PALS - Parkmead Active Learning School
Parkmead Elementary School, Walnut Creek CA
PALS History
PALS (Parkmead Active Learning School) is the alternative elementary school program of the Walnut Creek School District (WCSD). Founded by three mothers (Cheryl Kondrat, Kathy Simmons and Susan Peterson), trained as educators, who envisioned an educational environment combining the best of what they had observed as professionals, with a firm commitment to the principles of nurturing and respect that they believed in as parents. They conceived of a program that would support all aspects of a child's development, while consciously cultivating a positive relationship between home, school and the larger community.
A District-wide survey in 1986 revealed that they were not alone in their desire for such a program. The positive response elicited by the survey prompted the WCSD to form an Alternative Education Committee to investigate existing programs in the Bay Area and to develop a comprehensive program philosophy. The committee's proposal was approved in January, 1988. Teachers were hired and space was assigned at Parkmead Elementary (a facility closed for several years). In September, 1988, PALS opened its doors to fifty students enrolled in two combination classes - K/1 and 2/3. What the program lacked in amenities - an administrative staff, library and cafeteria - was compensated for by remarkable parent dedication (over 2,200 volunteer hours were logged in PALS first six months of operation). In the fall of 1989 the campus was refurbished and the neighborhood Parkmead Community School (PCS) was re-opened. The two programs now share administration and site facilities - including the library and cafeteria - and additional services such as music and band, art and P.E.
Mission Statement
PALS Philosophy
PALS philosophy is grounded in the belief that children possess an innate desire to learn, and that teachers and parents can work together to effectively stimulate and support that desire.
PALS' commitment is to:
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Create an emotionally and physically safe environment where the whole child is nurtured. A strong academic program is balanced by firm respect for children's social, emotional, and physical developmental needs.
Create an emotionally and physically safe environment where the whole child is nurtured. A strong academic program is balanced by firm respect for children's social, emotional, and physical developmental needs. *Provide a flexible, non-competitive classroom environment in which children are encouraged to develop self motivation, self-discipline, and self-evaluation skills.
Provide a flexible, non-competitive classroom environment in which children are encouraged to develop self motivation, self-discipline, and self-evaluation skills. *Foster the sharing of ideas, experiences, and skills by providing a structure for cross-age interactions and relationships.
Foster the sharing of ideas, experiences, and skills by providing a structure for cross-age interactions and relationships. *Promote dynamic interaction and interdependence between home, school, and community with strong parental involvement in the process of education.
Promote dynamic interaction and interdependence between home, school, and community with strong parental involvement in the process of education. *Maintain an atmosphere of trust and respect for self and others.
Maintain an atmosphere of trust and respect for self and others. When student, teacher and parents approach the learning process with a spirit of conscious cooperation, a continuum between school, home, and the world at large is created. Learning can then become a joyful personal experience extending far beyond the classroom and enduring long past childhood.
Instilling a life-long love of learning is a primary goal of the PALS program.
Open to All
PALS draws students from throughout the Walnut Creek School District under an open, non-discriminatory enrollment policy. Openings are limited due to campus space restrictions, and the District's class-size limitations. Applications for the coming academic year are distributed only at Informational Meetings held every January. These meetings help parents determine if their child's individual needs can be best met in the PALS program. A schedule of Informational Meeting dates is sent to all WCSD families. Completed applications are returned by mail. In the event of identically postmarked applications in excess of the number of available openings, class lists are determined by lottery. An ongoing wait list is also maintained by the principal and priority status may be transferred to the next grade level.
Campus & Administration
PALS is located on the campus of Parkmead Elementary, sharing administration, facilities and site with the neighborhood Community School program. PALS families have formed the PALS PTO as the legal entity for the parent organization. An elected eight-member PALS Parent Board meets regularly to address program issues.
The PALS Model
Introduction
"Two are better than one, a cord of three is not quickly broken." - Book of Ecclesiastes.
This is an ancient picture of unity and community. One of the original teamwork posters slogans. The basic premise being that it's always better to have help. We have heard a lot about teamwork this past decade. We all know that we are supposed to work as a team at our jobs, both volunteer and paid. After awhile, the day-to-day communicating with others and relating to issues can take its toll. That is when we chuckle and say the honeymoon is over. But sometimes, it works. Sometimes, it goes from a polite acquaintance thrown together by circumstance, to real unity. That is when, with security and purpose, we are often the most happy and productive.
This is the picture of the PALS team approach to teaching today. Everyone works together, talks out issues, and solves problems as a unit instead of individuals alone.
As parents, we all want a broad, rich education for our kids. From our own education, we are aware that it's the connections relating one learning experience to another that stay with us the longest. We also know there is a better return and a higher quality of work when we work together. There is less duplication, more consistency and more focused and honest learning. By their commitment to the group as a whole, both PALS teachers and parents model the best kind of intrinsic lesson for our children - one of individuals teaming together for a richer life.
Classroom Setting
PALS teachers present a broad, integrated curriculum over a two year timeframe at each level (K/1, 2/3, and 4/5). Multi-age classes are different from combination classrooms - or "splits" - in which teachers implement two separate curricula for two separate grade levels sharing a common classroom. Support for multi-age classes comes from research on how children learn. Studies indicate that not all children process material at the same rate. PALS' multi-age classroom format is designed to allow each child to learn at his or her own pace in a supportive, stimulating environment that invites questions, exploration and experimentation. Multi-age classrooms allow for less lag time for the older students in each level. This is a time that their learning can be reinforced by helping the younger children and maintaining momentum by being secure with their former teacher. It also allow more time for the teachers to build relationships with the new students while continuing on with those the others.
Multi-age Two years with one teacher Teaming at Level Shared Students Curriculum Delivery Flexible groupings Planning Common classroom programs Shared schedule to facilitate sharing Cooperative learning Focus on breakdown of barriers set by different grades Teacher as facilitator of learning Parents as Partners Building a Community of Learners
PALS is a family-oriented program in which all parents are active participants in the educational process. Enrolled families sign a commitment to volunteer 60 hours per year in support of the program's goals. Some parents are able to work in the classroom, while others choose to work behind the scenes on committees or at-home projects. Program-wide activities, monthly parent meetings, a PALS newsletter, social events and close parent-teacher communication all reflect a strong sense of community and shared commitment to the philosophy and goals of the program.
The students, teachers and parents of PALS work together building a community of lifelong learners. Parents participate in the education of their children, offering classroom support and sharing expertise. Parent education plays a key role.
PALS offers a unique opportunity to learn together. Multi-age classrooms and cross-level inquiries facilitate learning and give it greater breadth. Teachers work together in grade-level teams and across grade levels to realize common goals. Together, we develop common themes which bind the grade levels and connect to the outside world. The consistency created by this team approach is a major strength of the program.
Cross Level Ongoing between levels Socially and academically based Bridging the levels Connections with students from other levels Focus Areas / Enrichment Drama Science International Dance Cooperative Learning Art Cooking Music Cross Level Coordinator Coordinate classrooms and activities Organize parent volunteers Families Parent Participation Parent Education Connections with the Community School Discipline
The goal of classroom discipline is to develop within each child an intrinsic locus of control, meaning the discipline and control come from within the child, not from teachers. Students are actively involved in developing behavioral guidelines for their classrooms, assuming responsibility for their actions, and taking active roles in conflict resolution. Cooperative activities reinforce the development of these essential life skills and are integral to the PALS program culture.
Non-punitive Non-coercive Intrinsically based Provide a safe, cooperative environment Consistent Vocabulary Respect Responsibility Truthfulness Cooperation Best Effort Cooperative activities Thinking skills Problem solving Conflict resolution Team building Curriculum: Spiraling, Integrated and Connected
PALS spiraling curriculum means that your child's knowledge base from one year to the next will have some overlapping for review and then will continue to build upward without gaps in teaching content. The gaps that can occur in uncoordinated curriculum are often where we lose learners.
When your child attends a PALS MAGIC day in a different country, she will eat that country's native food, learn some cultural arts, hear traditional music and see the geography that affects the region. Because each of these experiences affects her senses differently and often involves a different part of her brain, she will have a better opportunity to absorb what that country is all about. Integrated means the crossing over of different styles of learning - which allows each childÂfs strengths and interest areas to shine.
A connected curriculum means that the relationships between learning experiences will not be left to chance. Instead the relevancy from one lesson to another can be highlighted, discussed and explored.
For an example of a spiraling, integrated, connected curriculum, please see the Level 2 curriculum plan.
Authentic, connected Child centered State and district standards Developmentally appropriate Spiraling Process vs. product Assessment Self-evaluation Quality Second Chance Process Right answer Integrated Curriculum Project centered learning Time management Self-directed Cooperative activities Commitment
PALS teachers are committed to giving the time and energy necessary to actualize the program goals. Examination and discussion of the current educational research is ongoing, as we explore methods to provide the best education for our students and ourselves.
Teachers Working together to reach goals Teams Quarterly planning days Planning time Coordinated pullouts PALS Build social relationships early on Veterans take a proactive role in building relationships Respect for each other By all indications the PALS model as a goal has been attained. Every year the model stays the same - what changes is what the parents, teachers, and students bring to the program. It's the same recipe, but sometimes it just tastes differently. What can you and yours bring to the PALS table in the coming year?
Strategic Plan
Strategy 1: Curriculum
We will meet the needs of all students by implementing a differentiated and challenging academic program in which inquiry discovery, creativity, and collaboration are fundamental, while developing enthusiastic, lifelong learners.
Strategy 2: Communications
The Parkmead School Community will understand the Parkmead Strategic Plan through consistent communications and active involvement.
Strategy 3: Climate
We will provide a safe, non-threatening environment in which the Parkmead community respects diversity and demonstrate positive, intrinsic, lifelong values.
Strategy 4: Science
We will implement and integrate a balanced science program aligned with State standards and including hands-on experiences.
A midyear recap of progress in Strategy 1 of our Strategic Plan
Result #1 -- Reading
Differentiate readingIdentify and assess students who need additional support Provide in-class and out-of-class interventions (Many hours of intervention instruction!) Materials to support differentiation Identify grade level differentiation practices Nearly thirty community volunteers (Thank you, Rossmoor and Las Lomas!) Result #2--Writing
Defining Writers’ Workshop model Implementing 6 Traits Improving writing assessment Result #3 -- Math
New grouping models Some new assessments New materials Result # 4 -- Science
Weekly lab instruction with science specialist for most classrooms, grades 2-5 Regular science in classrooms, aligned with State standards Progress on our garden! Result # 5 -- Staff Development
Implement COIs during collaboration time Survey staff to define needs and interests Provide choice to staff in training Focused on differentiation Meet with adjacent grade levels Support new teachers and teachers changing grade levels Classroom observations Training in interventions: LiPS, Reading Recovery, etc.Plan Update: Strategy 3 - School Climate
The third strategy in our school plan addresses the climate of the school: making Parkmead a place where students, staff and parents want to be and feel safe in every way.
Some of our accomplishments in Strategy 3:
Formed School Climate Committee Provided Love and Logic training for parents and staff Conducted a playground survey Researching Life Skills Leadership Program Our original plan was to have our assembly program this year focused on life skills. We found few affordable, worthwhile programs. Teachers on the Climate Committee felt that the development a Life Skills Leader program, an incomplete goal from previous plans, would be more effective. In this model, older students are trained to help other students solve playground issues. With School Site Councils approval, we are moving forward on research on this program. Keep your eyes open for more info in the next few months.
We have had some incidents of playground bullying and intimidation. Although just a few, it is important to know how often problems like this occur. In late January, we conducted a playground survey. Results will tallied and reported next month. At first glance, the results look very positive It seems our kids are seldom bullied or scared on the playground and know exactly what to do when they are.
