park at Lincoln Elementary gives an chance for the school and community to gain from outside finding out and dwelling areas,” stated Nancy Deering, acting communications director for Newark Community Colleges.

Of the 90,000 general public schoolyards throughout the state, much less than 1{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} are environmentally friendly and open to the public after university and on weekends in accordance to knowledge from Belief for Public Land. Concrete and asphalt yards lead to city warmth islands with their effects most distinguished through the warmer months. Newark is a single of the nation’s worst heat islands.

Lincoln Faculty, positioned in the city’s Vailsburg community in the West Ward, was built in 1916 and expanded all through the 1930s as aspect of the Will work Progress Administration initiatives instituted by President Franklin Roosevelt. Now, the schoolyard is protected in asphalt with tiny perform equipment.

In Newark, 94{e4f787673fbda589a16c4acddca5ba6fa1cbf0bc0eb53f36e5f8309f6ee846cf} of the population lives inside of a 10-minute wander of a park, according to Rely on for Public Land’s 2022 ParkScore Index, but for the remaining 17,321 folks devoid of accessibility to a close by park, Rely on for Public Land is prioritizing the redevelopment of playgrounds in universities these as Lincoln and other outside spaces to decrease the hole.

“We feel just about every scholar, school member, and resident of Newark should have a neighborhood schoolyard that supports the social, emotional, and academic enhancement of Newark’s kids,” said Scott Dvorak, Trust for Public Land’s New Jersey condition director. “We intend to continue on our operate until we have obtained that aim.”

Development is set to get started over the summer time and drop of this calendar year pending permit approvals and the building bidding method, according to Dvorak. At the time concluded, nearly 500 college students and college employees, as perfectly as the area’s far more than 8,000 residents, will have accessibility to the schoolyard by the close of this year.

According to the agreement concerning Believe in for Public Land and Newark Public Educational institutions, the nonprofit will do the job with college administrators, lecturers, learners, the local community, and other stakeholders to layout the playground.

In 2015, Trust for Public Land and Ahavas Sholom, served renovate the Sussex Avenue School schoolyard, which was also covered in asphalt and had one particular basketball hoop. Students at the college aided layout the new place and all grades voted on what they wanted. The new 50 percent-acre schoolyard was made to include things like a turf subject, running monitor, and a drinking fountain on the playground for the initial time. The lawn also incorporates a seating location, fashioned from massive granite blocks, that features as an outdoor classroom.

Historically, communities of color and low-income neighborhoods have considerably less obtain to environmentally friendly areas. Formerly, Trust for General public Land has assisted completely transform 13 parks and schoolyards in Newark’s greatest-need to have neighborhoods including Newark Riverfront Park, Jesse Allen Park, and Lafayette Street School as nicely as 200 schoolyards nationwide.

They obtain economic assistance from nationwide and state agencies and other nonprofits.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, masking community education and learning in the town. Call Jessie at [email protected]

Tag: Elementary

Project Based Elementary School Pivots To Teacher-Led/Parent-Owned Model: Could It Work For Your Child?

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