About Castroville Elementary School

Mission Statement
North Monterey County Unified School District
Castroville Elementary School
Our mission is to prepare our students to become productive and responsible members of our society by providing them with clearly focused educational experiences that will foster academic achievement, social, cultural awareness, experiences, and personal growth, through a dedicated and knowledgeable staff, a meaningful and comprehensive curriculum, and an active partnership with the social community.

Vision Statement
Castroville Elementary School
The staff at Castroville Elementary School will implement an instructional program that promotes academic and artistic excellence, second language development, respect, and social responsibility. Castroville Elementary School will be known as a caring and safe community that nurtures its diversity. Students will be challenged to reach for the future, to take pride in who they are and what they can become.

Description of Castroville Elementary School
Castroville Elementary School is located in an unincorporated town of 5,300 located 9 miles north of the city of Salinas (population 130,000,) and less than 4 miles from shore of the Monterey Bay. One-third the students in Castroville attend Castroville Elementary School and the other two thirds attend two other district schools. Students are bused 2-6 miles to Castroville from the areas of Monte Del Lago (Mobilehome Park), the Blackie Road area, a rural road, and Oak Hills, an established single family home development. Agricultural fields producing artichokes, lettuce, broccoli, strawberries, and other row crops surrounded Castroville School. Many families are involved in this industry. Castroville is small but growing commercial center boasting shops, mercados, restaurants, service stations packing/icing sheds, major industrials bakeries, coffee roasters, moving, transportation, and recycling industries. Eighty-five percent of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch. The last census of 1990 indicated a 19% poverty level.

Castroville Elementary School is a rural school with approximately 512 students. One half of the students are English Language learners. The enrollment is 82 % minority. Because of the large population of English Language Learners, Castroville Elementary School has implemented a primary language instruction program that provides equal access to core curriculum for all the students. Additionally, all children are provided with the opportunity to learn a language. Spanish for native English speakers has recently been initiated for the entire school.

Castroville Elementary School is a part of the State Superintendents' Challenge Initiative and consequently, has developed Challenge Standards of Students Performance in Language Arts, Math and Science.

Castroville Elementary School Staff
Picture of Classified Staff and Yard Supervisors
Picture of Para-Professionals and Resource Staff

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Student Data

1999-2000 Academic Performance Index (API) Growth Report
Star 2000 Percent Tested: 100
Number of Students included in the 2000 API: 277
2000 API (Growth): 504
1999 API (Base): 479
1999-2000 Growth Target: 16
1999-2000 Growth: 25
Met Growth Target
Schoolwide: Yes
Comparable Improvement (CI): Yes
Both Schoolwide and CI: Yes
Awards Eligible: Yes

2000-2001 Academic Performance Index (API) Growth Report
Star 2000 Percent Tested: 98
Number of Students included in the 2001 API: 27
2001 API (Growth): 548
2000 API (Base): 504
2000-2001 Growth Target: 15
2000-2001 Growth: 44
Met Growth Target
Schoolwide: Yes
Comparable Improvement (CI): Yes
Both Schoolwide and CI: Yes
Awards Eligible: Yes

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Curriculum

What is Two Way Immersion?
Two Way Immersion is emerging as the bilingual education for the 90's and beyond. It is the only bilingual program model that enhances the educational experiences of both groups by bringing them together in a single classroom environment where they can serve as resources for each other.

Two Way Immersion is based on 3 important premises:

Additive Bilingualism
A second language is best acquired by language minority students when their first language is firmly established, and a second language is best developed by language majority children through immersion in that second language. Neither group is at risk of loosing their home language under these circumstances, thereby promoting additive bilingualism for both groups.

Transferability
Knowledge learned through one language paves the way for knowledge acquisition in the second language. Students who learn content in one language are expected to demonstrate content knowledge in the second language once they acquire the language skills to express that knowledge.

Developing Biliteracy
Students need to reach a certain level of native language proficiency in order to facilitate second language development. Long-term cognitive advantages of bilingualism will not accrue until the student has sufficiently developed both languages. This takes between 4 to 6 years.

Two-Way Dual Language Immersion Program
El Programa de Inmersion en Dos Idiomas
*These documents require Adobe Acrobat and go to http://access.adobe.com/

Language Arts/Reading
For English readers, Castroville Elementary School uses SRA-McGraw-Hill. Open Court Kindergarten-third and Scholastic Literary Place 4-5; and Macmillan McGraw-Hill Cuentamundos K-4 for Spanish reading students. All the reading series contain many stories of other cultures and other countries. Estrellitas and Zoo Phonics are utilized in kindergarten and first grade Spanish instruction. Castroville Elementary School follows the state and district adopted standards for language arts instructions. Computer technology is part of the support materials of Cuentamundos and all students have access to the computer lab with their class for instruction, as well as having the use of classroom computers for reports and for information searches.

To balance the strong phonics components of both the English and Spanish reading series, teachers use Core Literature sets that are standard for each grade level. The Core Literature sets represent age appropriate quality literature which is culturally appropriate quality literature which is culturally appropriate and of high interest to readers. Community of Caring values permeate the Language Arts curriculum in thematic literature from the adopted series, cooperative centers, and a core literature text which stress the five values of Respect, Caring, Responsibility, Family, and Trust. Guided questioning stress the values throughout the Language Arts program.

Writing is stressed through Writers' Workshops and school-wide themes for portfolio writing samples. Teachers use a district adopted writing instruction rubric in peer sessions to evaluate student work and plan from identified needs. Students are provided speaking and listening development opportunities appropriate for their grade level such as oral reports and performances. Integrating with the Fine Arts program, all students both multifunded and non-multifunded have had the opportunity to perform in plays or musical presentations that stress reading and speaking.

Castroville Elementary School English Language Learners receive Language Arts instruction and with teachers who are credentialed BBC, BCLAD, or CLAD. All teachers use strategies such as pre-teach/reteach, SDAIE, and peer collaboration. Learning disabled students have equal access to Language Arts instruction with sliced curricula, instructional aides for mainstreaming opportunities, and Title I push-in or pull-out assistance. Title I students may receive help before and after school and during recess time. Castroville Elementary School implements the following Title I interventions: Literacy Center, Phonics Center, Language Lab, and Writing Center. Students identified as disabled learners with IEP's received specialized assistance by a Resource Specialist. English Language Learners (ELL) receive daily instruction in primary language while developing Life Lab science instruction, and math curricula are used to develop both concepts and written, receptive, and oral language.

Each grade level developed teaches core poetry that all students learn and practice. Castroville Elementary School classroom libraries contain a variety of genre, and our school library consists of over 7,000 volumes, 30% of which are Spanish titles. The recent state library grant allowed Castroville Elementary School to increase its holdings. Reading is emphasized through pleasure reading time that are part of homework expectations, summer reading lists and contents. GATE students have skills instruction grouping, opened reading projects, and real world extensions with Scholastic Science News and local daily newspapers.

Reading fluency is stressed and all students are monitored regularly by classroom teachers and three times a year by resource staff for one part of the triangulated data for each student. The Open Court Packard Grant provides coaching for improved reading instruction for kindergarten-third grade English readers. A Title VII Grant supports a 50% literacy coach for Spanish speakers.

The current status of students achievement in Language Arts shows that students are not performing well in English reading in all the grades. Item analysis by grade levels shows that students perform most poorly in the area of reading comprehension, in comparison to other State or county students. As a result School Improvement goals for student comprehension improvement have been set and will be measured by SAT scores and District tests. Additionally, 41% first graders, 50% of second graders, and 37% of third graders quality as Title I targeted students. Castroville Elementary School would like to reduce these percentages by 5% or more in the next year. Students will be evaluated by District Title I criteria to measure improvement.

Mathematics
Castroville School staff utilizes Creative Publications' Mathlands as the district adopted program and Excel supplementally for extra skills instruction. All students have access to the appropriate language materials for these programs. Manipulatives are available in all classes as an aspect of the Mathlands program. All teaches hold BCC, BCLAD, or CLAD credentials and can use the strategies of pre-teach, reattach, SAD, and sheltered instruction.

Disabled learning students have assistance through the Resource SpecialistProgram. Regular classroom teachers modify lessons, give mini lessons, or have students receive math instruction in a different classes to assist them at their level of math learning. GATE students have challenge math centers and can demonstrate skill mastery at their own pace. Classroom teachers have supportive math software for student math practice.

Problems solving and factual knowledge are stressed for all students. State and district standards are used for student instructional goals and evaluation. To insure that new teachers are trained in how to help students meet standards, the Castroville Elementary School teachers have developed, and annually revisit, grade level math curricular maps which outline the math content, skills and assessments in a year plan.

The current status of students achievement shows that students SAT scores for math fall below the 50% and below State and county cohorts. Item analysis shows that students have most difficulties with math comprehension problems. Therefore, goals were developed for the increase of student math computation in context. Students' success will be measured by improvements in SAT scores and district measures.

Social Studies
Castroville Elementary School's social studies program includes the McGraw-Hill Adventures in Time and Place Social Studies curriculum for grades kindergarten through fifth. This curriculum is available for our students in both Spanish and English. Integrated teacher made materials that combine science and literature for kindergarten through second grade are also used.

Castroville Elementary School is a Community of Caring School, which incorporates the five core values of caring, responsibility, family, trust, and respect in all subjects. Art instruction is integrated with social studies with the art instructor teaching music and art in American history for fourth and fifth grades. The democratic process is taught both within classes in class meetings and student forum for upper grade students.

Open Court and Cuentamundos, our language arts curriculums, emphasize reading of other cultures and countries. Students of diverse heritage's are acknowledged and honored in class discussions. Classes have National Geographic atlas software for use in their studies. Fourth and fifth grade teachers use the Scholastic Mentor videos, which present the achievements of people of diverse cultures. Annually all kindergarten and third graders receive instruction in personal and social safety in the Child Abuse Prevention presentations. Curriculum slicing and peer tutoring are some of the strategies used to assist Learning Disabled students and English learners cope with the rigor of Social Studies curriculum. Scholastic News is available for GATE students to extend their learning in Social Studies.

Science
Castroville Elementary School uses a district created and State waived combination curriculum of Life Lab, CSIN, and district designed lessons. Instruction follows draft science standards formulated form the Challenge Standards. Teachers have appropriate manipulative materials for science study as well an operating garden and green house. Language Acquisition in Science for Rural Schools (L.A.S.E.R.S.), a National Science Foundation Grant, offers science opportunities for professional development. L.A.S.E.R.S. instruction is designed to instruct science concepts through SDAIE strategies in the students' second language. All students have further access to science at Castroville Elementary School's the award-winning garden.

The Open Court language arts program helps students design investigationsthat meet the needs of a full range of abilities. Available to classes are laser disks that present thousands of images and video clips which, assist in concept building for all students. The values of caring and responsibility are stressed in garden care in the lower grades and environmental studies in the upper grades.

Physical Education
Students at in kindergarten participate in physical education thirty minutes a week with basic skills and musical movement education. First through fifth participate in grades use cooperative games in mixed level groups. Fifth graders also participate in spring Physical Education skills testing.

English Language Learners (ELL) benefits from cross-cultural mixing in multigraded heterogeneous, cooperative groupings for physical education. Fairness, sportsmanship, cooperation, and respect are directly taught in the lessons. Classes often use games from other countries and cultures. Lessons are modified for understanding and the "model and practice" method, which accommodates learning disabled students, is the norm for physical education classes.

Fine Arts Program
Castroville Elementary School's fine arts program consists of the following:

• Eight weeks of art appreciation and exploration of different media for first grade through fifth grade. Fourth and fifth grade have an emphasis on American Artists and art history.
  
• Eight weeks of basic music theory, vocal music and exploration of rhythm and melody with simple instruments fir first through fifth grade.
  
• Kindergarten has three eight week sessions, one session for art, one session for music, and the third divided between additional art and music lessons.
  
• Third graders receive eight weeks of basic instruction on the baroque recorder.
  
• Art and music of many cultures and countries are part of the content of lessons for all students.

Disabled learners have accommodations made in shorter lessons with concentration on the essential features of the concepts being taught. English language learners have the advantage of having the instructor, a credentialed bilingual bicultural teacher, employ all the research-based methods for second language learners.

A drama club and an advanced recorder club meet at lunch-time for the fourth and fifth graders, and at the beginning of second quarter, a beginning recorder club meets at lunch-time for the third graders. GATE students are not only offered these extracurricular activities but are also supported in class to achieve at their own level due to the nature of the divergent instructional concepts.

Classroom teachers using the Hampton Brown Into English series for Englishlearners utilize the suggested songs, drama skits, and music to increase the concepts learned through the various modalities. Many teachers have students use computer graphics along with manual illustrations to support class reports and research.

Foreign Language, Spanish as a Second Language - SSL
All students have the opportunity to acquire a second language. English speakers receive instruction in Spanish as a Second Language a minimum of twice a week for 45 minutes. The curriculum used was developed by a team of bilingual teachers and is literature and science based. This program includes multicultural literature as an essential part of the instruction. Monolingual English speaking GATE students have the advantage of participation in this program. All Spanish as a Second Language teachers hold Bilingual credentials.

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Handbook

This handbook was written to provide useful information about Castroville Elementary School's activities and expectations. Please take time to read it with your child. We want to provide the very best education possible for every student and we will succeed with your help and support. *These documents require Adobe Acrobat and go to http://access.adobe.com/

Castroville Elementary School Handbook (English)
Castroville Elementary School Handbook (Spanish)

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Parents and Community Involvement

Castroville Elementary School involves parents in many ways. Parents participate on the Governance Council (School Site Council/Bilingual Advisory Committee), the School Leadership Team and on the Parent Teacher Club (PTC), and annual Title I and Safe Schools survey. Parents attend in the fall "Back to School Night," the spring "Open House," student performances in the spring and winter, fall parent conferences and Community of Caring Family nights. Up to 71% of our parents have attended our parent functions.

Communication has been consistent through a variety of methods. Classroom teachers include parents in the education of their students by class newsletters, having parents read to their children daily, having parents participate in field trips and as a volunteer readers in classrooms. Annually parents, teachers, and students read and sign a 3 way contract enumerating the responsibilities of each in the education of the student. A monthly school newsletter which includes information from the Governance Council meeting is sent to every family, and the Title I funded liaison makes regular calls to parents remind them of meetings.

A Parent Handbook in English and Spanish and the School Calendar as well as quarterly updates are regularly distributed to all families. Other informal participation opportunities included "Authors Parties" and the convivial spirit of having all parents meet their children after school in the center quadrangle after school.Parents have been more fully informed as to the status of their children's academic process as evidenced by the three times a year notification of fluency scores, notification of SAT 9 and SABE results, grade level parent meetings regarding retention and standards, and notification of progress in English Language Development.

Parents Education has taken into consideration the topics parents have requested and topics germane to new State mandates. These are some of the parents classes that have been planned for the year. All classes are offered in English and Spanish.

• Title I/ Retention Workshops - Grade Specific: parents receive instruction and materials in how to help their children better reach the standards.
  
• Two-Way Immersion Parent Classes: parents receive instruction and materials that will help them assist their child in achieving success in this innovation program.
  
• Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?
  
• Family Math
  
• How Parents Can Help their Children Succeed in School
  
• Effects of Violence in the Media
  
• Fun Parenting Activities
  
• Effective Discipline
  
• The Role of Dads in Parenting
  
• Home Activities that can Enrich Your Child's Homework Experience
  
• Make and Take Math and Zoo Phonics Manipulatives
  
• Introduction to the Internet/Virtual Tours
  
• Family Literacy Night
  
• Plan Your Next Trip on the Internet

Plans to Improve/Increase Parent Involvement
In and effort to improve parent participation in parent meetings and in school-wide activities, a Community Outreach Ad Hoc Committee was formed. The committee emphasized that parent empowerment was the key to greater participation. In order for parents to become active participants in their school, their needs and recommendations needed to be heard.

The committee recommended that parent focus groups be conducted to provided parents a forum to voice their needs and recommendations. Focus groups that were held suggested recognizing parent volunteers on a regular basis as a way to acknowledge parents and make them feel more connected to the school. A Parent Appreciation column has been added to the school newsletter. Parents also indicated that they want to have the opportunity to have the same multicultural experiences that their children get in class.Activities to increase empowered parent involvement include the following as suggested by the parent focus groups: building reciprocal relationships; strengthening the skills of teachers to work on an individual basis with parents; revising the Three Way Compact; and continuing our current successful parent involvement strategies.

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Map

Castroville Elementary School Map is created in Flash 5. To the left of the map is the street Parajo Street. The next street to the top is Merritt Street and the street to the right is Union Street. There are eight blue buildings going in a circuluar motion. When user rolls over each name on the building then a photo will appear with text underneath it.

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North Monterey County Unified School District 2001 - 2002 Academic Calendar

August 2001
17 New Teacher Orientation
20 Teacher Meeting (a.m. only)
21 Teacher Workday
22 Staff Development Day - No School Grades K-12
23 FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

September 2001
3 Labor Day - No School K-12
13 Late Start Day - NMCHS

October 2001
1 Late Start Day - NMCHS
18 Late Start Day - NMCHS
26 Staff Development Day - No School Grades K-12

November 2001
12 Veteran's Day - No School Grades K-12
15 Late Start Day - NMCHS
21 Thanksgiving Recess - November 21, 22, and 23
29 Parent Conferences - Grades K-5
30 Parent Conferences - Grades K-5

December 2001
3 Late Start Day - NMCHS
6 Parent Conferences - Grades K-5
7 Parent Conferences - Grades K-5
17 Winter Recess - December 17 - January 4

January 2002
1 Winter Recess - December 17 - January 4
17 Late Start Day - NMCHS
21 Martin Luther King Day - No School Grades K-12
25 Staff Development Day - No School Grades K-12

February 2002
14 Late Start Day - NMCHS
18 President's Day - No School Grades K-12

March 2002
4 Late Start Day - NMCHS
8 District Floating Holiday - No School Grades K-12
21 Late Start Day - NMCHS
29 Spring Break - March 29 - April 5

April 2002
1 Spring Break - March 29 - April 5
18 Late Start Day - NMCHS

May 2002
13 Late Start Day - NMCHS
23 Late Start Day - NMCHS
27 Memorial Day - No School Grades K-12

June 2002
14 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

Elementary Trimesters End:
November 16, 2001
March 7, 2002
June 14, 2002

Secondary Quarters End:
October 26, 2001
January 25, 2002
March 28, 2001
June 14, 2002

Please Note:
Elementary school students have minimum day every Friday.
Moss Landing Middle School and Gambetta Middle School students have minimum day every Wednesday.

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Safety Net Strategies
Castroville Elementary School has initiated several safety net strategies and programs after examining the results of measurements and performance of students in the area of literacy. The following descriptions delineate the works of those systemic examination of student progress.

Student Study Team - SST
Students are referred to the Student Study Team by their classroom teacher. The Student Study Team is compromised of the parent/s, classroom teacher, Principle, Title 1 Resource Teacher, Resource Specialist, Speech Therapist, School Psychologist and the Bilingual Resource Teacher. Student strengths, areas of concern, question and potential outcomes and actions are discussed and a plan is created for the student.

Migrant Education
The North Monterey County Unified School District Migrant Program serves students in a supplemental manner. The program provides extended day services as well as school readiness services for families with preschool children. Additionally, staff development and parents training are provided. Teachers and other staff and community agencies to ensure that families have access to various social services and health care providers in the local area. Castroville Elementary School parents are offered the opportunity to participate in the Community Based English Tutorial Program.

Even Start Family Literacy Program
The Even Start Program involves parents and their children 0-7 years of age in a family-centered education program. Through home and center-based activities, children and parents of 30 families who have high levels of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, limited English proficiency, and teenage pregnancy will receive a comprehensive education program consisting of parents as teachers, home visits, preschool experience, literacy, parenting, ad job training programs. The program is in partnership with Central Bay Head Start.

Title VII
The goal for Title VII is to increase student achievement through restructuring, reforming and upgrading the instructional program for all students. Title VII increased parent involvement through parent education and outreach for both the school as a whole, and for the Dual Language Academy.

Title I / Economic Impact Aid (EIA)
Title I, Miller Unruh and Economic Impact Aid (EIA) provide supplement help to students who are not meeting literacy standards. Funding includes the following supplemental skills instruction to qualifying students; community liaison to parents; supplemental reading instruction materials in English and Spanish for classroom teachers to help students meet district grade level standards; materials and services to prepare students for SAT 9 and SABE testing, literature sets for instruction teacher resources in phonics skills, spelling and writing skills, equipment and supplies for literacy instructions, multi-funded certificated resource teachers that provide small group 7 week intense instruction based on diagnosed student literacy needs; coordination of testing and analysis of results for triangulated data taking place three times a year for reading fluency, four time a year for writing competencies, and annually for SAT 9 and SABE; independent study contracts for student son extended family trips or migratory work; and staff development in language arts instruction. Small group instruction use not only only District adopted Open Court and Cuestamundos programs but also eclectic supplemental include: Estrellitas, Zoo Phonics, approved literature sets, Wright Group books and Supplemental books from Open Court and Cuentamundos. Additionally Title I provides training for and materials for fourth and fifth grade teachers to implement "Breaking the Code" for their low performing students.

Traditional pull out literacy interventions have been replaced with a variety of services that better align with the needs of the student and that are not simply repeating the same type of intervention. Resource teachers push into the classroom to help the low performing students with content that is difficult for them.

Title I services are coordinated in a team of Resource Teachers: Bilingual Resource Teacher, Title I / Miller Unruh / EIA Resource Teacher, Title I Resource Specialist, Coordinator of Student Interventions and After School programs, Title VII/SIP Coordinator and the Principal. This team meets monthly to analysis instructional successes and needs, discuss parent input, and plan assistance to teachers in literacy. This team also meets three times a year as the Student Review Team. Resource services are examined by both classroom teachers in grade level groups and at the Student Review Team meetings to analysis evidence of Title I / Miller Unruh effectiveness in helping students better reach standards in their regular classes. These evaluations and suggestions are used by the Resource Team to monitor and adjust current services and plan for class and group configurations for the next quarter.

Identified target Title I students at first grade number 35 or 41% of the first graders. 62% of those identified are English language learners. 50% of the second graders qualify for Title I and 60% of those are English language learners. Of the total of 67 third graders, 37% qualify for Title I and 0% of those students are English language learners. Many of the English language learners who qualify for Title I are in their first semester of Structured English Immersion (SEI) class.

After School Enrichment Tutorials/21st Century Grant
The Safe Centers Program in North Monterey County Unified School District operates on the following basics principles:

• Opportunities for extended learning and growth should be available to all children.
  
• All children should have the opportunity for academic support to increase their performance levels in school.
  
• There should be a strong link between the regular school day and the afterschool day.
  
• Children should be able to touch, feel, taste and explore new things in their world.

Enrichment courses are made available through multiple sessions scheduled throughout the school year. The multiple session format permits teachers to rotate their teaching assignments - preventing burn out. This format permits students to sign up for periods of time - increasing their attendance rate. The ability for a child to participate in multiple enrichment classes through out the year provides exposure to a wide variety of activities.

The academic courses are also designed with a multiple session format. It again permits teacher rotation ad student rotation. Furthermore these courses are designed with the individual students in min. The Student Review Team reviews students progress towards benchmarks in the areas of reading, writing, and math. They also consider each individual child's personality, strengths and weakness. The SRT then makes programmatic recommendations for interventions that will enhance each child. Suggestions may include:

• Participate in the afterschool program
  
• Push in or pull out academic support in small groups
  
• Participate in the Gifted and Talented Education Program
  
• Supplemental instruction in English Language Development
  
• Supplemental instruction in Math, Reading or Writing
  
• Gifted and Talented Program participation
  
• Students and family counseling services
  

The afterschool program remedial classes are determined by specific student need. Students who show similar academic weakness or strengthens are grouped together and a course is designed just for them.

The SAFE program at Castroville Elementary School has offered the following course. Remedial Courses include: literacy, America Reads, Math, Reading, ELD, Homework Help. Enrichment course includes: GATE, computers, Spanish, Chess, Bailet Folklorico, murals, art, fine arts, soccer. Miscellaneous program offering include: counseling, community liaison support, parent education classes, Parent University and Family Math.

At Castroville Elementary School, the following services are available to students on-site:

• Resource Specialist 75% FTE
• Special Class for grades K-3
• Speech and language Therapy 2.5 days/week
• Psychological Services 2 weeks a months

Outside of Castroville Elementary School there is an array of services appropriate for handicapped infants, preschoolers, as well as for school-age students ages 5 through twenty-two who need more specialized assistance. When needed, these services and school placements are arranged through the district's Department of Special Services.

Even Start
The Even Start Program which will begin at the end of first semester, will aim at the increase of student academic achievement, the increase of parent literacy, the increase of parent involvement in students' social, emotional and academic growth.

Community Liaison
The Community Liaison staff members is funded by 21st Century and Safe and Drug Free School. He/she calls parents to inform them about and remind them of SST meetings and various parent meeting. He/she helps resolve uniform problems the children are experiencing and connects families to sources for free and inexpensive uniforms. Additionally, the liaison creates, duplicates, and distributes parent notices, and enters student testing data.

Title IV Safe and Drug-Free School and Communities - SDFSC
Community of Caring/Tobacco Use Prevention Education - TUPE

The goals for the SDFSC include:

• A safe school environment for all.
  
• A Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco-free environment.
  
• Healthful decision making through effective K-5 prevention-related instruction.
  
• Caring and helpful prevention services for high-risk students.
  
• Appropriate assistance and referrals for students requiring special interventions.

At Castroville Elementary School, much of the prevention is focused on Community of Caring. Community of Caring is a character education program developed by the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation. The program followed the simple equation:

Parents + Student + Teacher + School + Community = Success

It is built around the five essential values of Family, Caring, Responsibility, Respect, and Trust. There are eight strategies included in our Community of Caring School program: Training and Support, a Facilitator, a Coordinating Committee, a Comprehensive Plan, Values Across the Curriculum, Students Forums, Family and Community Involvement, and Community Service. Castroville Elementary School reviews their plan annually and forms the steering committee that helps carry out and plan the school Comprehensive plan.

Extended Day Program
The Castroville Elementary School Extended Day provides supervised educational, recreational, and nutritional activities for children K-5. The program operates form 7:00 am to 6:00 pm daily including inter, spring, and summer vacation times.

State Preschool
The State Preschool as Castroville Elementary School operates from 8:00 am to 2:35 pm to provide experiences of nutrition, social skills and beginning education for 20 students ages 3-5 from low income families in the Castroville School area.

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Virtual Tour

Welcome to Castroville Elementary School Virtual Tour !
In this section you will be able see and get a close up of the school. If you don't have Quicktime Movie a link to download Quicktime on bottom right is available to view the movie Quicktime Plug-in. The thumbnails are in a circuluar order for the user to pick a movie. You can either click on the text link or image to view the movie. Once you have selected a thunbnail then it will appear. When navigating the movie use these keys on your keyboard and also, be sure that your mouse is positioned over the movie.

For PC: use the "Shift key" to "Zoom In" & "Crtl key" to "Zoom Out"
For Mac: use the "Shift key" to "Zoom In" & "Crtl key" to "Zoom Out"

Enjoy the tour!

Front
As you enter Castroville School from Pajaro or Union you arrive at thefront of the school.

Center Quad/Mural
Two beautiful murals grace the walls of Castroville School quad area. Each mural represents a natural habitat with acorresponding community of caring words.

Garden
Castroville Elementary School has a lovely school garden where children learn hands on experience.

Playground
Castroville School has two playgrounds - one for our primary students and for our primary students and upper grade students. The upper grade play structure is a hot item on campus.

Hallway
The hallway connects the rest of the school to the cafeteria and rooms 11-18. Again, the beautiful hardwood floors are shined to briallance.

Library
Castroville School has a library filled with quality literature in both English and Spanish. The school librarian, Kathy Demeuth, keeps the library well stocked with outstanding books.

Cafeteria
The caferteria is a beautiful room where students eat and we host assemblies. The hardwood floor shine so brightly.

Computer Lab
Thanks to the hard work of Heather Foster, Castroville maintains a iMac computer lab. The computer lab is used daily by all students.

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Voices from teachers of Castroville Elementary School

This Flash interactive voices from teachers of Castroville Elementary School will allow the user to roll the names and read their views about the school. When user rolls over name it will change to a different color (blue). The backgroud image is a faded artichoke. Below are the comments from the teachers at Castroville Elementary School:

"I was once a student here. It is fun to return as a teacher. I appreciate the support I feel from fellow teachers as well as administrators. Castroville has offered me many opportunities to grow as a professional as well as a person. It's great to be back here. Beside now they have let me in the staff room!" :o) - Amy Cornelsen :o)

"I choose to teach at Castroville Elementary School because I want to support and be apart of the Bilingual Dual Immersion Program. I enjoy and appreciate teaching in this tight knot community and school because it is such a positive, welcoming and supportive environment, especially as a first year teacher." - Siena Frank

"6 years ago my landlord's best friend and neighbor were discussing a teaching opening in 4th and 5th at Castroville School. My landlord had her daughter in a Summer Program and directed and knew that I loved kids and teaching. I interviewed on a Friday, was hired on that Saturday and was at the N.M.C.U.S.D. new teacher orientation the following Monday. I have been here ever since, appreciate it and love it." :0) Warmly, Gordon Frost

"Teaching at CV is a pleasure. The community and staff are supportive are caring. My daughter loves attending two-way kinder. She is acquiring Spanish quickly and is eager to understand more."
- Kathy H.

"I am a new teacher at Castroville School and I decided to work here because it offers the Dual Language Immersion Program. I love being apart of the Dual Language Immersion Program because it helps students develop and increase their English and Spanish oral and literacy skills. I also chose to work at Castroville School teachers, administrators, staff highly value English and Spanish. Furthermore we see the numerous advantages of developing both languages." - Estela Lachino

"I chose to teach in Castroville School because I wanted to teach in a school in my community. I attended Castroville School when I was an elementary student. This is such a great school, and the staff is very supportive, I am glad I am working in this school." - Griselda López

"I like to work at Castroville because the parents are friendly and the children are eager to learn. The school is like a small town where everyone watches out for each other." - Marilyn McLaughlin

"I work at Castroville Elementary because I love the school and the community. Castroville has a sense of family and closeness. The students are hard workers and the parents are helpful. Teaching here is FUN." - Jacque Meyer-Shipwright

"I like working at Castroville School because this is the school I attended from kindergarten to fifth grade. I'm a hometown boy, and nothing gives me more pleasure than contributing to the education of the youth of my community." - Francisco Padilla

"My first experience working at Castroville Elementary was as a long term substitute as bilingual resource teacher. The deciding factor for me was the wonderful staff that greeted me and welcomed me into their school community. Now, as a first year teacher, I feel very greatful to be working with a wonderful group of professionals. Whenever I have a question, I feel comfortable asking anyone on the staff for assistance." - Eduardo Palacios, 3rd grade Dual Language Teacher

"I choose to teach at Castroville Elementary School because of the amazing Two-Way Bilingual Immersion Program. For Native Spanish-speakers, it provides the best of primary language instruction as a foundation to facilitate high achievement in English. For native English speakers, it offers the best foreign language immersion which also facilitates high achievement in English. The goal of our program is that all students become bilingual, biliterate and bicultural! They learn to speak, read, and write in both Spanish and English. It is challenging, rewarding, and exciting to teach in such an effective, outstanding educational program. The interaction among staff truly demonstrates the community of caring values and I greatly appreciate the warmth, support and comradery. Our principal, Laurie Bloom-Sweeney, is a dynamic leader who fosters a positive, professional, professional environment of respect, collaboration and innovation." - Laura Speelman

"During my interview for a teaching position at Castroville Elementary, I was "sold" on the obvious enthusiasm and commitment shown by Dr. Bloom-Sweeney. But on my first day at school, when I heard laughing students in the halls and saw smiles on the other teacher, that's when I fell in love with my school. This is a happy school!" - Indiana Vance, 3rd Grade Dual Immersion

Voices from students of Castroville Elementary School
This Flash interactive voices from students of Castroville Elementary School. The backgroud image is a faded artichoke. This will allow the user to roll the green artichoke icons that are placed to the left and to the right. When the users rolls over the artichokes in the center will show writings and drawings about the school from different grade levels.

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Links

Community
Artichoke Festival Official web site
All Creatures
Castroville Chamber of Commerce
Castroville, Ca. Restaurants
Pelican Network
Pezzini Farms

Schools
Gambetta Middle School
Moss Landing Middle School
North Monterey County High School

Bilingual Education
National Clearinghouse Bilingual Education
River Glen Elementary School

Academic
California Department of Education Academic Performance Index (API)

*Please note that Castroville Elementary School can not vouch for the accessibility of these sites and questions should be address to the owner.

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Credits

Renee Oania, Institute of Communication Science and Technology, Technology Tutor,
California State University Monterey Bay

Laurie Bloom-Sweeney, Ed.D., Principal of Castroville Elementary School

Teachers, staff, and students of Castroville Elementary School

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