Richmond Classes and Resources
Library
Richmond's library is open to everyone. Students visit the library once per week with their class to check out and return books, listen to a story or learn a new research skill. Our library is open Tuesday-Friday from 2:15-3:00 PM to enable parents and caregivers to check out books with their children. Students are encouraged to read daily at home and our library offers a wide array of literature to make this possible.
Parents may donate a book or magazine subscription to the library and the donation will be acknowledged with a stamp honoring the donor. See Mrs. Cummings if you need an idea for an appropriate book to donate.
Physical Education
Students will receive instruction in physical education twice per week in grades K-5 with our PE teacher, Gary Kuney. Physical education is an integral part of the elementary curriculum and is designed to teach skills that start students on a path of lifelong physical, social and mental health.
Calligraphy
Every Wednesday, students in all grades receive formal calligraphy instruction from Daigo-sensei, our gifted calligraphy teacher. Funds to provide calligraphy instruction come to us from Oya No Kai, our Japanese booster club dedicated to furthering cultural and artistic enrichment with our students.
Speech and Language
Speech and language services are provided to students with communication disorders such as articulation, fluency, voice or language difficulties. The speech/language pathologist diagnoses and provides intervention for those students who are eligible
for service, based on Oregon State eligibility criteria. This specialist is a member of the Building Screening Committee.
Educational Resource Class (ERC)
Students who qualify for special education assistance in reading, writing, and/or math are eligible to receive services from the ERC teacher. Supplemental instruction is provided to students and coordinated with homeroom teachers to provide a seamless stream of support.
Building Screening Committee (BSC)
The ERC teacher, school psychologist, speech and language pathologist, occupational therapist, classroom teachers and principal work together to recommend a specific course of action for students who have been referred for possible academic or behavior assessment. This team discusses each student presented and, if assessment occurs, makes recommendations about special services
or placements. Parents of the referred student are always invited to be part of the committee's discussion and are involved throughout the pre and post assessment process. This team can also serve as a resource to teachers and families who seek new ideas and strategies in order to address the needs of a child.
Site Council
Richmond has a very active Site Council that meets on the second Monday of each
month (2:30-4:30 PM in the library) for work on the school improvement plan. Each fall, parents and teachers nominate and vote on their representatives to this important committee. Minutes from each site council meeting are posted on the bulletin board outside the main office and on the Richmond Web site.
Student Study Team (SST)
When questions arise regarding a child's progress, Richmond uses a team approach that includes classroom teachers, program specialists, principal and the parents. The SST uses a systematic process to determine possible causes of an academic and/or
behavior problem, identify various interventions and recommend additional assessments, if needed. The SST meets once per month.
School Psychologist
The school psychologist functions as the school's primary link with district special education services. He/she serves as a member of the Building Screening Committee (BSC) and helps determine plans of action for students with special education needs. The school psychologist acts as a consultant to teachers on academic or behavioral issues with students, and, as time permits, may provide direct service to individual kids or small groups of students. Richmond's school psychologist has been assigned
to our building one day per week for the 2007-08 school year.
Talented and Gifted Education
Richmond is committed to an educational program that recognizes the unique value, needs and talents of the individual student. Curriculum and instruction designed to meet the level and rate of learning of talented and gifted students is an integral part
of this commitment. Talented and gifted students means those children who require special educational programs or services, or both, beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society
and who demonstrate outstanding ability or potential in one or more of the following areas:
(a) Intellectual ability;
(b) Unusual academic ability in reading or mathematics.
Teachers must provide classroom programs designed to promote educational opportunity for talented and gifted students commensurate with their ability.
Tutoring
Teachers are expected to be available to students for assistance outside of class and before and after school hours. This assistance, along with instructional programs of high quality and sufficiently varied to meet the diverse needs and abilities of
students, should minimize the necessity for parents to engage the assistance of a paid tutor. Interns frequently tutor students to help them improve their Japanese language skills, but they are never expected to provide tutoring to students beyond the school day.
Occupational Therapist (OT)
Occupational therapy uses activities and adapted surroundings to facilitate a student's independent movement and decrease the effects of a handicapping condition on the student's ability to fully participate in school. Students referred for assessment may qualify for this service and a therapy program will be designed to assist the child.
Classroom Volunteers
Classroom and school volunteers are an essential support to any successful school. Richmond teachers are fortunate to have a multitude of dedicated parents who want to help support classroom learning and school success. A complete list of volunteer
opportunities is available in September parent packets and in the Richmond office. Any volunteer who may have or will have direct, unsupervised contact with one or more students must have a current, completed volunteer background check before starting their volunteer work. The form for the background check is part of the opening day packet and extras are always in the school office. Our secretary coordinates the paperwork for the background checks, so all forms should be delivered to the office.