PURPOSE

The intent of this Course Description Guide is to provide students and parents with an overview of the core components and grade level content of the elementary educational program in Upper Perkiomen School District.

OUR FOCUS

The elementary curriculum focuses on developing the literacy skills and strategies that students need to be successful during the course of their academic career and beyond. To be proficient in literacy means not only to have the ability to read, write, speak, and listen, but to also have the capacity to apply these skills effectively to communicate, problem-solve, analyze, and think critically about the world in which we live.

Children develop literacy skills long before their first day of Kindergarten. Our customized literacy program is designed to meet students where they are and identify their individual needs, with a focus on developing sound foundational skills. Children start elementary school “learning to read” and the goal is that they leave “reading to learn”. Twenty-first century students need both text and digital literacy skills to be successful in a global market. In order to achieve this end our curriculum and instruction is designed to be strategic, engaging, authentic, and challenging for all learners.

The elementary math program is aligned to the Pennsylvania Core Standards and those provided by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Emphasis is placed on the mastery of basic facts, computation skills and problem solving strategies in relation to five mathematical strands; Numbers and Operations, Measurement, Geometry, Algebraic Concepts, and Data Analysis and Probability. Students engage in a variety of hands-on, individual, and collaborative activities in order to develop a solid foundation for further mathematics education and use in everyday life. Extensive support and enrichment opportunities are provided to complement the learning styles and development of all learners.