School Environment

Monday Morning Assembly

At the start of each week, the Principal makes announcements, introduces each classroom’s student of the week, talks about the three big rules, and announces birthdays.

Caring School Community

The Caring School Community^® initiative is a grant-funded opportunity to help districts and schools create caring and inclusive learning environments, foster children’s academic and social/ethical learning, and strengthen the connections among students, between students and teachers, and between home and school.

CHAMPs Classroom Management

CHAMPs is a system that help adults create environments for children that are emotionally and physically safe and that foster independence, integrity, confidence, self-control, kindness, literacy, and responsibility in those children.

The School Library

Our Library will grow into one of the key hubs of learning for Starr King Elementary School. With the support of staff and the Library Committee led by parent Tom Huber, the Library will feature a research station, linked to the Internet, that connects our library to plentiful research and learning resources now available online. These resources include, among other things, access to the Library of Congress.

Also important for the Principal and the Library Committee is that the Library becomes an inviting and cozy place to read. Students can also check out books to take home. In addition, plans are now in the draft stages for the addition of new shelves, the construction of readers nooks, and at least the partial carpeting of the library floor to help make the space quiet and conducive to learning.

The Playground

With a freshly painted yard thanks to Playworks, the transformation of our playground is underway. What the Starr King Green Schoolyard Committee hopes to accomplish in conjunction with the Principal and staff is to complete the painting of designated play areas, bring trees to the street sides of the school, and, one day, introduce a large garden to the school’s main playground that would be integrated into the academic day as well as the After School Program. Go to http://www.starrkingschool.net/programs/green/ for up-to-date information on this greening initiative.

The Multi-Purpose Room and Stage

The Multi-Purpose Room serves as a performance space for students and a meeting space for the school community. In 2010, the PTA funded a new sound system. Our next big project is to solve a couple storage issues, replace the sound curtains behind the stage, and raise funds for a modest bank of stage lights to help our student performances stand out.