Programs
Core ProgramsArt
Teller is proud of its strong art
program. It includes 75 minutes of instruction per week.
There are frequent art shows held at school and at local businesses. The main art show is the yearly Colfax Art Walk where we display every child's art in the local businesses in the Bluebird district of Colfax.
Challenge Program
Teller has a dedicated teacher who focuses on supporting
gifted-and-talented programs (see district site for more info). She assists teachers on supporting
high-acheving students including pulling students out of class for
individual and small group instruction. These students routinely do extra-curricular activities such as the Shakespeare Festival and Destination Imagination. Lindamood-Bell®
Lindamood-Bell® is nationally recognized research-based reading intervention program. Trained teachers administer assessments to analyze reading and learning styles
and to determine discrepancies. The results of these assessments are used to teach
students, in groups of 3-5, effective and efficient strategies for decoding
unknown words and to improve their comprehension of text. At Teller, it is a
daily, one-hour "pull-out" program for identified students. It
is a very effective program and is one of many factors that has contributed to Teller closing the achievement gap and improving its CSAP performance over the past five years. Elite schools such as Graland Country Day use it and we are one of only a few public schools that have implemented it. See the Lindamood-Bell web site for more information. (Implementation of the Lindamood-Bell® program at Teller
was part of a pilot program for 3 years and Teller has continued the program independently
for the past two years.)
Literacy
Literacy has become the number one
focal point for DPS. The overall intensive literacy plan at Teller has
students reading and writing for three hours daily. Teller's teachers
assess each student to determine his/her instructional reading level.
Students are then placed in small groups for guided reading instruction
based on their reading levels. The daily reading period includes 45
minutes of independent reading. Each student has a goal of reading one
million words by the end of the year.
Music
Another discipline that has taken a
dramatic cut at many schools is music. This is not so at Teller. Every
student at Teller gets to broaden his/her horizons by attending music
class either one or two times each week. Teller believes that music
appreciation is something that will remain with a child forever.
Physical Education (PE)
While many schools are
cutting back or eliminating PE, Teller provides every student daily,
teacher-facilitated physical education. Teller's PE teacher, Chris
Baumgartner, has received national attention for her unique
ability to motivate students. Through her creativity and enthusiasm,
every day is exciting and fun. If you want to see a terrific teacher in
action, drop by one day and watch her interact with the students!
Reading Recovery
Reading Recovery is an intense
literacy instruction program for identified first grade students. It
offers one-on-one instruction by teachers with special training. It is
a highly effective short-term intervention program. Other Programs
Adaptive Functional (AF)
The AF center
classrooms provide a functional curriculum for students with moderate
to severe delays in cognition, academic achievement, and/or adaptive
behaviors in and out of the classroom and assists in developing
competencies essential to enjoying normalized living in a variety of
environments. AF programming teaches life-long skills that maximize
each student's potential to live, work and recreate within society. Book Buddies
Book Buddies pairs third through
fifth grade students with first and second grade students each week for
shared reading activities. Book Buddies develops communication skills,
mentoring skills and self-esteem. Younger students often feel special
because of the extra attention and enjoy being befriended by an older
student.
Color Guard
Fourth and fifth grade students who participate in Color Guard are responsible for leading assemblies, the Pledge of Allegiance and the Teller Promise
at school events. They also raise and lower flag daily. Participants
learn responsibility, leadership skills, discipline and respect for
other's values.
English for Second Language Learners (ESL)
Teller is privileged to have students from 6 countries worldwide representing 8 different languages. The ESL (English as a Second Language) program is designed to give Teller’s bilingual students extra support in English speaking, reading and writing. Students are pulled out for small group instruction and receive the necessary support in class in order to meet grade level expectations.
Good Citizen Award
The Rocky Mountain Optimist
Club recognizes either one or two "good citizens" from each classroom
every month. Students are selected who show respect and kindness to
others, listen and follow teachers' instructions, and are helpful and
empathetic to fellow students.
Learning from the heART
Teller parents and teachers support an enrichment program called Learning from the heART.
This elective series focuses on all forms of art including drama,
poetry, drawing, sculpture, music, Spanish and French. Each elective
course runs for eight weeks. The students, teachers and parents have
been extremely happy with this program.
Library Media Center
Part of any education
should include learning how to utilize the multitude of resources
available to students today. With the emergence of the Internet,
students need the skills to access and assimilate information at far
greater speeds than ever. Teller's librarian, Cathey Bonnefoi, not only
serves to loan students books on a regular basis, but also instructs
students in small groups on fundamental skills of research and
computers.
PE Aces
PE Aces is an innovative program
available to select third through fifth grade students. PE Aces
supervise kindergarten through second grade students in playground
games. Positions are highly valued among the upper-grade students. It
is organized and supervised by the PE "Diva", Chris Baumgartner.
Participants learn leadership, group problem solving, responsibility
and role-model behavior while building self-esteem.
Peer Mediators
Peer Mediators is an intense
problem solving, early intervention and anger management training
program. Two representatives from each third through fifth grade
classroom are elected. Representatives facilitate conflict resolution
among Teller students. The program develops leadership skills, group
decision-making skills, and civic responsibilities.
Trainable Mentally Disabled (TMD)
The TMD center
classrooms provide functional skills for students with severely delayed
cognition, academic achievement and adaptive behavior. This program
serves pupils who frequently present multiple disabilities by
emphasizing skill development in the following domain areas: basic
skills and concepts (including functional academics), recreation and
leisure, community, vocational and domestic. Motor, communication and
social skills are infused throughout all areas.
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