Technology

All the classrooms are wired for internet access and network capabilities. All computers will be connected to the internet via a high-speed connection that will allow students to gain exposure using and learning on computers with programs and software.

The technology committee at Stevens consists of staff members working together to carry out and support the Stevens Technology Plan, to access funds for computers and computer equipment, programs and software, and create a computer lab.  Training for teachers in using the computer lab and technology as a teaching tool for themselves and their students is a major component of the plan. Important issues such as designing and planning how computers and technology will be used in the most productive way are currently under discussion.

Stay tuned for news bulletins on the technology front.

Arts

Stevens provides a variety of programs in the arts. Students attend vocal music classes, instrumental music classes, and assemblies by guest artists and groups, which provide exposure to and involvement in many types of music and performing arts.

Each class teacher also engages students in various forms of <B>art through curriculum integrated projects.

In Artist in Residence experiences, for each grade level, artists (music, dance, puppetry, Japanese flower arranging and calligraphy, Indonesian stick puppets, etc.) come to classrooms for an hour each day over a period of a week or two. This facilitates a greater knowledge of cultural arts in students.

Each year the PTA sponsors student participation in the National PTA Reflections Art contest The purpose of the program is to encourage creativity. Students complete literature, photography, musical composition, and visual arts projects based on the pre-selected theme. Works are displayed and judged by a panel to represent the school in the next level of competition. Works go on to be judged at the city, state, and national level Art Print Program, sponsored by the Frye Art Museum, trains parent volunteers to present artist portfolios to students each month.

There are many opportunities for students to participate in eight week sessions of after-school classes, many of which are art classes. Offerings have included life drawing, pointillism, batik, song writing, making dance and theater, and drumming. The Capitol Hill Community Learning Centers - Stevens Campus program is described in more detail in the After School section of this site.

English as a Second Language

At Stevens Elementary there are approximately 80 students who receive English as a Second Language services. Thirteen different language groups are represented. Spanish is the primary language for the greatest number of ESL students, Vietnamese speaking students are the next largest group. Students speak Asian languages, African languages, and languages from Eastern European countries.

The program at Stevens, is integrated through the regular education classrooms, with special support services based on language acquisition assessment, targeted to the needs of the student. This targeted approach is supported by funding through the Transitional Bilingual Education Office of the Seattle School District and a Stevens Bilingual Program Development and Implementation Grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Integrated Cultural Themes

At Stevens we believe strongly in the importance of diversity and the education of children on all major cultures of the world. For this reason, every year of a student's tenure at Stevens is devoted to a different culture. Teachers integrate the study of language, dress, housing, transportation, geography, and climate into their standard curriculum. Stevens' Artists-in-Residence program supports the teachers with music and art from different cultures or countries. Any students from the focus cultures are encouraged, along with their families, to augment lessons with personal knowledge. Cultural themes are structured by grade level as follows:

• The Pacific Island cultures
• Mainland Chinese and SE Asian cultures
• Spanish-speaking cultures
• African cultures
• Native American cultures
• European and North American cultures/immigration

Spanish Language and Latino Cultural Programs

All students in grades 1-5 receive instruction in Hispanic cultures and the Spanish language. Both conversational Spanish and a cultural appreciation are taught through music, dance, acting, art, etc. Through this program, our students gain another skill by becoming active citizens in a global society.