Culture and Community Context
Polaris Expeditionary Learning School is a K-12 school of ‘choice’ in the Poudre School District located in Fort Collins, Colorado. Students from anywhere in the community, and even surrounding communities, have the opportunity to attend this school. The school places a large emphasis on expeditionary learning which gives students the opportunity to learn in more of a ‘hands on’ type of way. Last year, students spent approximately seventy days outside of the school environment attending various field trips. The goal is to teach students life skills that connect the students to the community outside of the school walls. Teachers ultimately want to harness the students’ natural passion to learn and discover.
The Polaris environment is extremely welcoming; it is noticeable as soon as you walk in the front doors. A sign stating “We Are Crew, Not Passengers!” is visible as one enters the building. This implies that everyone in the school has a key role in the learning process, and that nobody is ‘above’ another. Students address teachers by their first names, which is fairly uncommon in many traditional school settings. In my opinion, this builds a more personal and relatable relationships between students and teachers; these relationships are built on respect and trust. One final thing that is noteworthy about Polaris’ culture is that students will have one teacher for a two year span. Again, this emphasizes the importance of building a trusting and respectful relationship between students and teachers.
The Polaris environment is extremely welcoming; it is noticeable as soon as you walk in the front doors. A sign stating “We Are Crew, Not Passengers!” is visible as one enters the building. This implies that everyone in the school has a key role in the learning process, and that nobody is ‘above’ another. Students address teachers by their first names, which is fairly uncommon in many traditional school settings. In my opinion, this builds a more personal and relatable relationships between students and teachers; these relationships are built on respect and trust. One final thing that is noteworthy about Polaris’ culture is that students will have one teacher for a two year span. Again, this emphasizes the importance of building a trusting and respectful relationship between students and teachers.
Support Structure
Polaris has a very broad support structure present through the involvement of teachers, parents, and volunteers. Polaris has the fortune of having some of the most involved parents in the district. Parents are encouraged to participate, chaperone and lend their expertise in various fieldwork, adventures, and intensives. Additionally, Polaris organizes and holds many fundraising events in order to help support off-campus field trips and activities.
Polaris is also supported by Colorado State University as it provides preservice teachers for art classes on Friday mornings. There are two preservice teachers that develop, plan, and teach an art curriculum for an hour and a half each Friday morning. This gives art education students the hands on experience of planning and teaching art to elementary students. This also gives students the experience of connecting art to other academic subjects.
Polaris is also supported by Colorado State University as it provides preservice teachers for art classes on Friday mornings. There are two preservice teachers that develop, plan, and teach an art curriculum for an hour and a half each Friday morning. This gives art education students the hands on experience of planning and teaching art to elementary students. This also gives students the experience of connecting art to other academic subjects.
Demographic Characteristics
While Polaris has a smaller enrollment rate compared to other schools in the district, it has similar demographics compared to other schools in the area. The dominant ethnicity in the school is white; below are more specific percentages of the school breakdown. (All information for 2018 was found on schooldigger.com)
Student/teacher ratio: 15.4
Number of students: 386
Racial breakdown:
White: 87.0%
Hispanic: 6.2%
Two or more races: 3.9%
Free/discounted lunch recipients: 36.0%
CMAS Testing Scores 2018
Student/teacher ratio: 15.4
Number of students: 386
Racial breakdown:
White: 87.0%
Hispanic: 6.2%
Two or more races: 3.9%
Free/discounted lunch recipients: 36.0%
CMAS Testing Scores 2018
2018 School Ranking
Average Standard Score - 61.99
Statewide Rank - 312
CO State Percentile - 66.0%
Classroom Environment and Students
At Polaris, my teaching partner and I taught a 18 students that were in a 4th and 5th grade classroom. The overall environment or ‘feel’ of the room is quite warm and welcoming. The classroom teacher, Alicia, provides students with a variety of seating options that allow students to move and fidget while they are seating. Also, towards the front and center of the room is where three large futons are located directly in front of the SMART board. This is the area where students meet up for group discussion and instruction. In order to protect the futons and keep them as clean as possible, there was no art making in this area. Behind the futons are some larger tables that students can use during individual or group work time. The tables are large enough where students can have their own space to work, but also allow for collaboration of ideas. Collaboration was very commonly used by students in our art class. There are also two single seating desks where students can work alone if it is preferred. This classroom has a couple of different lamps to provide students with a couple of different lighting options. On some days, students preferred the brighter overhead lights, while other days they preferred to have a softer lit room when they were working. The classroom has one sink located right next to the door which was used during art class for clean up. (A diagram of the classroom is provided below.)
Overall, this classroom space worked well for art making, but there were some challenges. The first thing is that there only being one sink made it difficult, at times, for clean up to work efficiently. There were instances when students were ‘backed up’ at the sink waiting for their peers to finish cleaning their hands, brushes, etc. The biggest challenge with making art in this classroom was the fact that the floors were carpeted, instead of a hard surface. Generally speaking, this seemed to pose no problems for the teachers or students; but when we were making art with especially messy materials or processes, teachers needed to keep a very watchful eye to ensure nothing fell on the carpet. Once we learned how to overcome and plan for these difficulties for making art in this classroom, the process of art making went pretty smoothly. Making art in a non-art classroom forced us as teachers to be organized and really consider the best course of action for that day.
Overall, this classroom space worked well for art making, but there were some challenges. The first thing is that there only being one sink made it difficult, at times, for clean up to work efficiently. There were instances when students were ‘backed up’ at the sink waiting for their peers to finish cleaning their hands, brushes, etc. The biggest challenge with making art in this classroom was the fact that the floors were carpeted, instead of a hard surface. Generally speaking, this seemed to pose no problems for the teachers or students; but when we were making art with especially messy materials or processes, teachers needed to keep a very watchful eye to ensure nothing fell on the carpet. Once we learned how to overcome and plan for these difficulties for making art in this classroom, the process of art making went pretty smoothly. Making art in a non-art classroom forced us as teachers to be organized and really consider the best course of action for that day.
School-wide Policies for Management, Safe Schools, Conflict Resolution and Students with Special Needs
Management: The classroom teacher for this 4th and 5th grade class utilizes a drum or chime instrument in order to redirect or gain the attention of the entire group. The first drum or chime indicates that students need to drop what they are doing, and the second drum or chime indicates that students need to be quiet with their eyes on the teacher. This has been an effective tool to gain the attention of all of the students in the classroom.
This class used a four-step redirecting system to address student behaviors. Below describes each step.
From our experiences teaching at Polaris, conflict occasionally occurs in the classroom, but students rarely got to the point of three redirects, and never were sent to the office for behaviors. The best course of action for behavior management was conversation with the student and separating them from any distractions and/or conflict.
Safe Schools: Poudre School District sets the goal to provide all students with a safe and inclusive learning environment. Campus Security Officers are at each school in the district and a Student Resource Officer is at each middle and respective high school in the district. Student safety is an utmost priority in PSD. (All information was found on the Poudre School District website; psdschools.org)
Poudre Schools follow a crisis management/communications plan that is based on the FEMA National Incident Management System. PSD's approach to emergency response and crisis management focuses on five phases of crisis management:
1. Prevention: School prevention include visitor screening, suicide assessment and intervention, implementing prevention programs, and conducting threat assessments.
2. Protection: Some school protection programs include evacuation, sheltering for hazard, lockdown, lockout and "run-hide-fight" protocols.
3. Mitigation: Examples of mitigation include installation of backup generators for power outages; early warning systems for severe weather events, fencing hazardous areas, safe construction and defensible space for wildland fires, and the presence of School Resource Officers. Any of these measures could mitigate the impact of an event.
4. Response: Taking action to effectively contain and resolve the crisis or emergency, including all aspects associated with notifying and protecting the students, staff, public and property.
5. Recovery: Assisting students and staff in the healing process and restoring educational operations in schools. The two main priorities of this phase are the emotional recovery of the students and staff and the physical recovery of school.
Students with Special Needs: Maureen Gates and Michael Espinoza are the two paraprofessionals at Polaris that assist with the Special Needs population. Polaris follows a nondiscrimination policy for this population of students.
Poudre School District utilizes Integrated Services which offers many programs for a variety of student needs in order to help them succeed. Click here for a more detailed look at these programs.
This class used a four-step redirecting system to address student behaviors. Below describes each step.
- First Redirect - Politely remind the student to change their behavior and get back on track.
- Second Redirect - Politely ask the student to change their behavior and tell them what the expected behavior is.
- Third Redirect - A one-on-one conversation with the student about their behavior in the hall. The student is asked if they can fix their behavior, and what they need to do to fix it. At this redirect, a student may need to be separated from the group to work alone in the hall, or a secluded part of the classroom.
- Fourth Redirect - Student is sent for administrative support in the office.
From our experiences teaching at Polaris, conflict occasionally occurs in the classroom, but students rarely got to the point of three redirects, and never were sent to the office for behaviors. The best course of action for behavior management was conversation with the student and separating them from any distractions and/or conflict.
Safe Schools: Poudre School District sets the goal to provide all students with a safe and inclusive learning environment. Campus Security Officers are at each school in the district and a Student Resource Officer is at each middle and respective high school in the district. Student safety is an utmost priority in PSD. (All information was found on the Poudre School District website; psdschools.org)
Poudre Schools follow a crisis management/communications plan that is based on the FEMA National Incident Management System. PSD's approach to emergency response and crisis management focuses on five phases of crisis management:
1. Prevention: School prevention include visitor screening, suicide assessment and intervention, implementing prevention programs, and conducting threat assessments.
2. Protection: Some school protection programs include evacuation, sheltering for hazard, lockdown, lockout and "run-hide-fight" protocols.
3. Mitigation: Examples of mitigation include installation of backup generators for power outages; early warning systems for severe weather events, fencing hazardous areas, safe construction and defensible space for wildland fires, and the presence of School Resource Officers. Any of these measures could mitigate the impact of an event.
4. Response: Taking action to effectively contain and resolve the crisis or emergency, including all aspects associated with notifying and protecting the students, staff, public and property.
5. Recovery: Assisting students and staff in the healing process and restoring educational operations in schools. The two main priorities of this phase are the emotional recovery of the students and staff and the physical recovery of school.
Students with Special Needs: Maureen Gates and Michael Espinoza are the two paraprofessionals at Polaris that assist with the Special Needs population. Polaris follows a nondiscrimination policy for this population of students.
Poudre School District utilizes Integrated Services which offers many programs for a variety of student needs in order to help them succeed. Click here for a more detailed look at these programs.