RICHLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Professional Development Campus
San Marcos Unified School District
April 28, 2015
Dear Parents and Families,
The placement of students each year is a task that our staff takes very seriously.
We’d like to share with you the process and criteria that the teachers and
administration use when we are building classes for the new school year. It is a
lengthy, complicated and painstaking process, but we believe that is essential to
create classes that are well balanced, manageable for teachers and acceptable to
the majority of our families.
Teacher Knowledge of Students
After working together for a year (over 1000 hours) teachers have in depth knowledge
of students' personalities, learning styles, academic strengths and weaknesses,
friendships and possible social difficulties. All of this information is valuable when
placing students into the optimal learning environment.
Peers
We know that students are often nervous about starting a new year in a new
classroom, so we try to have at least one familiar face in each child's new class.
However, we also know that it is sometimes a disadvantage to have too many friends
together in one class - it discourages making new friends and broadening a child's
circle of casual friends. Our goal is to ‘create the child for the path, not creating the
path for the child’.
Balancing Classes
We strive to balance girls, boys, health concerns, behavior concerns, ethnicity,
academic strengths, and academic weaknesses. Occasionally, we cluster our students
to help optimize their success.
Combination Classes
Combination classes are inevitable because of enrollment and staffing requirements.
For example, when four kindergarten classes are full, we need to begin a fifth class, but
since we do not have enough to fill the class, some first graders must be added. The
information above under Balancing Classes does not hold true when we are creating
combination classes. Combination classes are unique. Students in combination classes
are strong in terms of academic success, have shown an ability to be independent
workers. This is true for both the students in the higher grade and in the lower grade in a
combination class.
How do we select children for a combination class? First, we carefully select students for
their academic ability, strong work habits and good interpersonal skills. Our goal is to
provide a rigorous learning opportunity for these high achieving students. Teachers in
combination classes are skilled at differentiating curriculum and meeting the needs of
individual students. Next, we do not want children feeling that they are somehow less
adequate than their peers because they are in a multi-grade classroom. The opposite,
in fact, is true. Students in combination classes have proven that they can succeed in
this stimulating learning environment. Students interact well with their classmates and
enjoy this challenging and enriching experience.
Parent input
Class placements are a team effort. While we do not favor requests for specific
teachers, we do welcome requests for types of learning environments. Requests that
focus on educationally valid criteria will receive priority. Please do not place your child
in a difficult position by asking to place your child in a specific teacher’s class.
Because of the many variables and delicate balance of each class, we cannot
guarantee a particular teacher/placement for any child. Parents may wish to write a
brief letter to provide us information that can assist with placement.
These letters for consideration must be turned into the front office
no later than May 29th.
Again, let us reassure you that the teachers and administration have your child's best
interest in mind. Our goal is to create an optimum learning environment for all of the
students at Richland. If you have additional concerns or questions about your child’s
placement, please feel free to contact Mrs. Barbara.
Sincerely,
Julie Barbara, M.A.
Principal
"It is vital that when educating our children’s brains we do not neglect to educate their hearts." ~ Dalai
Lama
910 Borden Road, San Marcos, California 92069 (760) 290-2400