Buchanan Elementary School educates students from Junior Kindergarten through fifth grade. The Junior Kindergarten program provides two half day sessions, while all of the other grade levels have a full day program. Currently, there are three sections of kindergarten, first and second grade along with two sections of third through fifth. The average class size is 20:1. Additional programs include Reading Recovery, special education, speech/language, library, music, and computers. Federal funding for Title I is provided to Buchanan School.

     Enrollment averages 326 students with 175 boys and 151 girls.  Working with students are 26 certified and 12 support staff personnel.  Just over 30% of students are eligible for free and reduced meals. Buchanan offers a breakfast program with about 25% of the students participating.

     Buchanan School provides students with the same curriculum as each elementary school in the district. All of the K-5 students have at least one hour per week of physical education, computer lab time, and music. A band program is available to fifth grade students. We offer an After School Program K-5 that involves many staff and approximately 40 students. Boost Up, a program to boost brain stimulation with physical activity, is offered at several grade levels. Junior Achievement (third-fifth), D.A.R.E. (fifth), Character Education (kindergarten-fifth) and a Geography Bee (fourth-fifth) are programs that also are provided.

     Buchanan School was awarded a Reading First Grant. In addition to extensive staff development, this program requires a 90 minute reading block. A reading coach currently works with staff and students in grades K-3. Each classroom at Buchanan has Smart Board Technology and an amplified microphone system.

     Community involvement at Buchanan Elementary School is encouraged. Reading Buddies come into the school and each volunteer is paired with a student with whom they read for thirty minutes weekly. Students and adults enjoy forming a relationship and this gives our students another opportunity to develop their reading skills.

     Emphasis is not put only on academic standards but the whole child. The Boys Town Model serves as our model for social skills instruction. Over $60,000 of new playground equipment has been installed at Buchanan Elementary School from 2005-2007 thanks to our Parent Teacher Association and the Haye Lake Donation. Our school also takes part in a walking program called Schools Walk to help promote healthy lifestyles.

The “I Set a Good Example” program individually recognizes students when they are caught being good. Every two weeks, students from each class are selected and the recognition involves wearing a “Good Example” t-shirt for the day, a large group photo for our good example wall, and a certificate to commemorate the accomplishment.

                                                       Heath Larson, Principal