Walnut Hill Elementary School, (Dallas, TX). To better serve underrepresented English Language Learners, Walnut Hill Elementary is piloting a new Two-Way Dual Language for the Academically Gifted Program. This program provides learning experiences, so students develop a love of literacy, language, and culture. Walnut Hill also offers a pull-out gifted and talented (GT) program. The… Continue Reading Dual English Gifted and Talented Program
Teachers at Paramount School of Excellence (now called Paramount Brookside) in Indianapolis, Indiana enrich their lessons using a variety of on-site school features, including a planetarium, farm, and beehives. These unique features help students learn from the world around them. However, the key focus for educators at this K-8 charter school is on providing high-quality… Continue Reading Learning from the World Around Them
Turning around a low-performing school is no easy task – and sustaining that turnaround over the years to come can be just as challenging. In this video, teachers and school leaders from Evergreen Elementary School in Spanaway, Washington explain how the implementation of a “No Excuses” model helped them improve and sustain their success over… Continue Reading No Excuses: Sustaining Success at a Former Turnaround School
Village Oaks Elementary School Novi, Michigan Building School Culture by Leading with HEART. One of the most challenging tasks for any new principal is creating school culture, particularly when a strong culture already exists. This podcast walks you through the process Principal Alexander Ofili used at Village Oaks Elementary School in Novi, MI, to do… Continue Reading Audio: Building School Culture by Leading with HEART
Mount Lebanon Elementary School Pendleton, SC Learning Through Real World Application highlights how one school expanded on a STEM theme to create a teaching and learning culture matched to the way young students learn. When each of the four K-6th grade elementary schools in Anderson County School District 4 were tasked with creating a unique… Continue Reading Audio: Learning Through Real World Application
Saint Francis Xavier School (Wilmette, IL). In 2013, Saint Frances Xavier developed its EPIC framework to promote students and teachers’ Exploration, Play, Invention, and Creativity. The EPIC themes provide scope and purpose so that faculty make connections between the school’s mission, curriculum, and the engagement of all students. The EPIC Studio, home to technologies and out-of-the-box… Continue Reading Exploration, Play, Invention, and Creativity Studio
Mountain Brook Elementary School (Mountain Brook, AL). As a Lighthouse School, Mountain Brook Elementary has developed a well-rounded leadership model. Every student and teacher employ a leadership role, self-selects and tracks goals, and maintains a leadership portfolio highlighting personal accomplishments and academic achievements. Students promote the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People through leading by… Continue Reading Student-led Service Groups
Waterloo Elementary School (Columbia, MD). Waterloo Elementary School’s social studies curriculum actively engages students by interacting with a variety of resources and demonstrating learnings through various performance-based assessments. The students explore a variety of social studies curriculum topics (e.g., Money Matters, Project Citizenship, Changing Communities, and Mapping Our World.) The culminating project occurs in 5th… Continue Reading Simulated Congressional Hearings
University of Hartford Magnet School (West Hartford, CT). University of Hartford Magnet School (UHMS) implements coaching rounds at each grade level. A week prior to the coaching round, the grade level team examines class data to determine a focus area. Then the Coach researches best practices to address the identified need and shares the plan… Continue Reading Coaching Rounds
Heck-Quaw Elementary School (Belgrade, MT). At Heck-Quaw Elementary, the school counseling curriculum consists of developmentally designed lessons for each grade level (K-4). The lessons focus students on achieving the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for social/emotional development, academic success, and college and career readiness (American School Counselor Association, 2014 Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success:… Continue Reading Successful Mindsets and Behaviors