A
60%
16.93
19.9%
ºPercentage of students who are considered economically disadvantaged
Plew Elementary is located in the middle of the City of Niceville, just off John Sims Parkway. The school was opened in 1968 and has been accredited by the prestigious Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) since 1970. Plew Elementary’s SACS accreditation speaks to the dedication and proficiency of the school’s teachers, parents, and students.
In the most recent round of FSA testing, 80% of Plew students passed their English and Language Arts Florida Stanadards Assessments (FSA) test. 78% passed their Math FSA.
The school was named for James E. Plew, the man who donated the land to the U.S. Army Air Corps, which eventually became today’s Eglin Air Force Base. Plew was a doctor, aviation enthusiast, entrepreneur, investor, and land speculator.
In 1998-1999, Plew Elementary was issued a School Recognition Award from the Florida Department of Education.
In addition, Plew Elementary has stayed an A-rated school every year since the Florida Department of Education issued school ratings in 1999, except for two years.
Each grade has full access to physical education classes, thanks to a full-time PE teacher and two PE assistants. Each school also has an art and a music class for children in every grade.
Teachers of first graders at Plew aim to instill a love of reading and writing in their young pupils. The grade’s educators use the Being a Writer curriculum. Students will learn, using manipulatives (objects like blocks, shapes, or paper which can be used to help add, subtract and count), how to perform essential mathematical functions.
First-grade students will go on two field trips and participate in field day and other activities to build their knowledge of the world and social and life skills along the way.
Second graders begin to work on their reading comprehension skills in their coursework. On the math side of the learning equation (I couldn’t resist), students will use the State Curriculum Florida Go Math! Textbook and resources.
In addition to learning about reading and math, teachers introduce science and social studies concepts to the students. “We are learning to think about the world and ask questions, and we are learning about government and history,” the Plew website tells parents.
Third Graders will continue to build on the learning experencies they picked up in first and second grade at Plew Elementary School. At this point in their learning career, they will be reading to learn instead of learning to read. This change means they will have new material to know that will naturally expand their mind and knowledge of the world. Get ready for many exciting questions (Where is Turkmenistan, how many years do elephants live, etc.). Teachers will expect students to read on their own and begin to understand more complex subjects and ideas while in the third grade. Students will learn spelling words and are tested every week. Additionally, students will have units of cursive handwriting and paper writing.
In their math classes, teachers will ensure students learn how to solve problems. Students will begin to apply the arithmetic skills they learned in the first and second grades and apply them to more complex issues.
The curriculum provided by the State of Florida focuses on three big ideas.
In the third grade at Plew, students will learn how to divide and multiply, interpret fractions and understand shapes.
In third grade, science will teach young learners about animal groups, plants, astronomy, the basics of matter, the water cycle, heat, light, and gravity. According to the website for Plew Elementary, Plew “believes in providing many opportunities for safe and exciting science experiments to get students involved in their learning.”
Students in Plew’s third-grade class will participate in a year-long program sponsored by the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance. It allows them to grow different grasses and then use them to reduce erosion risk in our local environment on Boggy and Rocky Bayous.
Social Studies begin for Plew students in the third grade. Students will learn about the US Constitution, government, maps, globes, and landforms. The coursework will focus on the five regions of the United States.
Fourth graders at Plew Elementary will continue to grow their skills by stacking them on previously-learned skills.
Additionally, they will go on advanced-level field trips, which will inform their knowledge about the local area and the history of Okaloosa County. Students will tour the Indian Temple Mound and Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museums in Fort Walton Beach. They’ll play a concert with the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, and they will conduct science experiments at the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center.
In their last year of elementary school, Plew students will receive additional freedom and extracurriculars to branch out and find out what they like to do! Students can join the choir, Young Astronaut’s Club or try out for the academic team and represent the school in academic competitions.
Students who participate in the Young Astronaut’s Club have the opportunity to go to Huntsville, Alabama, to attend Space Camp.
Plew Elementary has a gifted program for students who are bright, driven, and eager to learn. The program works to meet the learning objectives of children who are gifted and talented. The gifted program creates learning opportunities that spread across the spectrum of knowledge from math and science to the liberal arts.
Volunteerism amongst the parents of Plew students remains a core value at the school. Volunteers at Plew regularly tally the most hours of any school in the district.
Parent Volunteers help teach the Smiley Face Math Enrichment Program and art classes.
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300 Highway 85
Niceville, Florida 32578
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