Drinking Gourd Elementary School

To bring children together with excitement for learning. * To create a "success-based" environment which emphasizes achievements rather than failures. * To create an individual learning plan that is challenging and requires every student to strive toward excellence in all areas. * To present books and reading skills in an engaging way; to develop children with "book fever"-an insatiable desire to read. * To present a huge variety of mathematical experiences so that students gain a real understanding of these concepts rather than a focus on simply "filling in the right answers." * To weave art and music experiences into the everyday life of the classroom. * To teach children peaceful, cooperative ways to handle conflicts. * To develop the students' ability to understand and express their emotions and to empathize with others. * To help children recognize and reject gender stereotypes in our environment; to consciously provide opportunities for both girls and boys to experience a