Message from the Principal: 

An excerpt from a recent article in The Atlantic:“Alone in the Classroom: Why Teachers Are Too Isolated” by Jeffrey Mirel & Simona Goldin
“On the first day of their first year teaching, new teachers walk into their schools and meet their colleagues. They might talk about the latest state assessments, textbooks that have just arrived, or the newest project the district is spearheading. Some veteran teachers may tell the newcomers "how things are done" at the schools. And then, as teachers have done since the founding of public education in the U.S., they take leave of one another, walk to their classrooms to meet their students, and close the door.
In his classic 1975 book, Schoolteacher, Dan Lortie described teacher isolation as one of the main structural impediments to improved instruction and student learning in American public schools. Lortie argued that since at least the 19th century teachers have worked behind closed doors, rarely if ever collaborating with colleagues on improving teaching practice or examining student work. "Each teacher," Lortie wrote, "... spent his teaching day isolated from other adults; the initial pattern of school distribution represented a series of 'cells' which were construed as self-sufficient."

This year through our implementation of the TAP system and weekly cluster meetings focused on professional development, we have begun to end this isolation and are working together to improve our teaching and the learning of our students. We are currently working schoolwide to improve our students’ ability to retell a story (K/1) and summarize (2^nd-6^th). Here a few quotes from some of our dedicated teachers and hard working students at our school:

 “I want to let you know how grateful and thankful I am as a career teacher to be participating in the implementation of TAP. I have grown as an educator at leaps and bounds, and at this point, fear ever losing the support, professional development, and inspiration I feel in my profession. Please know that I speak for many others here at Nipomo Elementary; I am in the trenches with these wonderful teachers and hear the many things that are said and feelings that are shared.

Go TAP!!!”—Lynda Gorter, 5th grade teacher

 “It is the perfect program for life long learners. I love learning something new every week.”—Kay Silva, 4th grade teacher

 “She taught us the hand and how I can find the main idea, beginning, middle, end and close.”—Isaiah Melena, 4^th grade student

“It helps me when I have to do reports and helps when I am reading to understand what is going on.”—Isabella Motley, 4^th grade student