With an emphasis on literacy, math, and real-world science, Jackson students build a strong foundation in the core curriculum. To enhance student learning, specialists in music, art, and physical education work with students on a weekly basis. Jackson School strives to provide all students with a variety of learning opportunities. We have adopted the Workshop Model and infused it throughout our teaching practices. We provide enrichment opportunities outside the school day as well as additional academic support through "What I Need" time, tutoring programs, ML, and Special Education services.
The Literacy Intervention program is an intense reading support group for students. Students with multiple reading concerns are typically candidates for literacy intervention. In addition to classroom reading instruction, students who qualify for intervention will receive 30-40 minutes of small-group reading instruction, four to five days a week, with a reading teacher or specialist. Intervention Literacy has a balanced literacy approach focusing on accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. The components of a literacy lesson include rereading a familiar book, word work, writing, and introducing or reading a new book. Close collaboration among the intervention teacher, classroom teacher, and student families is aimed at promoting accelerated learning to meet proficient reading goals.
What is PBIS?
PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports. PBIS is about teaching and promoting safe, respectful, and responsible behaviors. Students are recognized for making positive choices that follow our school expectations. When students do not follow expectations, they are re-taught the appropriate behavior and, when necessary, are given an Office Discipline Referral (ODR).
Youth-Tutoring-Youth is a program that provides high school students with an opportunity to give direct tutoring assistance to elementary classrooms under the guidance of a supervising and coordinating teacher. Tutoring occurs in one-on-one, small-group, or whole-group settings. High School students typically work with students for one semester.
Through the Junior Achievement program, our students receive knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and business from volunteers in the local business community.
Data-Driven Instruction (DDI) is a comprehensive look at student assessment data. With the support of school leaders, teachers analyze student assessment data, including daily common assessments, interim assessments, and end-of-year assessments, to inform their planning for future instruction. The goal of DDI is to collaboratively analyze the effectiveness of instruction on student performance to improve student achievement. The emphasis of analyzing student assessment data is to help improve instructional practices, leading students to achieve higher gains.
As a part of our DDI process, staff take 'data walks' which involve sharing their interactive student data walls in their classroom communities.
Staff meet in our team room on a weekly basis for grade-level common planning meetings. Students are given universal screeners four times a year to monitor progress. Teams use this data to guide a data analysis cycle, resulting in actionable steps. This has led to dramatic improvement in student achievement growth in reading and math.
At Jackson Elementary, we believe that the child must be the center of all learning.