Dear Editor, The Paradise Valley School fourth-grade team would
like to address concerns presented in a letter published in the
Morgan Hill Times on Sept. 21.
Dear Editor,
The Paradise Valley School fourth-grade team would like to address concerns presented in a letter published in the Morgan Hill Times on Sept. 21.
The fourth-grade team feels strongly about the curriculum and standards in which we teach. In regards to the letter, we would like to address certain misconceptions.
Cursive is introduced in the third grade and reinforced in all subsequent grades. It is part of the California State Standards and the fourth-grade curriculum at Paradise Valley. Cursive is practiced daily through reading and writing within the fourth-grade classrooms.
Mathematics is an on-going learning process where students continue to build upon previous knowledge. Before each mathematical strand is introduced, students are assessed for prior knowledge. All mathematical strands overlap from previous years. The fourth-grade team has and will continue to teach math according to the fourth-grade standards.
In the fourth grade students are in a balanced literacy program. This includes: core text literature (district adopted), read alouds, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading (done both at school and at home), and content area reading across the curriculum.
The fourth-grade team at Paradise Valley has always and will continue to strive for all students to meet and exceed California State Standards. We have an open-door communication policy which includes: conferences, e-mail, classroom visits, phone conferences and written correspondence. Please utilize these means of communication as needed.
We are the four fourth-grade team members at Paradise Valley Elementary School.
Amy Boklund, Jenna Davis,
Chuck Garcia and Gerri Morales
