Roundtown Elementary School underwent many changes during the 2018-2019 school year, but Principal Dr. Matthew Miller says all were positive.
“The biggest change that we’ve had at the primary level is that addition of more structures,” said Miller.
Like the other elementary schools, Roundtown has implemented learning structures such as multi-age classrooms, class looping (where you have the same teacher and class for two years) and horizontal teaming (where two same-grade teachers collaborate in the same classroom).
While other elementary schools have multi-age classrooms among all four grade levels, as of right now, Roundtown only utilizes multi-age classrooms for second and third graders.
“It’s a lot more blending and mixing of groups and learners,” said Miller.
Roundtown has also seen change in the size of their school. This year, with Central’s redistricting, Roundtown gained 220-240 more students, seven new teacher and an additional ten support staff members.
“It was a wonderful year of bringing in all new people, adding a few flavor and culture to our school. That was really a positive thing,” said Miller.
A school-wide project that Roundtown has worked on this year was teaching the topics of mindfulness and mindset.
Miller said, “We talked a lot about self regulation actitivies,” such as deep breathing, so students are able to solve problems calmly.
“We are also working on states of mind for kids to get into. Changing, ‘I can’t do this,’ into ‘I can’t do this, yet,’” said Miller.
Rountown students still have a lot to look forward to at the end of the school year. Third graders are preparing for PSSAs and their end-of-the-year picnic, second grade is finishing up their swimming at the high school, first grade is preparing for their “big bunny buffett” and Roundtown’s annual field day is coming up for all students to enjoy.