Sessions Elementary School promotes a positive learning environent for students through a variety of programs and practices. Exemplary behavior is recognized with positive comments, awards, stickers, public recognition. Students are honored at recognition assemblies, which are attended by students and families. In addition to the district's Facts for Parents handbook, Sessions Elementary has a parent-student handbook that is sent to parents every September.
Sessions Elementary School is in the process of becoming an International Baccalaureate World School. Currently we have candidate status and hope to have our final authorization by June of 2009. Our instructional approach is through an inquiry-based curriculum. Students are presented with a central idea that is globally important to their education. Teachers develop lines of inquiry that are based upon the grade level state content stardards which connects to the central idea. Students work in variety of classroom configurations (whole group, small group and individually) to research the central idea. At the end of the unit, students share their understanding of the concepts via projects. Teachers have developed rubrics for each project to help guide the students in demonstrating their understanding of the concepts that were presented throughout the unit.
Class Size
To ensure each student receives an appropriate level of individual attention and support, class sizes at Sessions Elementary are kept as small as possible. In grades K-3, each class has a maximum of 20 students. This is possible in part through funding provided by California's K–3 Class Size Reduction program which began in 1996.
Diversity
The mixture of cultures and languages of Sessions Elementary students results in diverse classrooms and additional opportunities for learning, teamwork and appreciation of one another.