Standard 3: Teaching and Assessing for Learning

Standard 3:  The school's curriculum, instructional design, and assessment practices guide and ensure teacher effectiveness and student learning.

3.1 Stewart Street Elementary provides its students with a curriculum that is equitable and challenging to all students which is evident in the words of the school's mission statement. An instructional strategy used school-wide is UNRAAVEL and is evident by posters in classrooms.  This strategy is documented through lesson plans, teacher's professional learning plan, student portfolios, and student data/work samples.

3.2 Students in grade 2-5 are given weekly focus assessments as indicated on the focus calendar. Students in grades 1-5 have structured writing assessments through Write Score. Teachers use the scope and sequence provided through core programs to guide instruction and assessments that prove lessons are aligned with the curriculum. Common assessments that are used school-wide are district assessments, chapter tests, FAIR, Write Score and benchmark assessments.

3.3 Students are continuously engaged in their learning through a number of data driven instructional strategies through the use of technology resources, such as Successmaker, Accelerated Reader, Go Math and Esuites. Students utilize their knowledge and skills to demonstrate achievement of learning expectations. Teachers engage students in critical thinking skills and learning environments where collaboration and self-reflection are key to comprehending and achieving learning expectations. Teachers plan lessons for differentiated instruction for various group settings (small, whole, individual) in which students engage in re-teaching, intervention, or enrichment.

3.4 Teachers at SSES are provided a description of the evaluation form at the beginning of each year. This informs teachers of expectations and criteria that administration will observe through formal and informal observations that will be conducted throughout the school year. The results of these walk-thrus and observations are shared with individual teachers and kept as documentation by administration. Beginning teachers are paired with mentor leaders for support and mentoring in order to provide students and teachers best practices. Regularly scheduled assessments are used by teachers to adjust and modify the instructional process to ensure that all students make learning gains. Teachers are recognized for their accomplishments through faculty meetings and TOY, ROY, and SEROY celebrations.

3.5 Staff members work collaboratively to construct and implement plans that ensure students' success, and maintain the rigor and integrity of the curriculum. Once data has been carefully examined, teachers plan instruction to meet students' needs. Teachers can provide students with re-teach, enrichment and intervention. Staff members constantly reflect on instructional practices and plans to ensure these practices are effective and improve students' performance. Teachers collaborate among and across grade groups to address needs for struggling students. Teachers also meet with the response to intervention team (Student Study Team) to discuss possible strategies and or solutions to ensure that students are provided an appropriate learning environment which allows students to make gains.

3.6 SSES teachers systematically use an instructional process that clearly informs students of learning expectations and standards of performance. The teacher uses exemplars to guide and inform students. Focus calendars are provided and used in order to enhance student learning and expectations. Mini focus calendar assessments are used as well as chapter tests in curriculum to guide teachers about making necessary modifications to the learning process. Teachers' implementation of the instructional process is evaluated and addressed through the use of formal and informal observations and walk-thrus from administrative staff members.

3.7 SSES provides and coordinates mentoring and coaching and supports instructional improvements that are consistent with the system's values and beliefs and teaching and learning. School level administrators and support staff have been instrumental in collaborating with the District office to ensure that each educator, new and experienced are receiving continuous professional development trainings/courses relevant to improving the success rating of the school holistically. Our school level staff stays abreast of current research-based professional develop workshops/trainings and provide appropriate individualized support for all educators where as needed.

3.8 The school engages parent(s) and families in students' education by having monthly Parent-Teacher Association Meetings (PTA) and by having Teacher-Parent Conferences. The school encourages parent participation by hosting Parent Expo Nights every 9 weeks. The district's website also provides informational media to better help families become knowledgeable of the school's curriculum plan. Focus Calendars are also provided to teachers to assist with cohesiveness in grade level curriculum and scheduling.

3.9 School personnel participate in a structure that provides interaction with individual students. This structure allows them to build strong, long-term bonds with students. All students in the school participate in this structure. The structure allows school personnel to gain insight into the student's learning and social skills.

3.10 Teachers within the SSES community utilize clearly defined criteria to represent individual student's acquisition of content knowledge and skills. Criteria deemed appropriate for grading and reporting standards consist of benchmark assessments, FAIR assessments, student portfolios, pupil progression plans, and report cards. To ensure consistency in reporting, teachers utilize a systematic approach for reporting, which is consistent across grade levels and courses.