School Philosophy


Purpose
The purpose of FRCS is to maintain a local elementary/middle school option in the Forest Ranch community, while at the same time providing a valuable educational alternative for the Chico community. The educational program will be implemented by a collaboration of the
​Board of Directors, faculty, staff, students and parents,
while focusing on our core values.

Highly Effective Teaching Methods
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Our focus is on utilizing practices generated from current research in education, psychology, and human development to maximize the development of the “whole child”. While we are not limiting ourselves to a specific model we do incorporate methods from the HET (Highly Effective Teaching) model designed by Susan Kovalik and Associates. Through integrated thematic units teachers strive to differentiate education to meet diverse learning styles. We balance teacher and child-centered instruction to create a rigorous academic program that promotes self-reliance, social action, a passion for learning, and a growth mind set. We lean towards a multi-age rather than a combination class emphasis, allowing children to move through the standards in a way that challenges each student at an optimal level for their own growth. It is our intention to offer a high quality education that provides our students with the necessary knowledge base and skills (both social and academic) for them to be successful in their future academic and life endeavors.
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Family Centered Practices
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Family Centered Practices are utilized at FRCS so that families feel supported and encouraged to be actively involved in their child’s education. Family Centered Practices include having an attitude that cultivates a sincere sense of caring, warmth, honesty, and empathy; focusing on solutions and strengths rather than weaknesses or blame based causes of problems; and providing suggestions or giving advice that is practical and realistic within the scope of that family’s experience. Our focus is on positively affirming family’s role in the process and supporting and acknowledging the decisions they make for their child’s education.
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Positive Behavior Support
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FRCS implements a positive behavior support program across campus to create a safe and healthy environment in which our children may learn and play. Positive Behavior Support is a decision making framework that guides selection, integration and implementation of the best evidence-based academic and behavioral practices for improving important academic and behavioral outcomes for all students.  The components of this program are Prevention; Strategies for Effectively Managing/Redirecting Inappropriate Student Behavior; Behavior Support Plans/Intervention; and Chain of Command.

​Prevention includes School Wide Environment, Family Education/Support, Strategies and Supports for At Risk Students, and Faculty/Support Staff Training. Our
primary focus is prevention by use of education and
​solid procedures.

We use a continuum of strategies for effectively managing/redirecting unwanted student behavior. It is data driven and focuses on logical consequences and teaching appropriate behaviors.