Our School
Palo Verde has a positive and supportive learning environment with clear and consistent standards for behavior. Through the cooperative learning environment, the school helps students develop leadership responsibilities, problem solving, and teamwork skills necessary to be successful and productive members of the larger community.
The Palo Verde curriculum provides an engaging instructional setting and a cooperative learning environment in which students are challenged academically and encouraged to develop leadership responsibilities, critical thinking, problem solving and independent learning skills.
Class size reduction has been implemented in kindergarten, first, second and third grades with a maximum class size of 20 per room for kindergarten, 22 for first, and 23 per room for second and third. Fourth and fifth grades average 24 students per classroom. Average daily attendance exceeds 95%.
Hands-on activities, guest speakers, field trips, and special projects all help to broaden the classroom experience. Students receive lessons in art, science, music and physical education through district and community programs.
The highly qualified faculty at Palo Verde has 24 classroom teachers including three pairs of teachers who job share; a full-time resource specialist for identified special education students; a 40 percent English Language Development teacher, 80 percent librarian, 80 percent reading specialist, 60 percent school psychologist, and a 50 percent language/speech specialists. Instructional aides assist in all classrooms. District Physical Education and Music instructors meet with students in grades 1 - 5 on a weekly basis (kindergarten Music and PE classes begin after students start the full day schedule in October).
Parents are an important part of the Palo Verde education program. Parent volunteers assist with classroom activities, field trips, community events, and special projects. Community members also volunteer their time to tutor students in reading and math. On-going communication with parents is established through the newsletters, eNews, classroom newsletters, parent conferences, curriculum meetings, the annual Spring Open House and PTA meetings and coffees.
The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) coordinates volunteer activities and school-wide events and raises funds to supplement district programs at the site level. Parent-teacher committees have enhanced technology at the site and have promoted traffic safety, art programs and science and book fairs.
Parents and teachers work in partnership at Palo Verde to provide a positive and supportive learning environment and the best educational setting possible for students.
Palo Verde is a great place to attend elementary school!