Message from the Principal!
Burtonsville Elementary School is an exciting place to be! There are currently 740 boys and girls who are enrolled and on a daily basis they demonstrate S.T.A.R. (Show Thoughtfulness and Respect) behavior and a commitment to excellence (not perfection)! We are extremely impressed with our radiant STARS.
The staff, students, parents and I are striving to implement our school-wide strategies and the instructional changes that are necessary to "close the gap" and ensure success for every student. Our school-wide strategies include: CUCC (circle, underline, count and check), Fat-P (form, audience, topic and purpose), Word Thief, FEAT (for example, according to), the Hamburger Model for Persuasive Writing, Word of the Week and Strategies for Figuring out Words (look, jump it, chunk it, chop/clap it, frame it, mask it and ask). We have implemented three reading comprehension strategies from "Strategies That Work". They are: making connections, visualizing and questioning.
Our kindergarten students receive additional support during the reading/language arts block from our reading teacher and an instructional assistant. Additional support is also given to kindergarten during math time. We believe that it is critical to build a strong foundation and it starts in kindergarten. We are mindful that the activities and expectations must be developmentally appropriate. We have smaller class sizes in grades 1-3 to provide additional time and resources in Reading, Math and Writing for those students who need extra time. This supports my belief that children are like flowers in a garden. They bloom their own time and space.
We provide differentiated activities for our gifted and talented students, after school programs to support students who need a boost and/or are at risk, and enrichment classes in Spanish. Hands on Science is also offered. Junior Great Books, The College of William and Mary Language Arts Curriculum for Highly Able Learners, Hands On Equations, Soar to Success and Destination Imagination are some of the curricula and programs we have Implemented.
Our parents are critical to our success and they volunteer in the office, classrooms, library, on field trips, and support our PTA. They provide funding to support our school activities and we are most appreciative of their efforts.
The staff is exemplary. They are extremely caring, innovative, competent and confident. They work tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of our students. They share my vision for closing the gap and are deeply committed to increasing all student learning. They are the most incredibly gifted group of staff in the universe. I love them!!
We believe that Burtonsville ES is a most excellent place, where children are loved, celebrated, and encouraged to illuminate the universe. Please stop by and visit.