• Each grade level will have its own sequence of specials.  5th grade will have Library/Spanish, Science/Computers, Art, Music, and Gym.  These will meet once a week for the entire year.  The Library/Spanish combo is unique in that students will have library for part of the year so students can learn specific research skills and some of the new financial literacy requirements mandated by the State and then switch over to Spanish for the remainder of the year.   For the Science/Computers. we wanted to have a class where students could have their work in science computer based, but also rooted in the new science standards.  So in this class, students have the ability to have science and computer lessons.  This also provides the opportunity to have computer coding continue in this class toward the end of the year for all students in 5th grade. 

    For 6th grade specials, students will have Spanish, Gym, Stem, Music, and Art.  Gym will be provided 2x a week for the entire year.   Students will switch each quarter to have  Gym, Stem, Music, and Art.   6th grade students will have health during the winter months to fulfill their health requirements.   The exciting thing is that 6th grades students will have a difference special schedule much like their 7-8 peers each quarter.    They will receive that schedule in their homeroom the day before the start of the new quarter.

    We will start off using homeroom to share skills related to social emotional learning.   In short, social emotional learning has to do with learning how to manage yourself, the situations encountered, and getting along with others.  Please know that emotional intelligence is not better than academic intelligence but it is an important complement for students to successfully attempt all kinds of learning and other endeavors in life. 

    Finally, 5th grade student in band will have the opportunity to be pulled during their OSS period once a week for lessons.  After gaining proficiency, they will have the opportunity to meet regularly during the day for the whole band during lunch.   Grade 6 will follow the same concept but have more opportunities to meet during the day as their skill level will be more advanced simply because of the aggregate time they have spent playing.  We plan to try the same concept with chorus once we get started with our music programs.