Whole School Program Presentation

The Vision Goal 1: Warm and Welcoming Environment Developmentally appropriate, comfortable and robust programs Welcoming, Social-Advisory and Student Activities Committees Goal 2: 21 st Century School Not just technology, but emphasizes communication, collaboration and creativity 21 st Century, Signature Programs and Experiential Education Committees Goal 3: Academically Challenging Learner engagement, real-world, and rigor 21 st Century, Signature Programs and Experiential Education Committees

Schools, Communities and Democracy Peoples sense that they dont own the schools is … a major problem for American democracy.- David Mathews Public education isn't important because it serves the public, it is important because it creates the public." – Neil Postman

Last Spring Discussions, research and developing this plan Visits to Elementary Home and School Associations with focus areas and questions

Last Summer Focus groups Surveys Planned Committee Meetings Creating a Welcoming Environment The 21 st Century Classroom Social Development Experiential Learning Signature/Interdisciplinary Programs Student Activities

Programs and Practices Meetings Over 100 people participated in six committees Parents, students, teachers, administrators and board members Three meetings in October, January and March

The Meetings What We Want; Dont Want Developed Ideas Suggested Programs Combined Committees from Six to Four

Goal 1: Welcoming and Social Advisory Parents want to be involved Formed committees with HSA officers on: Communication Regular ed communication Volunteer Opportunities Signature Programs: Stream Study, Outdoor Education, Art Show ; Afterschool Clubs and Student Events

Welcoming and Social Advisory Transitions Keep the kids excited and informed Student Presentations Summer Transition Camps Generate an interest Emphasize team-building

Welcoming and Social Advisory Advisory Period 50 periods per year on block days Dedicated to four pillars: Student Achievement Bullying Prevention Social and Emotional Learning Team Activities

Welcoming and Social Advisory Student Achievement (14 days) Organizational and Time Management Technology Skills Academic Advising Extra Help Benchmarking

Welcoming and Social Advisory Bullying Prevention (12 days) Olweus BPP – research-based Emphasis on the bystander making bullying behavior unacceptable Emphasis on preventing cyber-bullying and promoting good digital citizenship

Welcoming and Social Advisory Social and Emotional Learning (10 days) Team-building is the early focus Problem solving in social situations Effective communication Resiliency becomes the focus later on in the year

Welcoming and Social Advisory Team Activities (14 days) Interest-based club days Physical activity Student recognition and celebration Team meetings

Goal 1: Student Activities No PIAA sports in sixth grade No scheduled recess period Desired ROBUST after school program Wanted to appeal directly to the kids – ask them what they wanted

Student Activities Interest-based clubs will occur on teams during Advisory Period Afterschool activities, which include intramural sports, clubs and other student activities will occur from 3:30 to 4:30 pm on M-T-Th.

Student Activities Art club Drama club Healthy living club Woodworking club Homework club Book club Science club Sign language club Foreign language club Nature club Community service learning club Broadcasting/ newspaper club Photography club Computer club Student council Video games club Yoga club Exercise/dance club Running club Buddies club Yearbook club Student newspaper club Dance club Chess club Buddy club Martial arts club Multicultural club TV news club

Student Activities FallWinterSpring SoccerBasketballKickball Mat BallWiffle BallCapture the Flag Flag Football Dodge Ball (Bombardment) Indoor Soccer Floor HockeyTeam HandballTennis baseball Some of Our Student-Volunteered Intramural Sports:

Student Activities School-wide Events September - Quiz Bowl : Parents vs. Student November – Family Movie Night February – Student vs. Faculty Basketball game April – Pizza/Bingo Dances October – Halloween Costume Party (directly after school) May – Spring Dance (night) Other Events Talent Show (March??) DMS/LMS field day. Last Full Day of school May – Walk for Water

Student Activities Special Days –one or two special days a month School Colors – Friday August 29 Crazy Sock Hat Hawaiian Shirt Dress Up Twin Pajama Sports Team Crazy Hair DMS/LMS colors (connected to field day, or done before) Inside/Out Day

Before and After Care The Lionville YMCA will provide a for-pay before and after care service M-F Before Care will start at 7 am and end at 8:30 After care will run from 3:30 pm to 6 pm Information will be provided by the Y early this summer

Goals 2 and 3: Signature Programs and Experiential Education Our Signature Programs will provide educational experiences for every student They center on identity and environment or Who and Where they are Our expectation is that every Marsh Creek student will participate to some degree in three experiences

Signature Programs and Experiential Education Art and Identity Project Outdoor Education Guardians of the Brandywine

Art and Identity Project A multidisciplinary project that involves Social Studies, Language Arts, IDIT and Art Involves study of culture (SS) Exploration of causes that are important to students (LA) Writing about identity (LA) Connecting a personal artwork that represents their identity to writing (IDIT)

Art and Identity We will partner with the West Gallery, who will virtually and physically exhibit art, and require that students interact with artwork and its message

Art and Identity Students will be required to write about their identity and tie it to their artwork Students will also explore causes that are important to them in Literature

Art and Identity Culmination An art exhibit will be held in November A Ted X conference will coincide with the exhibit Students artwork will be tied to a personal narration of their essay - linked by QR code Local businesses can choose to exhibit student artwork in the community

Outdoor Education Environmental awareness of our local surroundings is a signature theme of the school Students will be placed on one of eight interdisciplinary teams A focus on team-building will pervade interdisciplinary teams in the first semester

Outdoor Education Each team will go on an overnight field trip in October Paradise Farms (on Boot Road in Downingtown) Lessons will center on team-building and Environmental Education

Guardians of the Brandywine This project will occur mostly in the Spring It will center on local water quality Students will learn about contaminants that impact water in Science They will learn about Geography and the importance of water to settlement in Social Studies In Language Arts, readings will provide a background on environmental initiatives

Guardians of the Brandywine Students will communicate with students in a different parts of the watershed - and in different parts of the world - who cannot easily access clean water They will utilize writing and technology to propose educational or functional initiatives to preserve water quality

Guardians of the Brandywine Physical Education will coordinate Walk for Water activity Culminating activity will include a race on the trail Students will present their projects

Goals 2 and 3: 21 st Century Education Emphasis on three skills: Communication Collaboration Creativity Project Based Learning Real world Answers a driving question Published or offered to a greater audience than the teacher

21 st Century Education Progress from a pen and paper based to a more digital based learning environment Students will be using iPad Airs Schoology will our on-line Learning Management System (teachers and students can post work) Students will use cloud-based media (like Google Apps) to collaborate and create

21 st Century Education Integrated Digital Information Technology (IDIT) teachers will work with students in the academic areas to build technology skills Observations of other 1:1 programs have led us to believe that students will be more engaged in their learning; we will be studying this as we move forward

Goals 2 and 3: New Curriculum and Delivery Models Six new courses that teach the skills that our changing interconnected world is demanding Emphasis on communication, creativity and healthy living

World Language Introduction to French Introduction to German Introduction to Spanish Utilizes Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) Emphasis on understanding and speaking

Other Courses Wellness Integrated connection between Health and Physical Education Engineering Inventions Learn the engineering process through teams building inventions that will compete with other teams inventions Integrated Digital Information Technology Contextually within core and academic subjects

Goals 2 and 3: New Intervention Programs Read 180, System 44 and Math 180 Well-researched effective Reading and Mathematics programs designed to raise students to grade level and beyond Math Plus Level 2 Math class with extra periods taught by same teacher during the week to aid improved understanding of mathematical concepts