Core Beliefs
Our goal is to expose young learners to content area curriculum and a variety of extra-curriculum experiences so that, as they approach the middle school and adolescence, they have acquired the basic skills and knowledge to continue to achieve success. Below is what we hold as the basics for our intermediate students.
Develop skills necessary to acquire and evaluate information using a variety of sources and techniques. Somers Intermediate Students should be able to:
Develop skills necessary to acquire and evaluate information using a variety of sources and techniques. Somers Intermediate Students should be able to:
- Select and analyze information and communicate the results to others using written, oral, graphic, pictorial and multi-media methods.
- Utilize technology appropriately.
- Think and experiment creatively.
- Exhibit integrity, honesty, and respect for others.
- Take initiatives and personal responsibility for events and actions.
- Regard themselves with self esteem and others with respect.
- Work collaboratively as members of a team.
- Acknowledge and celebrate diversity.
- Exercise individual leadership abilities in a positive manner.
- Meet and accept academic and social challenges.
- Use self-evaluation to set/adjust goals and to improve as a learner.
Respect and Responsibility
At SIS, we emphasize the importance of treating one another with respect and encourage taking responsibility for one’s own actions. These important concepts are focused on through ongoing class discussions, special programs, school wide themes and are reinforced each and every day.
Bucket Filling Program
Our Bucket Filling program encourages and rewards caring behavior. Students are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to be kind and fill another's bucket. Filling someone else's bucket helps to reinforce the positive feelings that accompany good deeds. Our entire school will be seeking out students who are “caught in the act” of doing something special for someone else with no thought of reward. Bucket Fillers are awarded special certificates and their names are honored at our “Town Meeting”. Kindness counts at SIS. When you see a chance to be kind…just do it!
Responsive Classroom
Responsive Classroom is a research-and evidence-based approach to elementary education that leads to greater teacher effectiveness, higher student achievement, and improved school climate. Teachers encourage and model positive ways of being in each classroom, so we can change the ways kids relate to each other to prevent negative interactions and foster a sense of team and “looking-out” for one another. Using these well-constructed social and emotional teaching strategies lead to improved classroom behavior and academic growth. Students learn these ways of being through a "morning meeting," which takes place daily in each classroom.