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School Summary
Great Falls is in its fifth decade as a traditional neighborhood school. Most of its children ride buses to and from classes each day. Our many community, educational, and foreign visitors comment on the friendly atmosphere of the school, noting that it is truly a child-centered learning environment.
Great Falls Elementary School offers a safe, caring, and structured learning environment with an emphasis on academic excellence and enrichment. Great Falls strives to provide an academically challenging and enriching program of instruction. Students confidently incorporate problem-solving strategies and cooperative group interactive skills to become successful learners. The Great Falls Elementary School community continues to focus on incorporating technology as well as best practices into all dimensions of instruction.
Our culturally diverse staff members, including regular education and Japanese partial-immersion teachers, serve as role models for students by modeling their enthusiasm for learning. Instructional staff members' knowledge of current educational research of best practices and their participation in professional learning communities enhance implementation of promising educational strategies. Through collaborative decision making, administrators, staff members, and parents form partnerships to assure that every child's learning needs are met.
Student progress toward school and district goals is measured by a combination of formal and informal assessment measures. These include teacher checklists and anecdotal records, writing portfolios, progress report cards, pre- and posttesting programs as well as statewide assessments. Student learning is enriched by a variety of supplemental activities and special programs both during the school day and through after-school programs.
Meaningful communication between school and home is strengthened by: FCPS 24-7 Blackboard sites, weekly PTA newsletters, monthly school and class newsletters, regular open discussions with administrators, and curriculum-related meetings among staff members and parents.
Last Updated: 2009-08-10
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