Consolidated School

2011-2012

Consolidated's staff strives to learn and implement educational best practices.  Our Reading and Math Specialists, Sandy Potts and James Mandracchia, ensure that our teachers are continually trained in the most effective instructional practices in order to maximize student learning.

Literacy is the primary focus of instruction in the early grades. Kindergarten is the crossroads between oral language and reading experiences in a child's home and the more formal introduction to breaking the code of the written word. This year, we are very excited to offer a full day Kindergarten program to all students. As a result, Kindergarten teachers will join the first and second grade in using the Reading Workshop model. This model helps each classroom develop as a community of readers. Teachers model specific strategies and skills that children practice to become strong readers. Children have the opportunity to read for extended periods of time and engage in meaningful discussions. Additional information regarding each unit of study will be available throughout the year. Students' reading progress is closely monitored and additional levels of support are provided for those students not meeting the expected benchmarks. The Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention program was successfully implemented last year, with students making reading gains.

The PK-5 mathematics curriculum addresses the needs of all learners and fosters creative problem solving and a depth of mathematical understanding. It is a living document integrated with the Everyday Mathematics program. This curriculum:

• is organized according to state grade level expectations (GLE's) that scaffolds learning for students and also spirals concepts.
• contains a sequence of learning activities to meet the objectives of each unit.
• includes lessons that incorporate small group differentiated instruction
• utilizes administration of common assessments periodically throughout the school year to monitor student progress.
• incorporates the key understandings of First Step Mathematics, a resource developed in Western Austraila. First Steps targets developmental understandings of mathematics through a series of assessment tasks and learning activities.
• includes an instructional plan for those students not meeting GLE's.

 Our Consolidated Staff looks forward to a productive and exciting year.