Mascot: Wolverine
Colors: Red, White and Blue
Slogan: Never Give Up!
Our
Our mission is to provide excellence and fairness in education for elementary school children. Excellence in education means raising academic standards and achieving success for all students. Fairness in education means providing equal opportunity to learn for all students.
We accomplish this by teaching:
1. A common foundation of organized knowledge based on the Core Knowledge Sequence.
2. The learning skills that enable student success.
3. The values of a democratic society by integrating character education during classroom instruction.
4. Student acceptance of responsibility for one's own learning.
Our mission depends on:
1. Site-based management built on a full partnership of parents and teachers.
2. Regular assessments of individual student, class, and overall school progress.
Foundational
Pillars
The concepts being implemented at TCKS are built upon five supporting pillars built upon the foundation of school choice. These pillars are:
1) A content-rich curriculum built upon the Core Knowledge Sequence. We believe that both skills and knowledge are important, and that the best way to teach the necessary skills of reading, writing, and thinking is in the context of a rich, interesting, knowledge based curriculum. The knowledge is not an end in itself, but rather a means to the end goal of an excellent grasp of information and the ability to use that information thoughtfully.
2) Parent Partnership. At TCKS, our parents are fully involved in all aspects of the school, to the point of full partnership in the decision-making and operation of the school. We believe that every child’s first and most important teachers are his or her parents, and that our school exists to supplement and support the learning that is started in the home.
3) Character Education. We believe that learning to act in a respectful and responsible way is crucial, and we have identified twelve character traits that we incorporate into our classroom instruction. These are: Respect, Responsibility, Citizenship, Self-control, Honesty, Patience, Kindness, Humility, Integrity, Perseverance, Cooperation, and an Appreciation of Individual Strengths and Cultural backgrounds. We teach these qualities as they fit naturally in the literature of the total curriculum being studied throughout the school day.
4)
Student responsibility for learning. Our students are key partners in
our education goals, and will obtain the desired success as they recognize and
accept their responsibility for their own learning. There is a cost for our
students to attend TCKS, and that is the requirement to behave, and to work,
both in the classroom during work times as well as at home in completing their
homework assignments.
5)
Mature Literacy. Knowing that reading is the most important skill for
elementary students to learn, the development of Mature Literacy is a primary
focus at TCKS. Literacy instruction is based upon the premise that students
need a strong foundation of systematic phonics instruction along with plentiful
opportunities to read meaningful text in order to become mature, competent
readers.
Choice in Public Education Because TCKS is a school of choice in the
A Brief History of the School
In the spring of 1992, several groups of parents in
Founding documents:
School of Choice Proposal
(April 1993)
Policy decisions are made at TCKS using a Site-Based Management Council
(SBMC) consisting of a Parent Advisory Board (PAB) of seven members elected by
the school parent body, and a Teacher Advisory Board (TAB) of seven members
selected by the teaching staff. Ideas and input from the committee chairpersons
are sought by both the PAB and TAB before making decisions that affect the
school. Our joint PAB/TAB governance structure is unique in the
Parent Opportunities for Involvement
At TCKS, parental involvement is one of the most important guiding principles, and we invite each of our parent partners to select at least one area to invest time, energy, and ideas. In addition to tutoring students, grading assignments, ordering materials, supervising the lunchroom and playground, coordinating field trips, and providing general classroom help, parent partners can serve on one of our school committees: Assessment, Curriculum, Communications, Character Education, Technology, Fund Raising, Grants, VIPS, Library, Parent Education, or Hiring as well as on ad-hoc committees formed for special assignments. Our parent partners also provide enrichment through the Visiting Scientist program, Science Club, Junior Great Books, Odyssey of the Mind, Boy Scouts and through coaching soccer, basketball or volleyball teams.
How can I find out more?
Orientation sessions are held frequently during the school year and also during the summer. Please call the office at (970) 419-7500 for more information about the next session or check the on line calendar for the current school year.