Extended Day Kindergarten

Starting in the fall of 2002, all kindergarten students in the Topeka Public Schools district attend an "Extended Day" or full-day program.

New Classrooms Added to Bishop

To accommodate the additional space needed to meet the needs of the extended day kindergarten program, three new classrooms were added to Bishop during the spring and summer of 2002.

Breakfast is Served

For the first couple of years, an average of 25 students participated in the breakfast program. Last school year the student participation doubled to 50. Currently, the average daily count for breakfast is 100. Breakfast is served daily from 8:00 a.m. until 8:20 a.m. Breakfast is served in the Bishop gym.

Bishop Houses the Gifted Program for the district

Bishop currently houses the elementary gifted program and services for the Topeka Public Schools district. Two classrooms are dedicated to the gifted program and services. An individualized program is designed for each learner. However,most gifted programing and services focus on computers/technology, science, and fine arts.

Identified K-5 gifted students from across the district arrive by bus at Bishop  one day a week.

Gifted services and programming are offered to a specific grade level each day of the week.

Bishop is a School-Wide Title I School

Until the 2003-2004 school year, Bishop was not a Title I school. As a result, Bishop has lacked many financial resources and support staff that has been available to the other TPS schools.

 Bishop has become a school wide project, Bishop's free and reduced lunch population has become 50% or higher.

Bishop was one of the first elementary schools in Topeka to complete a combined Title I/School Improvement plan. It is available for review upon request.

School Wide Discipline-Student/Teacher/Parent Contract

To have a school wide approach to discipline, the Bishop staff developed school wide rules, consequences, and procedures that are supported and have been implemented by all classroom teachers and support staff. The "5 UP" strategy for getting students full attention was included as part of the plan. The student and homeroom teacher also sign the contract.

School Wide Thematic Units

School-wide thematic units have been conducted on a semester basis. During the thematic units, students are separated into multi-age groupings and receive instruction on unique aspects of life. Examples of topics include: Careers on Wheels, Christmas Around the World, the Reniassance period, Exploring the Fine Arts, etc.

Bishop Advisory Site Council Student Representatives

Several years ago it was decided that student representatives needed to be included at the Bishop Advisory Site Council meetings. A third, fourth, and fifth level student applied for the positions. One person per grade level has been selected to represent their peers at Advisory Site Council meetings. For consistency, the same individual elected at Third level serves at Fourth and Fifth levels, if desired. The student representatives attend and participate in scheduled meetings.

Computer Lab

An IBM networked computer lab holds twenty-six computer stations. The computer lab computers are all identical. Bishop teachers can sign up to utilize the computer lab throughout the week. Besides the lab, computers are housed in classrooms for student and teachers to use.

Teacher Collaboration is a Key to Bishop's Success

Bishop teachers meet regularly to discuss, analyze, and plan instruction. Both primary and intermediate team elect a leader and hold meetings on a weekly (Intermediate) and/or "as needed" basis (Primary). Many instructional, organizational, and student management decisions are made at team meetings. Team meetings are held in addition to weekly staff meetings.

To enhance collaboration efforts, the K-5 levels have been paired as follows: Kindergarten and Third; First and Fourth; and Second and Fifth. Students complete activities together once a week so that teachers at one grade level can collaborate. The other group of teachers supervise all of the students from both groups for that hour. Thus, one group is collaborating while the other group is supervising. During the following week, the students get together again for an activity but the other group of teachers supervise giving the other group of teahers collaboration time.

Accelerated Reader

Accelerated Reader allows students to take tests over trade books that have been read and are available through the Bishop Library Media Center. Accelerated Reader is available for student use at any computer in the building. AR is used to motivate students to read and assess comprehension of text.

Partnership with Briarcliff Care Facility

The partnership between Briarcliff Care Facility (nursing home) and Bishop Elementary School continues. Annually students, staff, and Bishop families meet at the facility to sing holiday carols on a volunteer basis. In addition, Bishop students have made seasonal decorations that are shed with residents. Visitations between students and residents have been completed occasionally. "Goody" deliveries have been made as well.

"Everybody Wins" Lunchtime Reading Program

Bishop hosts the Everybody Wins lunchtime reading program for selected students. Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Topeka coordinate the program. They hire an on-site coordinator to find adult volunteer readers. Hill's Nutritional Pet Foods continues to support the program for Bishop. Student participants for the "Everybody Wins" program are recommended by Bishop teachers.

Academics

Bishop students are provided with many opportunities to learn about and discover the world around them. Through experiences with classroom teachers, support staff, volunteers, special programs, field trips, and classroom speakers, students have a variety of opportunities to learn, study, comprehend and achieve.

The curriculum is broadbased and covers the six content areas at all elementary levels. Reading, mathematics, science, social studies, language arts, and writing are taught for mastery at the developmentally appropriate level. In addition, spelling is taught at levels one through five.

Other curriculum support areas provided for each student are physical education, music, and media services. Students receive at least one of these services daily.

The curriculum is enhanced through various programs offered through the community and school district. Multicultural education is incorporated in all content areas at all grade levels. Each student in grades one through five has the opportunity to participate in an outdoor education field trip sponsored by the school district. D.A.R.E. is offered to the fifth level students through the Topeka Police Department. Instrumental band is available to all students in levels four and five and the string program is available to all students in levels three through five. Also, a computer lab is available to all classes.

Many services are provided for special needs by the district. Students, parents, and staff have available a counselor, LPN, speech pathologist, psychologist, gifted facilitator, remedial reading teacher, and learning resource teacher. These services are provided on an as needed basis or when students qualify for special services.

Special activities in which students participate are quite diverse. Some of these activities include intramurals, assemblies, musical programs, Spirit and Pride sponsored events, a math contest, and a spelling bee. These events are scheduled throughout the year by the Bishop staff.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC - BAND

Band is offered to all 4th and 5th grade students at Bishop. Instruction is offered for both beginning and experienced students. Band supports the regular education curriculum through the content areas of math, science, language, history and physical education. Although music is technical it also provides an opportunity for a lifetime of enjoyment.

COMPUTER LAB AND TECHNOLOGY

The electronic technology presently in use at Bishop School includes an Apple II lab, some stand alone Macintosh computers, some stand alone IBM computers, and 14 Tandy laptop word processors.

All the keyboards contribute to the development of typing skills within the student population. The different machines also help the students become familiar with slight differences in the implementation of common computer commands and functions. By the end of the fourth grade, most students are able to move from one keyboard to another with some comfort.

The eclectic collection of equipment allows students to build skills in several areas. By the end of fifth grade, long time students can touch type, use a mouse, hook up a printer, and use word processors on two or three platforms. Most can create and print banners, use CD-Roms to access information and write a simple BASIC program. At this time, some can find information through a modem. Using available software, the Apple and IBM computers allow students to practice and reinforce basic math and language skills.

Due to the software involved, these machines support our math, language, science, and social studies programs. These machines also help the students gain machine skills they may need in the future.

D.A.R.E.

The D.A.R.E. program is offered to students at the 5th grade level in all elementary schools in Topeka by officers of the Police Department. The lessons focus on ways that children are pressured to try drugs and ways that they can say no. The children are taught about the consequences of using drugs and making poor decisions. They are taught how to be assertive decision makers. The students learn ways to build their self-esteem. They also learn ways to deal with stress. The D.A.R.E. curriculum consists of sixteen lessons in the classroom and the D.A.R.E. Culmination activity. An essay is a requirement in the D.A.R.E. program. The classroom teachers reinforce the ideas of the program in the classroom, in the lunchroom, or on the playground. Special visits are also made to various other classes in the elementary school by the officer as time permits.

GIFTED EDUCATION

The gifted program provides services to students who qualify for the gifted program. These students are transported by bus to the gifted facility one day each week. In addition, an inclusionary setting is provided for first and third grade students at Bishop School.

GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING

The counselor at Bishop School consults with students, staff, parents and community agencies. Another responsibility is to coordinate referrals and academic testing. The guidance curriculum provides activities in the classroom that help students develop knowledge of self, life skills and goal setting.

LIBRARY/MEDIA CENTER

The Media Center program is designed to insure that students and staff of Bishop School are effective users of ideas and information. To carry out this program, a semi-flexible schedule is used. Every class has at least one weekly library period so each student may learn to select and check out materials, return materials, and receive instruction. The teachers and the media specialist plan which library skills are to be taught or which special lessons will be taught through the content areas.

LEARNING RESOURCES

The Learning Resource program serves individual students who qualify for additional support services in reading, written language, math and oral and expressive language. This support is provided in a pull-out, resource setting. One-on-one or small group instruction is provided in a highly individualized manner. Individual Educational Plans are implemented.

MATH CONTESTS

The contest begins with an invitation to the entire fourth and fifth grades to join. It is made clear from the first day that only eight will survive to the end. This is an after school activity. Historically, 40% of each grade level have volunteered to try out for the school math team. These students are exposed to intense, high speed math instruction. They are tested daily to check their retention and understanding. As the workload increases, students begin to withdraw from the competition. Finally, eight students remain, four from each grade level. A final test is given to determine which one person from each grade will be an alternate. The others then enter the regional math contest sponsored by the Kansas Association of Teachers of Math. Students who excel at the school and regional levels receive recognition for their academic talent and hard work.

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION

The staff at Bishop Elementary School infuses Multicultural Education into their curriculum by utilizing a variety of activities and resources to enhance the awareness of diversity in all students. Some multiculture activities in which all students participated include: a Russian speaker, presentation of the Buffalo soldiers and the establishment of the town of Nicodemus. Individual classroom teachers and students prepared art displays, enjoyed tasting parties, sang folk songs and read folktales. Inservice workshops in which the staff participated include: Kansas of Color, Reach for Kids; Building Cultural Bridges and others.

GENERAL MUSIC

The general music class at Bishop School has as its main emphasis - singing. Along with that emphasis comes movements, creativity, improvisation, rhythm, self-accompaniment, and listening. Music involves all content areas such as math, language, social studies and reading. Music is an individual or group experience by either actively making music or passively listening.

NURSE

The following services are provided by the LPN and school nurse at Bishop School:

  1. 1. Vision and Hearing screenings
  2. 2. Administer and supervise medications to students
  3. 3. Apply first aid to injuries
  4. 4. Take care of illnesses
  5. 5. Dental Health education to first grade
  6. 6. Set up growth and development for fifth grade
  7. 7. Organize and coordinate immunization clinic
  8. 8. Help with Kindergarten orientation

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

A wide variety of activities that expose all students to lifetime skills are provided in physical education classes. Team sports, individual sports and cooperative learning activities that require the entire class to work together are emphasized. Handicapped students participate in all activities. Many content areas taught in the regular classroom are included in the curriculum.

PSYCHOLOGICAL

The psychological support to Bishop School students provides counseling services as well as administration and interpretation of individual tests to help determine the needs of specific students. In addition, collaboration with teachers regarding learning styles, teaching strategies, and classroom management is provided. Other services include: providing parent education programs, staff development, and assistance in the development of goals and strategies for overall educational improvement as well as for individual students.

SPELLING BEE

The annual All-Kansas Spelling Bee and the Shawnee County Bee is held in the spring of each year and is sponsored by the Topeka Capital-Journal. Students from grades 4 to 8 are eligible to participate and each school is allowed to send one representative. The school's representative is chosen by a written test.