SETTING DESCRIPTION

School Wide Programs

Lingua Natal Spanish Program Sage Garden and Nutrition Science Lab

Music

Ocean Knoll Elementary School opened in Encinitas, California in 1959. It is one of nine elementary schools in the Encinitas Union School District. Ocean Knoll is in its final year of candidacy status as an International Baccalaureate World School. It is a Kindergarten through sixth grade elementary school with approximately 470 students. Our school is one of three Title I schools in the district. It is situated in the northern coastal town of Encinitas. The school sits on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Its considered a west side school, meaning that it is located west of El Camino Real. The three west side schools in our district are similar in demographics in that the student populations are made up of 50% English Language Learners and 50% English Only students. The east side schools serve a more affluent population with a much lower percentage of English Language Learners. These schools are all located east of El Camino Real and west of the privileged Rancho Santa Fe community. Ocean Knolls student population is culturally diverse and mirrors the schools surrounding

Team Time

Wellness Program

community. As you drive down the streets you see large beautiful homes with million dollar price tags and just around the corner crowded duplexes and apartment buildings, many with two or three families sharing a small space. Our school is a natural gathering place where these two distinct groups meet. We have very active parent volunteers who work together with staff and students to ensure our school based programs are successful. Ocean Knoll has been the recipient of several generous grants that have allowed us to offer students many new programs this school year.

How We Got Here: The History of Ocean Knoll

In 2006 Ocean Knoll was assigned a new administrator. She had implemented a few minor changes that first year. We started leveled literacy time, Team Time first. Next, all teachers went through the GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design) training program. We adopted GLAD as our ELD program, this was a big change for the staff. Previously, Reading Teachers would pull out English Learners for ELD instruction. The following year, Ocean Knoll started TLP (Terrific Learning Provided/Teacher Lead Planning). We were the first school in the district to pilot this program. Initially, it was a bumpy start. The enrichment classes were not tied directly to curriculum and the guest teachers struggled with classroom management. However, every year the program seems to be refined and improved. The final and biggest change to come to Ocean Knoll is our process of becoming an International Baccalaureate School. There was a push from our Superintendent to create unique programs that allow each school to really stand out from one another. Our staff agreed to pursue this route and work to be the 7th IB school in San Diego County. All of these changes have been well received by the staff. Although, many teachers wish for more time to adjust to the new programs and give them time to work the kinks out. It has been a bit overwhelming for some to add a new program every year. However, the changes have been positive and the overall image of the school has definitely improved and turned us into somewhat of a magnet school. We are now getting intra-district transfers and bringing a new population of families drawn in by our distinctive programs that we offer to our students The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) was established in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland. The IBO works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop

What is International Baccalaureate?

challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment. The IB program is currently available at 3,026 schools in 139 countries. These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate, and lifelong learners. Currently there are six IB elementary schools in San Diego County. The IB Primary Years Program (IB/PYP) is designed for students age 5 to 12. It focuses on developing the whole child by encompassing social, physical, emotional and cultural needs in addition to academic development. Our goal is to provide our students with structured, purposeful inquiry learning while developing their character. Each grade level will create 6 units of inquiry based on the six-trans disciplinary themes of global significance. Grade levels will incorporate California State standards within a theme they feel is most appropriate. The six themes are as follows: Who We Are Where We Are in Place and Time How We Express Ourselves How the World Works How We Organize Ourselves Sharing the Planet

Demographics
Family Income and Education
Family Factors Low Income Indicator (Free and Reduced Lunch) Parents with Some College Parents with a College Degree Our School County Average State Average

44% 57% 42%

N/A 65% 40%

56% 56% 32%

The majority of Hispanic or Latino students at Ocean Knoll are English Learners and receive free or reduced lunch. Conversely, the majority of students that speak English as their first language do not receive free or reduced lunch. In addition, a large number of English Learners at our school have parents who have not completed college. The difference between these two socioeconomic groups and the inequity it presents in standardized testing has been the focus of many effective changes. Over the past five years, many of the school wide programs previously mentioned have helped increase student achievement.

Student Ethnicity
Ethnicity African American Asian American/ Pacific Islander Hispanic/Latino White/European American or Other Our County State School Average Average

1% 2% 54% 43%

6% 10% 53% 31%

6% 11% 41% 41%

School Wide Programs

As part of the IB program, a foreign language component was added at the beginning of the 2011 school year. K-4 is receiving two 40-minute Spanish classes weekly. 5th and 6th graders receive Spanish once a week for 40 minutes. It is the goal of Lingua Natal Instructors to provide children with a stressfree, full immersion, multisensory environment in which language acquisition takes place naturally and in progressive stages. The Lingua Natal instructors know children learn languages not by studying grammar and completing worksheets, but by being engaged in dynamic and joyous interaction with people, culture, new sounds, continuous language stimulation and loving encouragement by teachers who themselves are models of multilingual communication. Another program that is in its 3rd year at Ocean Knoll Elementary is TLP (Terrific Learning Provided).
All grade levels participate in enrichment classes as they rotate through three 40-minute sessions.

The rotations include science lab, garden/nutrition, and music. Kindergarten, 5th and 6th graders also receive a 4th rotation of PE. While the students participate in these enrichment classes, grade level teams meet to plan and collaborate regarding student goals, assessments, IB units, etc. TLP is made possible by the support from the PTA and the Sage Garden Grant who fund the TLP staff. All grade levels will receive two 30 minute yoga sessions a week in addition to TLP.

The Ocean Knoll Wellness Program was started two years ago to encourage parents and students to make healthy choices. Students and parents can come daily from 7:308:00 am to run or jog the track before the start of school. On Mondays students can take a martial arts class, or Yoga on Tuesday and Thursdays. This is a program that would not be possible if it were not for our parent volunteers and PTA.

Goal Setting and Team Time

We set student friendly, standards-based goals each month in reading, writing, and math. We work together as a classroom and grade level to help each other achieve each goal, and celebrate our achievements at the end of the month. Our monthly goals are posted in every K-6 classroom. Examples of goals you could see in a kindergarten classroom are, I can read and write 15 sight words. *Challenge: I can read and write 25 sight words. I can count, identify and write numbers to 20. *Challenge: I can count, identify and write numbers to 30. Team Time is a school wide opportunity for students to work on Language Arts goals or have an extra opportunity for acceleration or intervention. Every student K-6 receives intensive, small group language arts instruction at his or her level during this time. Entire grade levels are regrouped according to each childs skill level. Credentialed reading teachers and classroom teachers instruct small groups. Team time is TuesdayFriday for 40 minutes.

Goal setting wall located in a Kindergarten classroom.

Classroom Setting
I am joining the Third Grade Team this year in a job share contract. My partner will begin the first half of the school year, and I will teach the second half of the year. The Third Grade Team is made up of 4 teachers, all with different expertise, but everyone with valuable insights to offer. Collaboration occurs every Wednesday while students are involved with TLP, and because of all the regrouping across the grade level, many more meaningful conversations happen throughout Students move between all three classrooms and are regrouped for Team Time, for intense LA intervention and instruction, as well as for Math. Although students are regrouped, all students are working towards grade level academic goals. Students move between all three classrooms and are regrouped for Team Time, for intense LA intervention and instruction, as well as for Math. Although students are regrouped, all students are working towards grade level academic goals.

School Wide expectations

Goal Setting and Word of the Week

The Word of the Week (WOW) is introduced to all K-6 classes Monday mornings and reinforced throughout the week.

Technology as a Tool
Ocean Knoll greatly encourages and supports all students use of 21st Century Skills. One of those skills is computer literacy and using technology as a vital resource. In addition to three days in the computer lab for 30minute sessions, students have access to computers, iPads and an interactive whiteboard while in the classroom. Our third grade class is also participating in a district wide implementation of individual student iPads. Every student throughout our district, from third to sixth grade, will begin the school year with a brand new iPad. This is an exciting and innovative year for the district as a whole! My experience with technology is that it has greatly enhanced student motivation, attention and enthusiasm for learning. We hope the device will increase curiosity and creativity amongst the kids and support individual student interests and abilities. Students will also be able to take the iPads home, closing a technology gap that weve struggled with for many years.

Three Personal Standards

IB Display
Themes will be consistent throughout K-6, but the central idea and lines of inquiry will differ depending on grade level. All IB Attitudes are present throughout each classroom school wide.