District Priority 2
ALL STUDENTS EXPERIENCE INTEGRATIVE TEACHING & LEARNING
For District Priority 2, we embedded interdisciplinary learning, social-emotional learning, and equity into curricula and instructional practices, and provided multiple means to assess knowledge & skills. Brief descriptions are below:
Interdisciplinary Learning
The district's academic vision includes the practice of having students read meaningful texts across content areas, work on complex real-world problems, and share their ideas through speaking and writing. In the 2021-2022 school year, we planned additional opportunities for interdisciplinary learning (IL) through a partnership of the Literacy Leadership Team and the Social Studies Leadership Team, jointly developing inclusive interdisciplinary content and practices. As an example of the potential impact of IL on supporting student growth, students produced a video. It explains how NHS students enrolled in the Greater Boston Program set up a new and accessible food pantry for our community. Other examples include an Engineering project at Pollard and Computer Science using robots at the high school.
District Mental Health Plan
Across the globe, the pandemic experience exacted a toll on some students' motivation to learn, their ability to focus, self-regulate, tolerate distress, or interact with others. A District Mental Health Team of educators, counselors, behaviorists, psychologists, and school and district leaders worked collaboratively through the school year to draft an initial District Mental Health Plan. The plan, when fully implemented, will enable student access to a continuum of evidence-based and data-driven mental health supports and strategies, with a strong general education experience promoting mental health for all, as well as supplemental supports and strategies if/when needed.
Multi-Tiered System of Support
We made progress on an elementary level Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) for students to receive interventions in literacy, math, and social-emotional learning. With MTSS, the district proactively identifies and
addresses the strengths and needs of all students through data-driven decision making and progress monitoring. Evidence-based supports and strategies with increasing intensity are used to support student growth. For example, the pilot of the Second-Step SEL assessment of social-emotional competencies helped us measure students' sense of belonging and their academic engagement. The pilot of an elementary Illustrative Math program helped students use their prior math knowledge, their home language, and culture to make sense of new mathematical concepts - and created a strong class community.
STAMP Assessment
New this year, the district administered the comprehensive STAMP (standards-based measurement of proficiency) to all 11th grade students. This process promoted students' goal setting for their World Language skill development and expanded opportunities for students to attain the State Seal of Biliteracy.