Farmington View Special School Programs

Janet Rabe teaches Accelerated Math to students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades. The three classes focus on higher-level math concepts and problem solving skills. The program is completely supported by fundraisers and donations. All students benefit from the lower class sizes in math due to the pullout of students in the Accelerated Math Program. Most students who complete the Accelerated Math program at Farmington View continue taking advanced math courses in middle school and high school.

Accelerated Reader Program

The Accelerated Reader Program is a powerful motivator for students at our school to improve their reading skills and increase their reading practice time. Children are matched with appropriate books within their reading level range to ensure they are challenged without becoming frustrated. Since the management system and assessments are computer based, students are able to track their own reading progress. Incentives are built into the program that encourages students to achieve their reading goals. Each month, students who have reached the milestones for their grade level will “Ring The Bell”. Students can earn bronze, silver and gold awards based upon their total accumulated points. Awards are also presented to the top student in each class and to the top student in each grade at the end of the year. The students with the highest accumulative points for the year in grades K-3 and in grades 4-6 receive a $25 gift certificate from Barnes and Noble.

Grade	Bronze (Izzy's Pizza buffet)	Silver (Ice Cream Treat)	Gold (End of Year Party)
First	5 points	10 points	15 points
Second	10 points	20 points	30 points
Third	15 points	30 points	45 points
Fourth	30 points	60 points	90 points
Fifth/Sixth	50 points	100 points	150 points

ACR Book Quiz List - Sorted by Title
ACR Book Quiz List - Sorted by Reading Level
ACR Book Quiz List - Sorted by Points

Book Munchers Club

Book Munchers Club is a library club for third and fourth grade students. Children, who want to participate, come to the library/media center one day a week during lunch recess to share a book and enjoy a treat. Library/media assistant, Bonnie Brown, reads award-winning literature to students as they read along with her. Students experience language and vocabulary at their level and participate in a group discussion. Each week a book or a poster is offered as a prize until all students win. When students finish a book, a new Book Munchers Club is formed.

Young Readers Choice and Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Awards

To promote reading for enjoyment, students in our school can participate in the Beverly Cleary Children’s Choice Awards program (grades 2-3) and the Young Reader's Choice Award (YRCA) program (grades 4-6). Our library/media center assistant promotes children’s books (fiction and nonfiction) on the Pacific Northwest Library Association list and the Oregon Educational Media Association list. After reading at least two nominations, students can vote for their favorite book. Children's choice awards are important because they represent books that are popular with large numbers of students and usually reflect quality children's literature.

Music Programs

All students receive formal music instruction each week from our music specialist. A Spring Music Program is scheduled in April to allow students in grades 4-6 an opportunity to share their musical talent and skills. Students in grades K-3 perform for their parents during Informances, a developmental way for primary students to show what they have learned in music.

Farmington View continues to offer sixth grade students an opportunity to join band and begin learning to play a musical instrument. An informational letter is sent home to parents the first week of school inviting interested sixth grade students to participate. Our Band Teacher shares information with parents about local music stores that rent band instruments during a band orientation meeting in September. Band students are scheduled to perform for parents and community members in December and April.

Intermediate students (grades 4-6) at Farmington View have an opportunity to increase their leadership skills by participating in Student Council. Our School counselor helps students build a sense of community and identity. Students select class representatives each trimester who meet on Fridays during their lunch and recess period. Participating in Student Council is an excellent way for students to facilitate change and develop creativity. Members are involved in fundraising through a Student Store and ice cream sale at lunch. They also promote school and community service projects and help problem solve issues that pertain to school life.

Farmington View will hold its first annual Science Fair, “Science-O-Rama” in the Spring. Teachers and parents will be helping students prepare for individual and class projects beginning in January. A limited number of students will also be able to share their projects at the District Science Fair. The focus of the learning is on the Scientific Method. Students will be working individually or with their classmates to form a hypothesis, conduct research, establish procedures for an experiment, collect data, and come to a conclusion based on their observations. They will present their discoveries at the Science Fair. Everyone is welcome!

Each year, sixth grade students in Mr. Fast’s class, select a county of interest and spend the entire year studying it and sharing their research with classmates. Projects include a research notebook, a poster depicting the people of the region, the country’s flag, a banner, and an elevation map. In June, Mr. Fast and his students put on a Country Fair, where they display and explain their projects to parents, community members and other students and staff members at our school. Many students come in cultural dress and offer ethnic food to participants.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department sponsors Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) at Farmington View for fifth grade students. Classes are held twice a month from September through February. The DARE officer places emphasis on helping students to recognize and resist the many pressures that influence them to experiment with alcohol and drugs. In addition, the course focuses on feelings related to self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, communication skills, decision-making and positive alternatives to drug abuse and violent behavior. At the conclusion of the program, students receive diplomas and t-shirts at a DARE graduation ceremony.

Parents are welcome to refer their child for services designed for students identified as talented and gifted (TAG). Students who score at or above the 97th percentile on a nationally standardized test of overall reading or math or on a mental abilities test, and have other confirming evidence that they learn at a rapid rate and advanced level, are identified as TAG students. With parent input, individual plans are made to adjust the rate and level of the student’s instruction to meet his or her specific needs. If you think your child may qualify for TAG services, and want information about the referral and identification process, please contact the School Counselor/TAG Coordinator.

Our computer lab, provided by a grant from the Intel Corporation and the Hillsboro Schools Foundation, has dramatically increased the opportunities for our students to enhance their knowledge and skills in the area of technology. Teachers are integrating the District’s Technology Standards into the curriculum at every grade level. Each class is scheduled into the lab once a week for computer skills instruction. Teachers have the option of signing up their class for additional computer lab time. Students can also work on computers during “Lunch Lab” (recess time) supervised by volunteers. Keyboarding is offered to students in grades 3-6 once a week. Our primary goal is to increase student achievement through the use of computers and technology.

Farmington View holds its annual Spelling Bee each spring to select representatives for the District Spelling Bee held in May. Students from each intermediate class, grades 4-6, participate in the school competition. The district champion in each division advances to the NW Regional Education Service District spelling competition in May. At all levels of the competition, students are expected to write the spelling words.

The Scholastic Book Fair is held in the library/media center in the Fall. A Book Fair Family Night is also scheduled during the evening hours for children and their families. Everyone has an opportunity to enter a drawing for a chance to win a gift certificate for classroom Book Fair materials selected by the student and his or her teacher! For more information, or to sign up to volunteer, please contact Bonnie Brown, library/media center assistant. Profits from the Book Fair are used to improve our library collection and to host a visit by a children’s book author.

Class level Geography Bee competitions are held at Farmington View in December so that and fifth and sixth grade finalists can be selected to compete in our school-wide Geography Bee in early January. The school winner takes a qualifying test for the Oregon State competition, which is held in April. State champions compete at the national championship in Washington, D.C. for a $25,000 college scholarship.

Toward the end of each year, students have an opportunity participate in our annual Field Day. Students enjoy getting involved in organized games, races, and field events with their classmates and other grade level students. Primary students participate in field day in the morning and intermediate students are scheduled for the afternoon. Parents and volunteers help supervise the events. Parents who would like to help out should notify their child’s teacher or our PE teacher at the school.

Mardi Gras provides a fun-filled day of learning activities for our primary students in grades K-3. Volunteers help children play educational games in the gym where students can earn prizes, have fun and LEARN! Students learn to play lots of creative games, like Frog Toss, Flying Geckos, Flapjack Facts, Can-O-Worms, Fractional Bucket Brigade, and Place Value Golf. All games are designed to supplement the adopted curriculum and help students meet grade level standards. Mardi Gras is held at the end of the school year in late May or early June. Parents who would like to help with Mardi Gras should call the school.

The Hillsboro School District offers a variety of services for students with special needs. Special education services are available for students with disabilities. Most children can be successfully educated in the regular classroom for the majority of the day. It may also be necessary to provide specialized instruction for students individually or in small groups. Individual needs are met by consulting and collaborating with the classroom teacher, developing specially designed instruction or modified materials and providing other aids and adaptations deemed appropriate for the student. Each student has an Individualized Education Program developed by the school staff and parents with specific goals and objectives. Persons providing the special education program may be the Educational Resource Center (ERC) teacher, the speech-language pathologist (SLP), occupational therapist (OT), paraprofessionals, or other specialists. For more information about the special education program, contact Charmaine Sandefer, ERC teacher, or Carol Faith-Peterson, SLP.

Farmington View’s ESL and Migrant Education Programs are designed to serve both English Language Learners (ELLs) and migrant students. The ESL program helps move students toward proficiency in English, sufficient to be successful in mainstream classes and reach benchmark standards. Migrant education is offered to help meet the special needs of migratory students and their families. Academic services are supplemental to the regular classroom instruction.

Computer Club

The Computer Club meets after school, 2:15-3:15 p.m. each Wednesday beginning in November and is open to students in fourth, fifth and sixth grades. Advisor, Bonnie Brown, helps students develop technology skills to design projects, develop presentations, and create web pages. Students learn to use a variety of software programs such as PowerPoint, Publisher, and FrontPage as well as conduct research on the Internet. Students also integrate the use of a scanner and digital camera into their projects. To raise money for more computer software and other technology equipment, the Computer Club has joined Recyclers, Inc., an organization that pays cash for recycled ink cartridges.

Sports and Recreation

An after school sports program at Farmington View is sponsored by the Hillsboro Sports and Recreation Department. The program is offered to students in grades 4-6 and gives them an opportunity to practice the skills and teamwork developed in physical education classes. Five (six week) sports seasons (soccer, floor hockey, basketball, volleyball, and track) are offered during the year. The cost is $15.00 per sports season. Registration forms are available at school. The Sports and Recreation program is directed by Greg Trousdale and meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school, 2:10-4:00 p.m. Bus transportation home is available for participants.

Be Excited About Reading Stories (BEARS) Club

BEARS Club provides literature enrichment for interested students in kindergarten, first and second grades. The club is directed by teacher, Carol Digman, and meets each Friday after school, 2:10-3:10 p.m. Instruction focuses on phonics skills and reading comprehension. Students create a special arts and crafts project after reading and discussing a story.

Kids Saving Earth (KSE) Club

KSE (Recycle Club) is an after school program offered by teacher, Carol Digman, to students in grades 1-6 on alternating Thursdays, 2:10-3:10 p.m. Students collect and bundle paper and cardboard for recycling. KSE sponsors a fundraiser in each year to raise money for a variety of purposes including, the purchase of new library books and computer programs, funding beatification projects and helping with school improvement projects.

In an effort to help children, ages 9-14, excel in math and science and to stimulate interest in high technology and engineering careers, the Oregon Robotics Tournament and Outreach Program (ORTOP) offers LEGO Robotics Team competition. To provide an enrichment opportunity for our TAG and highly capable students at Farmington View, we form robotics teams each year. All teams have been highly successful and many have advanced to the state tournament. The number of teams formed (and number of student participants) depend upon the number of volunteer coaches and mentors we are able to recruit. Groups of five children and a coach are matched with a technical mentor. Students work in their teams over a five-month period (September to January) to build and program robots using advanced LEGO kits. Team meetings are held one or two times a week on a schedule to be determined by the coach. Team members can get an early start by researching the robot “mission” over the summer. Students experience the fun and rewards of engineering, and learn design, construction, programming, and problem solving, as well as the importance of communication and teamwork. Each team competes at one of the two play-off tournaments in December and the top finalists progress to the state tournament in January. To learn more, go to the website, www.ortop.org.

Beginning in October an after school club is offered to English as a Second Language (ESL) and migrant students in grades 3-6 at Farmington View. Joining the ESL/Migrant Club gives students an opportunity to increase their academic and language skills. The ESL/Migrant Club meets on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 2:10-4:00 p.m. each week. Our ESL/migrant assistant and our AmeriCorps member provide extra support to help students meet grade level benchmarks, learn good study habits, and complete class assignments and projects. Besides focusing on basic skills and homework, students participate in arts and crafts, recreational games, computer lab activities, and service learning projects. A daily snack and transportation home are provided for students who attend.

Primary and Intermediate Reading Clubs have been formed to help selected students increase their reading fluency and comprehension. Students were invited to participate in the after school clubs starting in January. Reading Club members meet for one hour after school, two times a week with a qualified reading teacher and parent volunteers. The computer based Read Naturally program is used to help students improve their reading skills (speed, accuracy and expression) so they can meet or exceed the grade level standards on the annual Oregon State Assessments.

Community Partnerships
How does our school partner with businesses and organizations in our community?

The Intel Corporation encourages its employees to be active in their communities. Intel employees who volunteer in schools can earn money for education. Under the VGM program, for every twenty (20) hours an employee volunteers at Farmington View, the Intel Foundation will donate $200. The volunteers and their contributions are recognized each year at a ceremony to celebrate the success of the program. Over the past six years, Intel employees have donated 2,580 hours of their time at Farmington View for $23,500 in Volunteer Matching Grant awards.

The Farmington View Parents for Academic Excellence (FVPAE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the Accelerated Math Program at Farmington View. FVPAE sponsors fundraisers and solicits donations from the community to fund a half-time math teacher for students in grades 4-6. Approximately 50 students are enrolled in Accelerated Math each year, lowering the student to teacher ratio in regular math classes, thus benefiting all students. Most students who complete the Accelerated Math Program at Farmington View continue to take advanced level math courses in middle school and high school.

The YMCA offers after school day care at our school Monday through Friday until 6:30 p.m. The School’s Out Program tries to create a great experience that is fun and engaging for children and also meets the needs of working parents. Students focus on homework first before engaging in arts and crafts, games, and recreational activities. A snack is included in the program fee. For further information, please call the YMCA office at (503) 327-0013.

Farmington View students join forces with the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts for our annual Holiday Food Drive and “Coins for Kids’ Christmas Basket Program. Students and scouts bring donated food items and coins to school the first two weeks in December. Classroom competitions are held to generate enthusiasm for the spirit of giving. The money collected is used to purchase clothing and gifts for children and the food is distributed to needy families in our community. The Student Council coordinates this community service project.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department sponsors Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) at Farmington View for fifth grade students. Classes are held twice a month from September through February. Deputy, Davidson Greaves, DARE officer, places emphasis on helping students to recognize and resist the many pressures that influence them to experiment with alcohol and drugs. In addition, the course focuses on feelings related to self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, communication skills, decision-making and positive alternatives to drug abuse and violent behavior. At the conclusion of the program, students receive diplomas and t-shirts at a DARE graduation ceremony.

The Regional Arts and Culture Council in conjunction with the American Institute of Architects, Portland Chapter, sponsors Architecture In The Classroom at Farmington View Elementary School. Fifth and sixth grade students work with an architect to help them understand the architecture used to design and build structures and create communities. Through a number of hands-on activities over a six week period, students learn about “stress” and “force” in the design process, how to “build to order” with an emphasis on communication, and how to design a community using “function” and “scale.” Students create architecture projects modeled after a city. The unit culminates with a guided tour of Portland’s downtown historical buildings.

The Hillsboro Schools Foundation is a volunteer organization dedicated to raising private funds to enhance public education for children. In the past four years, the Foundation has awarded more than $360,000 that directly benefits Hillsboro students through service, technical and education grants. In the past, Farmington View has received approximately $25,000 for a new computer lab, $5,000 to implement our STAR Academy to support reading in the primary grades, and $5,000 to support our STEPS summer program for entering first and second grade students. This year, HSF expects to award $80,000 in grants to teachers for innovative projects that will extend student opportunities for success and learning.