Beattie Elementary School, which was established and built in 1972, is in central Fort Collins, CO. It was designed to support a structure meant for an “open” classroom environment for teachers and students to step toward collaborative and relationship-based learning. Physically providing an environment that is not exclusive and isolated allows for a community to foster and grow easily. Problem solving and critical thinking are essential skills that teachers and school push for through multiple activities and atmospheres. Their culture focuses on health and wellness, so activities revolving that subject is provided throughout the year. Beattie is a PBiS (Positive Behavior and Intervention Support) school with a focus on four specific values, school wide, which is R.A.M.S. (Respect All, Act Responsibly, Motivated to Learn, and Safety). In every classroom, there are two R.A.M.S. Leaders who exemplify those values, acknowledged for good behavior and take charge of leading the class through respect and engaged learning. This is what I saw, visibly, within the art classroom. Students took this role seriously, knowing what it takes to become a leader that day, but also how to encourage others to follow the values as well. Teachers and R.A.M.S. leaders were able to hand out R.A.M.S. notes if they saw someone living out a value. Staff and teachers have emphasized the importance of the four values enough for the atmosphere to be filled with it, whether it was in the hallway or group work in classrooms.
Demographic Characteristics
All information is current as of August 2019 and was found on Schooldigger.com. Total Enrollment: 349 students Student - Teacher Ratio: 15.7 Racial Breakdown: -White: 65.6% -Hispanic: 24.1% -Two or more races: 5.4% Free and Reduced Population: 54.7% Statewide Ranking: 191/965 for Colorado elementary schools
Classroom Environment
During the times I taught at Beattie, every Friday, I taught two sections of first and second grade which were students from ages 6 to 7. There are two sections of first and second grade classes, so we teach each class on an alternating basis. The classes were 45 minutes in length and usually around 24 students total, 6 at each square table. When we taught, there was an intention of WONDER LAB, which provided a space for students to build, work together, ideate, explore and discover. How did we apply this idea into lessons for first and second graders? We used 2D and 3D materials/tools that promote imagination and exploring, like markers, crayons, sketchbooks, and clay. The combination between both helped engage more than one type of learner. Each lesson gave a time for class discussion and group learning, then either individual or group work time. We were fortunate enough to provide sketchbooks for each student and I believe that naturally motivated students to dive deeper into ideation.
Safe Schools and Students with Special Needs
I was Poudre School District sets the goal to provide all students with a safe and inclusive learning environment. Campus Security Officers are at each school in the district and a Student Resource Officer is at each middle and respective high school in the district. Student safety is an utmost priority in PSD. (All information was found on the Poudre School District website; psdschools.org) Poudre Schools follow a crisis management/communications plan that is based on the FEMA National Incident Management System. (Links to an external site.) PSD's approach to emergency response and crisis management focuses on five phases of crisis management:
1. Prevention: School prevention include visitor screening, suicide assessment and intervention, implementing prevention programs, and conducting threat assessments. 2. Protection: Some school protection programs include evacuation, sheltering for hazard, lockdown, lockout and "run-hide-fight" protocols. 3. Mitigation: Examples of mitigation include installation of backup generators for power outages; early warning systems for severe weather events, fencing hazardous areas, safe construction and defensible space for wildland fires, and the presence of School Resource Officers. Any of these measures could mitigate the impact of an event. 4. Response: Taking action to effectively contain and resolve the crisis or emergency, including all aspects associated with notifying and protecting the students, staff, public and property. 5. Recovery: Assisting students and staff in the healing process and restoring educational operations in schools. The two main priorities of this phase are the emotional recovery of the students and staff and the physical recovery of school.
Students with Special Needs: At Beattie, I was unable to work with any students who require differentiated learning, but I am aware of the plans, resources, and teams available to help students learn in the best way possible for them. Poudre School District provides all resources on their website. Click here (Links to an external site.) for a more information.