Academics

Each day begins with calendar skills, a weather report, review of the alphabet letters and sounds, counting, and reading familiar words. Throughout the day, the children engage in movement activities and songs, free play, and center time. The children fine-tune their listening skills and practice following multi-step directions each and every day.  When the weather permits us, the children enjoy recess in our kindergarten playground.

Each week the children attend class in our lab for lessons using the computers. The students also attend music class, physical education class, art class and meet with our librarian for a good story and a new book to take home for the week. 

In kindergarten, children master objectives in language arts, math, social studies, health, and science. All lessons are aligned with the State of Texas Academic Standards.

Ochoa first graders are engaged every day in various literacy, mathematical, and scientific activities. Each day offers numerous opportunities to read, write, think critically, and engage in hands-on learning experiences.

Our first graders are involved in writing, illustrating, and following the writing process to publish and share their work. This exciting activity helps them build confidence and take pride in their achievements.

Science and social studies are woven into the reading curriculum, with the goal of helping students use their reading skills to gain knowledge from informational texts. This approach enhances their associative skills and fundamental abilities. The natural curiosity children have about the world around them keeps them highly interested.

Ochoa first graders are also being taught to think mathematically and develop reasoning skills. Through a variety of hands-on lessons using manipulatives, they learn to identify relationships and patterns and use numbers confidently to solve problems. Beyond arithmetic, they are exploring measurement, geometry, statistics, and probability.

We are very thrilled and privileged to be teaching your child this academic school year! Our goal is to create excitement in our student’s learning and prepare each child with the necessary skills to succeed in not only third grade but in their future.  We believe that by providing a structured, supportive, and student-centered learning environment our students will become independent thinkers and real-world problem solvers.  

We truly believe that every child has the potential to learn and succeed. Parents are the most important influence in the education of our students. Together with the student we can break barriers and expand their horizons to endless opportunities.

Third-graders can:

• Read fluently and enjoy reading
• Use a range of strategies when drawing meaning from the text
• Use word identification strategies appropriately and automatically when encountering unknown words
• Recognize and discuss elements of different text structures
• Make critical connections between texts
• Write expressively in many different forms (stories, poems, reports)
• Use a rich variety of vocabulary and sentences appropriate to text forms
• Revise and edit their own writing during and after composing
• Spell words correctly in final writing drafts

What teachers do:

• Provide opportunities daily for children to read, examine, and critically evaluate narrative and expository texts
• Continue to create a climate that fosters critical reading and personal response
• Teach children to examine ideas in texts
• Encourage children to use writing as a tool for thinking and learning
• Extend children's knowledge of the correct use of writing conventions
• Emphasize the importance of correct spelling in finished written products
• Create a climate that engages all children as a community of literacy learners

What parents and family members can do:

• Continue to support children's learning and interest by visiting the library and bookstores with them
• Find ways to highlight children's progress in reading and writing
• Stay in regular contact with your child's teachers about activities and progress in reading and writing
• Encourage children to use and enjoy print for many purposes (such as recipes, directions, games, and sports)
• Build a love of language in all its forms and engage children in conversation

Reading Tips

• Read every night
• Encourage independent reading
• Ask questions after they finish reading
• Discover new genres 

Math Tips

• Make math fun in the kitchen
• Apply real-world strategies
• Talk with them about what they learn
• Have a reward system

For elementary students in GPISD, Bilingual/ESL Programs provides a dual language program whose goal is bilingualism, biliteracy, and biculturalism. In this program, we provide one and two-way models, according to the needs of our campuses. In each of the models, the subjects contained in the curriculum are divided between the two languages of instruction, which are Spanish and English. No matter the language of instruction, the focus of the program is to develop knowledge of the necessary content in a way that can be transferred. The uniqueness of these models lies not in the way the subjects are taught, but in the students, who compose the classes.

A los alumnos de primaria en GPISD proveemos un programa de lenguaje dual cuya meta es de ayudar a los alumnos a lograr el domino en hablar, escribir y leer en dos idiomas, y valorar de forma equitativa dos culturas. Este programa se ofrece mediante los modelos de una y de dos vías, de acuerdo con las necesidades de cada campus. En ambos modelos las materias del currículo se dividen entre los dos lenguajes de enseñanza - inglés y español. Independientemente del lenguaje de enseñanza, el enfoque del programa es el desarrollo del conocimiento de la materia de modo que el alumno pueda transferirlo de un idioma al otro. La distinción entre los dos modelos consiste no en la manera en que se presenta la enseñanza, sino en los alumnos que componen las clases.

English

Spanish

One-Way

In a one-way classroom, all the students are from a non-English-speaking background. They are consistently provided with opportunities to acquire English. Beginning students learn to read and write in their native language, and these skills are later transferable to English. The student’s native language is not subtracted as English develops. It continues to be developed, with the end result being that students who complete the program will be proficient readers, writers, and speakers of both languages.

En el salón de una vía, todos los alumnos son de antecedentes de habla no inglesa. De forma consistente se les proveen oportunidades para adquirir el inglés. Los alumnos principiantes aprenden a leer y escribir en su idioma natal, y después pueden transferir estas destrezas al inglés. El desarrollo del idioma natal del alumno no se suspende mientras desarrolla el inglés. La habilidad del lenguaje sigue aumentando en los dos idiomas y el resultado es que al completar el programa entero los alumnos serán competentes en leer, escribir, y hablar los dos idiomas.

Elementary campuses that offer one-way dual language are:

• Austin Environmental Science Academy
• Bowie Fine Arts Academy
• Global Leadership Academy at Barbara Bush Elementary
• Daniels Academy of Science and Math
• Morton Elementary
• Dickinson Montessori Academy
• Eisenhower Elementary
• Garcia Elementary
• Marshall Leadership Academy
• Ochoa STEM Academy
• Rayburn Elementary STEAM Academy
• Seguin Elementary
• Whitt Fine Arts Academy
• Williams Elementary
• De Zavala Environmental Science Academy

Two-Way

In the two-way model, each class is composed of both native English speakers and speakers of other languages. The goal is to have both languages equally represented. Each language group receives initial literacy, reading and writing instruction, in their native language, whether that be English or Spanish. Once students reach 2nd grade, all students receive both English and Spanish literacy equally.  For this reason, our Two-Way program cannot accept Opt-in students past 1st semester of 1st grade unless they have a documented Dual Language history. This will ensure students can be successful when they reach second grade literacy in both languages across content areas.

As with the one-way model, the subjects in the curriculum are purposefully divided between the two languages. This arrangement allows students to transfer their knowledge of the subjects from one language to the other. The ultimate goal is the same as for the one-way model: proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking in two languages.

En el modelo Dual de dos vías, cada clase está compuesta tanto por hablantes nativos de inglés como por hablantes de otros idiomas. El objetivo es que ambos idiomas estén igualmente representados. Cada grupo lingüístico recibe instrucción inicial de alfabetización, lectura y escritura en su idioma nativo, ya sea inglés o español. Una vez que los estudiantes llegan al segundo grado, todos los estudiantes reciben alfabetización tanto en inglés como en español por igual. Por esta razón, nuestro programa Dual de dos vías no puede aceptar estudiantes nativos de inglés después del 1er semestre de 1er grado, a menos que tengan un historial documentado de instrucción en un programa de lenguaje dual. Esto garantizará que los estudiantes puedan tener éxito cuando alcancen la alfabetización de segundo grado en ambos idiomas en todas las materias.

Al igual que con el modelo Dual de una vía, las materias del plan de estudios se dividen intencionalmente entre los dos idiomas. Esta división permite a los estudiantes transferir sus conocimientos de las materias de un idioma a otro. El objetivo final es el mismo que el del modelo Dual de una vía: dominio de la lectura, la escritura y el hablar en dos idiomas.

Elementary campuses that offer two-way dual language are:

Las escuelas que ofrecen el programa Dual de dos vías son:

• Mosely Elementary
• Travis World Language Academy

Art

Students at Ochoa STEM Academy will be creatively engaged in the studio each day with Mr. Nam.  Every day in the art studio is a wonderful opportunity to explore the individual creativity and natural curiosity each child possesses. Students in each grade will be encouraged to stretch their imaginations using a variety of artistic mediums as we explore great artists and their works.As the year progresses completed student work will be displayed for all to enjoy. Walk by and you will find us working hard in the studio

Music

The music curriculum at Ochoa STEM incorporates an intentional building of music skills and knowledge with reading, history, math and science.

The PTA programs are an opportunity for family and friends to share the talent and excitement of our wonderful students.  We hope you will all be able to attend our performances.

• October – 3^rd Grade
• November – 5^th Grade
• December – 4^th Grade
• January – 1^st Grade
• February – 2^nd Grade
• April – Kinder

PE

We are excited about the upcoming school year! This year students will learn the basics and fundamentals of the following sports badminton, disc golf, hockey, and volleyball to name a few. We will also enjoy the rock climbing wall and STEM activities on the 1^st and 3^rd Friday of the month. To show our support for heart disease we will participate in Jump rope and Hoops for Heart in February. Third thru Fifth grade will participate in the state Fitness Gram assessment in the spring. All of our lessons will focus on safety, participation, effort and sportsmanship.