Culture and Community Culture:
Lopez Elementary is located in south-central Fort Collins, CO. The Lopez “Lasers” are Northern Colorado’s first lighthouse, “Leader in Me” school. It is among 400 other “Leader in Me” schools globally including the United States, Canada, Singapore, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Hungary, and the Philippines. Lopez Elementary helps students develop their leadership and academic skills. Lopez supports and challenges students to be autonomous leaders. They share a common vision that all students are empowered to discover the leader within themselves. Through unconditional regard for the greatness and potential in each person, students at lopex are given the tools to achieve their personal mission and goals in life.
Demographic Characteristics:
Lopez Elementary is ranked #23 of the 52 schools in Poudre School District R-1, and ranked #423 of 1863 in Colorado proficiency. Lopez currently has 438 enrolled students with 24 teachers, with a student to teacher ratio of 18:1. Of the 438 students 125 are eligible for free lunch.
Lopez Elementary Ethnic Breakdown:
Caucasian - 72.1%
African American 2.3%
Asian - 2.3%
Hispanic or Latino 16.7%
American Indian or Alaskan - 1%
Multiracial - 5.7%
Classroom Environment and Classes Taught:
The Art room is run with student autonomy and partial choice. Allowing student to have choice will inturn self differentiate. This management strategy draws on student interest and adds buy in, shifting ownership onto the students. There are four simple rules in the art classroom
Keeping the rules simple for the elementary school students benefits both teacher and students. The classroom is managed by modeling and allowing students to take ownership over their behaviors. Rules and routines are set into place from day one in the art room. These routines and rules are repeated every class for the first month or so. The Kindergarten classes are managed with station rotations. Students are encouraged to begin thinking and working like artists. Routines for students include:
If the classroom is able to reach all of these goals they receive a star for the day. After receiving 5 stars they are allowed a choice day. This gives incentive for students to meet behavioral expectations.
The Lopez Elementary art room is on a three part discipline system. Students who are not meeting behavioral expectations and breaking rules will receive a warning. If the student continues to misbehave they are put into time out for 15 minutes. During their time-out they are not allowed to engage with with other students. During this time they are to fill out a refocus form. If the behavior continues, the student will receive an office referral.
Lopez Elementary is located in south-central Fort Collins, CO. The Lopez “Lasers” are Northern Colorado’s first lighthouse, “Leader in Me” school. It is among 400 other “Leader in Me” schools globally including the United States, Canada, Singapore, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Hungary, and the Philippines. Lopez Elementary helps students develop their leadership and academic skills. Lopez supports and challenges students to be autonomous leaders. They share a common vision that all students are empowered to discover the leader within themselves. Through unconditional regard for the greatness and potential in each person, students at lopex are given the tools to achieve their personal mission and goals in life.
Demographic Characteristics:
Lopez Elementary is ranked #23 of the 52 schools in Poudre School District R-1, and ranked #423 of 1863 in Colorado proficiency. Lopez currently has 438 enrolled students with 24 teachers, with a student to teacher ratio of 18:1. Of the 438 students 125 are eligible for free lunch.
Lopez Elementary Ethnic Breakdown:
Caucasian - 72.1%
African American 2.3%
Asian - 2.3%
Hispanic or Latino 16.7%
American Indian or Alaskan - 1%
Multiracial - 5.7%
Classroom Environment and Classes Taught:
The Art room is run with student autonomy and partial choice. Allowing student to have choice will inturn self differentiate. This management strategy draws on student interest and adds buy in, shifting ownership onto the students. There are four simple rules in the art classroom
- Listen and do
- Raise hands
- Be nice
- Take care
Keeping the rules simple for the elementary school students benefits both teacher and students. The classroom is managed by modeling and allowing students to take ownership over their behaviors. Rules and routines are set into place from day one in the art room. These routines and rules are repeated every class for the first month or so. The Kindergarten classes are managed with station rotations. Students are encouraged to begin thinking and working like artists. Routines for students include:
- Come in quietly
- Listen to directions
- Work like an artist
- Clean up quickly
- Line up quietly
If the classroom is able to reach all of these goals they receive a star for the day. After receiving 5 stars they are allowed a choice day. This gives incentive for students to meet behavioral expectations.
The Lopez Elementary art room is on a three part discipline system. Students who are not meeting behavioral expectations and breaking rules will receive a warning. If the student continues to misbehave they are put into time out for 15 minutes. During their time-out they are not allowed to engage with with other students. During this time they are to fill out a refocus form. If the behavior continues, the student will receive an office referral.