Curriculum & Support Services

AFTERSCHOOL ENRICHMENT CLASSES

The ACE program is a high-quality district-wide program that provides opportunities for to participate in classes after school that is both fun and academic. These fee-based enrichment classes are coordinated by volunteers at Woodbury and are taught by pre-approved professionals. Classes offered include Mustang Milers, musical, journalism and yearbook, video production, dance, art, chess, languages, sports, digital animation, science, and programing.

ART PROGRAMS

All K-6 teachers in Irvine Unified School District are supported in the visual arts. The teachers are provided professional development in Arts Advantage, a curriculum facilitated by the Orange County Department of Education and The California Arts Project. This curriculum incorporates the California content standards in the visual arts and the Common Core State Standards. Professional development in the visual arts includes the collaborative development of lessons, lesson study, action research on curriculum implementation, and engagement in scoring and developing assessments in the visual arts.

Students in grades fourth through sixth receive a one-hour art lesson once every six weeks, which is provided by the district's skilled and talented art specialists. Lessons are based upon the Irvine Unified School District Art Matrix Plan and the California visual arts content standards. Listed in detail are areas of art education each student is to have learned grades 4 through 6. Sample lessons include contour drawing, negative space, visual awareness and paintings by the masters. A supplemental art program called FIBO is provided to students in first through third grade by our PTA.

CITY FITNESS

Through City Fitness, every grade level at Woodbury receives sixty minutes of physical education instruction taught by the City of Irvine Parks & Recreation Department staff alongside the classroom teachers. This program is funded by our PTA in cooperation with the City of Irvine Parks & Recreation Department. The physical education activities include but are not limited to sports, obstacle courses, stretching, fitness drills, and large group games. Lessons are aligned with the California Physical Education Content Standards. It is important to note, classroom teachers provide a minimum of forty additional minutes per week of physical education for their students in order to meet the state required physical education state mandate of 200 minutes of PE instruction every two weeks.

DARE PROGRAM

Sponsored by the Irvine Police Department, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) is a program presented to sixth grade students and is aimed at preventing the use of controlled substances, membership in gangs, and violent behavior. The subject matter in theprogram is taught by sworn police officers during regular school hoursin a lecture presentation format using PowerPoint, videos, and demonstrations.

The curriculum provides the students with the specific tools and techniques to resist peer pressure and individual involvement in:

• Gangs
• Criminal activity
• Drug abuse
• Alcohol abuse
• Internet safety

EARLY INTERVENTION READING MODEL (EIRM)

Kindergarten and first grade students having difficulty meeting grade level standards in reading are provided an opportunity to participate in our Early Intervention Reading Model program. EIRM provides students with an extra 30 minutes of small group systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, connection to print, pattern recognition, and phonics.

ELEMENTARY RESOURCE COUNSELING PROGRAM/

Many children struggle from time to time with a range of family and life circumstances (divorce, loss, moves, stress) that make school more difficult. Thus, our school developmental counseling program, provided by our certified Elementary Resource Counselor, is able to provide opportunities for students to participate in individual and small group counseling experiences that provide support and skill-building for coping with family stressors, academic struggles, and personal issues.

ELEMENTARY SCIENCE SPECIALIST PROGRAM

All fourth, fifth, and sixth graders at Woodbury receive 120 minutes of hands-on science instruction each week. An additional 60 minutes of science instruction is provided by each child's classroom teacher. This program is unique among Orange County school districts.

This comprehensive science program includes a balanced curriculum including Earth, Life, and Physical Science as well as Investigation and Experimentation skills. Additionally, all students receive instruction and practice in the Scientific Method and students are required to complete a Science Fair project.

EXTENDED LEARNING

Students having difficulty meeting grade level standards in language arts in second through sixth grade are provided an opportunity to participate in an after school intensive reading program that meets three afternoons a week. This is an individualized computer based program, Lexia/CORE 5, designed to help students improve their reading skills in the areas of fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, spelling and writing. After students are assessed and introduced to the program, they will spend each day rotating at twenty minute intervals between small group instruction and reading with the teacher; comprehension, spelling, and vocabulary activities on the computer; and independent reading, listening, and writing follow-up activities. The classes are taught by Woodbury teachers and support staff.

Additionally, for students who are considered to be beginning or early intermediate fluency in English learners, Sheltered English instruction is provided focusing on language acquisition and improving reading decoding, fluency, and comprehension.

GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION

The Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program is provided for students in grades 4 – 6 who are identified with exceptional learning abilities. This program consists of small clusters of identified students within the general education classroom with a teacher who has been trained in meeting the needs of the gifted students. Appropriately differentiated instruction including depth, complexity, acceleration and novelty is taught within the core curriculum. For more detailed information about Woodbury’s GATE program, CLICK HERE.

GUIDANCE RESOURCE SERVICES

181192386491. receives the services of a counseling assistant who works with small groups in the areas of classroom behavior, self-concept and social skills. In addition, the assistant focuses on managing reactions to major changes in home or at school. It is very common for some young children to have trouble with adjusting to the classroom, getting along with others, managing their feelings, dealing with changes in their families, paying attention, regulating their behavior, and developing the social and emotional skills they need for school and life success. The Woodbury Guidance Assistant Program is designed to offer support to these students during their school day so that they can increase their learning-readiness and move ahead successfully in school.

Sometimes, social skills lessons are offered to the whole classroom as well, in a series of 8-10, 30 minute “workshops”. These small group or classroom lessons may cover:

• Learning about Empathy
• Anger Management Skills
• Impulse Control Skills
• Problem-Solving Skills
• Decision Making Skills
• Learning-to-Learn Skills (attention, focus, listening)
• Getting Along With Others
• Bullying Prevention
• Dealing with Changes

HEALTH SERVICES

Our district nurse (on site two days per week) provides students with vision screening (grades K, 3, 6) and hearing screening (grades K, 2, 5) and assists students who have physical impairment and health related problems. Information and guidance is provided to staff, parents, and students when medical conditions affect academic and social growth. The district provides a Health Clerk five days per week.

LUNCH TIME ACTIVITIES

Provided by our PTA in cooperation with the City of Irvine Parks & Recreation Department, Lunch Time Activities (LTA) offers structured games and activities for students in grades kindergarten through sixth grade two days a week during lunch time. The program is led by staff from the City of Irvine’s Parks and Recreation Department.

MUSIC PROGRAM

Supported by the Irvine Public School Foundation (IPSF), kindergarten through third grade students are provided a centralized music curriculum taught by credentialed music specialists. This program provides students with a solid foundation in musical concepts in a fun, supportive environment.

Vocal and instrumental music are a district-provided program for students in fourth through sixth grades. Upper grade music instruction is given in a "block music" system. Unlike the more common "pull-out" system, students do not miss regular classroom instruction to participate in the music program. At Woodbury, all students receive music education and music is considered as important as all other curricular activities. Students receive two forty-minute lessons a week.

In fourth grade, each student has the option of either participating in the vocal music program or learning to play a string instrument (violin, viola, or cello). Fifth grade students may participate in either the vocal music program, continue to play a string instrument if they played one the previous year, or begin a wind instrument (flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, or baritone). Sixth grade students are given the opportunity to participate in the vocal music program or continue with a more intensive study on their chosen instrument.

The music curriculum is based on the Irvine Unified School district's Music Scope and Sequence, as well as the California State Framework. The elementary music program and staff are highly regarded throughout the County, and are used as a bench mark of quality for other school Districts. Each respective school provides a culminating concert at the end of the year.

OUTDOOR SCIENCE SCHOOL

Woodbury sixth grade students spend five days at Thousand Pines Outdoor Science School located in the mountain community of Crestline, in the San Bernardino Mountains. Outdoor science school offers students an outdoor classroom experience by providing an understanding of the natural world through hands-on experiences with nature. The curriculum is designed around the statewide science standards. Students are guided through their experience by trained outdoor education staff members where direct experience and observation provide unique learning opportunities. Students journey through the Thousand Pines’ “wilderness” on numerous trail hikes throughout the week to investigate the local flora, fauna, geology, habitats, ecosystems, meteorology, weather and constellations.

PARENT OUTREACH COORDINATORS

The purpose of our Parent Outreach Coordinators is to Connect, Communicate, Acculturate, and Educate (CCAE) the students and parents who are new to Woodbury Elementary. It is our goal that this endeavor will make it easier for families to transition into our school and community.

Specifically, the intent is to:

• create awareness about parent resources among teachers, parents, and Woodbury community.
• establish home-school connections for parents.
• create cultural awareness and appreciation among all students and their families.
• serve as a liaison between Woodbury and IUSD's Language Development Program.
• provide parent outreach and engagement.
• involve parents in both Woodbury and IUSD activities and resources. Examples- Woodbury PTA, volunteering, support at home, IPSF, etc.
• design and provide Woodbury parent workshops that address a variety of topics and needs.
• support teachers with resources for students and parents.
• identify and develop leadership within cultural and linguistic groups.

PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

One part-time school psychologist provides assistance for the behavioral, social/emotional, and cognitive needs of students. Diagnosis of student needs, counseling/guidance for students and parents, testing and consultation to staff are available.

SCHOOL SITE COUNCIL

The School Site Council is a school based decision making organization whose central focus is supporting the best decisions for students. The School Site Council provides a means to improve communication and collaboration between the school and our community. The SSC is composed of members of our school community, with half of the group representing the professional school staff and half representing parents of Woodbury. All School Site Council meetings are open to the public and all members of our community may attend. At every meeting, an opportunity to speak to a topic not on the agenda is offered to anyone who is interested in addressing the School Site Council. The major responsibilities of this advisory forum include the following:

• Developing the Coordinated Summary of the School Improvement Plan
• Monitoring and evaluating the overall effectiveness of the school program
• Participating in program quality reviews to affirm program strengths and identify areas for growth and improvement at Woodbury.

SHELTERED ENGLISH IMMERSION

Woodbury’s Sheltered English Immersion Program (SEI) is designed to provide academic instruction for students with less than beginning or early intermediate fluency in English. Clusters of English Language Learner students are grouped in mainstream classrooms. The primary focus of the SEI Program is the rapid and effective acquisition of reasonable English fluency and the foundational academic language and literacy skills critical to student academic success. Program participation is not normally intended to exceed one year, unless otherwise determined necessary to meet the identified instructional needs of a student.

SPECIALIZED ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION

This program is designed to assist children who demonstrate significant deficits in academic skills. A student can qualify for the program by demonstrating a specific learning disability or a significant discrepancy between ability and academic performance. After a student has been identified as qualifying for the program, an Individualized Education Plan supported by the program and the classroom teacher is designed to assist the students in making reasonable academic and social gains utilizing his/her strengths and remediating weaknesses.

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PROGRAM

This program is designed to diagnose and provide therapy for students who demonstrate difficulty in speech, language development, and language-based skills. Students who qualify for this program have an Individualized Educational Plan designed for them and receive individual or small group assistance as appropriate.

STUDENT COUNCIL

The purpose of Woodbury’s Student Council Program is to empower students so they may improve the educational experience for all students, promote spirit and pride in our school, represent the views and opinions of the student body, and provide school wide leadership. Student Council members plan events, spirit days, participate in assemblies, and provide input on school-decisions.

TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN

TK is the first year of a two-year developmental kindergarten program servicing children who turn five between September 2 and December 2 each year. It is designed to build a solid foundation for success in school for “young” five year olds. The program is funded by the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010 that changed the kindergarten entry age in 2014-2015 to Sept. 1.