Bret Harte Elementary

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Bret Harte Elementary

Bret Harte Elementary 3200 West Jeffries Avenue (Get Map) Burbank, CA 91506 Telephone: (818) 558-5533 Fax: (818) 955-7630 Principal: Ms. Sheari Taylor
Welcome to the school that “buzzes with enthusiasm”! Bret Harte Elementary School, part of the Burbank Unified School District, is a suburb of Los Angeles, in the city of Burbank, California. Bret Harte serves over 600 children, kindergarten through fifth grade. Class size reduction is successfully implemented in kindergarten, first, second, and third grade classrooms, with a student/teacher ratio of 20:1. The ratio of students to teachers in grades four and five averages 32:1. Our ethnic make-up is approximately 52% Caucasian, 38% Hispanic, 5% Asian/Pacific, 3% Filipino, and 2% African-American. We offer a variety of both co-curricular and extra-curricular activities to our students. Both primary and intermediate choruses rehearse weekly and perform at various events throughout the school year. Our instrumental music program is held after-school weekly, where third, fourth, and fifth grade students learn to play violin, viola, cello, or bass violin. Our PTA provides matching funds for our Music Center National Endowment for the Arts Grant, providing assemblies and art workshops for all students. We also provide several arts specialists to work with children and physical education specialist for fourth and fifth graders. Harte's Student Council, made up of elected third, fourth, and fifth grade students, plans activities and provides service to the school. Fifth grade students attend Outdoor Science School, spending a week in the snowy mountains studying nature and experiencing science on a first-hand basis. We also offer our very special Bret Harte Theatre program after school. In addition to an enriched educational program, Bret Harte offers Special Education Programs including the Resource Specialist Program and the Primary Severely Handicapped class. We also offer a Gifted and Talented Education Program for qualifying fourth and fifth grade students. In addition, Harte offers Intervention Power Clinics for those students needing extra assistance to meet grade level standards. We are proud of many things about Bret Harte Elementary School. One especially important emphasis for us is Early Literacy. We are committed to providing support and materials to allow each child to develop strong literacy skills by third grade. All teachers have been trained in proven strategies to help children become lifelong lovers of reading and learning. We also offer a Homework Club for selected fourth grade students. Harte is a PeaceBuilders school! All our students learn the importance of the pledge, promising to praise people, give up put-downs, seek wise people, to notice and speak up about hurts, and to right wrongs. We find that our students, as PeaceBuilders, treat each other with kindness and respect. Harte parents are active in PTA and the School Site Council, both supporting school activities. Family involvement is very important to us here at Harte, and we are proud to offer Family Nights throughout the school year. Bret Harte's two year, three million dollar modernization, funded by the passage of a school bond, is finished. Our main building has been completely remodeled with new paint, flooring, plumbing, electrical, cabinetry, and air-conditioning. Bret Harte is beautiful – so beautiful that the School District was presented with a modernization award for the work done at Bret Harte Elementary. We invite you to come by and see our wonderful modernized school, which allows teachers to teach their best and students to learn their best! Thank you for taking a moment to browse our school's web page. It has been a pleasure and we hope you will visit again soon.
What makes Bret Harte Special… Dedicated, Professional, Caring Staff Members Parent and Community Volunteers Special Education Programs, Resource Specialist Program, Special Day Class Art Workshops for all students Grade 4 & 5 PE Specialists Severely Handicapped Program An extensive Library Fifth Grade Departmentalization Disciplined Based Art Education; Getty Grant, Music Center grant and programs Primary and Intermediate Choruses Class Size Reduction in Grades K-3 Curriculum, Technology and English Language Development Specialists New Computer Lab used by all students Highlights at Bret Harte include… Bret Harte Theatre Project PTA Fall Family Picnic PTA Spring Carnival and “Bee-tique” Holiday and Variety Show Performances Spring Dance and Family Barbecue Grandparents Day Literature Week Art at Harte Day Career Day Family Nights Red Ribbon Week, Nutrition Week and Earth Day Programs Science Fair Sixteenth Annual Fifth Grade Outdoor Science School Student Council Student of the Month and other assemblies At Bret Harte Elementary we believe: Every student has the ability to learn and succeed in a caring, nurturing environment. Children are more alike than they are different, and that both these similarities and differences must be celebrated. Parents are a valuable component in the education of their children. We want to be partners with parents and encourage active participation. High expectations and consistent assessment of student progress are essential for every student to do his or her best. We will prepare students to be successful in the world of the Twenty-first Century. VISION: A STUDENT AT BRET HARTE SCHOOL WILL… HAVE: Compassion Positive self-esteem Sense of community Experiences in the arts Access to specialists Realistic goals with follow through Proficiency of basic skills Cultural awareness BE ABLE TO: Solve social problems appropriately Form stable home environments as adults Make good choices Communicate effectively Acquire information Apply knowledge gained to higher level genres Participate and benefit from various art experiences Think critically and intelligently Meet or exceed grade level curricular standards Work cooperatively with others Meet challenges Utilize technology BE: Literate Life-long learners Academically and socially well-rounded Physically fit Tolerant Respectful Safe at home and within community Risk takers At or above proficiency level in all academic areas Responsible
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