Field Elementary School

For fifth graders at Field Elementary School, cooties from the opposite sex are no longer an issue. In Fall 2006, Field Elementary began dividing its fifth graders into all male and all female classrooms. The students cover the same materials at the same rate, but teachers sometimes use gender-specific learning techniques. Dr. Carol Garman, principal of Field Elementary, said the divided classrooms will improve the learning environment for students.
“I think the federal government has to do everything possible to allow schools the flexibility to work with students in a manner that will increase their student achievement,” Garman said.
Other students throughout the school receive individualized services as well. Through services like the reading intervention program, students are able to focus on personal areas of improvement.
All Field students get 1.5 hours of “core” reading and 45 minutes of reading intervention each day. The “core” is the same for all students, and the intervention time allows students to have programs tailored to their specific needs.
“Students are grouped for instruction, and groups change throughout the year, as students’ needs change. Some groups work on decoding, some work on comprehension, others are doing more enrichment,” teacher Patty Wayland said. “And, since all kids go to intervention, it’s no big deal to the students. No one feels singled out.”

• Health fair teaches students to eat right, exercise, brush their teeth — and have fun
• Columbia police take children Christmas shopping