Public School Kindergarten Why choose BASD?
Starting off Strong Kindergarten is the first formal school experience for both children and families a critical year for both social & emotional development the foundation that sets the tone for future school success
Kindergarten Impact A child s academic and social/emotional development is highly impacted by the quality of the kindergarten program they attend.
BASD Kindergarten highly qualified teaching staff state accountability research based curriculum Title I funding special education services specialists support staff child care parent involvement community partners healthcare services facilities RTII Leader in Me
Highly Qualified Teaching Staff state certified early childhood educators 80% of BASD teachers hold a masters degree or higher 44% of BASD teachers have 15 or more years of experience state required continuing education (minimum of 36 hours/year) partnerships for advanced degrees &/or certifications with Lehigh University and Moravian College instructional training upon adoption of new programs to insure program fidelity consistency across the 16 elementary schools in curriculum and instruction 40+ Kindergarten teachers participate in grade level inservice work sessions to collaborate and plan for student achievement
State Accountability teacher evaluation system measures teachers in 4 domains student academic growth is measured throughout the year and submitted through Title I reports breakfast and lunch choices are held to government nutritional standards
Research Based Curriculum All curriculum is aligned to state standards Decisions to implement new programs are driven by current research and student needs The most experienced teachers pilot the best programs to determine quality and effectiveness prior to implementation Materials that support the curriculum are provided for all teachers so programs may be implemented as designed
Title I Title I public school grant provides: professional development materials class size grants *district goal is to keep Kindergarten classes as small as possible support staff (instructional aides) parent education programs
Special Education Services Licensed School Psychologists administer academic testing to determine special education eligibility Special Education teachers are certified in the area of Special Education develop IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) In addition to academic support, some students may also qualify for one or more of the following services: Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy Speech Therapy Pegasus (gifted education)
Support Specialists Reading Specialists hold an advanced degree in reading instruction provide both remediation and enrichment support classroom teachers ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Teachers hold an advanced program specialist certification in the area of second language instruction provide specially designed instruction to students whose primary language is other than english Guidance Counselors hold advanced degrees in school counseling provide both social and academic support to students
Special Area Teachers Special Area Teachers provide weekly instruction in their subject area to all students hold specialized certification in their subject area Academic Integration (technology) Art Library Music Physical Education
Support Staff ALL schools in the BASD have: instructional aides (special education) classroom aides (Paraprofessionals) SOME schools in the BASD also have: Community School Coordinators Family Development Specialists
Nursing Staff ALL schools in the BASD have: a Certified School Nurse associate nurses
Child Care ALL schools in the BASD have an onsite daycare with before and after care available.
Parent Involvement ~ At the Building Level ~ ~ Parents and Teachers are Partners ~ Kindergarten Orientation Bethlehem Area Public Library Night Math Night American Education Week PTA/PTO Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Parent Trainings (Title 1) Family Fun Nights Breakfast with Family Members
Local Universities Lehigh University Moravian College Local Agencies United Way Hispanic Center Familywize BAPL (library) Community Partners Local Companies PBS 39 Sands Casino Wegmans Leading Edge Martial Arts *This is not an exclusive list. All schools have additional partnerships with local businesses.
Healthcare Services St. Lukes Hospital Outreach Onsite Vision Van *vouchers for glasses Onsite Dental Van Onsite Physicals Onsite Flu Shots
Facilities BASD Administration and school board members work diligently with facilities and operations to maintain and improve BASD schools.
RTII (Response to Instruction and Intervention) Mary Ann Guman
The Leader in Me Inspiring Lifelong Learners and Leaders One Person at a Time Benita Draper - Lincoln Elementary
Philosophy The Leader In Me is a philosophy that introduces personal leadership. The Leader In Me is based on 7 Habits, universal principles and encourages us to be mindful of each others paradigms so we can lead in our own lives.
Everyone is a Leader Leadership is communicating people s worth and potential so clearly that they are inspired to see it in themselves. ~ Steven R. Covey Pioneer: Muriel Summers, Principal of A. B. Combs Elementary School in Raleigh, N.C.
Leadership Roles Line Leaders Student Ambassadors Office Leaders Student Council Supply Leaders Leaders of Music Leaders of Art Lunch Leaders Voice of Lincoln Snack Leader Leadership Notebooks
Student Engagement Roadmap to Educational Excellence 2.0 Stretch Learning Student Engagement Core Learning Personal Skill Development
Benefits Decrease in discipline referrals Increased student engagement~ ie announcements, planning leadership days, school-wide fundraisers generated & coordinated by students An intentional focus on student progress on the part of the student A change in the conversation between students an d adults ~ use of the language helps students to identify what they ve done, and what they could have done in a non-threatening manner. Increased confidence and willingness to take risks.
Closing Remarks and Questions Feel free to contact us with any additional questions or concerns. Mary Colon Consultant mcolon@basdschools.org Lisa Koski Clearview Elementary lkoski@basdschools.org Amy Wastler Donegan Elementary awastler@basdschools.org Mary Ann Guman Clearview Elementary mguman@basdschools.org Benita Draper Lincoln Elementary Principal bdraper@basdschools.org