Teaching & Learning
Springfield Platteview Community Schools believe that educating the whole child is a team effort. The whole-child approach to teaching supports and nurtures all areas of children's development and learning.
Teaching and learning is a process. As a district, we recognize the importance of providing our teachers with the appropriate tools to engage all learners and offer each student the skills to be successful while maximizing the depth of learning achieved by our students. Through curriculum, instruction, and assessment, we ensure each student has the opportunity to learn.
Curriculum
Springfield Platteview Community Schools provide a pertinent, quality curriculum with a design to meet state and local expectations. Our curriculum is chosen to ensure our students learn and remain competitive in every content area. Depending on the students short/long term goals, we want to provide them for whatever comes next after Springfield Platteview Community Schools. To guarantee that our curriculum materials meet and exceed the standards, there is a three-phase curriculum revision cycle:
Stage 1: Pre-assessment - identify learning goals Stage
Stage 2: Assessment - write quality assessments that align to the learning goals in the pre-assessment phase
Stage 3: Implementation and Evaluation - create unit designs and collect achievement data to ensure high-level learning.
Instruction
Springfield Platteview Community Schools believe that it is crucial to deliver instruction using research-based best practices. The classroom teacher is one of the most powerful influences on student achievement that is within control of the educational system. The district knows and continues to grow to assist to strengthen and support strong pedagogy within the system.
The district has developed an instructional framework based upon the work of educational researchers/consultants Robert Marzano, Jay McTighe, Grant Wiggins and John Hattie. This framework outlines elements of instruction, based upon best practices. By using the framework, teachers are asked to address questions that will help them: clearly define learning goals (Stage I), align goals with high quality assessments (Stage II), and design learning experiences more purposefully in order to reach those learning goals (Stage III).
There are many factories that make up quality instruction. The district has summarized their expectations in their instructional framework.
SPCS Instructional Framework
Through professional learning, reflection, and feedback, teachers work to continually improve instructional practices which will result in higher levels of learning for all students.To support the development of teachers, the district has developed a professional development plan aligned to the practices outlined in the instructional framework.
SPCS The Five Pillars of Effective Teaching.
Assessments
Assessment is a vital part of the teaching and learning process. At SPCS, we utilize a variety of informal and formal assessments to review our curriculum and instructional techniques as well as determine students’ progress and achievement. Teachers administer common district summative assessments at each grade level for each content area/course. The norm referenced assessments that are administered in the district are described below:
- Teaching Strategies GOLD: Pre-kindergarten
- DIBELS: Math and Reading Kindergarten through sixth grade
- NWEA's MAP Growth: Kindergarten through eight is administered two times per year in the fall and spring (winter is optional) to monitor progress. Grades nine and ten are administered once a year to continue to monitor student progress. The district assesses Kindergarten through tenth grade in reading, math, and science in grades fifth through tenth.
- Pre-ACT: Grade ten; administered each spring
- ACT: Grade 11; state test administered each spring
- PSAT/NMSQT: This is available for some sophomores. It is not required but available for students if they are have an interest in this assessment.
Wellness
The district has a policy in regards to school wellness. As a district, we will provide educational experiences in a health-promoting school environment to instill habits of lifelong learning and health. Please see our school wellness policy for more information.
The district completed the triennial assessment in May of 2020. A summary of the results include that as a district all indicators were believed that our current policy includes some of the required language. A strength of the current policy is that it includes specific goals and includes physical activity opportunities. A copy of the wellness summary can be found here.
If you would like to learn more about the policy, or if you would like to be involved with this committee’s work, please, contact Heidi Zierott, director of learning.
