Specific student outcomes related to Mission: Students will:
Effectively apply their learning in authentic situations where purpose, setting, and audience matter
Assess how their work measures up to rubrics, FCAs, examples and other defined criteria
Develop into thinkers who are both disciplined and imaginative when tackling a challenge
Recognize that effort contributes a great deal to their academic success.
Gradually take more responsibility for their learning
Become increasingly aware of their academic strengths and weaknesses.
Approach all problems with an open mind, a rich repertoire of problem-solving strategies, and persistence
Effectively communicate their thoughts, opinions, beliefs, and feelings through speaking and writing
Students will respond respectfully and react appropriately towards the opinions, beliefs, thoughts, and feelings of others
Learning Beliefs: We believe that students learn best when they are:
Asked to transfer their knowledge into worthy tasks and unique, creative situations across the curriculum
Provided with regular, timely, and specific feedback
Given opportunities to self-assess and set challenging goals for themselves
Expected to produce quality work that meets high standards
Given clear purpose and defined learning targets and examples of quality work
Motivated and influenced by their emotional state, beliefs, interests and goals as well as self-selected meaningful assignments
Engaged in individual, group, and class interactions
Asked to use their prior knowledge to help construct new knowledge
Made to understand that best effort is comprised of hard work and persistence
Commitments: To accomplish our mission, we will as educators:
Use best practices to enable learners to develop to 21st century skills
Establish clear expectations through the use of exemplars, models, and rubrics
Balance direct instruction, meaning-making opportunities, and transfer activities into our instructional program
Develop units and lesson plans aligned to the standards and eligible content
Differentiate instruction as needed for all students
Use pre, formative and summative assessments to assess students and inform instruction
Provide feedback that is specific, timely, constructive and transferable
Gradually release responsibility so students take greater ownership of their learning
Employ all available technology resources to enrich learning
Support character development through Response to Intervention
Regularly communicate with families
Apply the idea that effective learning requires a balanced approach of student understanding and application of knowledge along with drill and practice