(by Don Meador, Allen County Schools, July 24, 2019)
As school starts August 7, the faculty and staff at the Allen County Primary Center (ACPC) will welcome approximately 1,000 students in kindergarten through third grade. Two weeks later, approximately 115 preschool students will embark on their educational journey as preschool begins on August 21.
One of the most visible changes coming at ACPC will be the installation of a new canopy in the front of the school where parents drop off/pick-up students and a smaller canopy where buses load and unload at the side of the building.
“We are very excited about the new canopy,” explained ACPC principal Tim Wilson. “This will give our students, especially the car riders, the opportunity to come in without having to get wet on rainy mornings and help our teachers and staff stay dry. For the car riders, the canopy will extend from the where the current canopy is all the way out and cover most of the sidewalks. If students get out on the drivers’ side, they can be under the canopy immediately. There will also be a section for the buses, extending from the double doors going into the auxiliary gym to the parking lot. If we have hard rain, we could unload buses one at a time.”
A change is also coming in relation to academics. ACPC students will be introduced to a new curriculum program. Earlier this year, the school’s Site Base Decision-Making Council approved the implementation of the Sanford Harmony Social Emotional Learning Program.
“This curriculum gives us a chance to teach some of the skills we have seen that hinder academic progress, particularly in reading and math for us,” Wilson said. “Last year, we really saw the need. The curriculum is about helping students learn and improve communication, cooperation, connection, and conflict resolution skills. I want our parents, our teachers, and staff to know that this is a need we see and will help our kids to grow academically. These skills play an important role in the learning process and we want to make sure we are giving all our students the best opportunities available to be on grade level.”
Every kindergarten through third grade teacher will have access to the curriculum with lessons designed for specific grade levels. Many of the same skills will be taught in kindergarten and first with second and third graders receiving instruction on additional skills.
“It’s like learning multiplication tables, you need to be repetitive,” Wilson noted. “This will help get all students ready to go to ACIC (Allen County Intermediate Center) where they get Leader in Me.”
Overall, Wilson explains that the Primary Center will focus on helping every student reach their full potential.
“We will continue to look at making sure that we are challenging all students,” Wilson said. “For those students who do not perform at grade level, our focus is on making sure we are helping them and giving our teachers the tools needed to help all students get to grade level. We feel like we have some good things in place.”
Wilson points out that the school will be addressing how best to meet the requirements of new Kentucky Department of Education standards in reading and math.
“There are not a lot of changes at our grade level but we will spend time with the teachers and staff to really look at the new standards,” Wilson explained, “We will really look at what we can do to enhance our students’ opportunities to learn based on the standards and bring all students to grade level and beyond.”
First grade will see a minor change in that teachers are going to a self-contained classroom.
“The teachers had partner-taught, one teaching reading and one teaching math,” Wilson said. “This year they will be self-contained. This will give the opportunity to really get to know their kids and cut down on transition time.”
Wilson does remind parents that related arts (PE, music, art, science, and library) days will again be designated by color for each classroom.
“The teachers will be very clear about the color schedule,” Wilson added. “The color schedule will start on Monday, August 12.”
To clarify a question which arose over the summer regarding shoes, students are permitted to wear sandals on non-PE days. However, students need to wear gym shoes on the day when their classroom is scheduled to be in PE class.
Wilson also clarifies the procedure regarding parents/grandparents/immediate family coming to school to have lunch with their child.
“If someone comes to eat lunch with their child, they need to only eat with the child they signed in to eat with,” Wilson points out. “Since our parents and visitors eat with their child separate from the entire class, we don’t want them allowing their child to bring a friend with them.”
New faces at the Primary Center will include Shayna Cockrill and ECE teacher Sandy Williams in kindergarten. New first grade teachers are Sabrina Barr and Brian Atnip in ECE. Karen Copas will be the school’s new lead custodian with Ray Williams moving from the middle school to the Primary Center. Kim Huntsman will be the school’s new bookkeeper. Freda Rigby will switch from teaching Kindergarten to teaching science, replacing Tabitha Elmore who accepted a teaching position in Glasgow.
ACPC will also be getting a second assistnat principal. The Allen County Board of Education approved the creation of the position on July 22. Applications are being accepted with interviews expected to begin immediately. Wilson hopes to have the position filled as close to the start of school as possible.
Wilson does note that enrollment in school is ongoing. Newcomers to Allen County are urged to enroll their child at the school they will attend as soon as possible.