Success Center

The mission of Success Center, working in partnership with staff, family, and community, is to provide educational support and instructional opportunities that enhance student success in the classroom.

Our Philosophy

• We recognize the uniqueness of each student and personalize his or her learning through a Continual Learning Plan (CLP).
• We encourage parental participation and involvement in each student's attendance and goals.
• We seek to provide instruction that develops student competence and confidence in the skills required for school success.

Who may attend?

Students from grades 1-8 may qualify to attend based on formal and informal assessments. The scores earned on the MAP and an individual assessment conducted by a student’s classroom teacher establish student eligibility to attend.

Teachers of qualifying students team with parents to create a Continual Learning Plan (CLP).  Principals send registration information and invite each student to attend.  The State of Minnesota provides funds for this program so there is no cost to families.

Where do students attend (September thru May)?

• Concord Elementary students attend at Concord.
• Cornelia Elementary students attend at Cornelia.
• Countryside Elementary School is home to the Countryside/Creek Valley/Highlands students attending the program.
• Normandale Elementary students attend at Normandale.
• Sixth grade South View Middle School students attend Success Center after school.

Who has information about student progress in Success Center?

Student progress in Success Center is primarily gauged by improvement in regular classroom performance; therefore, a student’s classroom teacher can address this question. In addition, Success Center staff provides information to classroom teachers about participating students and can discuss student work in the program.

Program dates and times

School year classes normally begin the second or third week of September and run through May. Success Center registration materials include program hours.

Summer 2013

See below for your school's dates, times and location.  Schedules will be sent from your child's school.

May an elementary student attend Summer Success Center only?

No. Funding guidelines from the State of Minnesota allow a student to participate in the school year program only, or in both the school year and the summer programs. Funding guidelines do not allow a child to attend only the summer program.

May a student attending Kids Club also attend Success Center?

A student can attend if Kids Club and Success Center are in the same school.

May a student attending Wise Guys also attend Success Center?

If your child attends Wise Guys at the Edina Community Center and qualifies for Success Center, we encourage you to register him or her for the Normandale Summer program.  Contact Mary Kirchhof for additional information.

Elementary Success Center Materials and Curriculum

Math, Grades 1-5

Mathletics is an intensive intervention program that helps teachers accelerate the mathematical achievement of all students, and in particular of those who are struggling. The program provides carefully sequenced, direct-instruction lessons that enable a student to build success with grade-level expectations. These lessons are reinforced with additional options for practice including games, computer activities, and problem solving on a daily basis. They are built around five mathematical strands:

• Number and Operations
• Algebra and Functions
• Measurement
• Geometry and Statistics
• Data Analysis and Probabilty

+Reading, Grades 1 and 2

*Based on years of research conducted by Dr. Barbara Taylor, Reading Intervention for EARLY SUCCESSTM supports

• Phonemic Awareness
• Phonics
• Fluency
• Comprehension
• Vocabulary

Students receive additional instruction in small groups with books that support needed instruction. Students practice reading texts and writing about what they have read.
* Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Web site
+Normandale curriculum is designed for immersion students.

Reading Grades 3, 4 and 5

Success Center teachers use Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Journey's Write-In Readers to teach core reading skills.

• With Write-In Readers students:
  • interact with the text, focusing on comprehension.
  • receive direct instruction in vocabulary, word identification/phonics, and fluency.
  • read fiction and non-fiction topics that motivate and engage students, so they enjoy the reading experience while improving their ability.
  • engage in "stop, think, write" exercises that give students the opportunity to express in writing their comprehension, ideas, and thoughts about the text.
• Students enjoy a wide range of self-selected reading, which aids student achievement.

Curriculum Grades 6

Students learn a variety of skills and strategies to increase school success.  Examples include:

• Agenda Book strategies and organization
• Transitioning between classes with a passing time
• Work-completion strategies
• Task management
• Locker organization and strategy
• Note-taking strategies
• Use of graphic organizers
• Vocabulary development
• Reading skills and strategies
• Math skills and strategies