Curriculum and Special Programs
CURRICULUM
Lake Forest is committed to a culture of excellence, believing success cannot happen without every child succeeding. Our core curriculum reflects our strong desire to encourage each student to reach the highest possible level of achievement. Therefore, we accommodate individual strengths and weaknesses through flexible placements, which enable all students to strive for excellence in a congenial atmosphere with their peers. Additionally, in response to our community's expectations, we have integrated enrichment activities and International Studies throughout the core curriculum. We meet or exceed the Defined Minimum Program and State Standards in all areas.
We believe that Language Arts is the key to communication, and to general success in learning. We practice block scheduling of Language Arts for two hours every day, which allows teachers to use Language Arts to enhance other subjects. Our literature based reading series is supplemented by a large array of varied learning tools, chosen by teachers to enhance the core curriculum. These include Nightly Readers, Leo Literature, Accelerated Reader, novel studies, Saxon Phonics, the Orton-Gillingham approach and the Pat Cunningham Four Block Method.
We consider ourselves a school that is defined by our strong writing program. Writing is emphasized across the curriculum and, like other Language Arts, is used to reinforce other subjects. Children publish their own works (electronically and manually), through the Wee Deliver postal service, by writing in journals, submitting selections to newspapers, and by entering various essay and creative writing contests.
We use the Houghton/Mifflin Method throughout our school. However, we strongly believe that since each child learns differently, it is very important to use a variety of texts and methods to supplement the core curriculum. Therefore, texts other than Houghton/Mifflin, as well as manipulatives, Math Their Way, Marilyn Burns Math Solutions, Daily Oral Math, Problem of the Week and an estimation station. Our curriculum also stresses the importance of practical math skills; students therefore apply math skills to daily life through activities such as running the school store; earning and spending Library Loot; managing the Bread Company; and operating a recycling program.
Finally, our science curriculum incorporates the district's hands-on curriculum. The Scientific Method is used to conduct experiments. Exploration and inquiry are fundamental components of our hands-on Science program. Science Fun Day and the Roper Mountain Science Center are extensions of our science curriculum.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Our International Studies Program is the focal point of our curriculum. The core curriculum is supplemented by field trips, assemblies, performances, artists-in-residence, guest speakers, and hands-on activities which are geared to support the International Studies Program. Each grade level has been assigned the same continent to study every year, so that by the time a child leaves the school after grade five, he/she has studied all of the continents. All students participate in school-wide activities such as International Food Tastings, Continental Tours, and International Musical Performances.
Another program unique to our school is our after-school enrichment program. We offer classes in computers, technology, foreign languages, general physical science, astronomy, tininkling (Phillipine dance), tae kwon do, soccer, basketball, music lessons, art and chess. Over 200 students participate in these classes, which are taught for the purpose of challenging students beyond the regular curriculum.
GIFTED AND TALENTED
http://www.greenville.k12.sc.us/gcsd/depts/tandl/gifted.asp
The School District of Greenville County provides
programs for Gifted and Talented Students to challenge them with rigorous,
complex class work and research. Gifted students may demonstrate high
performance ability or potential in academic areas. Administrators, parents,
teachers, and students may make referrals for students to be screened. All
students who are referred from any source are screened during the first
quarter of each school year to determine their eligibility. Upon meeting the
requirements for this program, written parental permission will be obtained.
In November of each year, the State Department of Education provides testing
for students in grade two to determine their eligibility for Gifted and
Talented Programs. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills, an achievement test, and
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), and aptitude test, are administered.
As soon as results are available in mid-January, parents are notified of
their child’s performance on these tests.
Students may qualify automatically with an extremely high aptitude or IQ
score at 96th percentile or higher for their age group. If students do not
qualify solely on aptitude, this process will be used for screening:
- In Dimension A - Reasoning Abilities Students must demonstrate high aptitude (93rd national age percentile or above) in one or more of these areas: verbal, nonverbal, quantitative and/or a composite of the three.
- In Dimension B - Academic Achievement Students must demonstrate high achievement (94th national percentile and above or advanced status) in reading and/or math as measured by a nationally normed or South Carolina statewide assessment instruments.
- In Dimension C - Intellectual/Academic Performance Students must demonstrate a high degree of interest in and commitment to academic and/or intellectual pursuits, or demonstrate intellectual characteristics such as curiosity/inquiry, reflection, persistence/tenacity in the face of challenge and creative, productive thinking. Rising third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students may be eligible to take the Performance Task Test in March if they have already met the criteria in Dimension A or Dimension B. Beginning with grade 7, students must have a 3.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale to meet the criteria in Dimension C.
Students must meet the criteria in two of these three
dimensions to participate in the Gifted and Talented Program.
Results of private testing will not be accepted for placing students in the
Challenge program.
Students who meet the state criteria may be placed in the academically gifted
and talented program beginning in third grade. This program is called
"Challenge" in Greenville County. At the elementary level, Challenge is a
pull-out program. In third grade, students attend Challenge for at least 125
minutes each week. Students in grades four and five attend Challenge for at
least 200 minutes per week. Each school receives a Challenge teacher based
upon the number of qualified students in that school. Students are taught in
classes with a teacher-pupil ratio of 1 to 20 or less.
At the middle school level, the Challenge program serves students through
Language Arts instruction. Challenge Language Arts is a daily scheduled class
with a teacher-pupil ration of 1 to 25 or less.
Honors math and English courses serve identified gifted and talented high
school students. These classes meet daily with a teacher-pupil ration of 1 to
25 or less.
If you have questions regarding Gifted and Talented Programs, please contact
Jane Snyder at 241-3211 or email her at
jsnyder@greenville.k12.sc.us.
