Signature Programs Information - English

Creative & Performing Arts - Manuel A. Salinas Elementary School

The staff at Manuel A. Salinas Creative Arts Elementary School believe that every student has gifts and talents that should be discovered and enhanced through a comprehensive educational program with an arts emphasis. Classroom teachers incorporate specific teaching strategies that provide students with a highly engaging and rigorous educational environment Students receive instruction in art, theatre, and dance by a dedicated arts teacher, as well as instrumental and choral music by a dedicated music teacher.

In the primary grades, students participate in weekly Primary Sing music lessons. In the upper grades, students are provided an opportunity to enroll in band, orchestra, show choir, and piano class. To further enrich students in the different art disciplines, students receive weekly lessons In arts, dance, and theatre that rotate by grade level each trimester. Strong partnerships with families are also emphasized through various student showcases and performances that demonstrate students' artistry, creativity, expression, and musicianship.

Offered at: Manuel A. Salinas Elementary - Grades K-5
2699 N. California Street, San Bernardino

Contact: Manuel A. Salinas Elementary School - (909) 880-6600

Fine Arts Signature Program - Palm Avenue Elementary School

Palm Avenue Elementary School offers long-term and in-depth instruction in the four art disciplines: music, dance, drama, and visual arts. Through an artist-in-residence program, students, teachers, and parents participate in varied aesthetic and cultural experiences interwoven into the academic curriculum. Art partnerships build basic intellectual, physical, and social skills; expand multi-sensory perception; and nurture creative expression within students. Culmination performances by students and professional ensembles are staged throughout the year.

Performances enhance an appreciation of the four art disciplines and various cultures, musical genres, and art mediums. Instrumental and choral music programs are also offered.

Offered at: Palm Avenue Elementary-Grades K-6
6565 Palm Ave., San Bernardino

Contact: Palm Elementary School (909) 880-6753

Environmental Science & Technology Education - Kimbark Elementary School

Active, hands-on lessons in science and nature characterize Kimbark's award-winning Environmental Science & Technology Education Program.

Facilities include three gardens (vegetable, Native California plant/drought-tolerant) and a well-equipped science room. Grade level field trips and assemblies are geared toward science standards and increasing students' understanding and respect for nature.

Kimbark students will be using and integrating technology to create projects to demonstrate what they've learned in environmental education, language arts, and math. Enrichment opportunities to extend and enhance state standards acquisition, as well as discover and nurture each child's multiple intelligences will be offered (examples art and engineering, chess, music, drama, sports, and/or gardening).

There is an afternoon instructional program for kindergarten students that extends their time at school to the equivalent of a full day. Our full-day kindergarten has an enriched academic program and requires that students demonstrate the necessary maturity to handle the high standards and extra work to participate in our pull-out programs. To facilitate a common understanding of Kimbark's full-day kindergarten program goals and expectations, there is a mandatory orientation meeting for parents/guardians of all incoming students prior to actual enrollment in the program. Students must meet program criteria in order to establish placement in the program.

Offered at: Kimbark Elementary - Grades K-6
18021 W. Kenwood Avenue, San Bernardino

Contact: Kimbark Elementary School - (909) 880-6641

Environmental Education - North Verdemont Elementary School

North Verdemont Elementary enhances learning as students gain a better understanding of their natural environment through their study of the outdoors. Students help to maintain the on-site pond and garden, which contain a variety of animals and plants. Kindergarten through sixth-grade students participate in science field trip opportunities that align with the California Science Standards. Field trips also include overnight ventures for fourth-through sixth-grade students.

Offered at: North Verdemont Elementary - Grades K-6
3555 Meyers Road, San Bernardino

Contact: North Verdemont - (909) 880-6730

Dual Immersion Program - Bonnie Oehl Elementary School

Dual Immersion is a unique and enriching educational program that promotes bilingualism and biliteracy in English and Spanish for both native English speakers and English learner students starting in transitional kindergarten and kindergarten. Students benefit from the same rigorous, standards-based instruction as students in structured English Immersion programs. They will learn to read, write, and communicate effectively in Spanish and English while achieving high levels of academic success. Bonnie Oehl follows a 90/10 program design, the most effective research-based program for second language acquisition and biliteracy development. As students begin the program in kindergarten, the instructional day consists of 90 percent Spanish instruction and 10 percent English instruction. Each year thereafter, Spanish language instruction is reduced and English language instruction is increased by 10 percent. As students enter the upper grades, the program balances out at 50 percent for each language of instruction.

High levels of parental involvement and communication are necessary in order to maintain an active parent-school partnership. Regular communication between the school and home is required. Parents are required to attend an informational orientation meeting prior to entering the program. Students who have not been previously enrolled in Dual Immersion may request, through the Language Assessment Center, to be assessed for entry into the program.

Offered at: Bonnie Oehl Elementary - Grades K-6
2525 Palm Avenue, Highland

Contact: The Language Department - (909) 891-1037

Trilingual Immersion Program - Belvedere Elementary School

Trilingual Immersion is a unique and enriching educational program that promotes bilingualism and biliteracy in English and Spanish for both native English speakers and English learner students starting in kindergarten while at the same time introducing Vietnamese as a third language The goals of the program consist of attaining high levels of academic bilingualism and biliteracy in English and Spanish, as well as attaining conversational fluency in Vietnamese by the end of sixth grade. Students benefit from the same rigorous, standards-based instruction as students in Structured English Immersion programs. Belvedere follows an 80/10/10 program design, with students beginning in kindergarten with 80 percent of their instructional day in Spanish, 10 percent in Vietnamese, and 10 percent in English. Each year thereafter, Spanish-language instruction is reduced and English-language instruction in increased by 10 percent.

As students enter the upper grades, students receive 50 percent of their instructional day in English, 40 percent in Spanish, and 10 percent in Vietnamese. Every year the amount of Vietnamese instruction remains at 10 percent of the instructional day.

High levels of parental involvement and communication are necessary in order to maintain an active parent-school partnership. Regular communication between the school and home is required. Parents are required to attend an informational orientation meeting prior to entering the program. Students who have not been previously enrolled in Trilingual Immersion may request, through the Language Assessment Center, to be assessed for entry into the program.

Offered at: Belvedere Elementary - Grades K-6
2501 E. Marshall Boulevard, Highland

Contact: The Language Department  (909) 891-1037

Spanish-English Enrichment Program - Hillside University Demonstration School

The Spanish-English Enrichment Program at Hillside Elementary is designed for all students who want to learn a second language and is available to both English learners and native English speakers. The program serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade and exposes students to Spanish language enrichment as students simultaneously master grade-level content in English Students are provided a specific amount of Spanish enrichment, which varies according to each grade level This program is based on high expectations with the following goals:

1) developing conversational fluency in Spanish,
2) developing a minimum of intermediate proficiency in Spanish literacy, and
3) mastery of grade-level standards in English.

Parent support and involvement are critical to student success in the program. Parents are required to attend an informational orientation meeting prior to students entering the program. Students who have not been previously enrolled in a Spanish-English enrichment or other dual language program may request, through the Language Assessment Center to be assessed for entry into the program

Offered at: Hillside Elementary - Grades K-5
4975 N. Mayfield Avenue, San Bernardino

Contact: Hillside Elementary School - (909) 881-8264

SANKOFA - Equity and Targeted Student Achievement

SANKOFA is a culturally responsive pathway designed to create excellence for African American, and any other interested students. It will provide students with brain-based, rigorous, and responsive instruction. SANKOFA signature schools will be models of excellence for our District, where participating students regularly meet and exceed all learning targets.

SANKOFA students will be able to participate in the signature program from elementary through high school. Elementary and middle school will have trained SANKOFA teachers. These classes will teach the same California standards as all other public schools. High school SANKOFA will have a SANKOFA counselor and a SANKOFA AVID class. The counselor will build relationships with and monitor student’s progress. In the AVID class students will get homework help, learn organizational skills, and get hands-on support with preparing for college.

Students will be able to participate in SANKOFA in the following schools: Hunt ES (K-1), Del Vallejo MS (6th), and Pacific HS (9th)

SANKOFA Elementary contact Hunt Elementary (909) 881-8178
SANKOFA Middle contact Del Vallejo Middle (909) 881-8280
SANKOFA High, contact Pacific High (909) 388-6419

OR

The Department of Equity & Targeted Student Achievement (909) 473-2098

Submit your Application

Dual Immersion Program

Several other District schools also offer the Dual Immersion Program to native English speakers and English learner students. Please call the Language Assessment Center directly at (909) 891-1037 if you are interested in placement in any of the following Dual Immersion schools:

Accelerated Kindergarten

Accelerated Kindergarten is a full-day kindergarten program designed for children demonstrating developmental maturity and advanced-level academic skills. Critical thinking, problem-solving, and emergent-reading skills are tested prior to enrollment. The program is offered at: Bradley, Kimbark, North Park, Ramona-Alessandro, Roosevelt, and Manuel Salinas Elementary Schools, as well as an Accelerated Dual Immersion kindergarten at Brown Elementary School. To apply for testing, please complete and submit the application for Accelerated Kindergarten Program by following the link or click on the button below: https://bit.ly/acceleratedkindergarten

Submit your application

Vanguard

Schools with Accelerated Kindergarten Programs also have Vanguard Programs to serve advanced learners in first and second grades. Grade-level standards are taught with differentiated, enhanced instruction designed to meet a student's interests and abilities. Testing will be conducted based on space availability in the program. To apply for testing, please complete and return the application for Vanguard Program by following the link: https://bit.ly/vanguard

Submit your application