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Coquille Valley Elementary spotlights new 5th-grade science and expanded music program
Summary
Teachers and students from Coquille Valley Elementary showcased a new NGSS-aligned 5th-grade science class and a growing music program; students demonstrated experiments and the 5th–6th grade ensembles performed a short piece.
Coquille Valley Elementary teachers and students presented a school spotlight highlighting a new 5th-grade science class aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and a rapidly expanding music program.
Science teacher Casey Peterson told the board that the school introduced a dedicated 5th-grade science class this year focused on inquiry and experimentation: "This is instead a very exploratory way to do science where the students pose the questions," Peterson said, explaining the class structure and the six units of study the students are covering.
Three 5th-grade students described classroom activities they enjoyed: Abigail Westgard said her favorite project was making small balloon-powered cars and learning that "it takes multiple tries to make something work." Another student said her class does a "mystery science" every Wednesday, and a third described learning how particles move faster when heated.
Music teacher Emma Rostegas reported that band numbers have nearly doubled and choir participation has increased; she credited sustained instruction and volunteer support for stronger ensembles. Rostegas introduced a short student performance drawn from the winter concert and said early music-theory instruction is building a foundation for future success.
Teachers emphasized hands-on learning, resilience from iterative experiments, and school-to-career pathways connected to dual-credit and CTE programs discussed elsewhere on the agenda. The presentations closed with board members thanking staff and students for the demonstrations.
