Skip To Main Content

Policies and Procedures

Mission and Vision

At Palmetto Elementary, our mission is to provide positive, robust learning experiences to our diverse community in order to foster well-rounded scholars who contribute to their community.

Our vision is to strive to provide inspiration and innovation for every student by providing inclusive, high quality learning environments every day.

 

Students’ Commitment to their Campus

Persevere

  • Keep trying even when it’s hard.
  • Make a plan and execute it.
  • Use resources from around the classroom and campus.
  • Learn from mistakes.

Adapt

  •  Accept a learning challenge.
  • Explore new ideas.
  • Try a new or different strategy to reach a goal.
  • Stay flexible even when things change.

Wonder

  • Take time to think about what we are doing.
  • Ask questions and search to know more.
  • Make connections to things we already know.
  • Picture what or where we want to be.

Serve

  • Help keep our classrooms and campus clean.
  • Respect property, people, and production.
  • Do something kind for someone else.
  • Help someone who is struggling.

 

Instructional Focus

We will provide high-quality Tier 1 instruction so that all students can access the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and board-adopted curriculum. Tier 1 instruction serves as the foundation for student learning and is designed to meet the diverse needs of learners in the classroom. Below is more information on each of Palmetto’s focus areas for the school year:

  •  Active Cognitive Engagement: Students learn best when they are actively thinking and making connections. Students are engaged in their learning through the following:

o Meaningful & Relevant Tasks: Lessons foster curiosity through inquiry, problem-solving, and real-world applications.

o Reflection Opportunities: Time for journaling, discussion, and self-assessment deepens understanding.

o Interactive Learning: Collaboration strategies like turn-and-talk and Kagan structures enhance critical thinking.

  • Literacy (writing): Writing is a powerful tool for thinking, learning, and expression. Our focus is on helping students develop clear, organized, and thoughtful writing across all subjects. By emphasizing strong writing skills, we empower students to communicate effectively, think critically, and deepen their understanding of content. Students are encouraged to utilize rubrics, write daily, write in all content areas, and keep a writing portfolio.
  • Belonging: A strong sense of belonging fuels confidence, motivation, and success. A sense of belonging at school is often correlated with better attendance and behavior. We strive to create a school culture that is inclusive of all students and where every student feels heard, seen, and valued.

By implementing quality Tier 1 instruction, we will provide all students with a strong foundation for learning, ensuring that they have access to quality rigorous instruction and opportunities for future success and offerings.

 

Tiger Time

Tiger Time is a dedicated 40-minute instructional block on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays during the school day where students receive additional support or enrichment based on their individual needs.

Tiger Time is designed to provide targeted intervention or extension activities to students to address specific academic needs. During this designated time, students may engage in a variety of activities including:

  • Intervention Support: Students who are struggling academically may receive additional instruction or support to help them catch up to grade-level expectations. This could involve working in small groups or in a pull-out service or program model (e.g., RSP, reading intervention, and language support).
  • Enrichment Opportunities: Students who are meeting or exceeding grade-level expectations may be exposed to enrichment activities. These activities can include advanced classwork, independent projects, research, creative learning opportunities, or collaborative learning experiences.
  • Individualized Learning: Tiger Time may also be used for personalized learning experiences tailored to each student's specific needs. This can involve goal setting and the development of personalized learning plans, individualized instruction, or targeted skill development to support academic growth.
  • Academic Skill Development: During Tiger Time, students may engage in activities that enhance specific academic skills, such as reading fluency, math problem-solving, writing proficiency, or critical thinking.

Tiger Time allows teachers to differentiate instruction and address the diverse needs of students more effectively. By providing dedicated time for individualized support or enrichment, Tiger Time supports the goal that every student receives the necessary resources and attention to thrive academically. It helps create a more data-driven and responsive learning environment.

Exploratory Time

Exploratory time is a designated 50-minute instructional block on Wednesdays during the school day. Exploratory time provides students with the chance to explore various subjects and disciplines. These learning subjects are designed to encourage students' curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary learning.

The purpose of exploratory classes is to broaden students' knowledge and understanding beyond their core subjects. This is time given to foster a well-rounded education by exposing students to a range of disciplines, including arts, sciences, humanities, languages, technology, and physical education.

Exploratory time allows students to sample different subjects or areas of study. They may include topics such as visual arts, music, drama, film production, physical education, computer science, design and technology, foreign languages, or additional sciences. This time will provide students with an opportunity to develop new skills, explore their interests, and discover their passions.

By offering exploratory time, we are promoting holistic development and encouraging students to become lifelong learners. This time should connect to and complement the rigorous academic curriculum.

Regardless of future school, we want to build foundational skills and foster a love of learning and introduce elements of college and career readiness to set the stage for future success. By nurturing academic, social, and emotional development, providing exploration opportunities, and promoting positive character traits, we will help students develop the skills and mindset necessary for their future educational and professional pursuits.

 

Climate and Culture Focus

Palmetto will aim to build a climate and culture where staff love their job and students thrive in school by focusing on educator morale, academic achievement, and character development. We will utilize the Jostens Renaissance formula to build climate and culture. This is less of a program and more of a collective mindset. Together, we will work to identify the values we RESPECT, RECOGNIZE and REWARD actions we want to see, REINFORCE our values through traditions and words, and look for ways to create strong RELATIONSHIPS. All this drives our RESULTS. We will focus on the process to achieve our desired results.

RESPECT- Palmetto will show respect to what we regard as important—academic performance, character development, and recognition and appreciation to the staff and faculty (Staffulty) dedicated to helping our students succeed.

RECOGNIZE- At Palmetto, we will create an energized culture of recognition that runs broad and deep. It’s a culture that is purposeful in identifying achievements of all stakeholders and thoughtful in recognizing them. Our school culture is focused on catching students (and educators) doing something awesome and recognizing them for it.

REWARD- We will reward students for actions and achievements that align with what our school respects. We will show appreciation to the efforts of students and staff, to reinforce the behaviors that are valued and respected at Palmetto, and to provide motivation for more achievements. By implementing a system of rewards, we will illustrate the benefits of hard work.

REINFORCE- The message of academic performance, character development, and staffulty being most important will be recognized with all stakeholders all year long. We will consistently work towards a physical appearance of our school that promotes visual reminders of students’ goals and an everyday culture of respect and recognition to reinforce our values.

RELATIONSHIPS- Relationships are the foundation for all the work that takes place at Palmetto, especially culture work. Relationships can be started and strengthened in small ways, with intentional

conversations and easy meet-and-greet activities, or in big ways, like recognition rallies, events, and teacher/staffulty appreciation traditions.

RESULTS- When students and educators build relationships by working together to respect student character, academic excellence and staffulty, and when we recognize, reward and reinforce achievements in these areas in fun and meaningful ways, that leads to results. Grades go up. Tardiness goes down. Relationships are built and morale is heightened, creating a climate and culture where everyone feels and knows that they matter.

At Palmetto, we will create an environment that promotes inclusivity, respect, and a sense of belonging for all students. Below are some, but not limited to, some key areas of emphasis:

  • Community Building: Prioritizing community building activities helps establish positive relationships and connections among students, staff, and families. This can include events, celebrations, team-building exercises, mentorships, and collaborative projects that encourage a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
  • Communication and Collaboration: Open and effective communication channels between all members of the school community are essential. Encouraging regular and transparent communication fosters trust, encourages collaboration, and ensures that everyone feels valued and heard. This can involve regular updates, parent-teacher conferences, staff meetings, and opportunities for feedback and input.
  • Positive Behavior Support: Focusing on teaching appropriate behavior rather than enforcing consequences is essential. By promoting positive behavior expectations, recognizing and reinforcing the behaviors, students learn self-regulation and responsible decision-making in a supportive and nurturing environment.
  • Cultural Responsiveness: Recognizing and respecting the diversity of our school community is crucial. A focus on cultural responsiveness ensures that the curriculum, teaching practices, and school policies reflect and honor the backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives of all students. This includes celebrating various cultures, incorporating diverse literature and resources, being aware of holidays that are or are not celebrated, and providing support for English language learners.
  • Student Voice and Leadership: Empowering students to have a voice in decision-making processes and offering leadership opportunities promotes a sense of ownership and investment in the school community. Student-led initiatives, student councils, and opportunities for student input in school policies and activities will help create a positive climate and culture.

By placing an emphasis on these areas, Palmetto will cultivate a climate and culture that supports the well-being, engagement, and academic success of all students, while also fostering a positive and collaborative work environment for staff.