1. Healthcare

Requirements
Contact Us
Students entering the program from outside the school’s
geographical boundaries must complete an Application for
Optional Schools at the Board of Education, 160 S.
Hollywood St., Room C106. Parents of applicants must
provide a copy of the most recent comprehensive report
card and a copy of the student’s current nationally
normed or TCAP Achievement Test scores. Students must
also meet the following requirements:
• Students applying for grades one and two will be
required to take the Optional admittance tests at
Willow Oaks. No other tests will be accepted for
admittance into grades one and two.
• Parents of applicants will be contacted for testing
dates. Students tested for first and second grades must
score at or above the 65th percentile in total reading
and total math on the admittance tests.
• Students applying for grade one must have earned M
(Mastery) for 85% or more of the second quarter
Kindergarten Report Card Skills. At the end of
fourth quarter, students applying for grade one must
have earned M (Mastery) or C (Completion) for 85%
or more of the fourth quarter Kindergarten Report
Card Skills. In addition, applicants for grade one must
have earned a grade of S or above in all skills and
behaviors that support learning after the first quarter.
There may be no conduct or content grades below S
in support classes after the first quarter.
• On the most recent report card, all applicants for
grades two through five must have no report card
grades below C or S.
• Current nationally normed or TCAP Achievement
Test scores for grades three through five should
indicate that the student is functioning at or above the
65th percentile on the Reading/Language Arts AND
the Mathematics subtests or its equivalent.
• Students applying for grades two through five must be
reading from a grade-level reader with no report card
grades below C or S.
• Students must have no grades lower than a C or S as a
semester average on the most recent report card.
Conduct must be E, G or S.
• Attendance (including promptness to school) must be
satisfactory. A total of more than 15 absences, tardies,
and/or early dismissals is considered unsatisfactory.
• Students must earn E or S in Conduct and Content
for non-academic subjects, such as Physical Education,
Music, and Art.
The principal and staff at Willow Oaks Elementary encourage parents and prospective Optional students to visit the
school. Please call the school office to schedule a guided
tour.
To remain in the Optional Program, students must maintain the entrance requirements for grades, conduct, skills
and behaviors, academic and support subjects, and attendance.
Willow Oaks Elementary
(901) 416-2196
Department of Optional Schools and
Advanced Academics
(901) 416-5338
Willow Oaks on the Web
www.scsk12.org/schools/
willowoaks.es/willowoakshomepage.html
Board Members
Teresa Jones, Chair
Kevin D. Woods, Vice Chair
Shante K. Avant
Miska Clay Bibbs
Chris Caldwell
Mike Kernell
Stephanie Love
Scott McCormick
William “Billy” Orgel
Dorsey Hopson II, Esq., Superintendent
Transportation is the responsibility of the student’s parents/legal guardians.
Final approval is contingent upon review of the student’s final report card.
Shelby County Schools offers educational and employment opportunities without
regard to race, color, religion, sex, creed, age, disability, national
origin, or genetic information.12/14
Enriched Academics
Quality Environment
Willow Oaks
Elementary School
• Seventy-four percent of professional staff holds Master’s
degrees or higher.
• One hundred percent of teachers are state certified and
Highly Qualified for the grades/subjects they teach.
• Every classroom is a Responsive Classroom where teachers maintain a nurturing, student-friendly learning environment.
• Technology is integrated in Reading, Math, Science, and
Social Studies.
• Specialists deliver instruction in computer technology,
vocal and Orff music, strings, art, piano, and physical education.
• Character education is a school-wide emphasis.
• Ten National Board Certified Teachers grace our staff.
• Creative Learning in a Unique Environment (CLUE)* is
available for eligible students.
• Every Optional student works in our state-of-the-art computer technology learning lab.
• All classrooms are equipped with SMART Board technology and student workstations.
• A spacious, computerized library and a teacher resource
center are equipped with laptops and engaging learning
resources.
• Students have wireless internet access to resources that
specifically support and enhance the curriculum.
Grades 1-5
4417 Willow Road
Memphis, TN 38117
Principal: Pat Alexander
(901) 416-2196
What We Value: Academic, Social and
Emotional Growth
Arts and technology support the enriched academics
Optional Program at Willow Oaks. Teachers promote
enthusiasm and excitement for learning daily by helping
students understand and apply what they are learning to
everyday life. Although our primary focus is continuous
academic growth, we believe that all students grow academically, as well as benefit socially and emotionally in a
safe, caring and orderly environment. We believe that
helping students learn to take care of themselves, others
and their community is an essential part of their education. The school’s highly talented and dedicated professional staff provides a balance of structure, creativity,
and discipline in a child-centered atmosphere.
*Students must meet eligibility requirements to participate.
What We Offer
Advantages of the School
The Willow Oaks curriculum includes all state performance standards, while stressing a higher level of
learning in Reading, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies,
Computer Technology, and the Visual and Performing
Arts. Teachers encourage all students to achieve at higher levels through project-based instruction, arts competitions and performances, and enriched academic activities. Willow Oaks has a challenging academic program
that prepares each student to excel in middle school and
beyond as lifelong learners.
Three new initiatives support our academic focus:
1) “Thirty Classics by Fifth” ensures that every student
will have read thirty specifically identified works of classic literature. 2) “Fry Word Fridays” supports our conviction that vocabulary mastery is critical to reading success at every grade level. 3) “Field Trips with Purpose”
supports our belief that students must see and explore
the world around them and use those experiences as the
basis for further exploration and writing opportunities.
• Conveniently located in East Memphis, near I-240
• Faculty trained in developing opportunities to expand
upon the curiosity of the child through the use of critical
and creative thinking strategies
• Multifaceted student experiences in gathering, processing,
and applying information
• Cooperative group activities and challenging individual
assignments to strengthen learning, based on students’
learning styles
• Strong emphasis on oral and written communication,
creative writing, and problem-solving skills
• Recipient of numerous grants to enhance instruction
• Emphasis on student self-discipline and self-motivation
while building respect for people, property, and
community
• Active and supportive Parent Teacher Organization
• Strong community support through school adopters,
community partners and active parent volunteers
• Enriched before- and after-school child care available
• Class piano, chorus, and strings classes
• After-school clubs and activities include Honors Club,
dance, ballet, tennis, Girls in Pearls, Guys in Ties, and
more
Parent and Community Support
At Willow Oaks we believe that building trust and
respect among parents, teachers, students, and community is critical to our success as a school. Parents visit the
school, volunteer in our classrooms, and organize a variety of school activities. We enjoy enthusiastic parental
involvement through a wide range of events, including
Family Reading Night, CSI Math and Science Night, parenting seminars, Open House, Book Fair, Willow Walk &
Fall Festival, Muffins for Moms, Donuts for Dads,
WATCH D.O.G.S., and more. In addition, parents enthusiastically support our visual and performing arts groups
(Spring Arts Academy, chorus, strings, dance, and piano)
as they practice, perform and compete throughout the
year. Academic events include Awards Day ceremonies
every nine weeks, Fifth Grade Promotion and our annual
Spelling Bee. The school is proud to have several enthusiastic and devoted adopters and community supporters,
including The Dixon Gallery and Gardens, C.B. Richard
Ellis Co., Aldersgate Church, and White Station Church
of Christ.