Quality of Instruction and Leadership

Saddleback Valley Unified School District's curricular program assists students in becoming active, life- long learners who are skilled in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and critical thinking. These programs combine explicit skill instruction, i.e. phonics and mathematics computation, with skill instruction that is embedded within meaningful contexts. Our curriculum strives for this instructional balance in order to meet the needs and learning styles of all students.

All staff members are represented by a grade level lead teacher who serves on the Principal's Cabinet which is a decision-making body at Trabuco Mesa.  An active School Site Council oversees the implementation of the School Improvement Program and related budget. The Child Study Team, which includes the Principal, Psychologist, Resource and Speech Specialists and classroom teachers, meets regularly to assess the needs of referred students. The PTA and Student Council continue to be major contributing organizations at Trabuco Mesa. Parents are kept continually informed of their children's instructional program through Principal Newsletters, classroom newsletters, parent seminars, classroom Open Houses, PTA meetings, student progress reports, and parent conferences.

* It has been the goal of the Trabuco Mesa Elementary School to provide a strong skill based program in phonics, reading, and mathematics. As students become proficient in basic skills, the program incorporates instruction and use of abstract, critical and creative thinking skills. * It is our philosophy that learning is a developmental process and that children need to learn to make appropriate choices about their learning and to be responsible for the choices they make. Students are continually exposed to instructional strategies that cause them to share, problem-solve, and collaborate with each other in a trusting, noncompetitive learning environment. Cooperation and a positive sense of self are the result.