Curriculum

• Boulder Valley School District Standards
• BVSD Revised Curriculum guides in all content areas

Additional information is available on request. Ask for a copy of the School Profile and yearly Annual Report.

• Coal Creek Balanced Literacy Program
• Literacy Pamphlets on Phoneme Awareness, Assessment, Comprehension, Spelling, Word Play, Family Activities, Vacation Ideas, Communication
• First Steps Developmental Continua in Reading and Writing
• 6 Traits Plus One Writing Rubrics
• Reading Counts Program
• Technology Continuum with Benchmarks
• Information on Math Texts and materials
• Foss Science Kits
• Procedures and Policies for High Ability and Gifted Students
• PE Handbook

In September, at Parent Curriculum Nights, classroom teachers explain a yearly curriculum overview for each grade.

Art, Music and Physical Education
Art, music and physical education are taught by specialist teachers who are happy to share additional details.

Library Media Center
The library at Coal Creek is the center of our school and the hub of the learning process. Students and teachers in all grades expect the library to be the window to the world of information. Information is accessed using books, periodicals, videos, hands-on kits, CD ROM reference sources, and the Internet. Emphasis is placed on questioning and the research process. Developing a strong sense of how to select the appropriate resources to accomplish specific tasks is a priority.

The goals of the library program are to teach students

• access information efficiently and effectively.
• evaluate information critically and competently.
• use information accurately and creatively.
• pursue information related to personal interests.
• appreciate literature and other creative expressions of information.
• strive for excellence in information seeking and knowledge generation.
• contribute positively to the learning community and to society.
• recognize the importance of information to a democratic society.
• practice ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology.
• participate effectively in groups to pursue and generate information.

Students are given frequent opportunities to develop library and information gathering skills. Students come to the library individually, in small groups and with their classes to select and check out books, to research topics of interest, and for book talks and story times.

The library collection contains 24, 337 materials:

• 21,998 books (9,670 fiction titles and 12,328 nonfiction titles),
• 1,138 periodicals
• 1,201 nonprint materials (cassette tapes, CD ROMs, software, videos, globes, etc.).

Extensive weeding to remove worn, damaged and/or outdated materials was completed during the 2002-2003 school year. 1593 books and filmstrips were removed to make room for the 1238 books and videos that were added to the collection this year.  Also 232 books were deleted because they had been missing 3 or more years. In addition 825 books were counted as lost during the inventory completed in June.

28,186 items were checked out from August 2002 through June 2003. This does not include summer library circulation. The number missing is less than half a percent of the total number of books circulated. Many of these books will find their way back to the library during the next school year.

Literacy Book Room
Classroom sets of literature books for guided reading instruction are housed in the book room which also serves as the teacher’s lounge. This collection contains approximately 1,200 titles (11,501 copies). All titles are bar coded and included in the library computer database but not counted as part of the library collection. Using classroom computers, teachers are able to search for books using title, author, guided reading level or Lexile level.

Special Education
The teachers and staff at Coal Creek Elementary are committed to educating each child. We modify instruction within the classroom and we offer small, focused, and flexible pull-out groupings.

Prior to a child being referred for special education services, parents meet with the Child Resource Team (CRT) to discuss each child and the resources available. This team includes the classroom teacher, communication specialist, school psychologist/social worker, special education teacher, parent(s) and principal. This team may refer a child for in-depth assessment. Each person on the CRT will assess the student. The results are shared at an initial staffing. At that time, the staffing team, including the student's parents, will determine:

• if a handicapping condition exists
• what that handicapping condition is
• what the student's needs are, appropriate goals, and the amount of time for special education support

If the student is staffed into special education, progress is continually monitored. Parents or teachers may call for a review at any time. Each child has an annual review to assess and revise goals and to determine the need for continued services. The team repeats the initial assessments every third year. Results are evaluated in a triennial review staffing.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
If a student does not qualify for special ed services, he/she may qualify for accommodations as specified in Section 504 of the Americans for Disabilities Act. If applicable, a student may have a 504 Accommodation Plan in order to assure that every student has equal access to educational opportunity.

Gifted/Talented (G/T)
State accreditation regulations specify guidelines for meeting the needs of exceptional children. Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) defines gifted students as those whose demonstrated potential ability is so outstanding that it becomes essential to provide them with qualitatively different educational programming which is individually prescribed. BVSD considers the needs of gifted student in four areas:

• Instructional Needs
• Curriculum Needs
• Affective Needs
• Guidance Needs

Coal Creek continually evaluates programming possibilities within the regular classroom and outside the classroom based on existing resources. Policies and Procedures for Meeting Needs of High Ability and Gifted Students are available on request.

The planning process for Gifted students is monitored by the Child Assistance Team (CATeam). The team includes the child's current, past and future teachers, the TAG Educational Advisors, the principal, and the school psychologist. Students are considered for this process due to one or more of the following: teacher observation, student products, formal or informal assessments, parent input, creative thinking, or self nomination.

Common programming options at Coal Creek include compacted curriculum, acceleration by subject/content area, enrichment opportunities, special projects, independent study, flexible grouping, leadership opportunities, mentoring (student and adult), and competitions. Our in-depth learning center allows additional possibilities for extending the content standards and exploring learning passions.

Growth is documented in a variety of ways including assessments (i.e., district reading and math assessments, informal inventories, rubrics, CSAP reading, writing and math); observations in and out of class; portfolios which are both product and process oriented including reflective journals; individual learning plans developed through the CATeam process; self evaluation; demonstrations; and additional G/T assessments (CogAT, Naglieri, Raven.).

Teaching Teams
Teachers work in teams to plan for student learning. Grade level teaching teams are formed to include a variety of teaching strengths and styles. When teachers team plan, they are able to take advantage of each others' strengths and talents. Teachers meet in:

• Grade Level and Cross-Grade Teams
• The above teams meet with the Librarian, Special Education Team, Literacy, Art, Music and Physical Education teachers depending on teaching units, projects, productions or student needs.

Some grade levels departmentalize (identified teacher responsible for specific content for grade level). Occasionally, teachers may combine classes with one or more teachers working together to give direct instruction, model thinking, demonstrate processes and offer individual assistance.

Frequently, resource teachers, gifted/talented resources, and paraeducators work in the classroom with the regular classroom teacher or one of the specialist's rooms to offer small group instruction and support.

During a grade level's literacy block time, literacy and resource teachers and instructional paraeducators join classroom teachers to lead small, guided reading groups. These groups meet four times per week for thirty minutes.

Field Trips
Field trips are integrated into grade level curriculum throughout the year. Depending on the destination, students walk, ride buses or parent volunteers drive. Permission slips usually come home a week before the trip. Parent drivers must also provide a copy of insurance coverage (including coverage amounts.) Thank you to Coal Creek PTA for subsidizing grade level field trips.

The Coal Creek Technology Plan is based on our belief that technology

• provides students with opportunities for academic success
• is a way for students and teachers to collaborate in the learning process
• is integral to the teaching and learning experience in all aspects of the curriculum
• is a tool for information gathering and communication
• is a means to attaining educational goals and standards
• increases productivity in teaching and learning
• provides opportunities for students to communicate their knowledge and demonstrate proficiencies

Coal Creek's Technology Plan systematically adds computers with Internet access to every classroom, the computer lab, special education rooms, art, music, pe and in the library. We have purchased a variety of writing and math software; have provided technology professional development for teachers; and have purchased video and multimedia production equipment.

Teachers plan for integrated use of technology with units of study and curriculum objectives at each grade level. The computer lab is used to teach skills to large groups and classes. It is scheduled month-to-month as needed. The computers in the classrooms are used to practice skills learned in the lab and to complete assignments. A web page was developed for each grade level which contains a calendar of events, monthly newsletters, and links to age appropriate web sites.

140 computers (100 in classrooms, 12 in the library and 28 in the computer lab) are connected to the building (LAN) and district (WAN) network. This connectivity allows students and staff to save their work to the building server and to access the internet and the library computer catalog from every computer in the building. Computers in classrooms are arranged to maximize their usage. Each classroom has 3 or 4 computers with CD-ROM. Most classrooms print to 4 strategically located Lexmark printers. Spectrum library automation software runs on both PC's and Mac's which allows us to have the library catalog on computers in the classroom as well as the library. Students and teachers appreciate being able to search for materials and check their availability in the classroom.

Reading Counts (5,600 book titles and quizzes), a software program used to motivate students to read independently, and Scholastic Reading Inventory, a reading comprehension assessment software program, can be accessed from any computer in the building. We now have phone, video, and an additional data drop in each classroom. These additions, funded with district technology bond money, allow every classroom to have a computer presentation station for large group instruction and provide closed-circuit television for the school.

Technology Benchmarks

Writing BENCHMARK 1
The student will select a pre written piece and use a painting program, such as Kid Pix2, to create a finished product which includes text and pictures that correspond in meaning.

Writing BENCHMARK 2
The student will use a word processing program, such as Microsoft Works, to type a pre-written piece that contains simple sentences, details and conventional use of capitals and periods. The writing and pictures correspond in meaning.

Writing BENCHMARK 3
The student will use an authoring program, such as HyperStudio, to create a 3-card stack that includes longer narrative text in paragraph form. It will be edited for content and mechanics, contain graphics, sound, photos and/or video. The stack will include information from research in books and/or electronic sources.

Math BENCHMARK
85% or more fifth grade students at Coal Creek will score 70% or higher on a final unit test of multiplication with 2-digit multipliers.

Policies and Procedures Regarding The Internet

The Internet is an electronic highway connecting thousands of computers all over the world. The world wide web (WWW), a portion of the Internet that students use, includes information that is traditionally difficult to obtain in the school environment. To access the WWW at school, students use Netscape Navigator. This browser allows students to navigate through pages of information containing text, pictures, sound and video. BVSD has installed a filter for internet protection from inappropriate material, however internet ethics remain an essential element of student education.

Netscape opens to the Coal Creek Home Page on all computers in classrooms, the library and the computer lab. Our home page limits student access by permitting students to use only search engines which are specifically designed for children: Yahooligans, KidsClick, and Ask Jeeves for Kids. They also have access to the web through Sites for Students, a list of sites compiled at Coal Creek. Whenever students use the Internet to search for information they are supervised by an adult. Although they are able to send electronic mail with teacher guidance, students do not have their own school e-mail addresses. Students are not permitted to use their personal e-mail addresses at school. For safety reasons neither a child's last name nor her/his picture will appear on the Coal Creek Home Page. Student work is added to the home page with the written permission of the student and her/his parents. The use of the Internet in any Boulder Valley School must be consistent with the educational objectives of the District and support research and communication related to educational activities.

Internet activities that are permitted and encouraged:

• investigation of topics being studied in school;
• investigation of opportunities outside school related to community service.

Internet activities that are not permitted:

• searching, viewing or retrieving materials not related to school work or community service;
• copying, saving or redistributing copyrighted material;
• subscription to any services or ordering of any goods or services;
• sharing of the student's home address, phone number or other personal information;
• playing games or visiting chat rooms;
• any activity that violates a school rule or a local, state or federal law.

Child Assistance Team (CATeam)
The Child Assistance Team is designed to provide an informal support system for students, teachers and parents. It deals with a variety of issues related to personalized academic growth. This model of early intervention strives to support the whole child in a safe, encouraging environment. The CATeam includes grade level, specialist, G/T and special education teacher representation, paraprofessionals, the school psychologist/social worker and principal. It oversees Individual Learning Plans for G/T students and Accommodation Plans for students needing adaptations under Section 504.

Child Resource Team (CRT)
The Child Resource Team is a team composed of special education and classroom teachers, an administrator, the school psychologist/social worker, the communications specialist, and the parents of the child being considered. It may also include the occupational therapist, the vision specialist, a school nurse, or specialists from other district programs as needed. The team considers specific learning or emotional needs of students. This team may, with parent permission, assess students to determine qualification for support services offered through special education.

English Language Learners (ELL)
English Language Learners are students whose first language is not English. They may be students whose proficiency in English is limited. Students qualify for support services from a teacher specialist at a satellite location (currently Fireside Elementary). Students are identified by parents on the Home Language Questionnaire available in the office.

K-Care
Kindergarten Care is designed to provide a safe and stimulating environment for kindergarten age children needing a full day of child care. It is a tuition based program offered through Community Schools available to families. Coal Creek offers both morning and afternoon Kindergarten Care programs.

Reading Partners
Reading Partners is a program that gives one-on-one reading support to students. Classroom teachers recommend students for this additional reading assistance. Trained volunteers, seniors and our Balfour Retirement Home Partners provide this service.

School Age Childcare (S.A.C.)
School Age Childcare is a self-supporting, before and after school child care program offered through Community Schools. It provides care from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on school days and during some school holidays and inservice/conference days. Students pay tuition. Information is available by calling 303-666-0793.

Student Support Groups
When students demonstrate the need, Coal Creek offers social skills groups and support groups for students who will benefit from a group setting. Loss or separation support groups follow a discussion format facilitated by a trained adult. Parent permission is required for participation. Support groups respect confidentiality in a setting where students are able to dialogue with other students facing similar situations.

Portfolios
Portfolios provide collections of student work to demonstrate effort, progress and achievement.

Types of Portfolios:

1. Take-home portfolios include student work samples. They provide the student performance data upon which grades are based.

2. Literacy portfolios systematically collect specific student performance data, i.e., reading assessments and writing samples.

Measurement tools to help visualize student progress may be requested from the teachers,  i.e., reading, writing and math rubrics and continuums.

Assessment of Student Progress
Assessment of student progress takes many forms:

• Daily performance observations
• Student writing and reading conferences
• QRI, Clay, anecdotal notes and running records (documentation of oral reading) indicate what a student can do and what he/she needs to learn next ... skills, strategies, work habits and communication skills
• Daily observations of  language mechanics usage
• Math quick assessments
• Daily papers, homework assignments, Friday folder and assignment notebook comments
• Collaborative problem solving with teacher observation for content strengths and weaknesses
• Informal content area assessments; chapter reviews and tests
• Independent projects
• Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills for grade 3 math students
• Colorado State Assessments (CSAP) are administered to 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students (include reading, writing; math - 5th grade)
• Formal assessment process through Child Resource Team

Report Card
The report card summarizes data each trimester (November, March and June), in combination with student work samples from the portfolio. Personal exchanges of information through conferences, notes and report cards specific to each grade level, give an overview of student progress. Each grade level strives to provide detailed feedback on what your child is able to do to meet  expectations for that grade level. BVSD is in the process of revising report cards to be in alignment with content standards. Kindergartners receive their report cards during conferences. Students in grades 1-5  bring their report cards home prior to conferences.  

Literacy Assessment Data
Brochures are available upon request that describe specific literacy assessments.
A district parent literacy handbook outlining district assessments is available in the Coal Creek office or through the office of Judy Skupa, Director for Reading and Literacy. (303-447-5182)