Academics

Van R. Butler Elementary School serves students in Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and in Grades 1-4. Butler Elementary School is accredited through AdvanceED which is designed primarily to distinguish schools adhering to a set of educational standards.  The accreditation process is also known in terms of its ability to effectively drive student performance and continuous improvement in education. 

At  Van R. Butler Elementary, our students, staff, families and community members work  together to nurture the development of each child – academically, socially,  emotionally, and  physically.  We believe that every student is important and can learn.  We believe that learning to read is the cornerstone for all education.  We believe that family and community involvement benefits student achievement. We believe that student  continuous improvement is essential to the growth and development of both students and staff members.  We believe that a safe and secure environment is essential for teaching and learning.

Butler Elementary aligns all curriculum with the State of Florida Department of Education guidelines.  To learn more, visit the FDOE Curriculum and Instruction website.

Pre-Kindergarten Program

Early Childhood Education opportunities are available through the Walton County School District's Pre-Kindergarten Program.  Butler Elementary hosts Pre-Kindergarten for eligible students.  To learn more, visit WCSD Pre-Kindergarten Program.

Primary Levels (Grades K-2)

Children should read, or be read to, every evening in order to establish a strong foundation in reading and future academic success.  On occasion, students will be requested to complete skill practice activities.  All primary grade students need an opportunity to discuss what they accomplished in school that day.  Homework activities at the primary level should not exceed a total of thirty (30) minutes per day.  Students may be required to complete unfinished class work at home.

Intermediate Levels (Grades 3-4)

Students in Intermediate Grade Levels 3-4 often experience will experience an increase in academic expectations.  Reading continues to be a focus in these grade levels and is vital for academic success. Homework in certain areas may be assigned on a regular basis, especially in reading and mathematics.  Homework at this level should not total more than one hour per day.  Work missed due to absences or failure to complete class work assignments at school could impact the amount of time a student needs to work at home.  (Class make-up work) 

Grading & Point System

1. All students will receive report cards at the end of each nine-week period.
2. All students will also receive an interim report at mid nine weeks to keep  parents better informed of academic progress.
3. Parents can also sign up for the on-line parent portal, FOCUS, to access grades.
4. Conferences may be held at teacher’s discretion periodically throughout the year. Parents may also request a conference by contacting the school office.

To improve accuracy and effectiveness in grading, document student progress and inform instruction, the point system will be utilized to determine your child’s nine weeks, semester, and yearly averages. The point system is based on the total number of correct answers divided by the total number of questions.   For instance, if a test contains 14 items, and a student correctly answers 11 of them, he/she will be awarded 11/14 points for the assignment.  At the end of the grading period, the total points correct will be divided by the total number of test items.   

Additional grading system information is available in the Walton School District Student Progression Plan which can be accessed on the district website at www.walton.k12.fl.us

Homework

We believe homework provides additional practice, thus increasing the amount of time students are actively engaged in learning and extending time on task. Homework is the time students spend outside the classroom in assigned activities to practice, reinforce, or apply newly acquired skills and knowledge and to learn necessary skills of independent study.    Research shows it is an effective way to increase student personal responsibility, individual accountability, and leads to increased communication between parents and the school.   Furthermore, we believe homework encourages parent awareness of student learning. Parents have the responsibility to provide an environment supportive of learning.

Grading Scale

A  90-100

B  80-89

C  70-79

D  60-69

F    0-59