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NARRATIVE <br /> SCHOOL PROFILE <br /> Founded in 1958, Estes Hills Elementary School is one of the oldest schools in the <br /> CHCCS district. Estes Hills is a neighborhood school in the truest sense, with many <br /> students from the surrounding homes walking to school. This proximity to the <br /> neighborhood also results in a high level of parental involvement in the school. Estes <br /> Hills Elementary currently serves 566 children from kindergarten through fifth grade. <br /> The school has 25 traditional classrooms, and offers programs in Exceptional Education, <br /> Gifted Education, and English as a Second Language. Estes Hills also provides <br /> "specials" instruction in French, Art, Music, and Physical Education. This year a Head <br /> Start pre-school program, serving 13 children, was added to the campus. <br /> The student body is fairly evenly divided along gender lines (300 Male / 266 Female), <br /> and has a diverse racial composition: White (54%), Hispanic (15%), Black (14%), Asian <br /> (8%), Multi-Racial (7%), and American Indian (2%). <br /> SCHOOL ARTS PROGRAMS <br /> • Estes Hills offers Art and Music instruction in accordance with the North Carolina <br /> Standard Course of Study for elementary school students, with a full-time <br /> professional in each "specials" discipline: Art, Music, and Physical Education (which <br /> incorporates Dance). <br /> • The PTA Cultural Enrichment Committee promotes the cultural arts in education by <br /> bringing professional artists to perform at our school. During the 2011-12 school <br /> year, our students enjoyed the following performances: <br /> Transactors Improv did a "Back To School' themed improvisational show for 3rd-51h <br /> grades. Transactors Improv is the oldest active improvisational theater group in the <br /> South. Their work focuses on emotion, physicality, character, commitment, <br /> teamwork, and fun. Their approach to improvisation revolves around discovery rather <br /> than invention. <br /> Doug Berky incorporated storytelling styles from many diverse cultures into his <br /> presentations at the school. His performances include the use of masks, mime, <br /> inventive costumes, and puppetry to introduce families to a collection of wisdom <br /> stories from around the world. <br /> David Gonzalez presented "Cuentos —Tales from the Latino World," creating a vivid <br /> and captivating picture of the people and rich cultures of the Spanish-speaking world <br /> with colorful tales from the Caribbean, South America, and the Bronx. <br /> Farmer Jason presented a concert of sing-alongs and good-time songs. Whether it <br /> is the diversity of our natural world, or where good, healthy food really comes from, <br /> or the farm and forest animals around us, Jason transforms family music, pulling <br /> from his own musical journey pioneering the fusion of punk rock and country with his <br /> band. <br /> This fall, the PTA Cultural Enrichment Committee brought the following performers to <br /> our school: <br />