Lincoln Options Elementary School

Remember the fun we’ve had already this fall, and mark your calendars with upcoming events! In this issue: the Lincoln Winter Market calls for new volunteers, Paul’s Science Update and supply wish list, and an introduction to the Art Docent program.

October 2017 Lincoln Opus

Looking for a previous edition? Click here for the OPUS Archive.

Has it been a while since you were at Lincoln?  Are you having trouble remembering the specifics on a poster you saw there?  This new resource is a place to share all those hallway posters electronically. Visit the new site here.

The Lincoln Options Design for Learning IV (ODL IV) provides a five‐year plan for the  partnership and continued commitment to the Options philosophy of learning core beliefs established in 1984: Developmentally Appropriate Instruction Integrated Curriculum
Parent & Family Involvement Development based on Key Learning Dimensions

The initiatives outlined in ODL IV bear in mind the tremendous pressures placed on our teachers to both provide a curriculum that keeps the core beliefs at the heart of their work and meet an ever‐growing list of externally mandated demands as directed by the District and state. Through these initiatives, we strive to remain a school community working together to provide a thoughtful, developmentally appropriate education for a broad spectrum of students and their families. The initiatives for 2015‐2020 are:

1. Assessment—Maintain and support the Options philosophy by prioritizing
   authentic, developmentally appropriate assessment that directly informs classroom
   instruction over standardized testing.
2. Experiential Learning—Support learning opportunities that allow children to
   explore their innate curiosity and creativity and encourage children to see
   themselves as participants in life.
3. Family Involvement and Community Building—Create a welcoming and
   supportive environment and connectedness for all families.
4. Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds—Enhance the education of the child as a whole
   through social emotional development, physical activity and play.
5. Spanish Initiative—Integrate Spanish language and culture into the lives of the
   Lincoln children, staff and families.
6. Social Justice—Be a community that strives to understand and acknowledge the
   structure of institutional oppression and privilege. Communicate to our students
   that they have the power to change the world and provide opportunities for them to
   become movers and shakers.