IB Policies

What is the Primary Years Programme?

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) provides an educational framework based upon what is currently known about how young children learn. It draws on the best practices in elementary school instruction and provides a focus on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside.

The PYP requires all teachers in the school to plan units of instruction and lessons collaboratively around six important themes. The collaboration facilitates a carefully thought-out and sequential development of skills, knowledge and attitudes, while the transdisciplinary themes provide both students and teachers a rich and inviting learning environment in which they can explore. In brief, the six transdisciplinary themes are: Who we are; Where we are we in place and time; How we express ourselves; How the world works; How we organize ourselves; and How we share the planet.

In the PYP, students are taught to understand that learning is about asking questions and looking for answers, which in turn may generate new, and perhaps more complex questions in need of answers. As teachers work with students through this programme of guided inquiry, they also help students understand what their relationship and responsibility is towards what they are learning. In the PYP character-building shares a prominent place alongside learning.

Culture 3.2: The school clearly describes in its academic integrity policy the rights and responsibilities of all members of the school community, what constitutes good practice and misconduct, and the actions that are to be taken if there are transgressions. (0301-03-0200)

Culture 3.3: The school articulates responsibilities for teaching a variety of practices related to academic integrity, and reflects its five fundamentals: honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. (0301-03-0300)

 

 

• Communicators: those who express thoughts and listen to others.
• Inquirers: those who acquire the skills necessary to conduct inquiry and research.
• Knowledgeable: those who explore concepts, ideas and issues.
• Principled: those who act with integrity and honesty and take responsibility for their own actions.
• Thinkers: those who develop their own perspectives and ideas.
• Risk takers: those who are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs. 

When these qualities are practiced, they promote the type of behaviors and skills needed to be successful in both the classroom and future educational endeavors. These qualities also prepare students to be effective global citizens.

 

• Demonstrate principled behavior when engaging in any school activity.
• Demonstrate self-management by staying organized, making appropriate choices, demonstrating integrity, and striving to create and present their best work.
• Take responsibility for their individual contributions to the collective process.  They should be respectful of others’ points of view and interact cooperatively with both adults and peers.
• Create work that is authentic and representative of each student’s unique intellect and abilities.
• Produce authentic work, including assignments, homework, projects, and assessments.
• Acknowledge and articulate the help received from parents, older siblings, friends, and group members on all work.
• Be aware of age-appropriate expectations regarding academic integrity and honesty. 
• Ask for guidance when unsure.

• Model academic honesty in their own work for their students.
• Develop the necessary skills and mindset to ensure students learn how to incorporate outside sources in their original work.
• Check submitted work for academic integrity.
• Communicate with parents/guardians and IB coach about support needed to ensure students uphold academic integrity.
• Monitor and document communications with all stakeholders regarding students who need additional support developing authentic work.
• Consistently outline and support student understanding of age-appropriate academic honesty and integrity.

• Model academic integrity across the school community.
• Provide additional professional development opportunities for teachers and staff on academic dishonesty.
• Provide age-appropriate expectations related to academic honesty and integrity.
• Investigate academic misconduct when necessary.

 

IB Standards 

Culture 1: The school secures access to an IB education for the broadest possible range of students.

Culture 1.1: The school implements and reviews an access and/or admissions policy that clearly describes the conditions for participation in the school's programme(s).

 

Atlanta Public School Admission Policy

 

 

 

  

 

Philosophy of Assessment The community of Continental Colony Elementary School recognizes assessment as the means to identify what students know, understand, and can do. Assessment administration involves the gathering of information about student performance – both formally and informally – as well as an analysis of that data in order to inform the next stages of teaching and learning.

In alignment with the Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES), the evaluation instrument used to measure teacher performance, teachers are expected to “systematically choose a variety of diagnostic, formative, and summative assessment strategies and instruments that are valid and appropriate for the content and student population” (GA Dept. of Education, 2014). In the assessment process, all stakeholders – students, teachers, parents, and administrators – will have a clear understanding of the reason for any given assessment, what is being assessed, the criteria for success, and the method by which the assessment is made.

• accurate, reliable, and fair so as to be free from cultural bias;                      
• consistent, clear, and concise;                
• meaningful and thought-provoking;   
• ongoing and engaging;   
• accommodating of diverse learning styles;       
• an opportunity for students to take a more active role and responsibility in their responsibility in their learning; and 
• challenging.                                                                                                      

 

● Weekly assessments and common assessments should be administered based on standards with specific regards to elements for a more concise determination of mastery.

● Formative Assessment: This form of assessment is used to determine if students are learning the skills, making connections to solidify enduring understandings, and demonstrating those understandings through the Approaches to Learning. It is woven throughout the daily learning process to direct and inform teaching. Formative assessments may occur through observations, discussions, exit tickets, homework, class activities, group work, quizzes, or written reflections.

● Summative Assessment: This form of assessment is used at the end of a transdisciplinary Unit of Inquiry or series of learning experiences so that students can comprehensively demonstrate, through the Approaches to Learning, the skills and understandings expected for that unit of study. Summative assessments may take the form of unit tests, essays, research projects, experimental projects, oral presentations, journal writing, investigations, or problem-based inquiry projects.  

● Standardized Assessment: This form of assessment is any test that requires all test takers to answer the same questions in the same way, and it is scored in a standard and consistent manner in order to make it possible to compare the relative performance of students. These assessments are aligned to learning outcome expectations established by the State of Georgia and/or Atlanta Public Schools. These assessments are given in consistent and regular increments throughout the school year.

• Student portfolio-reflections, WSO (Pre-K)
• Classroom based assessments - pre and post-tests, rubrics, observations, anecdotal records, discussion, conferences, running records, Orton Gillingham Screening, Accelerated Reader (AR), MAP, Write Score
• Physical Education Assessment: Fitnessgram K-5^th 
• Georgia Milestones Test (3^rd – 5^th)
• Georgia Alternative Assessment
• Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS) Readiness Check
• Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS) 
• National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 4^th grade only
• STAMP (DLI)
• 5^th grade Exhibition

 

 

 

Created: April 19, 2019 / Revised: July 29, 2024

IB Standards 

Culture 2.1: The school implements and reviews an inclusion policy that meets IB guidelines. (0301-02-0100)

Culture 2.2: The school identifies in its inclusion policy all of its legal requirements and outlines the school's structures and processes for compliance. (0301-02-0200)

Culture 2.3: The school describes in its inclusion policy the rights and responsibilities of all members of the school community and clearly states the school's vision for implementing inclusive programmes. (0301-02-0300)

                                                                                                                              

 

The IB’s Access and Inclusion Manual states the purpose of this policy to be as follows:

1.10 The purpose of this policy is to support the practice of access and inclusion in IB schools to enable all students to participate fully in learning, teaching, and assessment (formative and summative) by reducing and removing barriers using appropriate and well-planned access arrangements. This policy follows the whole school approach to inclusion, where all educators are involved in access and inclusion, and it is not only the work of the learning support teacher/team.

All schools in the Atlanta Public School System will implement a comprehensive, culturally responsive, school-wide system of support to meet the needs of every student, improve equitable outcomes, and close achievement gaps.

Continental Colony will follow and implement all local, state, and federal laws regarding educational support for students.

This includes the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504, World-class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA), and state mandates around the MultiTiered System of Support (MTSS) approach and the Early Intervention Program (EIP) (see below).

 

Continental Colony utilizes a MTSS when determining the needs of students which includes Response to Intervention (RTI) and the Student Support Team (SST).

Tier 1-General grade level education/curriculum provided to all students including the PYP Units of Inquiry.

Tier 2-Intervention is provided to students who still show a need for support after receiving Tier 1 instruction. Tier 3-Students who have not shown enough progress with the interventions provided at Tier 2 are identified for the SST process. They receive intensive intervention and support in their area of need. 

Tier 4-Students who have been assessed and have qualified for an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). These students include students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and Gifted and Talented students. 

 

1. Consult services
2. Supportive instruction within the general education classroom
3. Co- teaching within the general education classroom
4. Small group instruction
5. Self-contained classes

Continental Colony provides a continuum of services designed to meet the needs and learning styles of individual learners.

 

Continental Colony utilizes a mix of models. We have self-contained EIP classrooms where students receive evidence-based interventions within a reduced class size to allow for focused, targeted instruction in reading and math for a small group of EIP students. We also utilize the class augmentation model where evidence-based interventions are incorporated into the general classroom setting using co-teaching instructional practices by providing an additional teacher. This also reduces the teacher/pupil ratio while providing EIP services.

 

Continental Colony believes in teaching the whole child and meeting the needs of all our diverse learners. We are in accordance with APS and the GADOE with regards to providing services to our gifted population.

APS believes that “Through advocacy and innovation, the unique needs of gifted and talented students will be recognized, valued, and nurtured so their inspired minds are equipped to change the world.”

 Georgia Board Rule 160-4-2-.38 says that the state of Georgia defines a gifted and talented student as one who demonstrates a high degree of intellectual and/or creative ability(ies), exhibits an exceptionally high degree of motivation, and/or excels in specific academic fields, and who needs special instruction and/or special ancillary services to achieve at levels commensurate with his or her ability(ies). 

At Continental Colony, approximately 14 of our students have been identified as Gifted and 25 students identified as Talent Development/high ability students based on multiple measures of mental, creativity, and motivation abilities.  These students are provided services by our Gifted Lead Teacher and/or homeroom teacher(s) who are credentialed to serve the needs of our students who are identified as gifted.  As cited in the Georgia Gifted manual, "preparations for local delivery models should be made for the planned discontinuation of the collaborative model in the fiscal year 2027."   Continental Colony utilizes the cluster and resource delivery models at our school.  The cluster model is used in cases where gifted students are "clustered" together in homerooms of a gifted endorsed teacher at least one per grade level.  The resource model is used in cases in which there is not a gifted endorsed teacher on that grade level for which there are gifted students.  In this case, the gifted lead teacher provides services to support the needs of the gifted students.  Our school currently has 3 gifted endorsed teachers.  

 

• General Education Classroom Teachers
• Special Education Classroom Teachers
• MTSS/SST/504 Specialist
• Special Education Lead Teacher
• Gifted Lead Teacher
• Instructional Coaches
• School Counselor
• School Psychologist
• School Social Worker
• Behavior Specialist
• Parents & Students
• Administrative Team

 

 

 

Georgia Department of Education

IBO Access and Inclusion Policy Manual

Burgess-Peterson Academy Inclusion Policy

 

Created: June 9, 2022 / Revised: June 11, 2024

 

 

IB Standards 

Culture 4.1: The school implements and reviews a language policy that is aligned with IB language policy guidelines. (0301-04-0100)

Culture 4.2: The school describes in its language policy the way that the school recognizes multilingualism as a fact, a right and a resource for learning. (0301- 04-0200)

Culture 4.3: The school identifies in its language policy a variety of physical and virtual resources used to facilitate language development. (0301-04-0300)

Culture 4.4: The school clearly describes in its language policy the rights and responsibilities of all members of the school community and what constitutes good practice within the school context. (0301-04-0400

 

• reflect on their learning and self-assess
• write across the curriculum
• utilize the RACE strategy to respond to constructed response questions
• serve as announcers on the morning messages/broadcasts to express their thoughts and ideas in English and Spanish
• use music and art to increase vocabulary and develop their language
• reflect on language through comparisons with world or other languages

We deconstruct standards and objectives with Knowledge, Important Information, Memory Cue (KIM) charts stating the purpose of the lesson. The KIM chart is a vocabulary tool that is used to help students remember vocabulary words using what they learned and something that they can use to remember the words.  It is created with three columns: K, I, and M. This vocabulary tool increases student ownership, with the teacher acting as the facilitator.

Reading	Writing	Listening/Speaking Viewing
Concept of print Environmental print Guided reading Shared Reading Reading mini-lessons Houghton Mufflin Harcourt(HMH)                Leveled reading materials in all genres FlyLeaf (K-3) Heggerty (K-3rd) Morpheme Magic (3-5) Assessment Solutions Differentiated Foundational Skills (DFS) Interventions Interactive Read Aloud Corrective Reading Read Works Reading A-Z Lexia Core 5 (ESOL and Special Education) Phonemic Awareness: Rhymes, poetry, songs, literacy centers Exhibition Frog Street (Pre-K)	Reflections on Units of Inquiry Graphic organizers (thinking maps, Venn diagrams, etc.) Thinking Routines (visible thinking strategies) Reports Individual and class-made books Notetaking Writing across content areas Writing journals Grammar rules Constructed responses Extended Responses Write Score Responding to prompts from the three genres of writing Being A Better Writer Houghton Mufflin Harcourt (HMH)      WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, Reading) Exhibition Frog Street (Pre-K)	Computer based learning activities Interactive Read Aloud Inquiry/Learning Walls Listening centers Role-play activities Thinking Routines (visible thinking strategies) Projects and presentations Guest readers SEL KIM- a tool used to support instruction Community Gatherings Socratic Seminars Exhibition Assessment Solutions

 

The media center provides resources for literacy including a growing collection of multicultural and multilingual texts, videos, audio/visual equipment, and computer usage both for individual and group research. Assessment of literacy knowledge and skills is both formal and informal using language practices above.

 

Art Practices	Music Practices	Physical Ed. Practices
Analysis/discussion of cultural art and technique derived from student population and guest artists Word Wall Reflection- creative writing in association with art and expression (i.e.; Thurgood Marshall) Literature Story sharing Analysis, discussion and creation of art with emphasis on aesthetic variances to beauty Co-constructed Learning Wall	Introduction to songs in languages other than English Reading of musical notation Literature-poetry and song correlations, storytelling Incorporation of drama combined with musical drama/comedy Co-constructed Learning Wall	Use of task cards/visual cues Use of content specific language based on PE classroom and regular classroom content  Word Wall Kinesthetic role play Co-Constructed Learning Wall

• SST (Student Support Team) - SST provides a positive problem-solving process to identify strategies and programs that may alleviate academic, attendance, or behavioral issues a student may demonstrate.
• EIP (Early Intervention Program)-EIP is designed to serve students who are at risk of not reaching or maintaining academic grade level. The purpose of the Early Intervention Program is to provide additional instructional resources to help students who are performing below grade level obtain the necessary academic skills to reach grade level performance in the shortest possible time.  The EIP Program is a part of the Response to Intervention (RTI) framework for providing support to students. The EIP Program provides a structure for additional instruction to ensure students meet grade level expectations at the elementary level.  EIP is a tier 2 intervention strategy. 
• Gifted and Talented - serves students by enhancing critical thinking, problem solving, abstract thinking and creativity skills and talents. 
• Special Education Program- Students who have met the eligibility guidelines to receive Special Education services are supported by the classroom teacher and Special Education department staff. The special education teachers and the classroom teacher work hand in hand to implement the student’s Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). All services are provided with consideration to the least restrictive environment, considering first providing support within the student's general education classroom if appropriate.

 

The goal of the Atlanta Public School ESOL program is to assist limited English proficient students to develop proficiency in the English language, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and to perform effectively at the currently assigned grade level. Listening and speaking skills are developed through choral reading, question and answer exercises, shared-inquiry discussions, and technology.

The ESOL program assists in transitioning from a discrete skills curriculum to a standards- based curriculum emphasizing language proficiency. The program's overarching standard is that students will use English to communicate and demonstrate academic, social, and cultural understanding. To reach this standard, it is critical that instructional approaches, both in ESOL and general education classes, accommodate the needs of linguistically and culturally diverse student and parent populations. Atlanta Public Schools follows the state board rules and regulations regarding eligibility criteria, standards and exit criteria.

 

The Spanish teacher reinforces the grade level curriculum by making connections with language arts, reading, math, social studies, science, music, physical education and art.

Thematic units in Spanish class are closely linked to our IB Planners.  Spanish instruction includes listening, speaking, reading, writing and expression. 

 

• Inquirers: Students will ask questions to determine meaning and gain understanding.
• Balanced: Students will understand the importance of both mother tongue and additional languages and when to utilize each.
• Caring: Students will understand that word choices affect others and will strive to be empathetic and compassionate.
• Communicators: Students will effectively express ideas verbally, visually, and in writing for a variety of purposes.
• Knowledgeable: Students will develop an understanding of concepts across a broad range of disciplines.
• Open-minded: Students will value and appreciate the thoughts and ideas of others. Students are open to the perspectives of other cultures and languages.
• Principled: Students will communicate honestly and fairly to positively affect others.
• Risk-taker: Students will present ideas in both large group settings and cooperative work groups. Students will attempt to communicate utilizing Spanish.
• Thinkers: Students will apply critical thinking and problem solving skills in a variety of situations.
• Reflective: Students will reflect on their progress in language development. Students will use language to express their areas of success and weakness in content development.

 

Created: April 8, 2019 / Revised: May 13, 2025