At Red Cedar Elementary, we do “whatever it takes” to ensure students are successful. We work hard to provide support for those who need it, challenge for those who grow with it, enrichment for those who flourish with it.
Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is at the core of what we do at Red Cedar. We work to ensure all students receive highly effective tier one instruction in their classrooms. Teachers participate in professional development (PD) and professional learning communities (PLC) through which they learn new strategies, study standards and curriculum, and analyze student work to improve instruction. When students need extra support we initiate tier two support sometimes through an interventionist tracking data to ensure growth. In the rare instance it is needed, we employ tier three supports which are much more intensive and tailored to a student’s individual needs.
We are a Title One school. We are a Project Based Learning school. We are serious about expectations from ourselves and our families.
We have an excellent Gifted and Talented (GT) program which consists of three full time GT teachers, one each at third, fourth, and fifth grades. We also have many additional GT Certified teachers at each grade level allowing us to offer GT level instruction to both GT identified students as well as student who achieve at a high level but haven’t qualified yet. Currently, we’re working to expand some of the high level strategies from these programs into kindergarten through second grade and with all students, not just those in certain classes. Our goal is to stretch students to achieve at the highest levels they are able.
At Red Cedar, we support the whole child. We do this in part by providing many enrichment opportunities. For example, Foxes Jam is a program for beginning and intermediate string and wind instruments, beginning in the third grade. We have a gardening club and our celebrated Foxes Rock Drum and Dance Team. Our student support team guides us in meeting the social and emotional needs of our students.
We believe strongly in having a growth mindset and it shows. We believe it and we model it. Again, whatever it takes. That is the story of our success.
