Ophir Elementary School Academics
Ophir Elementary School is a candidate school* for the PYP. This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. IB World Schools share a common philosophy- a commitment to high-quality, challenging, international education- that we believe is important for our students.
* Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme (DP), or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes visit http://www.ibo.org
Ophir Elementary is located in the Gallatin Canyon about 30 minutes north of Yellowstone National Park in Southwest Montana. Ophir School first opened its doors in 1906 with 5 students. The State of Montana recognized Ophir as a school district (K-8) in 1912. As of July 1, 2012 the school district name has officially changed to the Big Sky School District #72. Ophir takes its name from the fabled gold mines in the Bible. “They went to Ophir and took home gold”. The homesteaders, who followed the unlucky prospectors, believed that they had metaphorically found gold in the Gallatin Canyon and named their school “Ophir.”
Ophir Elementary School serves students in grades K-5. At Ophir, our teaching and learning is guided by a standards-based, inquiry-driven and constructivist approach. Utilizing Montana State Standards for Math and Language Arts, the Next Generation Science Standards, and the 3Cs Standards (College, Career and Civic Life) for Social Studies, our study of core subjects is engaging and challenging. In Language Arts, for example, students experience the Daily 5, an approach to instruction which allows for significant levels of: differentiation, skill-building, individual and small group instruction while promoting independent learning and collaboration.
In addition to the core subjects, students at Ophir receive a holistic education through the study of a second language – Spanish, a vibrant Music and Art program, and a balanced Health Enhancement class. The center of our building and our student life is the state-of-the-art Learning Commons, a research space where students have access to an extensive collection of fiction and nonfiction works, and their Media Studies class.
To complement our curricular approach, students partake in experiential learning in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Students participate in Nordic and downhill skiing days, weekly outdoor expeditions, and a myriad of local field trips to enhance the classroom experience. Guest speakers/experts are a regular feature at Ophir Elementary School. The seminal experiential learning experience is the 4th Grade Expedition Yellowstone, culminating in a 5-day trip to explore the geographic, historical/cultural, and scientific wonders of our nation’s first national park.
