K/1
Behavior: K/1 students focus on being respectful, responsible, and safe as part of Livin’ It at Lincoln Prairie. Our goal is to foster a community of learners who are kind, thoughtful, accepting, and helpful. We take time to model, role play, provide positive reinforcement, and learn through SEL (social emotional learning) lessons of expected behaviors. We also teach students ways to regulate their bodies and emotions and positive ways to problem solve.
Homework: Students receive a monthly literacy calendar focusing on various reading and writing activities. The purpose of this calendar is to find fun ways to incorporate literacy at home and build a love for reading. Throughout the year, activities are also sent home to reinforce the math skills that have been taught.
Communication: To ensure student success, we know it is important to have open communication and a partnership with parents. We provide weekly emails which include academic updates, upcoming dates/events, and any other important information. We are also always available to share about your child’s progress and happenings at school.
2/3
Behavior– Students are expected to make good choices that allow them to be Responsible, Respectful, and Safe throughout the school day. Student behavior is tracked with a green, yellow, red model. If they display that they are Livin’ By the Keys, they get to stay on green. If they make a poor choice and aren’t able to make changes to their behaviors, they move to yellow. Students who continue to make poor choices throughout the day move to red. Some behaviors, like physically harming another student, can constitute a move directly from green to red. Students ending the day on red need to communicate their choices in some way (phone call, email, or letter home) to their families. Students track and communicate their behavior daily by coloring calendar squares with the appropriate color.
Homework– Students are expected to write a Reading Log letter once a week. These are due on different days which are indicated in the student’s log. Assignments for the Reading Log can be found on the back of the Homework Chart. Math homework is sent home and due on Tuesdays and Fridays. Students are expected to read nightly for a minimum of 20 minutes. Spelling words and math facts (1+1, 5-2, 12-7, Et cetera) should be practiced for about 10 minutes each night. Homework is not typically due the next day. Students are encouraged to review their homework and ask their teachers for help prior to the due date.
Missing Homework– If students are missing homework, they attend Working Lunch. Working Lunch is a silent environment where students are given extra time during their school day to complete homework. Students may also choose to volunteer for Working Lunch to get a jumpstart on homework.
Recognitions: Students who Are Livin’ It, color their calendars green everyday, and remember to turn their behavior calendars in are recognized at Whole School Meetings. Students’ good behavior as a class is celebrated by Fine Arts Media and Español teachers and homeroom teachers with paperclips or alligators. When a certain number of paperclips or alligators are earned, the class earns a celebration.
Instruction: Students receive instruction from a variety of teachers on the 2/3 team. For example, math instruction is by grade level. Students are placed in one of the classrooms for either 2nd or 3rd grade math. Flexible groupings of students are consistently utilized by the 2/3 team in all subject areas in order to best meet the variety of learning needs of all students.
Communication: Seasonal 2/3 News and Notes are sent home electronically. Teachers can always be reached via email, telephone, or handwritten notes.
4/5
Behavior – Students are expected to Live By the Keys throughout the building. If a student is having difficulty making choices that positively impact their learning or the learning of surrounding students, this student is asked to “Step Out” and reflect on classroom behavior with the teacher. The 4/5 Teachers work collaboratively with CST, administration, and families in order to best support students’ social and emotional well being.
Missing Work – Points are deducted every day for late assignments. When the assignment has been missing for a week, it is automatically entered as a 40% in the gradebook. For everyday absent, students get an extra day to turn in the work with no penalty.
Recognitions – Students are recognized informally by peers, teachers, and administrators throughout the day. “Caught Ya” tickets are given when students are being safe, respectful, and responsible. Students can give and receive Over and Above recognitions at our monthly Whole School Meetings.
Instruction – Students receive instruction from a variety of teachers on the 4/5 team. For example, math instruction is by grade level. Students are placed in one of the classrooms for either 4th or 5th grade math. Flexible groupings of students are consistently utilized by the 4/5 team and instructional support staff in the areas of math and literacy to best meet the variety of learning needs of all students.
Communication – The 4/5 Teachers send a weekly newsletter via email to families. Teachers can be reached via email or telephone.
Middle Level (6,7,8 grades):
Schedule – Each student in middle level has access to a variety of enriching experiences through core classes and exploratories.
Core Classes – are comprised of science, math, and humanities (language arts and social studies). District curriculum is used, and essential outcomes apply.
Exploratories – Students may have but are not limited to the following course selections: band, orchestra, choir, three levels of Spanish, media, Makerspace, FUSE, STEM, speech and art. Exploratories are scheduled based upon skill development and interest.
Lunch – We have no central lunchroom at Lincoln Prairie. Students eat in any of the 6 classrooms designated for our level’s lunch.
Advisory – Students meet in a group with a consistent teacher throughout the year for the purposes of information sharing and attendance. There is a short class period weekly to address social emotional needs/situations, prepare for student led conferences, etc. The teacher who is your child’s advisory teacher is, in most cases, the person you will conference with at the designated times, however, individual conferences can be arranged as needed with teachers other than your child’s advisory teacher.
FAME = Fitness, Arts, Media, and Español.
We are a group of specialists that have the great opportunity to teach children about our own personal best intelligence. We are lucky to work at a school that welcomes the multiple intelligences and creates an environment for students to grow in all of the specialty areas, whether that is music, art, language, fitness, or technology.
Behavior Expectations: We follow the same expectations for students and specific behavior system as the classroom teachers at each grade level.