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Project-Based Learning Professional Development for Olive Staff Commences
Olive Staff meets in PLC to discuss informational writing in the content areas--e.g., use of journaling in science and math instruction. ELD teacher Nickle and Principal Lavado lead PD focusing on embedding EL strategy support throughout the content areas. ELD is no longer a "separate" curriculum. -
Olive Summer Institute
Olive Staff receives training in project-based learning
Teams of teachers work on the "Marshmallow Challenge" to experience hands-on learning in a group setting with emphasis on innovative thinking
Ms. Lavado treats the winning team to a spaghetti dinner -
VUSD Buy Back Day
Olive Staff attends VUSD Buy-Back Day
Emphasis placed on collaboration, innovation and excellence by Supt. Vodicka.
Staff is given training in use of Google Drive and My Big Campus (learning platform) -
VUSD First Day of School
Olive students in third grade begin planning of "Constitution Day"--students utilize netbooks to do background research to write plays and presentations. Students are creating their own projects--teachers notice a higher rate of student engagement over time as the school year progresses. -
No Excuses University
Olive staff attends the San Diego training for "No Excuses Univerity". -
Culmination Celebrations vs. "Reward" Field Trips
Culminating celebration events (historical reenactments, science demonstrations, theatrical productions) replace "Reward" field trips as end-of-the-year events for Olive students. -
Washington M.S. Magnet Opens-Olive Benefits
The WMS Magnet School opens to great fanfare. With an emphasis on S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Teachnology, Engineering and Math) students receive a solid background of content knowledge to become competitive learners at university. Neighboring Olive Elementary benefts from middle school SERVICE LEARNING projects. -
"Flipped" Classrooms are Standard
"Flipped" classrooms become the standard model for instruction at Olive. All families own a dektop or laptop and have affordable internet connection provided through the "Computers 2 Kids" non-profit group. Students use "My Big Campus" to access content and assignments. Students watch online lessons at home and come to class to participate in group activities based on the content viewed the night before. -
Olive-WMS Multi-Age School Opens
Olive Elem. exhausts its QEIA grant funding in June, 2015. As class-size reduction is no longer required to maintain specialized funding, the ability to create a multi-age education setting for K-8 is possible with neighboring WMS Magnet School. The two schools are no longer categorized as "elementary" and "middle" after the merge. Differentiated instruction is the norm. Students are no longer limited in content by their developmental age. -
Olive Goes Paperless
By the end of the 2017 school year Olive students and staff are relying completely on digital learning platforms. The school copier is put to rest. All rejoice! -
BYOD in Full Implementation
Olive-WMS Multiage school achievts full implementation of BYODD "Bring Your Own Device" for indiidualized learning. Families in need continue to be supported by the non-profit "Technology 2 Kids". In this manner, all students have a device available for learning. -
Digital Textbooks are the Norm
Olive-WMS Multiage School is proud to have digital textbooks as the norm for all learners. -
"One-to-One" is the Norm at WMS-Olive Multi-age School
Students at Olive-WMS Multi-Age school have one device (tablet, latop, etc) for each student. -
All Parents are Digitally Connected
The introduction of lower-cost Smartphones in 2013 has brought the cost of owning a digital device down drastically--it is now finally the "norm" that every family in every socio-economic level has a minimum of a smartphone and tablet. Buying a tablet for your student can be likened to providing them with pencils and spiral notebooks in the "old days". -
Learning Environment Choice is the Norm at WMS-Olive Multi-Age School
The traditional school image is changed forever at WMS -Olive Multi-Age Magnet School. Although enrollment has continued to rise during the previous 6 years, the existing facility is able to accommodate the increase of students by offering choice in student learning envrionments. Young students come to school for group seminars and field trips. Older students participate in service learning off-site, internships, and come to school for group lessons, presentations, plays, concerts, art-shows, et
