Hooper Avenue Elementary School

After attending the Leadership Conference in July, the principal purchased materials (wood and packing tape) to build drums like the ones that musician, Michael Fitzsimmons shared at the event.

In August 2014, all teachers attended a Messing About in Nature Workshop facilitated by the principal. Teachers reviewed the Four Big Ideas from the Philosophy of Frances and David Hawkins, then had free exploration time in the classroom. They then broke into groups and worked on three activities: Language and Literacy, Composition and Science and Mathematics. After they completed the activity, they discussed connections between the tasks they had engaged in and the Common Core State Standards in Math and English Language Arts and the Next Generation Science Standards for Engineering.

Throughout the course of the school year, rhythm sticks and the new drums were used regularly by all teachers who visited the classroom. Additionally, in August, the Nature Explore Committee reconvened and a dedicated group of teachers met once or twice per month to work on the classroom. They purchased new locks for the storage containers, added to the list of supplies that are posted on our website, compiled sample lessons for use in the classroom, and used our prepaid certificate to purchase additional materials. The students in our after school program, LA’s Best, are in charge of all of the watering for the raised beds in the classroom. We have a dedicated bulletin board in the primary and upper grade buildings where teachers post student work from the classroom.

A dedicated group of parents, under the direction of our Community Representative, continues weekly maintenance in our Nature Explore Classroom.

Robin Polito-Shuffer, Principal