Della Davidson Elementary School, (Oxford, MS). Della Davidson Elementary School (DDES) serves students in third and fourth grades in departmentalized, differentiated classes. Our priority is to focus our instruction to best support and challenge students academically while encouraging students to be resilient in the pursuit of academic success.
One of the ways DDES implements academic supports is through a session called Charger Time, a daily 50-minute block for academic interventions. During Charger Time, students receive academic support in small groups. Tier One students remain in the general education classes and work on skills they may not have mastered. They have time to practice for future assessments and/or work on enrichment activities. Students who are above grade level receive enrichment activities either in general education classes or they can go to the gifted classroom if they have tested into the gifted program.
Students who are performing below grade level are referred to our intervention program. Tier Two students remain in general education classes during Charger Time, but they work in small groups with their teacher on academic standard remediation and progress monitor growth. During Charger Time, Tier Three students go to the reading or math specialist to help address foundational gaps in learning. During this time, students, who receive academic support through an Individualized Education Program (IEP), work with a special education teacher on goals pertaining to their IEPs. Students who are English Learners (EL) work with an EL teacher who assists students with reading and language skills.
Charger Time not only benefits the students but is also helpful to the teachers. All teachers are able to utilize that time to focus on assisting students who may have gaps in learning; thereby, helping meet the academic needs of all students.