UNDERSTANDING THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT

Student: Erik Cervantes

School: Talman Elementary

Term: Fall 2016

Your site visit experience offers you the opportunity to learn how schools operate as a large community promoting the growth of a
learner. School environment is determined by the schools culture, its history, its belief in how to do things and what is worth doing.
Become familiar with the school environment by completing the table below. Accomplish this by using the host schools website, the
Illinois Public K-12 School Rankings based on the Report Card and school personnel interviews.
Demographics
The following elements look at the demographic information of a school.
The demographic information of a school can provide an excellent look at the diversity of the school environment.
What is/are the
Answer
Resource for the Answer: Persons
name and title, document or website.
Current school enrollment
366
Talman elementary school website
Percentage of various races and ethnicities
Number of males and females as per school
report card
Percent of low income students

White- 2.4, black- 1.5, Latinos 96.1

Males- 204 female- 162

Talman elementary school website

Talman elementary school website

94.3

Talman elementary school website

Percent of students with IEPs

13.7

Talman elementary school website

Percentage of English Language Learners

Composite percent of students who meet
and exceed state standards
# of FTE (full time equivalency) teachers

39.5
Reading- 73.8 Math- 84.4 Science- 76.7

Talman elementary school website

Talman elementary school website

24

School Organization
The following elements identify various aspects of the organization of the school.
By understanding the school organization, teachers can better plan their lessons and their day.
School Mission Statement
The Talman Mission is to become an ideal
Talman elementary school website
school that models high academic standards
through real-life, hands-on
experiences. These experiences support the
development of reading literacy, higherorder thinking skills, and an appreciation for
world and life views that empower all
students, including English Language
Learners and those with special needs, to be
life-long learners. By allowing students to
take an active role in their education,
we enable them to become constructive,
contributing members of society.
Length of school day for students
7:30 2:30
Talman elementary school website
Length of school day for contracted
staff
Number of minutes per class or time
allotted for each subject
Number of minutes for specials
Art, P.E., Music, etc.
Elective classes offered

7:30 2:30

Talman elementary school website

55 minutes / reading 74 minutes

Talman elementary school website

64 minutes

Talman elementary school website

Art, gym, library, computer lab

Talman elementary school website

Extracurricular activities offered

Mariachi Music, Algebra, Comic Club, and

Sports
prek-8th grade, PE, art

Talman elementary school website

Class websites, parent login portal

Talman elementary school website

prek-8th grade

Talman elementary school website

Types of duties which teachers are

assigned
Types of communication between
the school, home, and community
Types of all-school or grade level

Talman elementary school website

assemblies
School colors and mascot

White, orange, blue, - tigers

Student and faculty dress code

Navy blue shirts and pants

Talman elementary school website

Talman elementary school website

Assistance
The following elements identify various types of assistance available to students and faculty.
Identifying and understanding the various types of assistance available to students and teachers provides a teacher with a greater
sense of community.
Student intervention plans such as
RTI
Talman elementary school website
Response to Intervention (RTI)
Provisions for students so that they
Cta bus
Talman elementary school website
can participate in extracurricular
activities (e.g. transportation)
Types of technology available for
computers
Talman elementary school website
teachers
Types of technology available for
Computers
Talman elementary school website
students
Types of professional development
Lesson study, mentoring, consultation
Talman elementary school website
available to staff
Policies
The following elements provide a greater understanding of the policies that exist in a school environment.
Read and summarize the Schools
Not delivered
digital etiquette policy for students.
Staff credentials to sponsor
none
extracurricular activities
Philosophy of the school library or
Work hard and study
Talman elementary school website
learning center
Study hall policies for students and
None
teachers
Lunchroom policies for students and Students are to clean up after themselves
Talman elementary school website
teachers
Hallway policies: during class time
Behave appropriately in the hallway
Talman elementary school website
and between classes
School discipline policy
Students must behave in classrooms, halls,
Talman elementary school website
restrooms and playgrounds
Emergency procedure plans (fire,
Listen to teachers when emergency occurs.
Talman elementary school website
tornado, evacuation, and lockdown)