Academics
Academics come first at Van Buren Elementary School. Principal Terry Bick said the school is creating a community of learners, providing students with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in elementary school and beyond. “Everything we do is valuable because it is connected to learning,” she said.
In November, fifth-graders took the New York State Social Studies Assessment. 92.1% of the students achieved a 3 or a 4 on the assessment. A 3 indicates that a student meets the state standards, and a 4 indicates that a student’s knowledge of the subject exceeds the state standards.
At the end of April, New York State students will take the state’s ELA assessment. Van Buren is preparing its students for this test by offering an ELA tutoring program before school. The school also continues to offer its peer-tutoring program, which provides students with an opportunity for extra drills and practice in certain subjects, under the guidance of an older student who has been trained to be a tutor.
Health and safety
Because student safety is a priority in the Baldwinsville Central School District, at the beginning of the school year, Van Buren instituted a new dismissal policy to ensure a safe environment for its students and staff. As of September, parents and guardians who are picking up their children at the end of the day must wait in the cafeteria and sign their children out before the students can leave. This must be done on a daily basis. Only students who have a note on file in the office are dismissed to the cafeteria for pick up. Principal Bick said this new procedure is helping to alleviate congestion as well as confusion in the hallways and the school’s lobby at dismissal time. It is also easier for staff to monitor where each student is during dismissal.
Also new this year is secure entry into the building. Over the summer, the district installed a security system in the school. All doors, including the front door, are locked during the school day. Staff members screen visitors to Van Buren at the front door before allowing them entry into the school.
Van Buren has embraced the district’s Wellness Policy. The school held its first wellness fair in October to provide students and their families with health-related information. Families participated in physical activities and visited educational booths for information. Also new to the school this year is a walking group, which physical education teacher Daniel Vannatta began for students. Each Monday during the school’s activity period, he leads students on a brisk walk outside on the school’s fitness trail for what he has dubbed “Monday Miles.” If the weather is inclement, students walk in the gym.
Behavior expectations
To create a school-wide system of behavior expectations, teacher teams have begun the process of developing a system of Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports (PBIS). The goal of PBIS is to establish clear and consistent learner-centered supports and expectations, school-wide, to provide children with the structure they need to be successful, which will result in improved student behavior and increased achievement. Initially the teacher teams have established expectations for student voice levels, which Van Buren has implemented school-wide in all classrooms and all other areas of the building. All students know that level one indicates a whisper, level two is a normal speaking voice, and level three is an outside voice. All staff members use a common hand signal to indicate to students when they need to be quiet. Principal Bick said there is a noticeable difference in the noise volume in the school’s hallways, bathrooms, cafeteria and classrooms now that there is a uniform expectation for noise in the school.
Connecting community service to academics
Students and staff remain committed to helping others in the community and beyond through service projects throughout the year. Principal Bick said all of the school’s service projects have a connection to academics and build on student skills so that they support the learning process. A large service project the school worked on recently involved raising money for the American Red Cross’ relief efforts in Haiti. Fifth-graders established a Help Haiti Council, made up of a representative from each fifth-grade classroom. Using their leadership skills, the group coordinated a school-wide penny drive, as well as two Hats for Haiti days. These fund raising efforts tied into the areas of social studies and math as students in all grades learned about Haiti and its citizens and tracked the amount of money collected.
This March, music students will be helping the community when they practice their instruments by participating in the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra’s Practice Marathon. Students will receive pledges from family and friends for each half hour they practice. As they work at honing their musical skills, students have a chance to win the school a free performance from a Syracuse Symphony ensemble. Last year students won the school a performance due to their diligent practicing.
Parental involvement
The school’s PTA and parent volunteers remain active in supporting students and school activities. Parents often donate their time during the school day to tutor students and read with them. The PTA coordinates and sponsors many activities that enrich the learning process at Van Buren including the Parents as Reading Partners (PARP) program, after school craft workshops and special guests. In January, the PTA sponsored a visit by illustrator James Ransome to connect art to writing.
