The program is based on E.D. Hirsch's Series What Your First (Second, Third, Fourth , Fifth, etc.) Grader Needs to Know. The students are exposed to and build upon a specific common body of knowledge that is both fundamental and necessary to make progress in school. The program incorporates a customized component that utilizes our students' own rich cultural and ethnic diversity to maintain a high level of pride and self-esteem, as well as respect for others. It also provides a foundation for further learning that produces effective citizens in our society.

The students are exposed to a variety of teaching strategies in all subject areas-Communication Arts, Fine Arts, History, Geography, Mathematics, Science, and Technology. The general focus of our Core studies are in Social Studies(World and American Civilization) and literature(especially the classics).
 
 

Project Read Intensive Day Program was designed as an early intervention program for early childhood students that were at risk of failing in reading. The program uses basic principles that are found in Marie Clay's Reading Recovery Program. Four students work with one teacher for thirty minutes of intensive reading, for twelve weeks. The forms of assessment are pre-and post assessment tests, on going running records, and teacher observations, all of which are used to evaluate students progress in the program. The students in Project Read Intensive Day have shown much improvement in only a ten week project.

Project Read After School was initiated at P.S. 314 and throughout the city for students at risk of failing, and in some cases had already failed in reading. The program is a read aloud program including individual reading and writing. Project Read After School follows the basic theories that were made famous by Don Holdaway and other leading theorists on the importance of reading aloud and how reading aloud to children helps them to develop a love of reading, and become proficient readers and writers.
 
 

The Title I Reading and Math Programs are a link between the classroom developmental program and the compensatory program. The goals are to insure student success, help eligible children succeed and attain grade level proficiency, and improve achievement in basic and more advanced skills. Ongoing staff meetings between classroom teachers and reading and math personnel are a common element. Parent workshops are an integral component of the program and are conducted throughout the year.
 
 

The ESL Program at our school is the most comprehensive of District 20. Our goal is to improve the educational access, equity and standards of excellence for limited English proficient(LEP) and minority language students. The program incorporates a diversity of learning approaches including small group and individualized instruction. Students are grouped according to three levels of proficiency: beginning, intermediate and advances/transitional. The teachers are aware and sensitive to the rich cultural background(Hispanic, Chinese, Cambodian, Arabic,et al.)of our students. A great deal of emphasis is placed on building a positive self-image and developing self -esteem. The ESL curriculum is taught through a thematic, multicultural approach using techniques such as Total Physical Response, the language Experience Approach, role playing and cooperative learning.

An on site ESL Teacher Coordinator /Trainer, Luz Sierra, is responsible for coordinating the activities of the ESL Program. These activities include identification and ongoing assessment of LEP students through the administration of the Language Assessment Battery(LAB). Staff development is an integral part of the program. ESL methodology training, lesson planning and demonstration lessons are held throughout the year. Multidisciplinary and multi sensory materials are frequently utilized by the school's staff.

ESL Parent involvement is and important component of our program. Parent workshops are scheduled early in the year to explain goals and objectives. Presentations by students are the perfect culminating activities to demonstrate the effectiveness of the program. As parents observe these presentations, they learn about the instructional strategies used to teach LEP students. Translations in Spanish and Chinese are available.
 
 

We are pleased to announce that P.S. 314 in partnership with P.S. 205 , the Metropolitan Opera Guild and Studio in a School has been awarded a grant from the Center for Arts Education for four years beginning in February 1998 to integrate the arts into the core curriculum. The purpose of the grant is to empower the staff to infuse the arts into the basic curriculum. Teachers will receive extensive staff development, students will be part of residencies in the arts and parents will attend workshops familiarizing them with the objectives of the grant and their children's classroom activities. We have set up a resource room for the arts in both P.S. 314 and P.S. 205 with an exchange of initiatives, personnel and materials between the schools.
 
 

Project Arts has brought an excitement and vitality to P.S. 314 this year. We have decided to focus on four major areas of the Arts: Music, Theater, Dance, and Visual Art. P.S. 314 has had a long association with the Metropolitan Opera Guild and Studio in a School.

P.S. 314 is participating in the district-wide training given by the Metropolitan Opera Guild in the Creating Original Opera Program. Teachers are being trained to assist their students in writing the script, composing the music, building the sets, building the lights, designing the makeup,designing the sets, publicizing the opera and of course performing in it. All of these workshops will empower teachers in our school to become more familiar with the Arts and they will then be able to energize their students with Arts integration. P.S. 314 will have the Creating Original Opera residency program this winter.
 
 

Opera at P.S. 314 is a multidisciplinary program that approaches the study of Opera and music from two points of view. The students study operatic masterpieces by reading libretti, writing summaries and character analyses, doing research on composers and their times as a culminating activity and attending a performance at the Metropolitan Opera. The other aspect of studying Opera is through creating an original opera. Students are involves in every facet of creating an original theater piece from the creative angle: writing the dialogue, the lyrics, the music, collecting the costumes, designing the sets and make-up and performing; and from the technical angle: building the lighting and flats, as well as contacting the media.

Our partnership with the Metropolitan Opera is sponsored by a grant from The Center for Arts Education/The Annenberg Challenge for Arts Education.
 

The students involved in the orchestra program learn to play various instruments of the symphonic orchestra. Students are studying strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion instruments. Differently from most elementary school programs, thirty of our students are studying strings(violins, violas, cellos, and basses). The students are instructed in all of the instruments by John Iacometta who is based at P.S. 205 our Annenberg partner school. Mr. Iacometta comes to our school and provides his invaluable expertise in teaching young children to master reading music, keeping time, learning to work together as an ensemble and most importantly, developing a love of music through mastering the skills and techniques.
 
 

The group of third, fourth and fifth graders showcases the natural musical talents of its young participants. Each week, they gather to learn new songs, review their repertoire and work on improving their vocalizing skills, Besides learning and improving musical and performance skills, the children also practice their skills in reading, listening, speech, memorization, interpretation of lyrics, peace education, cooperation and self-discipline.

The Peace Chorus has had the privilege to perform for our school community during assemblies for various celebrations, graduation and our annual music festival. The chorus has also performed for audiences at Lutheran Medical Center, Brooklyn College, the Harbor Hill and Marian Heim Senior Citizens' Residences, the Hall of the Board of Education of the City of New York, the District 20 Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Fair, the Walk against Violence and the Phi Delta Kappa Holiday Celebration at Long Island University.

An unlimited source of talent our students and a noble purpose will keep our Peace Chorus singing for many years to come.
 
 

The Learning to Read Through the Arts Program is and integrated reading and art program designed to improve reading and writing skills. The experiential program was founded as a remedial reading program. It has been expanded for use as a developmental and enrichment program for grades K-12, special education and bilingual students.

Since 1971, Learning to Read Through the Arts has served over 100,000 students in urban and rural school districts. The program employs the arts, both visual and performing as a core for learning. An artist teacher, a reading teacher and a classroom teacher work as part of a team using a holistic approach to improve reading and writing and increase interest in other curriculum areas. Throughout the program the students are involved in reading and writing for information, interest, pleasure and appreciation. Field trips to cultural institutions are Anna important component.

The program works with four classes for each semester. Themes are based on the Social Studies and CORE Knowledge Curriculum.

Ms. S. Ledwith is the site coordinator and is the instructor for the Reading Photography Workshop. Ms. C. Sinnott is the the instructor for the Visual Arts Workshop.
 
 

The Sunset Park School Health Project at the Luis Munoz Marin Elementary School-P.S. 314, provides a complete range of health services for children including complete physical examination, immunization and basic medical screening and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses as needed. All care is given in the school- based clinic. There is no charge for these services.

The comprehensive medical care that is offered includes:

• Complete physical examinations with routine laboratory tests, immunizations and psychological counseling.
• Treatment for both acute illnesses(sore throats, ear infections) and chronic illnesses(asthma as well as nutritional, psychological counseling and health education.
• Usual school health services such as treatment for minor bumps, bruises, cuts, vision and hearing screening.

At P.S. 314, parents are actively involved in all aspects of school life. Our P.T.A. and parent volunteers assist with classroom instruction, directing students at arrival and dismissal, fundraising, multicultural celebrations and planning special programs and initiatives for our children. Many of our instructional programs provide parent workshops to enable parents to understand and support the curriculum that their children are learning in class.
 
 

P.S. 314 us fortunate to have been designated as a Beacon School for the Sunset Park Community.

In a partnership with the Center for Family Life and the Chinese American Planning Council, the school has become the focal point for social. recreational. and educational programs in the Sunset Park Community. For example, students of working parents are offered an extended day program from 3-6 PM where the children participate in tutoring, homework help, dramatic activities, art projects and sports.

There is also a variety of activities for teens such as sports leagues, creative and performing arts.

Many services are offered to parents and young adults such as GED classes, family literacy programs, counseling and English as a Second Language instruction. Some of these activities are done with support from Lutheran Medical Center and Brooklyn College.

As a result of the Beacon School Program, the Luis Munoz Marin Elementary School is the educational hub of the Sunset Park Community.
 
 

The district maintains a UFT/NYC Teacher Center at P.S. 314. The Center helps beginning teachers succeed while helping more experienced teachers develop new and more effective models and strategies as they plan to implement the Educational Standards.

The Center enhances the teachers' abilities to help children of new Americans to achieve in our schools. In addition, The Center gives teachers access to current research relevant to their professional needs and promotes the use of technology as a tool. Specifically, the Center enables teachers to work with innovative, research-based programs such as Project READ, Literacy Network, Thinking Math and Teaching Discipline for Learning.

Teacher Center Specialist-Dana Dougherty