WHES Classrooms

By adding adequate classroom support and educators, we will achieve our mission to develop problem solving, critical thinking and self directed learning skills. Our students must become productive citizens in a global society. With support from our academic community, they'll meet and exceed curriculum standards in a safe and caring environment. Excellence is measured, throughout the year, by positive behavioral support and benchmark assessments.

Each year, Woodmen Hills Elementary School expects to narrow its achievement gaps and increase state and district testing scores by focusing on both student-educator ratio and class size.

Research analysis has shown class size reduction alone has very little effect. Having a low, fixed educator-student ratio in classrooms combined with class ratios of 1:20 or less in grades 1-7 increases student testing scores. Class size reduction can potentially change numerous features of the classroom situation in positive ways. Having a low educator-to-student ratio with smaller class sizes is ideal for closing achievement gaps and effectively improves standardized testing scores.

Evidence indicates a smaller proportion of students in smaller classes are retained, and smaller class size leads to early identification of students' special educational needs. Findings indicate students who attend small classes complete more advanced courses than students who attend regular or aided classes . Students in smaller class sizes are better prepared to enter college when compared to their peers from larger classes.

We believe that those closest to the technical core in education systems, because of their access to information concerning students' diverse characteristics, needs, learning styles, and performance levels, are better positioned to make decisions about educational programs than those farther removed from the teaching and learning process. Thus, decisions concerning curricula, instructional technologies, and other school initiatives are most effective and enduring when carried out by those who feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for those decisions.