SCCS has many ongoing and important goals, obligations and commitments that have always been and will continue to be priorities for the District. These include, for example, ensuring that all schools are safe places for students and staff, that all students will be instructed in core curriculum (Math, Science, Language Arts, etc.), and the District is managed with financial prudence ensuring fiscal solvency and health.
The District will aggressively pursue alternative sources of funding from foundations, individual and business donors, and other philanthropic organizations to financial support the innovative programs contained in this plan. In order to expand and fulfill the Vision, the District will focus on the following high leverage goals:
I. Align Curriculum and Instruction to a 21st Century Model of Learning
A. Articulate and implement a coherent and innovative PK–8 curriculum founded on the Common Core and subject-specific standards (e.g. Next Generation Science Standards) while leveraging powerful 21st century approaches to deepen and accelerate teaching and learning (e.g., blended learning, technology-infused project based learning, and design thinking.
B. Align curriculum to emphasize new, effective practices in Whole Child, Common Core Standards, STEM, and health/wellness with an emphasis on formative rather than summative assessments. Ensure that the requisite training/professional development and support and educational materials are used.
C. Create greater emphasis on a relevant, real-world, global curriculum that builds extended learning experiences and choices/electives (relevant to the Whole Child approach), including integrating environmental stewardship, equity and justice, and related topics into the curriculum and an expansion of physical, social, and emotional wellness programs.
D. Place greater emphasis on Project-Based Learning to focus on problem-solving, collaboration, critical-thinking, and time management skills, thus allowing greater student engagement and "ownership" of their own learning. Additionally, students will have personalized learning plans that ignite their passions and adapt to their particular learning styles and needs. These personalized learning plans will be collaboratively designed among educators, parents, and the students and will outline individualized goals and measurements.
E. Continue and expand the District's emphasis on the arts, including vocal music, instrumental music, and visual and theater arts.
F. Implement a comprehensive, district-wide Technology Plan outlining learner outcomes and effective use of technology for teaching and learning, data collection and analysis, and district-wide operations.
G. Experiment with “blurring the lines of time and place” on all campuses such that some students may experience a modified school day, outreach work in the community, and learn from first-hand resources. This may include the use of Blended Learning approaches, integration of "non-traditional" activities into the school day, a greater integration of community activities and resources into the learning process, and redefining the boundaries of "school." In addition, the District shall experiment with the traditional "sorting" mechanism of students with the goal to focus on achievement and mastery rather than time spent on task.
H. Partner with a cogent set of support providers (parents, program/community partners, elective teachers, design schools, subject matter experts working virtually, etc.) working with students in and out of school environments.
I. Support learners across the continuum including those with exceptional needs on both ends of the learning spectrum such as those with accelerated learning needs and those requiring specialized intervention and differentiation.
J. Create new rubrics and measurements of student, school, and district success, including measuring Whole Child outcomes (e.g. physical wellness, character development, etc.); a practice for collaborative review, including self-review, and Authentic Assessment of student work; and a district-wide longitudinal data system and protocols to support collaborative and personal assessment of student performance.
K. Build internal mechanisms to allow for "rapid prototyping" of new approaches to quickly learn successes and failures, and use the measurement of such approaches to inform future strategies
II. Align Human Capital to Support Staff as 21st Century Educators
A. Pursue a path to more greatly professionalize the role of the educator by providing a greater level of autonomy, responsibility, and support
B. Build a robust professional development ("PD") plan to provide all staff with ongoing professional development to support their ability to teach in new ways and with new, emerging tools, including PD related to Common Core. Emphasize Professional Learning Communities and build a culture of learning and embracing of change.
C. Create time for teachers to engage in professional learning and collaboration by developing programs and utilizing support staff (music, health educators/counselors, Librarians, Technology Associates, etc.) to work in teams.
D. Build social-based forums for staff collaboration and learning
E. Expand the definition of "educator" to include larger community-based and worldwide resources, including parents, other community members, and experts from afar (through virtual connections) and integrate such resources into the curriculum.
F. Establish a new system of evaluation for all staff (e.g. teachers, administrators, classified staff, etc.) that is based on professional growth, coaching and mentoring. Such a system will include multiple measures, including feedback from peers, students, and parents, student performance, and robust and frequent subjective evaluations by qualified administrators and master/mentor teachers. The District recognizes that it will need to make a significant investment in resources to do such robust evaluations.
G. Create new system of career path, roles, and compensation that reflect the increased professionalism of our staff (including master teachers, mentors, coaches, resource specialists, etc.) and the modern requirements of the role, including adjusting work rules to match with reality of modern borderless environments. Build an appropriate hiring plan with job requirements relevant for these new and changing roles.
III. Build Learning Environments for all SCSD Schools that will Reflect, Support, and Sustain 21st Century Learners
A. Establish learning spaces as sustainable and natural environments.
B. Ensure spaces have robust technology infrastructure and flexibility for future growth and technological developments. Such infrastructure shall provide capacity for one-to-one computing, a platform for district- wide collaboration and sharing, and sufficient training for staff, students and parents in its use.
C. Build spaces and develop other programs (e.g. transportation) to minimize traffic flow and improve student safety.
D. Involve each school’s staff, students, and community in the design of these new environments.
E. Secure additional sources of funds including from grants, donations, matching funds, etc.