Clear Stream Avenue School/Washington Avenue Kindergarten Center
The school serving the center of Valley Stream Union Free School District 30 is Clear Stream Avenue School. Clear Stream Avenue School serves approximately 450 students in grades kindergarten through sixth. As of September 2003, the kindergarten is housed at the Washington Avenue Kindergarten Center and grades one through six attend Clear Stream Avenue School. As is the case in the entire district, a full complement of educational services is available to meet the needs of all learners throughout the school year. We also take pride in our strong connection with the parents and the surrounding community. We believe that by working closely together, the students, faculty, parents, and community members can connect to help create the ideal learning environment.
Clear Stream Avenue School also has a fully functional computer lab with more than thirty computers that allows students to access the Internet, participate in multimedia-rich activities, and utilize various forms of technology to research, prepare, and present exciting hands-on projects. We believe that in order to prepare our students for the future, they must be computer-literate and be comfortable with all forms of technology, which is why teachers actively integrate technology into daily learning experiences.
In addition, Clear Stream Avenue School has an extensive physical education program. Within the physical education program, students learn to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. Our full-time librarian exposes our students to various literary genres and encourages a passion for reading. Additionally, the students enjoy meaningful experiences during our art and music programs. Our art program enriches the lives of our students by introducing them to a variety of artists, materials, and techniques. The instrumental music program, which begins at the fourth-grade level, offers weekly, 30-minute group lessons in string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. We would like our students to know the joy of making music for themselves and sharing it with others, which they do during our winter and spring concerts.
The Balanced Literacy/Language Arts program provides opportunities for students to participate in both Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop. Extensive Language Arts resources include the new Trophies Balanced Literacy program in the fifth and sixth grades, which includes high interest reading selections with instruction focusing on specific skills and strategies. The literacy program also includes a Leveled Library, designed to individualize instruction. A Read Aloud component increases comprehension and higher order thinking skills. Students in grades K – 4 are also working with an exciting handwriting program.
Finally, the Clear Stream Avenue School community has implemented a proactive behavioral support system, which encourages our students to be STARS. The STARS program (S – safety first; T – teamwork; A – act responsibly; R – respect yourself and others; and S – show you care) program for students in grades one through six helps children learn the importance of respect, teamwork and community. We are thrilled with our STAR students!