Curriculum

Thornton Creek has evolved from deeply held values that define its program identity. Staff and parents have been entrusted to care not only for the children in the school but also for the philosophy that binds the community together. Staff has created assessment practices that are sensitive to that identity, as well as to the detail and goals of day-to-day instruction. Staff focuses on creating diagnostic, embedded assessments that drive instruction, not on summative assessments.

One choice that staff and parents have decided to focus instructional time and professional development on has been developing the perception within our students of themselves as partners in the assessment of their own academic progress, giving them resources that they can apply to their work every day. Staff has chosen to seek out training for modeling instruction and assessment processes that provide students ongoing opportunities to collaborate with peers to establish assessment criteria, to evaluate and provide feedback on one another's work, as well as to take ownership for identifying areas for personal growth. This type of student involvement in assessment promotes their metacognitive understanding of the learning process.

Staff has observed that students who participate in the thoughtful analysis of another's work learn to identify its key elements, internalize crucial elements of high quality work, as well as areas for improvement in their own work. In this exchange process, students become self-reflective, taking responsibility for their own improvement.

Improving upon these practices we believe is a wise choice and in the overall best interests of our students' academic progress. Staff believes that engaging students as partners in assessment will have the most significant impact on raising the quality of student work, reflecting positively in their performance when they participate in standardized testing. Our intent is to create an assessment environment in which:

• Students are key beneficiaries of assessment information
• Assessment is a learning resource for every student
• Students use assessment results to improve their work
• Students and teachers use assessment to better understand the details of students' learning

Present policy is to administer the state and district mandated tests. Alternative activities are available during testing for children whose parents choose not to have them tested. We ask that as many parents as possible come to the school office to pick up their child's test scores. Those scores not picked up will be mailed to the student's home.

Camping

Our primary classes go to camp at Cornet Bay for three days each spring along with parents and teachers. Intermediate classes often select other camping destinations. Our Kindergartens and First grade classes go on an overnight camping experience at Camp Long. These wonderful experiences include outdoor education, singing around the campfire, hiking, fishing, tide pooling, and much more.

Class Meetings

Class meeting is an important part of each day. During these meetings, children are actively involved in sharing experiences, planning activities, discussing conflicts, issues and ideas, enacting plays, and solving problems in a caring and respectful way.

Community Service Learning

Each classroom expedition has a service-learning component. Through these service activities, students apply what they have learned in their classwork to a real-world setting.

Conference

Formal conferences (Parent Teacher Student conferences) are scheduled every school year during the three days prior to the Thanksgiving break. Teachers individually schedule a few additional conferences to accommodate parents who could not attend during this time.

Informal teacher parent conferences are scheduled during the school year. Parents and teachers arrange those times and dates.

Expedition Exhibition Night

Typically, a walk through the hallways will give any observer a picture of the expeditions in progress for the year. In the spring, we invite you to attend our Expedition Exhibition Night where every classroom opens its doors to a more in-depth display of the on-going expedition projects, artwork, photographs, individual student reflections and culminating projects. Families may visit each classroom and take a closer look at the learning that captured students' interests, hearts and imaginations.

Field Trips

Students at Thornton Creek participate in many field trips during the school year. Parents/guardians will be notified in advance of all class field trips. During the first week of school, you are asked complete and return a signed field trip permission form for your child/ren. This form will allow your child to participate in all field trips during the upcoming school year. Unfortunately, a child cannot participate in a field trip without the signed permission form on file at school.

Portfolio Nights

Portfolio Nights are scheduled in late winter and the end-of-the-year to provide an opportunity for students to share their portfolios with their parents. Student portfolios concretely document learning through on-going collection of work samples demonstrating growth and accomplishments. The samples include work from class expeditions and other academic areas; the arts; and character development. Children are responsible for presenting their portfolio entries by describing what was being worked on, why it was important, and what they learned from it. Portfolio Nights help parents gain insight into their own child's learning. (Portfolios also are shared at the fall Parent-Student-Teacher conference.)

Student Progress

Reporting of student progress takes place through student portfolios, written reports, parent conferences, and district progress reports covering the student's growth in the areas of intellectual, personal, and social development. These conferences occur during scheduled periods and on an informal, as-needed basis.

Theater Arts

Often expeditions include a theater arts component. The performances are held in the spring and are advertised in the school newsletter.

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