Responsive Classroom - The Heart of Student Success
It is 8:10, the bell rings, and 315 K-3 students sit together on the gym floor, surrounded by staff members that include teachers, support staff – even the custodian. Many parents can be seen in the audience. The principal welcomes everyone to “Another great day of learning at Columbus Elementary School.” She then takes a few minutes to highlight an aspect of the social curriculum, everyone joins in a song, a student gives the daily weather report, and another student leads the Pledge and the Hands Pledge, (“I will not use my hands or my words for hurting myself or others.”) The meeting ends with the message, “Be Nice and Learn a lot today!” Everyone is then ready to head to the classrooms. This is how each day begins at Columbus Elementary. This start to the school day is a visible symbol of the importance placed on community, and on the core values that have come to epitomize Columbus Elementary School.