Early Release Proposal - Approved!
Elementary School
Grades K-4
Our objective for kindergarten is to provide a well-rounded educational experience that fosters all types of learners. We strive to provide a caring, positive learning environment that promotes success in academics and socialization. Our full day kindergarten program includes the following:
Reading
"Fundations" is a structured, multisensory literacy program that focuses on foundational reading skills. Students receive systematic instruction in the areas of print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word study, high frequency words, fluency, spelling, handwriting, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Math
Savaas enVision Mathematics is aligned to the PA Core Standards and is a comprehensive mathematics program. It offers the flexibility of print, digital, or blended instruction. Savaas enVision Mathematics provides the focus, coherence, and rigor. Project-based learning, visual learning strategies, and extensive customization options empower every teacher and student.
Language Arts
The goal of McGraw-Hill is to build effective communicators through a balance of grammar and writing. Students will obtain the skills necessary for personal expression.
Social Studies
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt meets the Pennsylvania standards by focusing on history, economics, geography, civics, and government through stories, interactive activities, role playing, and classroom discussions.
Science
Savaas Interactive is an inquiry-based curriculum that integrates textbook knowledge with cooperative learning activities. Students discuss higher order Bloom's taxonomy questions while conducting interesting and engaging activities that support the lesson. Cooperative learning skills are practiced throughout the lessons.
World Language
Kindergarteners attend Spanish class two times per Fine Arts cycle. Classes focus on conversation and vocabulary, with the long term goal of becoming a fluent communicator in Spanish.
Fine Arts
Kindergarteners attend two Fine Arts classes daily, including Art, Physical Education, and Music class. Kindergarteners also visit the library on a scheduled basis, which fosters a lifelong love of reading.
Character Education
Our core values of Wisdom, Justice, Courage, Compassion, Hope, Respect, Responsibility, and Integrity are stressed school-wide to provide all students with the tools needed to become positive citizens of their communities and the world.
Our Kindergarten school day is broken into specific time increments to work with a young learner’s attention span and to maximize information retention.
Sample Kindergarten Schedule
- 8:00-8:30 - Arrival, Breakfast, Morning Work
- 8:30-8:50 - Morning Meeting
- 8:50-9:10 - Social & Emotional Skills
- 9:15-9:55 - Fine Arts
- 10:00-10:30 - Reading
- 10:30-10:40 - Snack
- 10:45-11:15 - Math
- 11:15-11:35 - Language Arts
- 11:35-12:15 - Fine Arts
- 12:20-12:50 - Lunch
- 1:00-1:20 - Rest
- 1:25-1:55 - Science/Social Studies/Centers
- 2:00-2:20 - Recess
- 2:25-2:55 - Story Time
- 3:00-3:30 - Pack Up & Dismissal
Children in the Elementary Academy are beginning to read and write, acquire significant information, understand and know more about their world, and emerge as active learners and eager explorers.
In the Elementary Academy, students develop powerful new learning tools and techniques. They put challenging new concepts to the test in more formal ways than were possible when they were younger.
English Language Arts
(120 minutes daily)
In ELA, we emphasize cooperative learning and, for students who require additional support, one-to-one tutoring. Phonics, spelling, and handwriting are taught through Fundations. Comprehension and study skills are taught through Savaas EnVision, a literature-based approach to reading, which aligns with the PA Core Standards. Step Up To Writing is a writers' workshop approach that emphasizes the stages through which writers advance with a piece of writing: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, then publishing.
Step Up To Writing is a writers’ workshop approach which emphasizes the stages through which writers advance with a piece of writing: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, then publishing. We teach writing in all subject areas. As students become more fluent writers, the curriculum intentionally helps them hone their skills in the mechanics of spelling, punctuation, and grammar using the McGraw Hill Language Arts and Zaner Bloser Handwriting programs.
Mathematics
(60 minutes daily)
Instruction stresses computation, explanation, and a full range of mathematics, including numbers and operations, geometry, measurement and data, and operations and algebraic thinking. To teach math at this level we use the EnVision curriculum, a research-based program proven to raise achievement levels through a series of topics set-up to reflect the PA Core Standards.
Science
(30 minutes per day on a rotation with Social Science)
Active, hands-on explorations help students build their understanding of the key scientific concepts and big ideas that explain our world. Using the Savaas Interactive curriculum, students address the content of life, earth and space, and physical science as well as the nature of science, through a series of modules set up to reflect PA's state standards.
Social Science
(30 minutes per day on a rotation with Science)
Our project-based program emphasizes the use of literature in social studies instruction combined with supplemental informational text resources. HMH and PA curriculum materials are used, however, projects and activities are often cross-curricular and are guided by a multicultural perspective and respect for diversity.
World Language
(40 minutes every other day)
Beginning in kindergarten, students acquire a second language by learning conversation and culture, with the long-term goal of being able to communicate fluently in Spanish.
Fine Arts
(40 minutes every other day)
Music, visual arts, and dance are presented as a combination of history, performance, appreciation, and practice.
Physical Fitness
(40 minutes every other day)
The dynamic physical education program focuses on healthful nutrition and developmentally appropriate objectives in the areas of speed, flexibility, endurance, strength, and agility.
Children in the Elementary Academy are beginning to read and write, to acquire significant information, to understand and know more about their world, and to emerge as active learners and eager explorers.
In the Elementary Academy, students develop powerful new learning tools and techniques, and they put challenging new concepts to the test in more formal ways than were possible when they were younger.
Language Arts
(60 minutes daily)
Step Up To Writing is a writers' workshop approach that emphasizes the stages through which writers advance with a piece of writing: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, proofreading, then publishing. We teach writing in all subject areas. As students become more fluent writers, the curriculum intentionally helps them hone their skills in the mechanics of spelling, punctuation, and grammar using the Wonders Program.
Reading
(60 minutes daily)
In Reading, we emphasize skills-based cooperative learning and comprehension of fiction and nonfiction through Wonders, a research-based literacy program that aligns with our existing Fundations program and aligns with the PA Core Standards.
Mathematics
(70 minutes daily)
Instruction stresses computation, explanation, and a full range of mathematics, including numbers and operations, geometry, measurement and data, and operations and algebraic thinking. To teach math at this level we use the Pearson EnVision curriculum, a research-based program proven to raise achievement levels through a series of topics set-up to reflect the PA Core Standards.
Science
(60 minutes per day on a rotation with Social Science)
Active, hands-on explorations help students build their understanding of the key scientific concepts and big ideas that explain our world. Using the Savaas Interactive curriculum, students address the content of life, earth and space, and physical science as well as the nature of science through a series of modules set up to reflect PA's state standards.
Social Science
(60 minutes per day on a rotation with Science)
Our project-based program emphasizes the use of literature in social studies instruction combined with supplemental informational text resources. HMH and PA curriculum materials and used, however, projects and activities are often cross-curricular and are guided by a multicultural perspective and respect for diversity.
World Language
(40 minutes every other day)
Beginning in kindergarten, students acquire a second language by learning conversation and culture, with the long-term goal of being able to communicate fluently in Spanish.
Fine Arts
(40 minutes every other day)
Music, visual arts, dance are presented as a combination of history, performance, appreciation, and practice.
Physical Fitness
(40 minutes every other day)
The dynamic physical education program focuses on healthful nutrition and developmentally appropriate objectives in the areas of speed, flexibility, endurance, strength, and agility.
Elementary School House Teaching Teams
The collaborative teaching teams are named after prominent figures of the historical Renaissance time periods.
- Kindergarten - Ella Fitzgerald Team
- 1st and 2nd Grade - Shakespeare Team
- 3rd and 4th Grade - Galileo Team
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