Operating Manual for Stockton School
For those who wish to
know what we
believe
For those who want to
know how we act on
these beliefs
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this booklet is to provide the reader
with essential knowledge about our school, especially
our values and instructional expectations.
Schools are organizations. But as we know from the
world of business, organizations differ from each
other in fundamental ways. Some organizations are
dysfunctional. They lack a vision and core values
that give them a sense of purpose. Power is
restricted to the selected few and decisions are often
arbitrary. Poor morale permeates their culture. In
these organizations, individuals focus on their own
needs, rather than the needs of those they serve.
This is the antithesis of what we cherish at
Stockton. We are driven by a commitment and
dedication to our students. We “feel”
collaboration in our bones. We work hard and
consistently seek better ways of educating our
students. Failure for our students is not an
option. We will do whatever it takes for our students
to succeed as learners and as future citizens. Our
values guide our decisions. Leadership is often
based on knowledge and skill, rather than
position. Everyone has the opportunity to develop
their leadership potential.
One of the “little secrets” in schools across
the nation is that too often, the instructional
programs presented by teachers within the same
grade level differ from each other in fundamental
ways. In this school, we believe that all students
within a grade level should have similar learning
experiences that provide the foundation for learning
in subsequent grade levels. We have made
significant progress in accomplishing this goal
through district-wide standards, and through school
and grade level collaboration.
But reducing this variation of learning experiences is
not sufficient by itself. We also want our
instructional practices to represent the best thinking
about how to teach the curriculum. Providing all of
our students with a superior education is our
ultimate goal. We want every student to be
successful.
This document presents key ideas about our school
that we believe should be sustained over time. But
it also allows for changes to occur based upon new
knowledge of organizations and best teaching and
learning practices.
CORE VALUES
We believe that for organizations to achieve their
potential; and schools are organizations, a set of
core values must guide their actions. At Stockton,
these core values are found in our mission
statement. They include:
• Providing our students with a superior education
• Mutual respect among all members of the school
community
• Collaboration
• Caring for each other
• Continuous learning for all
We try to live these values every day. They are
what make our school unique.
STANDARDS AND BENCHMARKS
The district standards and benchmarks are found in
the Essential Curriculum for each content
area. Standards are general statements of what
students should know and be able to
do. Benchmarks are much more specific and they
drive our instruction. Unit plans and lessons are
derived from them. All activities, materials and
assessments are to be aligned with the benchmarks.
INSTRUCTION
• Make learning meaningful/relevant to students
• Assure active engagement of students
• Adjust pacing of lessons
• Provide Rigor—conceptual understanding,
reasoning
• Provide for reinforcement
• Include Student Reflection
• Student/Teacher and Student/Student conferencing
• Apply Backward Design
• Develop Unit Plans
• Use Curriculum Maps
• Differentiated Instruction
• Plan Lessons using the Principles of Learning
• Integration across subject areas
• Structure lessons using Workshop Approach
• Implement Frontloading
• Apply Best practices research
• Special Area coordination
Workshop Approach
Reading
• Mini-lessons
• Guided Practice
• Shared reading
• Guided Reading (K to 3)
• Independent Reading of “Just Right” books
• Focus on strategies
• Conferencing
• Novel studies
• Literature circles (3 to 5)
• Reading Response (3 to 5)
Writing
• The agenda
• Mini-lesson
• Status of Class
• “Try It”
• Independent Writing/Conferencing
• Reflection
• Portfolios
Math
• Spiral Review/Four Block
• Mini-lesson (focus on strategies)
• Guided Practice
• Independent Work
• Reflection/Sharing
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
• Ongoing; directly related to instruction;
collaborative; based upon need; research based;
best practices
• Focused on limited number of goals
• Summer Staff Development – each summer
grade levels work for approximately ten hours
on a specific area of need that was identified
during the preceding year.
• Instructional Coaching – Reading specialist and
math coach support teachers through
consultation, model lessons and implementing
new strategies and practices.
• Teacher-to-Teacher visits – teachers visit each
others’ classrooms to learn specific
strategies related to instruction, curriculum or
classroom management
• Team-ups – small groups of teachers meet for
half a day to focus on one or two curriculum
areas. For example, they may work on
developing long range plans for math, reading
workshop, phonics instruction.
• Collaborative and Common Planning Time – our
school schedule allows for one to two times
during the week when grade levels, ISS and
Math Coach can work together.
• Collaboration Plan for Tenured teachers
• Lesson Study – Plan, Teach, Assess/Revise/Teach
COLLABORATION
Collaboration at Stockton is defined as two or more
staff members working together on a focused
topic. They share, plan and listen to each
other. Collaboration permeates our school
environment. At times it is formal and at other
times informal. Most of our collaborative efforts
focus on curricular issues.
SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
▪ Develop IEPs with Child Study Team that best meet
each student’s academic, social, and
emotional needs
▪ Collaborate with classroom teachers to plan and
monitor progress
▪ Use district standards and benchmarks to drive
instruction
▪ Provide flexibility in delivery of academic services
(in class, pull out, co-teaching, and selfcontained)
▪ Implement modifications to address student needs
▪ Provide small group instruction for remediation
according to level of functioning
▪ Use of variety of teaching strategies to
accommodate students’ strengths and
learning styles
▪ Care and concern for the total development of each
child
▪ Teacher knowledge of diverse, research based
systematic reading programs
ASSESSMENTS
• Data is used to drive instruction
• Both formative and summative
• Integrated into instruction
• Students use rubrics to self-assess and develop
goals
• Schmoker Model – Assess, Set specific goals,
Plan, Teach, Re-assess
• Multiple measures -- anecdotal records, rubrics,
standardized tests, etc.
CHARACTER EDUCATION
• Character Education Committee
• Integrated into classroom subjects/routines
• Mutual respect and caring—Adults in school model
this behavior with each other and students
• Global outreach
• Service Club – student volunteers that help the
school community and support charities
• Stockton Mornings Together—where members of
our school share their interests and abilities with
each other
• Morning Meeting—teachers meet with their
students to discuss issues related to how well
the class is functioning as a team
• Acts of kindness
• Daily Character Education Statement
As a member of the Stockton Family . . .
I am respectful of the rights of others
and responsible for my actions.
I have the courage stand up for others
and for what I believe in each and every
day.
DISTRIBUTIVE LEADERSHIP
• Many opportunities for the staff to demonstrate
leadership; presentations; chairpersons of
committees; input into school-wide decisions
• Leadership Team – comprised of grade level
and special area representatives collaboratively
plans and discusses ideas related to curriculum,
instruction and assessment. Often, the focus is
on planning appropriate professional
development activities
TECHNOLOGY
• Make learning vivid
• Increase student motivation
• Use websites aligned with our curriculum
• Laptops and Smartboards infused into instruction
• Research specific areas of the curriculum
• Conduct virtual tours
• Assess data
• Enrich the curriculum
HOME/SCHOOL CONNECTION
• High parent involvement
• Parent volunteers
• Collaboration with PTA
• Support for: Helping Hands; Science Day; Author
Day
• E-Boards to communicate with our parents and
students
Some thoughts about our PTA:
All of us who work at Stockton express our deep
appreciation to the PTA for their generosity to the
students and staff of our school. This generosity
goes far beyond providing funds for special activities
and donations. It is a generosity of spirit—the kind
of spirit that says, “We are with you.” We can
site many examples of this. But what I am referring
to is greater than any specific action. It is a feeling
that the PTA is truly our partner in this mission of
educating the children in our community.