WILLOWCREEKELEMENTARY SCHOOL
“Home of the WildCats”
Students and parents/guardians or legal custodians are encouraged to review contents of this handbook. Keep in mind that it was not designed to be all inclusive, but rather to be utilized as a reference. Should concerns arise about the information you read here, please contact the office. Additional copies are available in the office for parents/guardians.
Student Conduct and Discipline
The Student Conduct and Discipline handbook is prepared as a separate booklet, produced by Cherry Creek Schools. The booklet includes all district policies related to student conduct and discipline and is distributed to all parents/guardians/legal custodians and students. The booklets are also available in each building (Elementary, Middle, and High Schools) as well as other district offices. Parent/Guardian and student signatures are required to verify receipt of the booklet and compliance with the Cherry Creek School District Networked Resources Acceptable Use Agreement.
QUICK REFERENCE INFORMATION
Websites
District:
School:
State:
Phone Numbers
Main Office: 720-554-3900
Attendance: 720-554-3995
Nurse’s Office: 720-554-3907
Before/ After School Care (WCCK): 720-554-3966
FAX: 720-554-3988
Address
WillowCreekElementary School
7855 South Willow Way
Centennial, CO80112
School Hours
Grades 1 through 5: 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Kindergarten AM: 9:00 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.
Kindergarten PM: 12:40 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
School Office: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
WCCK (before and after school care): 6:30 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. & 3:35 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Students are not permitted on school grounds before 8:45 a.m. or after 3:45 p.m. on school days unless they are supervised by an adult, participating in a school or community program on campus, or enrolled in our Before/After School Program.
The Willow Creek Advisory Accountability Committee will meet on the following dates in the school library from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Thursday, Sepember 15
• Thursday, November 17
•Thursday, February 16
•Thursday, May 24
We will hold one Flex Meeting to be determined by the Accountability Committee (if needed). This will be announced in The Peeknewsletter and on our website.
The Willow Creek Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) generally meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. Meetings are usually scheduled in the morning from9:05 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. Evening meetings will be held during some months and information will be provided in advance. The PTO Executive Board meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 9:05 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. in the office Conference Room.
The PEEK Newsletter
The PEEK is our school newsletter and is issued approximately twice per month. It can be found on our school website ( During the 2011-2012 school year,The PEEK will be posted on our website under “General Information/Newsletters” on the following dates: August 24; September 7 and 21; October 5 and 19; November 2, 16 and 30; December 14; January 4 and 18; February 1 and 15; March 7and 21; April 11 and 25; May 9 and 23; June 4. You will receive an e-mail from PTO Manager notifying you that The PEEK newsletter is posted on our website. Please pay special attention to “The Dates to Remember” for the most current information regarding school events.
SCHOOL MISSION AND CORE VALUES
WillowCreekElementary School is the sum of many factors equaling the perfect equation. The mission of the Cherry Creek Schools, and thus of Willow Creek, is, “To inspire every student to think, to learn, to achieve, and to care.” By honoring our following core values in the ways described, Willow Creek excels with an amazing pool of students, teachers, administrators, staff members, parents, and community supporters.
- Students thrive in a positive school climate that is physically and psychologically safe.
Willow Creek maintains a nurturing, supportive, and structured learning environment for students. The school and surroundingcommunity work together, with strong support from the District, toprovide students the framework of the 40 Developmental Assets, as identified by the Search Institute ().These assets are positive experiences and personal qualities that young people need, in order to grow up healthy, caring, and responsible. We alsowork toensure a positive learning environment with yearly instruction in “Bully-Proofing,” a program developed by our District.
Extending beyond the classroom, we offer child care services for children of working parents. During the school year, Willow Creek Cares for Kids (WCCK) operates weekdays before and after school. In a safe, familiar environment, children receive consistent care, healthy snacks, educational enrichment, assistance with homework,and an opportunity to play. In the summer, WCCK operates on weekdays, offering the same familiar setting, coupled with an array of field trips.
Additionally, kindergarten parents are offered an alternative to traditional half-day kindergarten. A fee-based Kindergarten Enrichment extends for the full school day, including lunch, computer class, and activities to enrich kindergarten learning.
- In order to maximize their potential, students must “push their limits” in regard to their bodies, minds, and characters.
Following is a partial listing of additional learning experiences available through extracurricular programs: Band/Orchestra, Challenge Time, Chess Club, Destination Imagination,Chinese/ Spanish, Intramural Sports, MADD (Music, Art, Drama, Dance) Hatters (a 4th and 5th Grade Musical), Math Club, Multicultural Club, Student Council, Banking Day, Kids Inc Literary Magazine, and Willow Creek’s Outreach on the World – WOW.
- Students should have a solid understanding of basic knowledge, as well as thinking processes, that allow them to effectively use this information.
Willow Creek has developed a strong reputation for academic excellence. The school has earned the highest Colorado Department of Education (CDE) School Accountability Report rating of “Excellent” (recently revised to “Accredited With Distinction”) every year since the rating system, based on student academic achievement, was established. Willow Creek received an additional commendation from CDE in September 2005 as an “AccomplishedSchool” by having at least 90% of students’ record results at the “Proficient” or “Advanced” level on state assessments in reading and mathematics in each of the last three school years. The school has received the John Irwin “School of Excellence” Award each year since its inception in 2004 and the “No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School of Excellence” award presented by the United States Department of Education in 2006.
- Parent partnerships are essential to students’ education.
Parental involvement greatly supports and expands student learning opportunities through volunteerism, activity sponsorship, and fundraising. Active support is evidenced by consistently high attendance at both Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) and Accountability Committee meetings. More than 40 “Room Parents” work with teachers to coordinate activities within classrooms. In addition to chairing clubs, activities, and special events, parents annually unite to provide the following for students and the school community: Accelerated Reader Recognitions; Annual Book Fair; Library and Main Office support; Publications: school directory, yearbook, monthly newsletter; Red Ribbon Week; representation at many district and community meetings. PTO prioritizes fundraising to annually fund the salaries of additional paraprofessional employees, who provide student supervision and instructional services. In recent years, a pledge drive has been the primary fundraising tool.
- Students excel and achieve when we uphold high expectations and standards for them.
Student success at Willow Creek is directly related to high expectations for student achievement. Differentiation of instruction to meet student need and to provide learning challenges for all students is an essential part of instruction in all subject areas. Providing challenging work and expectations for learning, supported by targeted assistance and intervention strategies, is an integral part of the instructional delivery program at Willow Creek.
- We must celebrate our successes and seek continuous improvement.
Willow Creek opened as a neighborhood school in 1977 to meet the needs of a new community. Due to neighborhood population changes, combined with desirability of the school’s learning environment, approximately 26% of students currently attending Willow Creek are non-residents of our District. An additional 10% of the current student body is comprised of “School of Choice” students, wherein Colorado state law provides options for parents to actively select school enrollment for their children within their home district. Willow Creek Elementary and its surrounding community continue to celebrate the recognition received in both 1999 and 2006 as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. As a result of the 2008-2009 bond/budget election (3A and 3B), Willow Creek underwent a major renovation. Upgrades to classrooms include: increased total square footage, new technology (document cameras, sound enhancement systems), solar tubes (natural lighting), and new casework. Willow Creek has been upgraded to a true 21st century learning environment.
- Teachers and staff are part of a professional learning community, committed to ongoing learning and development.
Willow Creek’s teachers and staff members are high achievers themselves, directly influencing and contributing to the success of our students. Also, continuity lends an air of professionalism throughout the faculty and staff. Not only does the school have relatively low turnover, but many teachers who opened Willow Creek in 1977 retired from teaching here after 25+ years.
SCHOOL HOURS
School is in session on scheduled days from 9:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. We provide for the supervision of students beginning at 8:45 a.m. each morning. Students are not to be dropped off on school grounds before 8:45 a.m.
Students who arrive to school before 8:50 a.m. must enter the building at their grade-level entrances, unless they are in the Breakfast Program or are accompanied by an adult.After the entry bell has sounded at 8:50 a.m. and students have been admitted at grade-level entrances, the only entry to the school is the main door.
Students who arrive tardy to school later than 9:00 a.m. are to report to the office to properly check in for the school day. Tardy students are to enter the building through the main front entrance because other exterior doors are locked once school is in session.
At the end of the school day students are to leave school grounds no later than 3:45 p.m., unless they are supervised by a parent, attending a school or community activity on campus, or participating in our before and after school child care program, Willow Creek Cares for Kids (WCCK).
SCHOOL CURRICULUM
The curriculum at WillowCreekElementary School emphasizes the whole child. Students are expected to show growth in their mastery of basic skills and in content associated with the Colorado State Model Content Standards. Information on these standards can be accessed on the Colorado Department of Education website: . Thinking Maps and national media and technology standards are also interwoven throughout the curriculum, in order to teach students how to access, think about, and utilize information. These content areas and skills lay a foundation for success as students progress through elementary, middle school, and beyond.
Reading- To meet or exceed Colorado Model Content Standards, our school utilizes the WilsonFundations program at the primary level to assist students in the development of a strong base of phonetic awareness. Our school implements a Guided Reading program at the primary level, and reading instruction evolves into units of novel study at the intermediate level. The novel study units include the practice of pairing students with reading experiences that correspond with their assessment and performance levels. Students are provided with the opportunity to respond to literature in both verbal and written formats, enabling students to develop the skills to construct their own meaning while reading.
Writing - To meet or exceed Colorado Model Content Standards, our school has established a belief system that students can and should write on a regular basis. We incorporate the use of many effective writing programs, including Lucy Calkins Writing and Six-Traits Writing, which involve the complete writing process. It is our belief that teachers have a responsibility to help students find real purposes to write and to assist students as they draft and revise writing pieces. We also believe that grammar and mechanics are best learned in the context of actual writing.
Mathematics - To meet or exceed Colorado Model Content Standards, our school utilizes the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project materials titled Everyday Mathematics as the primary resource in mathematics instruction. Everyday Mathematics builds on fundamental mathematical strands such as numeration and order, measures and measurement, reference frames, operations, patterns, functions, and sequences. Moreover, Everyday Mathematics uses more of the mathematical spectrum by exploring data and chance, geometry and spatial sense, algebra, and the uses of variables. Other programs used to supplement the Everyday Mathematicsprogram include Add+Vantage Math and Standout Math.
Science - To meet or exceed Colorado Model Content Standards, our school utilizes the Full Option Science System (F.O.S.S.) science materials as a primary resource in science instruction. The school beliefs formulated for science instruction provide a solid basis of study for students. The program emphasizes the scientific method and includes many opportunities for hands-on experiments.
Social Studies – To meet or exceed Colorado Model Content Standards, direct instruction is provided in history, geography, civics, and economics. We understand that several other disciplines, including anthropology, psychology, and sociology, have an important role within a comprehensive social studies program. In the intermediate grades, social studies curriculum is predominantly integrated with literacy instruction. The knowledge and skills provided through social studies is the key to preparing citizens to participate effectively in our democratic society and to understand international events that shape the future.
Art, Music, and Physical Education - To meet or exceed Colorado Model Content Standards, our school provides specialized instruction in art, music, and physical education to every student. Instruction is designed to actively engage students to develop an understanding and appreciation for each subject.
Gifted & Talented (GT) Programming: Acceleration, Enrichment, Challenge, Choice, & Extension
Willow Creek GT Programming is based on student needs. Most of our student population achieves at an elevated level and many needs are met within the regular classroom. A variety of adaptations and modifications are made by the classroom teacher: tiered assignments, differentiated expectations, challenges, compacting, acceleration, flexible grouping, independent studies and enrichment opportunities.
Responsibilities and Roles of the GT Resource Teacher are to serve as a resource for the above listed needs, providing pull-out groups when appropriate, as well as, consultation with the classroom teachers and parents. Programming is designed to be flexible in order to meet individual student abilities, needs, and interests. It is our philosophy and intent at Willow Creek each year to build a GT program that uniquely fits our students and teachers. Rather than design a static program to fit the students into, we look at each grade level’s teachers and their strengths along with students’ needs, and then develop that year’s program. This yearly modification augments our unique programming.
GRADING PROCEDURES
Our school distributes Progress Reports to parents/guardians on a trimester basis. Progress Reports provide students and parents with specific information on student attainment of proficiency on Colorado Model Content Standards. Progress on standards is reflected as “Advanced” (4), “Proficient” (3), “Partially Proficient” (2), or “Emerging” (1). Progress information is provided in reading, writing, mathematics, science, social studies, Physical Education, music, and visual art. Information is also provided in the area of Work and Social Skills.
In grades 4 and 5, summary grades are provided in reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. Summary Grades reflect the quality and quantity of work and the student’s progress toward meeting all learning goals for the term.
During the 2011-2012 school year, Progress Reports will be sent home on 11/4/11, 2/17/12, and 6/6/12. Kindergarten students will not receive Progress Reports for the first trimester.
HOMEWORK
Homework provides the opportunity for independent practice of content that students have a degree of familiarity with. Teachers must first model and teach the skill and provide the opportunity for guided practice before assigning homework as independent practice.Homework should also provide students the opportunity to elaborate and/or extend what they have already learned to transfer skills and concepts into new learning experiences.
The amount of homework assigned to students should increase as a student progresses through school, because the impact of homework on student learning increases in conjunction with student capacity. Homework should be planned in a manner to strike a balance between academics, family life, and the child’s needs.
The suggested amount of time for assigned homework is as follows:
K-1st Grade10-20 minutes
2nd-3rd Grade20-30 minutes
4th-5th Grade40-60 minutes
(Note: Time allocations may not necessarily include independent reading practice. Also, the time is based on undivided attention and average student pacing).
Parents should have minimal involvement in homework beyond supporting and facilitating the completion of homework. Remember, homework should not be the time to introduce new concepts or skills. The primary purposes of homework are independent practice and/or extension of learning.
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES
Willow Creek is committed to effective communication among students, teachers, and parents. Conferences will be held twice a year. Written progress reports will be sent home prior to the conferences. Additional conferences may be initiated, as needed, by parents or teachers throughout the year. If you think your child is having a problem or you have a concern about his or her progress, please do not wait for the regularly scheduled conferences — call your
child’s teacher as soon as possible. Teachers are typically available for telephone contactbefore and after school hours. However, if you are not able to contact the teacher, you can call during school hours and leave a detailed voice mail message on the teacher’s extension so that the teacher can be prepared to talk to you about your concerns.