Academics at Bush
Welcome to an overview of academics at Bush Global Leadership Academy! Use the tabs on this page to browse each grade level and subject.
This page offers an overview of the exciting learning progression for each grade level. You'll find summaries of the core subjects, as well as specials, Gifted & Talented, and Bilingual/ESL, highlighting the key concepts and skills we're thrilled to introduce your child to. We're looking forward to a year of engaging lessons and meaningful learning experiences.
Kinder
We are so excited to start a new year here at The Global Leadership Academy at Barbara Bush Elementary! You will see active learning in all of our classrooms through language activities, word walls, big books, poems, calendar activities, math manipulatives, guided math, guided reading, learning centers, and more. We are very proud of our Kindergarten program at Bush and look forward to another fantastic year!
Parent Tips
- Be on time for school each day.
- Be at school every day, unless you are running a fever or have a contagious infection.
- Read with your child each day.
- Students have homework each week on content learned in class.
- Students need pencils, crayons, scissors and glue at home to complete homework assignments
- Check and sign your child's home folder daily.
- Remove notes and papers that do not need to be returned to school.
- Please put lunch/snack money in your child's account instead of sending money each day.
- Please make sure your current address and phone numbers are current.
- Call attention to the new dismissal map. Parents are being asked to please remain in their vehicles for everyone's safety.
1st
Welcome to first grade!
Our goal in first grade is to gain more independence while also becoming better readers and mathematicians. We will set high expectations and build positive relationships along the way. We will build strong relationships by not only getting to know our students but also understanding them as individuals and learners. This year, we will model positive social skills and how to solve academic problems. Students will learn how to treat themselves, their peers, and the world around them with love and respect. Students will learn how to use the best reading strategies to help them decode new words and enhance comprehension. Students will learn how to analyze, solve, and show evidence of math problems. Our students will become confident thinkers and compassionate beings.
2nd
Our goal is to prepare our students for life's choices and challenges. We will maintain high expectations and challenge students to learn, grow, and achieve to each student's highest possible potential. We will enhance the learning process by fostering an atmosphere of respect, love, and dignity.
During the year we will teach our second graders to implement strategies related to problem-solving in math. We will extend their educational experience by focusing on increasing fluency and strengthening reading comprehension skills. Second grade is a year of transition in which the students will become more independent thinkers and learners. This will enable them to have the skills needed to achieve success as they move through the upper grades.
3rd
Third grade at Barbara Bush Elementary is the place to be! Education is student-centered. We focus on active learning, research, hands-on activities, and extending thinking skills. Some of the goals that we would like to see the students in third grade accomplish are: Have respect for themselves, other students, and authority figures, have self-discipline, learn to be responsible, learn to use time effectively, develop organizational skills, and become confident learners.
4th
Our focus in fourth grade is to plan and implement effective lessons that include real-world applications and problem-solving skills. Our desire is for our students to naturally integrate their understanding of each content area and make connections that will better prepare them for their future. Finally, as teachers, we want to build relationships to further enhance their growth within their community.
5th
The goal of Bush Elementary fifth grade is to provide a secure environment which is conducive to learning and building self-esteem. Fifth-grade students are developing into responsible, independent learners as they prepare to enter middle school. Problem-solving within math and science is greatly emphasized. Incorporating technology links to enhance learning is encouraged both at school and at home.
Conference Time: 11:00-11:50
Lunch Time: 1:00-1:30
Specials
Hello, Dolphins and Dolphin parents!
The Specials Team would like to welcome you to a new year at The Global Leadership Academy At Barbara Bush Elementary. We are going to have so much fun in Specials this year with TONS of PE activities to keep you healthy and active, Music practices to help you improve musically, and Art projects that allow you to explore and be creative! We cannot wait to see you work hard and improve your skills. If you ever have questions, please feel free to email us.
Gifted and Talented
Elementary Gifted students take part in a pull-out program in grades 1-5.
The campus Gifted Specialist provides instruction for this regularly scheduled class. Curriculum units at this level are interdisciplinary and based on broad themes. These units incorporate logical critical and creative thinking skills into the core academic areas of math, reading, science, and social studies. independent research opportunities allow students to investigate specific topics of interest and to develop sophisticated products.
Bilingual/ESL
For elementary students in GPISD, Bilingual/ESL Programs provides a dual language program whose goal is bilingualism, biliteracy, and biculturalism. In this program, we provide one and two-way models, according to the needs of our campuses. In each of the models, the subjects contained in the curriculum are divided between the two languages of instruction, which are Spanish and English. No matter the language of instruction, the focus of the program is to develop knowledge of the necessary content in a way that can be transferred. The uniqueness of these models lies not in the way the subjects are taught, but in the students, who compose the classes.
A los alumnos de primaria en GPISD proveemos un programa de lenguaje dual cuya meta es de ayudar a los alumnos a lograr el domino en hablar, escribir y leer en dos idiomas, y valorar de forma equitativa dos culturas. Este programa se ofrece mediante los modelos de una y de dos vías, de acuerdo con las necesidades de cada campus. En ambos modelos las materias del currículo se dividen entre los dos lenguajes de enseñanza - inglés y español. Independientemente del lenguaje de enseñanza, el enfoque del programa es el desarrollo del conocimiento de la materia de modo que el alumno pueda transferirlo de un idioma al otro. La distinción entre los dos modelos consiste no en la manera en que se presenta la enseñanza, sino en los alumnos que componen las clases.
English
Spanish
One-Way
In a one-way classroom, all the students are from a non-English-speaking background. They are consistently provided with opportunities to acquire English. Beginning students learn to read and write in their native language, and these skills are later transferable to English. The student’s native language is not subtracted as English develops. It continues to be developed, with the end result being that students who complete the program will be proficient readers, writers, and speakers of both languages.
En el salón de una vía, todos los alumnos son de antecedentes de habla no inglesa. De forma consistente se les proveen oportunidades para adquirir el inglés. Los alumnos principiantes aprenden a leer y escribir en su idioma natal, y después pueden transferir estas destrezas al inglés. El desarrollo del idioma natal del alumno no se suspende mientras desarrolla el inglés. La habilidad del lenguaje sigue aumentando en los dos idiomas y el resultado es que al completar el programa entero los alumnos serán competentes en leer, escribir, y hablar los dos idiomas.
Elementary campuses that offer one-way dual language are:
- Austin Environmental Science Academy
- Bowie Fine Arts Academy
- Global Leadership Academy at Barbara Bush Elementary
- Daniels Academy of Science and Math
- Morton Elementary
- Dickinson Montessori Academy
- Eisenhower Elementary
- Garcia Elementary
- Marshall Leadership Academy
- Ochoa STEM Academy
- Rayburn Elementary STEAM Academy
- Seguin Elementary
- Whitt Fine Arts Academy
- Williams Elementary
- De Zavala Environmental Science Academy
Two-Way
In the two-way model, each class is composed of both native English speakers and speakers of other languages. The goal is to have both languages equally represented. Each language group receives initial literacy, reading and writing instruction, in their native language, whether that be English or Spanish. Once students reach 2nd grade, all students receive both English and Spanish literacy equally. For this reason, our Two-Way program cannot accept Opt-in students past 1st semester of 1st grade unless they have a documented Dual Language history. This will ensure students can be successful when they reach second grade literacy in both languages across content areas.
As with the one-way model, the subjects in the curriculum are purposefully divided between the two languages. This arrangement allows students to transfer their knowledge of the subjects from one language to the other. The ultimate goal is the same as for the one-way model: proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking in two languages.
En el modelo Dual de dos vías, cada clase está compuesta tanto por hablantes nativos de inglés como por hablantes de otros idiomas. El objetivo es que ambos idiomas estén igualmente representados. Cada grupo lingüístico recibe instrucción inicial de alfabetización, lectura y escritura en su idioma nativo, ya sea inglés o español. Una vez que los estudiantes llegan al segundo grado, todos los estudiantes reciben alfabetización tanto en inglés como en español por igual. Por esta razón, nuestro programa Dual de dos vías no puede aceptar estudiantes nativos de inglés después del 1er semestre de 1er grado, a menos que tengan un historial documentado de instrucción en un programa de lenguaje dual. Esto garantizará que los estudiantes puedan tener éxito cuando alcancen la alfabetización de segundo grado en ambos idiomas en todas las materias.
Al igual que con el modelo Dual de una vía, las materias del plan de estudios se dividen intencionalmente entre los dos idiomas. Esta división permite a los estudiantes transferir sus conocimientos de las materias de un idioma a otro. El objetivo final es el mismo que el del modelo Dual de una vía: dominio de la lectura, la escritura y el hablar en dos idiomas.
Elementary campuses that offer two-way dual language are:
Las escuelas que ofrecen el programa Dual de dos vías son:
- Mosely Elementary
- Travis World Language Academy