District and Building Professional Development Framework
Standards-Based Learning and assessment
Understanding each student may learn differently, we feel placing your child front and center of their own education will work to move students, focused on growth, along a personalized learning path. Holding students to a one size fits all approach for educational learning provides a disservice. In order to tackle this new learning, our staff has worked hard to prioritize Iowa Core standards that are most essential for student success. Most importantly, we want students to assess learning based on those standards to provide the best chance for learning and success in future grades, courses, or even post-secondary schooling.
PROJECT-BASED LEARNING
Our 8th grade Capstone class incorporates project-based learning through a variety of types of projects throughout the school year. A project motivates students to gain knowledge and helps them retain what they have learned. Projects are an opportunity to apply skills to personally relevant and real-world situations. The 21st-Century skills learned will help students succeed in future professional workplace environments.
Project Based Learning Values and Beliefs*
- PBL transforms students by inspiring them to think differently about themselves as learners, collaborators, and leaders.
- PBL prepares students for academic, personal, and career success; what’s more, it prepares young people to rise to the challenges of their lives and the world they will inherit.
- PBL leads students to master core academic content and builds critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, communication, and self-management skills.
- PBL advances educational equity and empowers youth furthest from opportunity.
- PBL enables teachers to make a difference in their students’ lives—academically, socially, and emotionally—and to experience the joy of teaching.
* Buck Institute for Education
Workshop Model
Teachers in kindergarten through fifth grade are using the workshop model to teach literacy instruction. This model is a structured time for teaching reading and writing that uses a gradual release of responsibility format. It begins with a teacher-led mini lesson that includes a connection to previous learning, an focused teaching point, modeling, guided practice and a link to continued use. Students have time for independent practice, as well as meeting in small groups and conferring with a teacher.
Balanced Literacy
Priority Standards Proficiency Scales
Proficiency scales articulate learning progressions for each prioritized standard. Learning progressions describe how students’ understanding of a topic develops over time (Daro, Mosher, & Corcoran, 2011; Heritage, 2008). West Marshall teachers are in the process of creating proficiency scales for each priority standard and/or learning topic.
EL
Students who have a primary home language different from English are given the ELPA21 assessment and receive academic support as needed.
Title One
Elementary and intermediate students are identified for Title One literacy support based on district-wide assessments. These students receive small group support for approximately 30 minutes a day with a focus on foundational skills and fluency.
TAG
Students meet on a weekly basis for enrichment/extension activities with one of the district’s TAG teachers.
Students will need to meet at least one of these three numbered criteria.
1. ISASP Scores
Student scores in advanced range in both ELA and math.
or
Student scores in top half of advanced range score in ELA OR math (for example, if the advanced range is 400-450 and the student scores 425 or above.)
or
Student scores in the top 5% of the class in ELA OR math, provided this score falls in the advanced range.
2. CogAT Stanine score of 7, 8, or 9 in all three areas
3. a-Reading scores above the 90th percentile (K-8th)
Students must have a teacher recommendation form.
Once identified, students remain eligible for program services throughout their K-12 years.
SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
Special Education Service Delivery Plan – Board Approved