University Elementary School
April Newsletter
Dear Families,
First and foremost I want to thank you for your generous support of our school library, garden and play during the month of March. It was a busy month filled with much activity ending with Jump Rope for Heart. I am hopeful that everyone enjoyed a relaxing Spring Break as we return to our project work and so much more. These next two months will be exciting and busy as we wrap up some projects and begin new projects. Couple this with sports season and our calendars fill up quickly! Please be sure to note all the upcoming events. Your attendance and input is important to us.
In my continued effort to make sure all parents receive the same information I share during a kindergarten tour below is “Part Two continued” from last month’s newsletter.
Project Based Learning (PBL) and Multi-age Classrooms
Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge. (BIE)
Important components of PBL are the need to invite guest speakers and take field trips to gain experiential learning. Field trips are an integral part of student learning. This is why we ask every family to donate $50 dollars to their classroom field trip fund. The reason we ask families to donate in advance is because many field trips require a deposit before you can schedule it and often times it is the schools who can act the fastest that get the opportunity. If every student donated $50 to the field trip fund at the start of each year, each class would have between $1,000 (class size of 20) and $1,300 (class size of 26) to start the year. This would allow the teacher to plan high interest field trips in advance hence, securing the opportunity.
Field trip transportation costs range between $200 and $500 per trip depending upon the distance from school. Our field trips to Sonoma State University (SSU) are paid for by SSU. Then there are entrance fees which have a range between $0 and $375. Teachers work to reduce the cost of transportation by scheduling field trips with another class so that they can divide up the transportation costs. Sometimes they are even able to write a grant to cover some of the expenses.
This year we have approximately 220 students which ideally would have brought in $11,000 for field trips. This year we have collected $7,897 which made the budget short $3,103. Some classes fell quite short of their field trip budget which means they have fewer field trips. We do offer payment plans for families that cannot afford the lump sum of $50. For payment plan information families should see Ms. Dana in the office. Truthfully, no donation is too small.
Combination Classrooms VS Multi-age Classrooms
In five short years, we have grown from forty students to two hundred twenty students. During this process, it has been necessary to have a number of combination classrooms, mixing of two grades. This year we have five combination classes and four straight grade classes. Based on our numbers for next year we are scheduled to have similar configurations.
In examining what is best for our students’ learning experiences, especially in regards to PBL we have determined that taking a multi-age approach would be in our students’ best interest. Traditionally, in a combination class the teacher must teach all Common Core State Standards for language arts and math. With regards to science and social studies, teachers are allowed to select which grade level to teach and are only expected to teach one curriculum. At the end of the year students move on to the next teacher.
In a multi-age class, a teacher keeps their students for two years. For example, if a teacher taught a second/third grade multi-age class the following year he/she would keep the second graders for their third-grade year and another group of incoming second graders would move in. This allows the teacher to teach both grade levels science and social studies curriculum to all students during their two year period. The benefits go far beyond ensuring that all students are taught all the curriculum.
The Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) lists the following benefits of multiage classrooms:
- Children are able to spend longer periods of time with the same teacher. This allows the teacher to develop a deeper understanding of a child’s strengths and needs, and is therefore in a better position to support the child’s learning.
- Children have several years to develop, and are able to see themselves as progressive, successful learners.
- Children are viewed as unique individuals. The teacher focuses on teaching each child according to his or her own strengths, unlike in same-grade classrooms that often expect all children to be at the same place at the same time with regard to ability.
- Children are not labeled according to their ability, and children learn at their own rate.
- Children develop a sense of family with their classmates. They become a "family of learners" who support and care for each other.
- Older children have the opportunity to serve as mentors and to take leadership roles.
- Children are more likely to cooperate than compete. The spirit of cooperation and caring makes it possible for children to help each other as individuals, not see each other as competitors.
- Older children model more sophisticated approaches to problem solving, and younger children are able to accomplish tasks they could not do without the assistance of older children. This dynamic increases the older child’s level of independence and competence.
- Children are invited to take charge of their learning, by making choices at centers and with project work. This sense of "ownership" and self-direction is the foundation for lifelong learning.
- Children have almost an extra month of teaching time, because the teacher does not have to spend the early weeks in the school year getting to know each child.
- Children are exposed to positive models for behavior and social skills.
If we look to the research, we learn that a standard one grade classroom does not equal better test scores than a multi-age classroom. There is no difference. The research does recognize that students in multi-age classrooms develop stronger positive social skills, including greater cooperation/collaboration skills, and have fewer discipline issues.
Another equally powerful piece when becoming a multi-age school the size of University Elementary School, is that this will allow us to have teams of teachers teaching at the same grade levels. This allows for valuable collaborative planning time and the sharing of best practices.
Please join us on Thursday April 26that 6:30pm to continue this discussion regarding project based learning and multi-age classrooms.
Next month, Part 3: the importance of classroom volunteers.
Parking Lot Safety and School Rules
Please remind students to continue to follow school rules, including not bringing toys (this includes not bringing Pokemon cards) to campus. We ask that all students follow the lifeskills, treat each other with kindness, and always make sure their actions are safe, respectful, and responsible.
District Meetings
School Safety
Now Enrolling!
We are currently enrolling students for the 2018-2019 school year for all grades. We appreciate your sharing this with friends and family. Because we are a magnet school for project based learning we are not a neighborhood school. It is this personal word of mouth that has allowed us to grow our amazing school.
2017-2018 Parent Survey
We sent an e-mail out requesting families to take a quick survey. If you have not already done so, please use this link to access the twelve statements/questions. Your input is important and greatly appreciated as we work to meet the needs of all our students and families.
Important Dates
English Language Proficiency Assessments of California (ELPAC) assessment window is open. All second language learners will be assessed this month.
Our students in grades 3rd-5th will be taking the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) between April 26th and May 4th. It is important that your student comes to school everyday on time. They will need a good nights sleep and a healthy breakfast in order that they may focus and do their personal best.
Thursday, April 19th: PTA Meeting 6:30 to 7:30
Sunday, April 22nd: Earth Day Celebration 12:00 to 3:00pm
Monday, April 23rd: Dinosaur Assembly with artifact exploration
9:00-10:00am grades 2-5
10:30-11:30am grades TK-1
Monday, April 23rd: School Site Council 3:30-4:30
Tuesday, April 24th: Dine & Donate - Swirl Time
Thursday, April 26th: Parent Information Night 6:30-7:30 (babysitting will be provided) Project Based Learning and Multi-age Classrooms
University Elementary
Email: charlotte_straub@crpusd.org
Website: www.crpusd.org/uelf
Location: 8511 Liman Way, Rohnert Park, CA, USA
Phone: 707-792-4840
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/University-Elementary-School-at-La-Fiesta-1628724350766801/
Twitter: @UELFSEAWOLVES