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PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINKS TO FOR SPECIAL PROGRAMS
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The combination of these four elements allow the students to create,
analyze and improve their own art and
appreciate the functional and non-functional art in their environment.
The students also learn to appreciate the
connections between art and other curriculum area---math, science,
social studies, the performing arts, and
language arts.
PE’s focus is to learn and improve motor skills and fitness levels.
The PE program is dedicated to the
development of movement, fitness and fun for every student.
Each year level follows a sequential progression
of rhythmic, fundamental and specialized movement skills.
Health related physical fitness activities give each
child the opportunity to develop and maintain a fitness level and
the knowledge to continue it throughout a
lifetime. In PE this year, students will maximize fitness
while having fun with the help of some new equipment
and activities.
To get the most out of PE classes, it is important that your child
is dressed properly. To protect and keep our
gym floors clean, it is important that every student has a designated
pair of clean non-marking gym shoes which
will be carried to PE and put on in the dressing room. IY5, IY6, M2
and M2 children will also be required to
change into shorts and a t-shirt for PE classes. After PE,
students will change back to their school clothes
before returning to class. IY3 and IY4 will not be changing
clothes for PE during the year, but should wear
comfortable, loose fitting pants or sweatpants and a t-shirt on
days which PE is scheduled. These students must
also carry their PE shoes to the gym before and after PE class.
(Please note that it is helpful if all PE clothes
are labeled with the student’s name.)
In addition to stressing the importance of good physical fitness,
our students are encouraged to acquire desirable
social and ethical standards and to always display good sportsmanship.
Playing safely, learning new skills and
cooperating with others allows everyone to participate in a wide
variety of wholesome recreational activities
while having plenty of FUN!
AFNORTH Elementary School offers lessons in French as a second language
primarily to Canadian students, but
some classes also have American and British pupils. Following Canadian
curriculum guidelines, the school
offers varied lesson times for each level: IY1 and IY2, 20 minutes,
four times per week; IY3 to IY6, 30 minutes
per day; and M1 and M2, 35 minutes per day.
The primary aim of ESL—Core program is to expose students to the
French language and its basic structures, as
well as to some aspects of the French culture.
AFNORTH Elementary School offers lessons in French as a first language to
Canadian students. Following
Quebec curriculum guidelines, the school offers these lessons to students
from IY3 to M2 for a period of 75
minutes per day. The program includes exercises and activities in order
to help the students improve their
French skills (listening, oral, reading and writing).
The guidance/counseling program promotes a philosophy that
encourages students to be responsible for the own
actions, decisions and resolutions of problems. The counselor’s
role is to assist staff and parents in building
competencies in students and to model skills and teach them to the
students. Through classroom presentations,
small group guidance sessions, one to one counseling sessions, and
consultation with parents and staff members
as appropriate, the guidance counselor helps students and adults
acquire the knowledge and skills to become
competent or to increase competence. The guidance counselor
meets regularly with the Behavior Specialist and
the School Psychologist as a SIT Committee (Student Intervention
Team) to monitor and review student
behavior and ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) concerns.
The guidance counselor serves the elementary students with a wide
variety of comprehensive services including:
· Drug Free Education
· Character Building
Activities
· Study Skills
· Social Skills
Enhancement
· Conflict Resolution
Training
· Leadership/Self-Esteem
Building
· “On the Move”
Relocation Assistance Program
· Crisis Intervention
Counseling
· Peer Monitoring/Mediators
Training
· Smile Makers
Club---A program which recognizes the accomplishments of students who possess
particularly meritorious behavior. Students selected
for membership are positive role models for fellow
classmates, display good citizenship qualities and
community pride. Nominations may be made by AFNORTH
Elementary employees and community members.
The guidance program at AFNORTH Elementary continuously strives to
provide a high level of service to our
international student population. The elementary guidance
counselor networks as a liaison for parents and
families in need of additional or more comprehensive counseling,
parenting, or community services.
Speech Therapist at AFNORTH Elementary School serve children
age 3 years through 12th grade who have been
identified with difficulties or developmental delays in the following
areas:
·
Articulation---disorders of speech characterized by difficulty in producing
speech sounds correctly;
sounds may be omitted,
distorted or substituted.
·
Language---difficulty in learning to comprehend and/or produce language.
·
Stuttering---involuntary loss of speech motor control, part-word repetitions
and sound prolongation.
·
Voice---faulty or abnormal phonation, loudness, pitch and resonance.
·
Hearing impairment---reduced hearing acuity; a hearing level that is greater
than 25 dB hearing loss
in the case of
adults and 15 dB hearing loss in young children in the process of language
acquisition.
Second graders are working with a program called “Communication Lab”.
In this class, students are learning
about communication skills and how important it is to use good communication
skills at home and at school.
Please feel free to contact the speech therapists if you have any
questions or concerns about your child in any of
the areas mentioned.
The BMC’s primary responsibility is to provide service to special
education students with behavioral concerns
on their Individual Education Plans (IEP).
Service is provided in the following ways depending on the needs
of the student.
· Pull-out
· Co-teaching
· Monitoring
· Consultation
Functional Behavioral Analyses are completed to assist in determining
why targeted behaviors are occurring.
This data also helps the BMC suggest strategies to teachers and
parents while making behavior plans to increase
the desired behaviors.
Additionally, the BMC works closely with the school guidance counselor
to identify students in need of
behavioral and/or emotional support and strategies for success.
Currently, the AFNORTH BMC is assigned to 4 elementary schools and
1 high school throughout the
Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.
The LI program is designated primarily to meet the educational
needs of mild/moderate special needs children
in grades IY3—M2, who have mild/moderate handicapping conditions. Students
exhibiting learning problems
may be referred by any source. Following the referral, assessments,
and DoDDS eligibility guidelines, the Child
Study Committee (CSC) determines if the student qualifies under
DoDDS criteria for special needs services.
The CSC then determines the amount and extent of services required
by each child and develops an appropriate
Individual Educational Program (IEP) with goals and objectives.
Parents and classroom teachers are important
members of the CSC process.
The LI teacher consults/collaborates with classroom teachers to monitor
and make provisions in managing
students’ learning problems in the regular classroom setting.
An educational aide(s) working under a special
educator’s supervision, performs clerical duties and augments instructional
services. The special education
teacher plans and prepares class work that ensures that each special
needs student meets his/her highest learning
potentials. The Learning Impaired program has two service models.
· Inclusion services
are provided to the student within the classroom setting, although curriculum
and
materials may be modified from those of their peers.
· Students are
“pulled out” of their regular classroom to receive services in the resource
room.
The best way for serving each child is determined by the CSC.
The LI program is carefully regulated by Federal
law.
All children in AFNORTH Elementary School attend the Host Nation
Program for approximately 12 weeks of the
school year. During that time, the children visit the Host
Nation room where they are surrounded by typical
Dutch items used to create a comfortable atmosphere.
For the children in each grade level, there is a different topic
of discussion to make for a variety of experiences
during their time at AFNORTH Elementary School. Subjects vary
from the stereotypes of clogs, costumes,
cheese, and milk to traditional celebrations. In addition
to these studies, the older children explore themes such
as traffic regulations and the early middle ages in this region.
Furthermore, the children in every year level are
given an opportunity to visit an interesting site or attend an activity.
Connections built up over the last 13 years
give the children of AFNORTH Elementary School easy access to numerous
places. Here, too, the Host Nation
Teacher tries to ensure that the children do not always visit the
same places. All trips are related to the themes
in their classrooms, which makes children more aware of what they’re
visiting.
As you have already read, part of the Host Nation Program takes place
outside the school building. Many of
these include family participation. An itinerary of local
activities offered are mentioned in the AFNORTH Mirror
and the Schinnen post newspaper, The Heraut. These present
great opportunities for you to experience your host
nation and expose your child to different and new things.
By opening up new situations to your child, he/she will
learn to accept and/or deal with different ideas and attitudes which
he/she needs to become modern world
citizens.
In addition to discussions and visits, once a year, “Dutch Week”
is organized by Mr. Bindels. During this week,
the main corridor on the ground floor is decorated with Dutch items,
and you can visit this exhibition filled with
activities, tips, and information folders to take home. For
several years, the old traditional Dutch games have
been a big hit. This year, “Dutch Week” will take place from
10 April to 14 April. Feel free to come have a
look.
Above are mentioned just some of the functions of the Host Nation
Program Coordinator, which together with
parental involvement, can give your child an exciting, educational,
and happy experience in the Netherlands.
Students take part in a variety of activities designed to help
them develop musical skills and to recognize and
appreciate many different styles of music. There are several
music goals for all students. These are to
participate in various forms of musical expression through singing
and playing instruments; to demonstrate an
understanding of musical concepts, such as music theory, sight singing,
composition, and the science of sound;
to display an awareness of the interrelationship between music and
society by studying ethnic music and music
from around the world; and finally, to display an understanding
and appreciation of music as an art form by
learning about classical composers and their works to include opera,
musicals and ballet.
Additionally, IY5 through M2 students have the opportunity to have extra
musical instruction on recorders
during one of their lunch recesses. M1 and M2 students have the chance
to take chorus, beginning clarinet,
flute, or trumpet classes bi-weekly during one of their lunch recesses.
Parents can reinforce what students learn in music class by attending
community concerts; encouraging children
to take part in school performing groups; checking out musical recordings
from the library; listening to different
types of music together; and asking children to talk about music
class activities. In these ways, parents actively
support the student’s music educaon and the school music program.
Our Case Study Coordinator is the individual who consults with
parents and teachers when a child is exhibiting
learning and/or behavioral problems in the classroom. Consultation
may lead to a referral for more assessment
in order to assist the classroom teacher in determining the individual
needs of the student and to determine if the
child has “special needs” which would qualify him/her for special
education services. In addition to
administering individual assessments/test, the CSC-C interprets
the results, completes a report, and explains the
test results to both parents and teachers in a formal eligibility
meeting.
The CSC-C is the school contact or referral contact for all referrals
for IY1 through 12th grade. Referrals may
be made by parents or community agencies for non-school age children
(28-48 months) who appear to be “at
risk” for developmental delays in speech and/or motor skills.
This program is a federally mandated program serving 3-6 year
old children with identified special needs in one
or more of the following areas:
· Speech and Language
· Motor
· Behavior/Social
· Cognitive (Thinking)
· Self-help
Our school program serves the Geilenkirchen and AFNORTH communities.
Services provided include:
· Developmental screenings
· Developmental information
and resource materials for parents
· Full evaluation if appropriate
(Parent permission required)
· Placement in program
if child qualifies (based on specific eligibility requirements)
· Speech and language
and/or occupational therapy provided by trained therapists when
appropriate
The PSCD classroom maintains a schedule similar to an IY1 classroom;
however, emphasis is placed on
developing specific language, cognitive, and social skills appropriate
to the individual child’s needs. IY2
children are served in the regular classroom and on a pull-out basis
to strengthen specific skills. Research has
shown that early intervention and placement into a program designed
to meet these individual needs can help
children avoid serious learning problems when they reach school
age.
The English as a Second Language (ESL) program is provided for
student whose first language is other than
English and who have demonstrated limited English proficiency.
Students are referred to the program based on
the Home Language Survey completed at registration. Each student
is evaluated and admitted to the program by
an ESL specialist according to DoDEA guidelines. Those students
identified as eligible for the program are
scheduled into an ESL class at partner language time. All
US students are served and students of the other
national sections are admitted on a space-available basis.
The amount of time spent in the program varies with
each student's needs. A student may exit at any time he/she
shows proficiency in English as determined by
formal assessment.
The purpose of the ESL program is to prepare students as quickly
as possible to participate fully in the regular
classroom. To meet this goal, instruction is provided in all
areas of communication skills, i.e. speaking,
listening, reading and writing. Language experiences are provided
which take into account the students’ cultural
backgrounds and the settings in which they find themselves, both
in the school and in the community. ESL
techniques are applied to content areas taught through the second
language. Students are viewed as active
participants in the learning process, and instruction fosters self-esteem
and a positive self-image in the students.
At present there are 50 students in the ESL program representing
fourteen languages. These languages are
Dutch, Danish, French, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Japanese,
Norwegian, Spanish, Italian, Swedish,
German, and Turkish. English is the language of instruction.
A student’s English language proficiency is rated
as level one to fully English proficient (FEP). Level one
is a non-English speaker; FEP is a fluent English
speaker.
The school psychologist works with administrators, faculty, parents
and teachers in order to resolve
psychological problems of students IY1 through 12th grade.
Specific functional areas of the school psychologist are:
· Diagnostic Services…administer
and interpret individual assessments
· Case Study Committee
Team Member---work with the team to develop pre-referral strategies and
referral
plans
· Counseling Services---provide
short term counseling to individual and/or groups of students to assist
in
emotional growth. Assist parents in understanding
child development and systematic parenting and
behavioral management skills.
· Consultation---work
with school staff regarding behavioral concerns
· Crisis Management
Team---assist in developing and implementing a crisis management plan in
the event it is
needed.
· Student Intervention
Team---work with the team to assist teachers in providing information for
identification
and interventions for children who may have attention
concerns. Provide information to parents on these
concerns.
At AFNORTH we are working in a multicultural and a multilingual
environment and the International Language
Program reflects this aspect of our school. Our main aims
and objectives are:
1. To promote confidence in using the language
2. To use the language as a tool for communication
and learning
3. To broaden the child’s experience by
introducing aspects of culture and the customs from other nations
4. To help the child acquire a level of
oral communication that will enable them to communicate at some level
outside the school meeting.
Confidence in speaking a language is extremely important and is something
that can take time to acquire. In
addition, learning a foreign language takes motivation and practice.
We are dedicated to providing the best
environment for language acquisition in the areas of speaking, listening,
reading and writing, with the emphasis
on oral communication.
The teaching includes the use of a variety of approaches, presenting
the children with different ways of being
introduced to the language; these include the use of audio cassettes,
flash cards, films, books, computer
programs, written text, songs, games and others. We also encourage
any opportunities we have of organizing
exchanges of classes where the English speakers can mix with the
German students in our school.
Music is a language and one with which children are familiar
with long before they come to school. When
children start school, they normally have a considerable variety
of musical experience. Much of this will have
come from the home and/or nursery school.
All children should enjoy the experience of making music. Music
means much more than singing, therefore the
IY1/IY2 music program provides the children with a variety of musical
activities. The activities are designed to
help the children develop musical skills and to appreciate many
different styles of music. The music is linked as
much as possible to class themes/projects.
The children listen to and explore the mood of the music through
singing and movement. Percussion
instruments are also used to help develop a sense of rhythm.
Singing activities include songs from many
different parts of the world (traditional, nursery rhymes, folk
songs, many ring-game songs and holiday songs).
The school library is a very exciting place. The classroom
teachers and the library staff work together on the
integration of the curriculum for your child. The weekly timetable
in the media center shows when classes are
using the media center for the topics being studied any given week.
Additional time for independent library use
allows maximum access.
Our media program aims to integrate the activities of the classroom
and the media center, provide a selection of
suitable materials, print, non-print, as well as the use of computer
technology to meet the needs of our students,
thus promoting independent reading and learning.
We provide opportunities for use of the media center for research
and to develop information gathering skills
and encourage its use of the media center for recreational reading.
Instructional materials are available to help the teacher support
classroom curriculum. Through collaborative
strategies, the media center is able to help students and teachers
find, analyze, and use information effectively.
The Talent Pool segment of the program includes approximately 10
to 15 percent of students in IY6 through
M3. Identification criteria for the Talent Pool are consistent
with the Renzulli Enrichment Triad Model---above
average achievement (standardized test scores), high creativity
and task commitment. Reviewing of records and
eligibility determination is the task of the Schoolwide Enrichment
team. The team meets when necessary to
make placement decisions (space permitting). The Schoolwide
Enrichment team reviews eligibility annually and
makes recommendations for appropriate placement.
Primary SWEP objectives are:
· To provide cognitive
and affective training in creativity, creative problem solving and decision
making,
critical and logical thinking, and affective thinking
· To develop and
practice learning how to learn skills such as note taking, outlining, listening,
observing and
perceiving, interviewing and surveying, and analyzing
and organizing data
· To prepare students
for project-based investigations by having them use research skills, reference
materials
and community services
· To develop written,
oral and visual communication skills
Parents, teachers and community members are encouraged to nurture
and contribute their talents and resources
to the program.
During the first half of the school year, skill-building is stressed
in each 40-45 minute weekly session. During
the second half of the year, students attend the lab for project-based
sessions, which last as long as the project
takes. Classroom teacher and IT teacher collaborate in planning
lessons which parallel what is studied in the
classroom. Skills learned in the computer lab are expected
to transfer to effective use of the computer in the
classroom and at home.
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