Caught Being Good:  Staff and faculty members are always on the look out for children who are following directions, being kind or helpful to others, working hard in the classroom, following class and/or school rules or any other positive behavior.  Children who are caught being good receive a small ticket.  Students collect these tickets and place them in Caught Being Good boxes.  Approximately every two weeks, all 1st-5th graders meet out on the playground, say the flag salute together led by our Student Council, and then between 5-10 tickets are drawn from each grade level box.  Children whose tickets are drawn stand up to be recognized and win a small prize.
Class Size Reduction:  Holly Avenue's 1st-3rd graders benefit from the 1996 California State Legislation which allowed for a minimum of 20 students per classroom.  Teachers have reported that, due to smaller class size, they can cover more curriculum with their classes and can provide more of the enriching learning experiences we are known for.
Developmental Report Card:  Under Construction
"Distinguished Dolphin Award":  This award is for 4th and 5th grade students and is given for academic achievement based on the report card.  All students have the opportunity to achieve this award if the criteria are met.  Students are awarded the certificate if they have received: no "1's" in academic areas, all "+'s" in life skills, no referrals for inappropriate behavior and are consistently not tardy.  During the trimester awards assemblies students are called to the front and receive the certificate from their teacher.  Pictures are taken immediately after the assembly on the front steps and are displayed in the main hall by the Trimester Awards Committee.
Dolphin Reading Club:  The Dolphin Reading Club (Accelerated Reader Program) is designed to motivate and accelerate a child's interest in reading.  Students select a book from the designated Accelerated Reader book list, read the book and then take a multiple choice comprehension test on a computer in the media center or on a classroom computer. The program tells the student how many questions he/she answered correctly, shows the answers for any questions missed and awards reading points.  Reading points are based on the chosen book's point value and the number of correct answers.  If the student passes the test, teachers and parents can feel confident that the child read and understood the book.  Many teachers chart the number of points a student acquires during the school year as an incentive.  Books on the list can be found in classroom libraries, our school media center, the public library or at home.
ELD:  Under Construction
Family Reading Night:  Every Wednesday night from 6:30 to 7:30PM, Holly Avenue opens it's Media Center for student and parent use.  This is a wonderful opportunity for students and parents alike.  Students can share a favorite book with their family, practice computer programs used during the regular school day, complete Internet research or take Accelerated Reader tests.  Parents and siblings participate with the students in these activities.  This has become a very special evening for the families and staff who participate regularly.
GATE:  Under Construction
Looping:  Under Construction
Mentor Teachers:  Holly Avenue is proud to have, at this time, three teachers who are District-wide Mentor Teachers.  Mentor teachers are chosen at the end of each year and serve their position from 1-3 years.  Mentor teachers are responsible for assisting other teachers at their site and/or throughout the District in their chosen area of expertise.  Ms. McKinnon is the Working on the Work Mentor, Mrs. Rothert is the New Teacher Mentor and Mrs. Rettie is the Holly Avenue School Site Mentor.
Model Technology Classrooms:  There are two district supported Model Technology Classrooms at Holly.  The teachers in these classrooms wrote successful LITE grants that were offered by the district in the spring of 1996.  The classrooms each received 4 IBM compatible computers, an LCD projector, 4 AlphaSmart keyboards and various software programs.  Ongoing training on the integration of technology into the classroom is also provided for these teachers.  These classrooms serve as models for the integration of technology into the curriculum.  To learn more about our 3rd grade Model Technology Classroom, visit Mrs. Develle and Mrs. Lukesh's classroom web site.  To learn more about our 2nd grade Model Technology Classroom visit Mrs. Duyshart & Mrs. Lindahl's classroom web site.
PIP:  This program has been made available through the award of a Primary Intervention Program (PIP) grant.  Kindergarten through third grade students are able to participate in this early detection and intervention program which helps students adjust and find success in school.  Student participants visit once per week with a "special friend" who helps the student develop or strenghten positive attitudes about school.  Students really look forward to this visit!  If you would like more information on the PIP program, please contact our school counselor, Linda McClellan.
Portfolios:  Portfolios have been used as assessment tools for many years at Holly.  Throughout the school year, students and teachers choose work samples from all subject areas which reflect student progress.  Portfolio work is used during Student-Led Conferences and when completing report cards as one measure of determining student progress.  Between 3 and 5 work samples are kept each year and sent up to the next grade level with the student.  These final samples include at least one piece of work from the beginning of the year, one from the middle of the year and one from the end of the year.
Rubric Grading:
School and Traffic Safeties:  Our 5th grade traffic safeties perform a valuable service to our school.  With a student population of over 600, we need help to get all students safely on campus between 8:00-8:20AM.  By using the drive-thru on the west side of our school, we are able to have students dropped off quickly and safely.  The traffic safety's role is to motion the cars forward so they can open about 10 car doors at once.  Also, they greet the parents and assist younger students with their belongings.  School safeties are also positioned in hallways and on the playground before and after school to remind children to walk when necessary and to monitor and report any inappropriate behavior.  We are pleased with this successful program which gives an important responsibility to our 5th grade students and ensures safety for the entire student body. 
School Uniforms:  In the fall of 1995, a parent committee was formed to study the possibility of instituting school uniforms.  Following a parent survey indicating over 80% of Holly families as supportive, a mandatory school uniform policy was begun in 1996.  Students are expected to wear uniforms daily.  The uniforms are as follows:
Pants/Shorts - Boys and girls may wear navy blue (not faded blue), khaki (tan) or white pants or shorts fitted at the waist or elastic waist (no baggy styles) in twill, cotton,
corduroy or denim material (denim jeans must be navy blue).
Shirts/Blouses - Boys and girls may wear white or navy blue shirts or blouses in polo, oxford or turtleneck styles.  T-shirts are not part of a school uniform.  Shirts should be worn tucked in and should have collars and sleeves.
Skirts/Jumers - Girls may where navy blue (not faded blue), khaki (tan) or white skirts or jumpers.  Culottes, shorts, leggings and tights, in uniform colors, are acceptable.
Shoes - Boys and girls may wear any shoe with a closed heel and toe.  Socks must be worn.
Sweaters/Sweatshirts/Jackets/Coats - Solid uniform colors are encouraged (white, navy blue...) 
School Spirit Clothes - Boys and girls may wear shirts or sweatshirts with our school logo on it on any day.
Student Council: 
Student Led Family Conferences:  Student-Led Conferences are held at the end of the first and second trimesters.  At their scheduled time, students and family members come to school and meet with the teacher.  Students lead the conferences, sharing with their family members the goals they established for the trimester.  Students share work samples from their portfolios as a basis for discussion and to demonstate progress they have made in reaching their goals.  The philosophy behind family conferencing is to move a student toward the ultimate goal of ownership of his or her education.  We start in Kindergarten with the student being involved in the conference but still receiving assistance from the teacher.  By the end of third grade, especially if the student has been a continuous Holly student, the student is leading the conference independently.  Teachers and parents have noted that there is an increase in pride and ownership of classwork and that children are able to talk honestly about their strengths and weaknesses.  The role of both the teacher and parent is crucial.  They both must be accepting of whatever progress the student feels they have made and positively encourage, in a gentle manner, the child to continue to move forward.
Title I:
Trimester Awards:  At the end of each trimester, selected students in 1st-5th grades are recognized in three areas: Citizenship, Achievement and Progress.  The intent, if at all possible, is that all students will receive at least one of the certificates at one of the trimester awards assemblies.  Progress certificates are given to students who have made signifcant progress in any area, academic or not.  Achievement awards are given to students who have shown outstanding achievement, usually in an academic area.  Citizenship awards are given to students who have shown consistent excellent behavior or helpfulness.  The certificates are completed by the teacher prior to the trimester awards assemblies.  During the trimester awards assemblies, students are called to the front and receive the certificate from their teacher.  The assemblies are usually held by grade level and occur approximately a week after the trimester ends.  Pictures are taken immediately after the assembly outside under our dolphin logo.  Teachers identify each child in their class picture and then all pictures are displayed in the main hall by the Trimester Awards Committee.
Year Round Education Track (voluntary):  Year Round Education (YRE) is offered at Holly Avenue as a voluntary program.  We offer this program because the year round calendar offers the opportunity for continuous learning and the staff's desire to offer the strongest educational program for children.  Studies indicate that students require less review and maintain more continuous progress upon returning to school when vacations are shorter than the traditional summer vacation.  YRE teachers have discovered that review for YRE students in drastically reduced from the average 4-6 weeks of review after summer vacation needed by traditional students.  Because of the shortened review time, YRE teachers indicate that they are able to cover about one month more curriculum with YRE students than they did when they taught on the traditional schedule.  Students and teachers both comment that they maintain their enthusiasm for school and do not get tired or burned out because of the alternating period of instruction and intersessions.  Approximately one third of Holly students attend the year round schedule.  The year round calendar restructures the 180 student attendance days from the traditional schedule, September to June, to mid-July to June.  At Holly the 180 school days are divided into four sessions of about 45 days and are followed by a vacation (intersession) of approximately 3 or 4 weeks.  This cycle is repeated four times during the year.  If you would like more information about YRE or would like to pick up an application, please visit the school office.