Green Elementary School is opening a new science lab with Ohio Department of Education and Southern Ohio Medical Center grant money to fund the project.

The lab was renovated from an unused outdoor storage building and offers hands-on science kits and resources, technological upgrades and cooperative learning opportunities.

“We believe a quality foundation in science and math instruction is vital to our students’ career choices in the future,” said Jodi Armstrong, Green Elementary and Primary schools principal.

Last year, an elementary library was started with numerous genres of literature and lessons.

“One of my favorite quotes about the library came from a third-grade student after his library class,” she said. “He exclaimed upon leaving the library and entering the hallway, ‘The library is awesome. I’m glad I’m just in the third grade. That gives me three more years to read all those books.’”

The Bobcat Boost is an after-school program funded through a 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant at the elementary school.

Students are provided help with homework as well as enrichment choices, such as, cooking, art, woodworking, computers, line dancing, puppets (life skills), reading and

math games, sign language, sewing and many more.

Green Primary and Elementary schools participate in Measures of Academic Progress testing three times each year.

“This information is diagnostic in nature and provides a wealth of information regarding students’ current growth — goal-setting and projected growth,” Armstrong said. “This information is used as a valuable data piece for driving instruction.”

This year the school has upgraded to a Web-based provider for the accelerated reader and accelerated math programs.

“This change allows students to choose from a much larger collection of books while teachers have more access to diagnostic reports to target their instruction,” she said.

The school also has a hearing handicapped cooperative unit. Students from both Lawrence and Scioto counties are given instruction in both language and sign. A certified teacher and interpreter work together.

“ We set very high expectations for the educational communities of Green Primary and Elementary,” Armstrong said. “These expectations begin with our core belief that all students can learn. We not only ‘talk that talk,’ we ‘walk that walk.’”

Goals include continuing progress and achievement in all areas of the Ohio Achievement Test while providing a safe and inviting learning atmosphere where all are motivated to do their best everyday, she said.

“We, as a school, are proud to work together with parents and community members to provide quality programs for those we love the most — our children.”