This curriculum program was adopted by the school district to provide support for safe school programs. Students at Washington are involved in the Character Counts program through classroom instruction and at weekly "Explorer" assemblies.

Hands On Art

The Hands on Art program provides our students an opportunity to experience art in an exciting and meaningful way.

The program seeks to:

Encourage creative and mental growth of children through
art experiences in a non-judgmental environment Develop visual perception and awareness in children Make community resources in the arts more available to children.

Parent volunteers (docents) are trained by local artists to teach six projects to children in each K-5 classroom, including special education classes during the school year.

Family Nights

Family Reading Nights at Washington School provide an opportunity for parents to learn effective techniques for helping their children become better readers. Teachers demonstrate reading strategies, and then parents are able to try out these strategies with their children during the program. Parents are provided with resource materials to help them work with their children at home. Children and parents may also borrow books from the Family Reading Library.

Family Math Night: Family Math Night is designed to get families involved in math games that reinforce basic math skills. Family Math Nights are designed to teach students that learning math skills can be fun, and even more so when the whole family gets together. Parents are provided with solutions to work with their children at home and increase their children's math skills. Children of all ages and mathematical levels are welcome, along with siblings, parents, grandparents, and friends.   Family Science Night: Family Science Nights at Washington School are hands-on science learning nights. Parents take part in their students' learning experiences along with other students, teachers and administrators. This program introduces participants to chemical reactions, colloids, and polymers. Many a hand has gotten messy while making things like Frog Phlegm, Monster Snot and Instant Intestines. And if messy hands are not for some students, they can tickle their brains by coagulating coffee cups, rescuing ice cubes or having a foam festival.    # Reflections Program 2007 - 2008 Theme "I can make a difference by ..." The National PTA Reflections Program is an arts recognition and achievement program for students. The Reflections Program provides opportunities for students to express themselves creatively and to receive positive recognition for original works of art inspired by pre-selected theme, while increasing community awareness on the importance of the arts in education. Students may submit an entry in any of the four arts areas listed below. Only original works of art are accepted. Depending on state and local PTA guidelines, students may enter more than one work of art. The six arts areas are as follows: * Literature * Musical composition * Photography * Visual art *Dance *Film/Video The Accelerated Reader (AR) Program provides teachers and children a fun and exciting way to promote reading at home and in the classroom. The Accelerated Reader program is a computerized program that tests reading comprehension. Each book is worth a certain number of points based on its length and reading level. Students get a percentage of these points based on how many of the test questions they get right. The program tracks their progress over the course of the school year. Accelerated Reader has "helped" teachers motivate students to dramatically increase literature-based reading practice. What's more, the software provides teachers with detailed and objective instructional data to take the guesswork and paperwork out of assuring success for every student." We have over 2,100 tests at Washington School. Prizes are given out twice a year based on how many points the student has earned. You can see all the AR tests here AR Quizzes.pdf Riverdeep software gives educators the tools and training they need to provide effective, individualized, standards-based reading and math instruction and assessment. By closely linking instruction with ongoing assessment, Riverdeep enables teachers to guide students toward peak performance in the classroom. Washington has both Destination Math and Destination Reading in every classroom, the computer lab, and the library. Students can also access it from home with a internet connection. Encourage every student's unique math talent with Destination Math, the proven effective educational series for grades K through 12. The program begins with assessments based on state standards, then delivers sequenced, prescriptive instruction targeting each student's individual needs. Through seven progressive courses, students work with a balance of abstract and applied math principles, receiving the customized instruction they need to master the math curriculum.   Inspire a lifetime of reading success! Destination Reading is a research-based program that balances phonics instruction with reading-for-meaning exercises, offering students a perfect blend of direct skills training and authentic reading experience. All of the lessons and creative activities are student-adaptive, making it easy for teachers to respond to the individual needs of every child within a diverse classroom. washington@rbusd.org We Support Our Troops