Innovation+School+History+&+Design

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= History = Four Corners School was originally built in the 1950s as a neighborhood elementary school for students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. In 1991, the gymnasium and the mushroom looking additions were added. In 2007, a decision was made to close this school.

In spring 2009, Four Corners School was re-opened when five classroom teachers and an administrator made a plan to initiate a kindergarten through 3rd grade neighborhood elementary school. The Superintendent and these educators shared a vision for a small, child-centered school that would become an Innovation School through a state initiative. In spring 2011, the Superintendent, Greenfield School Committee and the Massachusetts Department of Education approved Four Corners School as an Innovation School with a new name, Discovery School at Four Corners. In fall 2015, a district-wide decision was made to move 4th grade all of the Greenfield elementary schools including The Discovery School at Four Corners. = Innovation School Design = An Innovation School is a public school established for the purpose of improving school performance and student achievement through increased autonomy and flexibility. The innovative practices at the Discovery School at Four Corners include: · Uninterrupted instructional time through the morning with specials (Art, Music, Physical Education, Technology, etc.) in the afternoon. · An Individual Learning Plan for each student. · School-wide themes that bring the whole school together for instruction and exploration. · Environmental Studies and gardens as a signature program, using the school’s nine acre school site for gardening and woodland studies. · Elongated school year for teachers to allow for fluid, collaborative curriculum planning. · Additional school-wide planning time for classroom teachers during the school year. · Cross-grade level and cross-curricula learning opportunities.