Eliot Elementary is a fantastic school where the families are engaged in the students’ education and welfare. The students value great friendships and challenge each other to embrace Eliot’s standards. This fact was clear and evident as we join students for a day at Eliot. 

The school day begins at 7:30 a.m., but Eliot’s doors open before 7:00 a.m. At 7:05, students start to navigate the halls in preparation for the day. They drop off their belongings to their lockers and head to the cafeteria for a healthy breakfast. At 7:15 a.m., the first bell rings, signifying students can start going to their classroom. 

On Monday mornings after breakfast, the entire school gathers for the Bobcat kick-off assembly. During the meeting, the principal makes important announcements, and the school celebrates student achievements. At the last assembly, the school congratulated the track team as they competed in the district elementary track tournament at Edison High School. One of the Eliot students won first place honors. At these assemblies, students also have the opportunity to bond as a school community. 

On a typical school day, after breakfast, students start the day off in class with a bell ringer or morning exercise. This activity helps to get the students’ brains going and prepared to receive the curriculum. Students then begin their day diving either into math, literacy, or attending a specials class. Each classroom’s schedules vary throughout the day, and each has five blocks. During each block, students will learn one of the following subjects; math, literacy, social studies, or science. During one of the five blocks, students will attend one of the following specials classes; Art, physical education, technology, or library. 

Before the second block begins, students in 3rd through 5th grade have a 15-minute morning recess. Eliot values physical education very much, giving students brain breaks throughout the day to help to increase their learning. During block three, students engage in either social studies, math, or science before lunch. From 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., classes will attend lunch for 20 minutes and then recess for 20 minutes. During this time, students are provided nutritious meals and time to enjoy themselves on the playground.

Eliot welcomes parents and family members to join their students for lunch. Being a very community-based school, this allows families the opportunity to be directly connected to their child’s educational day. It also allows parents chances to communicate with teachers and work together to educate the students. Sometimes, the Eliot PTA prepares and serves lunch for the staff members.

After each class finishes lunch and recess, they transition into blocks 4 and 5. During these blocks, students will learn one of the core subjects they didn’t work on that morning. Some classes also attend specials during this time. Students in Pre-K through 2nd grade get an additional 15-minute recess at some point between the last two blocks. The day wraps up at 2:35 as students begin to go home. Some students stick around longer to attend one of many clubs Eliot offers its students.

Eliot finds it very imperative to encourage students to have creative freedom. Weekly students are presented with a team challenge to accomplish in the maker space. The maker space is well equipped and allows students to work together to complete challenges. Students can sign up to use this space weekly. This space also creates a learning environment for students to troubleshoot a project and learn the process of trying again until they get it correct. 

Eliot is committed to embracing all learning styles and incorporates project-based lessons whenever possible. You’ll rarely see students sitting alone learning here. Teachers incorporate a lot of hands-on, whole-brain learning into the curriculum. Students often collaborate and work together to complete projects.

The school has also implemented a Bobcat Buddy system. Eliot’s older students pair with a buddy in a lower grade. The intent is for the upper students to become leaders and set good behavioral examples for the younger students. They mentor, encourage, and have reading groups with the younger students. 

The Eliot community is alive and thriving. For enrollment information, please click here.