SCHOOL LAND TRUST - Bella Vista's portion of the School Land Trust money ($14,595.00) is being used this year to support our Balanced Literacy Program. Our Land Trust plan for the school year 2007-08 enabled the school to hire two reading assistants to work under the direction of our school literacy facilitator. The reading assistants are able to provide small group instruction to identified level 1 and 2 students. Further, sets of leveled reading books (six per title) were purchased for the school wide guided reading library for our students to use during teacher directed classroom reading instruction. These books will enable our teachers to help students master reading/vocabulary skills, comprehend printed materials, and develop a love for reading.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN - This year Bella Vista is continuing the implementation of our "Comprehensive School Improvement Plan" (CSIP) in accordance with the "No Child Left Behind" act. We have identified our school's "most critical academic need" as reading /language arts. Some of the unique features of our plan are:

*A Certificated full time Reading Specialist to provide training to staff and service to students using the latest research based reading/language arts techniques.

*A mobile computer lab assistant to help focus lab time on reading/language arts instruction.

*A "Student Tutoring Achievement for Reading" (STAR) program coordinator to organize and facilitate individual "one-on-one" reading instruction by adult volunteers.

*Staff Training and implementation of the Writer's Workshop and the Six-Trait writing model.

*Staff Training and implementation of the "Words Their Way" spelling / vocabulary program.

*A Mobile Wireless Computer Lab and Alpha Smart laptop computers to learn and develop reading and writing skills.

*The balanced literacy framework to integrate language arts in all subject areas.

MEET THE MASTERS - This year marks the eighth year that we have been using this national arts course program sponsored and funded by our PTA. Trained parent volunteers teach students about renowned visual artists and their characteristic style. This is followed up in the classroom as students apply a famous artist's technique to create their own unique masterpiece.

GOLD MEDAL SCHOOLS - Over the past two years we have achieved the Gold medal level of the Gold Medal Schools program. This initiative, promoted by the Utah Department of Health, encourages schools to establish policy and environmental supports that give students and staff more opportunities for physical activity and nutritious food choices. We are excited to work for the Platinum Medal level this year as we continue implementation of the Physical Education core curriculum, including 90 minutes of physical activity per week, the Gold Medal Mile walking program, a faculty and staff wellness program, and a policy that food is not to be used as a reward or punishment for students.

L.I.F.T. AMERICA: LEADERSHIP IN FITNESS TRAINING - This Health and Wellness program features a Physical Education Center that includes nine pieces of fun exercise equipment, four space-age interactive SportWall panels, 150 proven group games, and a computerized assessment kiosk. The program is designed to help young people improve their strength, cardiovascular health, flexibility, body composition, eye-hand coordination, agility, balance, pattern sequencing, self-confidence, better long-term health, higher resistance to degenerative disease, and better mental functioning. Exercise helps academics!

STAR TUTORIAL PROGRAM - STAR is a reading tutorial in which adult volunteer tutors work one-on-one with the same students through out the school year. Adult tutors come from the local community, receive extensive training, and are supervised. Typically tutors meet with the same students in half hour sessions at least two days a week for reading practice, not intervention.. This provides differentiation for tutoring performed by the classroom teacher, para-professional, or volunteer. The STAR tutor manual contains explicit 30-minute lessons that address: fluency, comprehension, vocabulary/phonics, and beginning literacy skills as needed. This program is aligned to the Utah Elementary Core Curriculum, research-based practices, and Utah’s 3-Tiered Model for Instruction.