Concord Elementary Schools of the Future
Report from Task Force I, Educational Specifications
April 2008 Draft
Our vision and mission
Concord
By the time our children become graduates, we want them to be:
- active self directed learners
- effective communicators
- effective collaborators
- informed decision makers
- creative producers
- life planners
- community participants
These expectations, known as the “sacred seven,” serve as the goals for all district programs and services from preschool through high school.
What kind of schools will we need in the coming years for all children to reach these goals? This was the question confronting two groups who convened to work on the educational specifications for
First “ed specs” work group
An “ed specs” committee of teachers and administrators met for three days in October 2007, reviewed literature about facilities of the future, visited two new schools and developed a preliminary outline of what they considered necessary in an elementary school of the future. Three major themes emerged from this early work.
Community Task Force
In December 2007, January 2008 and February 2008 a community task force met to continue to build the picture of what an elementary school of the future should be. This group addressed the broader school-wide issues for a school of the future. The group took a walk through the elementary school of the future…
An elementary school of the future must be equipped to:
1. Tailor the program to the interests, talents and needs of each individual learner
For our children to maintain the passion for learning that they bring to school in the beginning grades, we need to recognize the unique interests, talents and needs of each individual learner. In the future we want every student’s program in the elementary school of the future to be personalized to meet the interests, talents and needs of each learner. Teachers will be experts in how children learn, able to determine the strengths of the individual learner and to build learning programs based on those strengths.
2. Build community among teachers, learners, parents and members of the community
With more emphasis on personalizing and individualizing education for children, it will be more important than ever to build a strong community among and around our children. Our children will need to have regular opportunities and instruction to work with their peers, with students younger and older, with adults in the school and with adults in the community.
3. Prepare students to be participating members of a global community.
While personalizing their educational programs and building strong local communities, we must also prepare our students to participate and compete in a much larger global community.
Following is a summary of the ideas and concepts developed by the community task force as you walk through the
1. Building Entrance
The
When you enter the school, you will see signs of excellence all around you - photos of students working together; exhibits of students’ art work, science projects, samples of poetry and poster displays. The message will be strong: our children are pursuing excellence in many different ways. You will see letters and plaques, even legacy projects, memorializing the work of past students and staff. You will learn something about the history of this school.
You are immediately greeted by the school secretary who welcomes you and knows you and your family well. The school entrances are well supervised and secure.
Using accessible technology here in the entrance, you can find important information about upcoming activities as well as opportunities for volunteers. The diversity of activities reflects the diversity of our students, staff and community.
Special education
All students are active members of the school community. All students have access and are expected to learn the regular curriculum..
Special education teachers and staff observe children in a variety of learning and social situations and work with regular education teachers to develop and monitor individual learning programs. Special education teachers modify the guaranteed curriculum and provide appropriate accommodations to enable all children to learn in regular classroom settings.
The teachers and students use technology such as specialized equipment and software (e.g. auditory field systems) to maximize all children’s participation in the regular classroom programs.
Smaller learning spaces are used by all children during the day, not just children with identified disabilities. There is space for individual conferences, team meetings and individualized assessment. Confidential records are maintained electronically and accessible to both regular and special education staff.
Preschool
The elementary schools of the future will continue to have preschool programs and preschool may be expanded. To prepare for this, it is important that there is an area of the site that will serve for current and potential future preschool programming space. ( A description of the preschool programs in place in the district now is detailed in Appendix B.)
Classrooms/Learning Areas
When you visit the elementary school of the future, you enter the world of eager young learners. You are struck by the wide range of children at different stages of growth and development working and learning together. The elementary school program is marked by a very high level of acceptance of individual strengths and learning styles as well as awareness of areas for growth. You will know that all children are valued and feel an important part of the group.
Achieving our mission with self-directed learners
When you enter the classroom or learning area of the future, the “big ideas” of the curriculum are evident and the children know the specific goals or targets for the area of curriculum they are studying.
Classrooms are places where children may work independently or with an older student, teacher or other adult as well as places for children to work together in small groups. There are spaces within the learning area for the larger group of children to gather for morning meetings, to listen to a read-aloud or to share their writing.
In the classrooms for the youngest learners, there are play areas with blocks, puppets, dolls, trucks, markers, clay, dress up clothes – lots of things to touch and turn. In the classrooms of the older students you see lots of science, math, social studies things to feel, to touch, to learn.
You see children making choices about the way in which they will tackle a particular concept or skill. You see children leading groups and directing activities. You see children listening to recordings in one corner and making voice recordings in another.
All children will have ready access to learning technology tools that enable teachers to individualize their programs and monitor their individual progress.
Teachers and support staff are involved in a variety of different tasks – pre-teaching, coaching, using specific lesson plans and activities for each child, engaging in learning conversations with children, assessing student behavior and learning.
The learning spaces are flexible and furniture easily movable. There are large windows, lots of light and access to an outdoor learning area. There is a large space for active movement and whole group meetings. There are “side” areas for quiet use. Every classroom has a sink for cleanup.
The walls are covered with maps, displays, word walls and student work. You will know if the classes are studying Japanese culture or dinosaurs. There is good accessible storage for the increased amount of hands on materials used at this level.
Collaboration: Achieving our mission through effective collaborators
When children work together in small groups, you notice how children take on specific roles within their group or team. Groups of children may work on different projects or the same project depending on their specific interests and needs and the goals of the curriculum. While children work in groups, the teacher and support staff “float” around the room making sure that all students in each group are appropriately engaged.
Literacy: Achieving our mission with effective communicators
The district’s goal is for all students to become effective communicators who read widely and in depth and write well. Children use authentic text and learn to read for meaning and purpose. There are a variety of different instructional activities including teacher directed activities, independent literacy activities, and small group activities. Each classroom has its own library with a wide variety of reading materials.
Teachers use a variety of assessment methods and maintain a careful profile chronicling each child’s reading and writing development.
Students need to communicate their developing understandings of math concepts and skills, talking with teachers and peers explaining how they solved a problem. The school district believes there is a continuum for learning math beginning with using concrete manipulative materials. Gradually, learners will be able to see the concept or operation demonstrated dynamically and visually, leading to developing an abstract understanding of math concepts and skills. Children practice applying mathematics understanding to new situations. There are carefully planned opportunities for children to move from one place on the continuum to another.
Children will be working individually, in small groups or in large groups on math, social studies and science projects. Simultaneous activities are going on with children working at varying pace. There are opportunities for re-teaching as well as opportunities for enrichment. There are specific work stations within the classroom that simulate real situations with authentic problems.
There is space for students to frequently play math games. Children have easy access to technology tools. There is frequent and regular assessments and monitoring children’s progress.
There is also easy access to the school’s media center and technology center.
The media center of the future will be an important hub of the elementary school.
The library media center has a warm and inviting atmosphere. Like other learning areas in the school, there is a large meeting area as well as smaller areas for students to meet together, read together. There are areas for parents and children to work together.
In the library media center the children’s own published books as well as children’s reviews of others’ books are prominently displayed. There is also a production area with media and technology for students to work on projects.
Art, Music, Theater: Achieving our mission with creative producers
The arts program includes visual arts, music, and theater; the arts are coordinated with the regular classroom curriculum. The art, music and theater teachers work with the children’s classroom teacher to focus on important themes and concepts.
Children learn to use many kinds of media. The arts classrooms are clustered in the building so all the arts teachers can work together. There is access to outdoors so children can sketch or keep journals in natural settings.
Visual Arts
In the art studio children are building knowledge of the elements of art and design principles. Children work with a variety of art forms and artists, expanding their knowledge of art history and cultural trends through the ages.
Children tackle hands-on, open ended problems, learning there are multiple solutions to a single problem.
The art studio is flexible and multi-functional, with spaces for individual work, small group work and large group work. In the large group gathering area teachers demonstrate techniques and students share their work. Students regularly critique and analyze their work and the work of their classmates. Teachers provide time for children to self assess and reflect on their work.
There are computer workstations for individual work. Teachers and children use technology to record and publish their art work.
The art studio has accessible sinks, a kiln area and clay drying area. There is plenty of storage including flat paper storage for student work.
Music
In the music room children are active, learning concepts and skills – singing, playing instruments, dance - and then demonstrating their understanding in performance. Like art, children learn about music history and cultural trends.
There is an area for children to create audio and video recordings and a large group area for teachers to demonstrate techniques and for the teacher and children to assess their work.
The music area is separated from the quieter areas of the building and close to performance spaces. The room can accommodate 10-15 instrumental students as well as 50 students for choral rehearsal. There is a large flat wooden floor for dance movement.
Theater
Children in all the elementary schools have access to a theater for performances.
Wellness areas: Pursuing our mission with life planners
Gymnasium/fitness center
The message when you enter the gymnasium and fitness center is about developing healthy bodies, good nutrition, lifetime physical activities as well as participating in team sports, cooperative games, yoga and other multicultural sports (e.g. cricket, martial arts).
There is a fitness area with electonics that track children’s progress and development.
Cafeteria
The cafeteria is open for breakfast as well as for lunch. Healthy nutritious foods are served. Children conduct surveys and give the staff menu ideas.
Appendix A
The first task force with professional staff addressed a number of common questions in each of the curriculum areas represented on this first committee.
These common questions addressed:
- Current trends in the curriculum area
- Major learning principles for this curriculum area
- Goals for students in this curriculum area
- Instruction and assessment methods used in this area
- Special environmental conditions needed in this area
- Storage requirements for this area
- Furniture
- Space considerations (flexible spaces)
- Sharing space considerations
Note: More work is needed on specifications for the following areas:
- Administrative areas
- Guidance
- Health
- Science
- Social studies
- Physical education and health
- Information technology and media
- Cafeteria and kitchen
- Custodial areas
- Building storage
The original results of this first task force are published in Appendix A. Its work was incorporated into the specifications listed below.
The following section was developed by a subgroup of professionals knowledgeable about the current preschool programs.
Preschool
The district has a legal obligation to serve Pre-K students w/special needs. All programs are inclusive, enrolling typically developing children and those with special needs.
Currently the district uses a variety of pre-school models:
- The
- The district also places children with less significant disabilities in community preschool programs and provides consultation to the community preschool staff. Currently children are placed at Woodside and Head Start preschools, serving about 10-14 preschoolers with special needs.
- The district pays tuition for 12 children to attend the community-based preschool program at Dame School; the district’s Title I grant provides funding for 15 children to attend preschool at Dame School’s preschool program.
- The district pays tuition for 4 children with special needs to attend the preschool program at the
- There are preschool programs at
- There are a variety of parent/child shared activity times at Dame, Walker and Rumford. Parents and caregivers attend with preschoolers (birth to age 5) for guided play, group activities, singing, early literacy activities, family field trips, and other shared activities. In the future, the program needs room to have other adults working with groups of children in a variety of activities without being distracted to others in the classroom.
Children attend preschool for two to five half days.
There are no preschool programs offered at this time at
Typical Preschool daily activities include:
- Children are delivered directly to class w/a parent or staff member, and picked up by an adult. Classroom staff welcome the children and help them transition into the classroom. The day begins with quiet transition activities: looking at books, visiting with friends, free choice activities, taking care of morning classroom “jobs.” In the future, there is a need for an area to pick up/drop off/ children at the door.
- Morning welcoming meeting (afternoon too!)
- Activities during the day include whole class activities, independent activities, small group activities, and center based activities. All these activities require a large, flexible space to enable children to participate. The space needs to be designed for multiple purposes/activities.
- Center-time opportunities:
- Pre-literacy – staff reading stories, sorting, counting, introduction to computers, books on tape, language and vocabulary development
- Imaginative and guided play
- Fine motor activities such as puzzles, paint, cutting, sorting
- Gross motor activities, indoor and outdoor, including balls skills, climbing, swing, balance, running
- Creative arts including paint, crafts, cooking
- Sensory activities such as sand and water table, play-dough
- Pre-literacy – staff reading stories, sorting, counting, introduction to computers, books on tape, language and vocabulary development
- Social/emotional skills building including sharing, communicating, manners, cooperation, responsibility
- Cognitive, pre-academic skills: identifying colors, numbers, and shapes; counting and matching; basic concepts (up, down, before, after, first, last, etc.)
- Snack
- Life Skills including clothing, toileting, taking care of materials, and self help skills
- Therapy for children with special needs: Speech and Language, Occupational and Physical therapy, vision or hearing interventions
In all the school-based programs, activities take place to integrate children into the school community, including:
- Library – (story time, access to collection)
- Buddy classrooms – (reading together, older kids paired w/pre-Ks for activities)
- School-wide meetings & activities – assemblies, etc.
- Access to the school’s health care services
