At the start of every journey, it is important to chart your course—so you’ll know the direction to which you’re headed and can plan for the joys and obstacles you’ll face along the way. At Felida Elementary School, each school year is a new journey of learning for our students and staff. Whether you are a returning family or a new family to our community, below are some important elements to our school year. Having our destination firmly established helps us maintain our vision for high levels of learning for each student during our school year.
Map: Destination/Where we’re headed
At the start of each school year, our teachers/teams review the learning standards (Common Core State Standards, or CCSS) that are expected for each student. We assess our students using WA Kids (kindergarten) and I-Ready (grades 1-5), so we have a strong understanding of their foundational knowledge and skills. This review helps us determine the course of learning for our students, and to set appropriate Action Goals. This is part of our annual school improvement planning process.
Suitcase: Items we’ll need along the way
Because of the rigorous learning expectations established for our students, it is important that students arrive each day prepared to learn. Our Common Core State Standards are designed to stretch students; we will continue to encourage our students to persevere as they acquire new skills and solve new problems.
Our teachers and staff work collectively to create an environment that promotes high levels of safety and productivity. During our opening days, our school hosted an Expectations Expo, to provide students with an understanding of how to behave in specific areas of our school. Routines, procedures and learning expectations—explicitly taught by teachers–all rely on students being able to demonstrate our SOAR 4: Practice Safety; Offer Kindness; Act Responsibly; Take Responsibility.
Itinerary: What we’ll be doing on our trip
All students will have the same grade level learning standards as their ending point. They will be actively engaged in lessons and learning experiences designed to develop their understanding of skills/concepts and apply their knowledge to relevant problems. We are especially excited about our new math curriculum, and its focus on helping students cement their deep understanding of number sense.
Some may have additional stops/supports/accommodations to help them reach these targets. Other students may reach their destination more quickly. We encourage and challenge these students with individualized journeys, to allow them to apply their understanding to new situations and in new ways.
It was great to see so many of you during our recent Curriculum Nights, where teachers discussed their grade level learning journey. It is a real privilege to guide this journey of learning for our students each year, and it’s a team effort. I appreciate the intentional work/commitment by our teachers, the active engagement of our students, and the valued partnership of parents.