Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

The Lamoille North Supervisory Union is committed to supporting all learners as they progress toward becoming all that they can be. We support student learning through high quality instruction, intervention and assessment, and support individual learning towards meeting required state standards in:
*Literacy
*Mathematical Content and Practices
*Scientific Inquiry and Content Knowledge
*Global Citizenship (including social studies and world languages)
*Physical Education
*Health Education
*Artistic Expression (including visual, media and performing arts)
*Transferable Skills

Across the state of Vermont, local curricula are developed by teachers based on state-adopted standards. These include:
*Common Core Standards in English Language Arts and Math
*Next Generation Science Standards in Science
*College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards in Social Studies
*National Core Arts Standards (NCAS) in the Visual and Performing Arts
*SHAPE Standards for Physical Education and Health
*ACTFL Standards for World Language
*WIDA Standards for English as a Second Language

In the Lamoille North Supervisory Union, we build our curriculum collaboratively using these standards. In addition, the schools will support all students to become lifelong learners and effective, engaged citizens of the world through diverse educational opportunities, community and parental involvement, and co-curricular activities that promote individual student aspirations at a reasonable cost. Every learner will complete their PreK-12 education with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in the community, post-secondary education, and careers.

The Lamoille North Supervisory Union strives to follow a rigorous curriculum design process. A rigorous curriculum is an inclusive set of intentionally aligned components - clear learning outcomes with matching assessments, engaging and relevant learning experiences, and high-effect-size instructional strategies - organized into sequenced units of study that serve as both the detailed road map and the high-quality delivery system for ensuring that all students achieve the desired end: the attainment of the designated grade - or course-specific standards within a particular content area.

The Lamoille North Supervisory Union uses multiple local, state and national measures to evaluate student progress. The LNSU Common Assessment Plan guides the administration of common assessments throughout the K-6 schools in literacy and math and the regular practice of analyzing and responding to data. The guide is continually revised to include updated assessments.

We strive for success for every student through personalized learning and flexible pathways. Proficiency-based learning is a key component of flexible and personalized pathways set forth in Act 77 and the State Board of Education’s Education Quality Standards. Vermont public schools must provide students with flexible and personalized pathways for progressing through grade levels and to graduation. Personalization is a learning process in which schools help students assess their own talents and aspirations, plan a pathway toward their own purposes, work cooperatively with others in challenging tasks, maintain a record of explorations, and demonstrate their learning against clear standards in a wide variety of media, all with the support of adult mentors and guides. The Vermont Agency of Education has stated that, “A critical goal for proficiency-based learning is the elimination of persistent achievement and opportunity gaps. Proficiency-based learning can provide equitable, relevant, and rigorous learning opportunities that engage all students and foster the skills, knowledge, and habits of work necessary to be successful in the 21^st century.”

The Lamoille North Supervisory Union is committed to developing lifelong learners who contribute to their community and succeed in a diverse and evolving global society. This multi-tiered system of support is a comprehensive, integrated, three-tiered model of prevention and designed to address students’ academic, behavioral, and social needs using a continuum, proactive approach.  This includes screening practices and a continuum of supports which range from universal, broad-based strategies to targeted and individualized interventions. The three-tiered model provides for primary intervention (Tier 1 supports for all), a secondary prevention (Tier 2 supports for some), and tertiary interventions and supports (Tier 3 supports for a few). The goal is to create a safe, positive learning environment including the accurate detection of students who need additional support beyond primary (Tier 1) prevention efforts and then providing these students with additional secondary (Tier 2) and tertiary (Tier 3) evidence-based supports.

To live, learn, and work successfully in an increasingly complex and information-rich society, students must be able to use technology effectively.  Digital tools can enable students to become capable information and media users; analyzers and evaluators; problem-solvers and decision-makers. We are committed to leveraging the technologies that support data-driven planning, teaching, and learning. In the Lamoille North Supervisory Union, digital learning is woven into all aspects of schooling. Students and adults alike are engaged in meaningful learning. There are times when technology plays a vital role, and others when it is not needed. Finding that balance and yet helping to prepare students for their future are critical elements of our digital learning plan. We are committed to engaging adults as learners and leaders, providing equitable opportunities for students, and to build on a solid foundation to guide, engage, and support students in their educational endeavors.

The Lamoille North Supervisory Union is committed to using education, conversation, collaboration, and kindness as tools to advance equity, justice, and respect for all people. The school community will continue to examine our own experiences and biases so that our practices and decisions are not aligned in any manner with prejudice, inequality, and the marginalization of individuals because of their race, gender, ethnicity, place of birth, religion, or economic status. These are challenging and uncomfortable issues to process and discuss, but they are essential if we are going to live in a state, nation, and world where all feel welcomed, respected, and valued.