TEACHING AND LEARNING STANDARD
CURRICULUM
The curriculum, which includes coursework, co-curricular activities, and other educational experiences as described in the program of studies, is the school's formal plan to fulfill its mission statement and expectations for student learning. The curriculum links what the school believes and expects students to learn to its instructional practices. The strength of that link is dependent upon staff commitment to and involvement in a dynamic process of review, evaluation, and revision of the curriculum based on the school's expectations for student learning.
Conclusions
While some curricular areas at Georges Valley High School (GVHS) have identified those expectations for student learning for which they are responsible and have clearly articulated learning standards in support of these expectations, this practice does not occur in all curricular areas. This inconsistency results in students’ lack of awareness of how, where, and when they will meet the expectations set forth for student learning. Further, few curricular areas at Georges Valley High School are fully aligned with the Maine State Learning Results, the set of standards established by the State of Maine to ensure that all students meet or demonstrate minimum skills and knowledge. As a result, it is unclear to students which learning experiences are required to meet each expectation. It is to be noted that the GVHS Course Handbook 2004-2005 has aligned all course offering descriptions to the school’s expectations for student learning; thus, all students, when selecting courses, have the opportunity to view which courses meet Georges Valley expectations for student learning. The booklet, however, does not align the courses to the specific content standards of the Maine Learning Results, so students are in the dark as to what courses will help them to gain proficiency in the Maine Learning Results. This especially impacts Grade 9 students as the class of 2008 must attain proficiency in the Maine Learning Results in order to be eligible to receive a high school diploma. (self-study, teachers, observation, student work)
Most written curriculum documents for grades 9-12 that have been aligned with the school’s expectations for student learning and the Maine Learning Results include recommendations for instructional approaches, but few recommend assessment methods for particular courses. Rubrics have been developed for specific learning activities in most content areas. Although it has been fully reviewed or implemented by all content areas, the school’s leadership team has created a draft of the high school’s portion of the local assessment system. (All schools in Maine are required by statute to have a local assessment system on which to base student achievement of the standards set forth by the Maine Learning Results.) Without clear assessment strategies, students will have difficulty understanding what is expected of them and how to improve. Additionally, the school will not be able to account for knowing where all students are in terms of achieving the school’s curriculum, learning expectations, and proficiency in the Maine Learning Results. A student expectations portfolio that includes school-wide rubrics for student expectations and the mission has been developed and implemented for Grade 9 assessment of students. However, a plan to assess the level of student achievement of the expectations for all other students learning has not been addressed. (teachers, self-study, students, student work, observation)
The curriculum provides students with a variety of course offerings to ensure that all students have sufficient opportunity to practice and achieve each of the school’s academic expectations for student learning. The small school setting and the reasonable student/teacher ratio allows for individual attention. Classes are heavily weighted in favor of homogeneous ability levels. The class levels offered include standard, comprehensive, accelerated, and advanced placement. Such leveling causes a variety of problems not the least of which, based on a review of student work, is concerns of academic equity, curricular rigor, and best educational practices in classes at all levels. A number of students interviewed admitted to “taking the easy road”. Being able to do so greatly hinders their post-secondary options. Course descriptions and minimum graduation requirements for all students have been approved and are listed in the GVHS Course Handbook 2004-2005. Recently created classes such as Junior Journey and Senior Exhibition have been designed to provide students with additional opportunities to demonstrate how they meet elements of the student expectations for learning and the Maine Learning Results not addressed in other courses. A Math Lab class has been developed to provide mathematical support to students in conjunction with their Integrated Algebra/Geometry Courses. Teachers are available to provide extra help, and tutoring is available through guidance personnel. Qualifying students do receive such services through special education resources. However, there is no formal program for meeting the needs of students who require significant additional support or time to meet either the school’s expectations or the standards of the Maine Learning Results. As a result, some students will neither attain the expectations nor be able to demonstrate proficiency in the Maine Learning Results. This especially impacts students in the class of 2008 as they must, in order to receive their high school diploma, demonstrate proficiency in the Maine Learning Results. (self-study, observations, teachers, students, student work)
Teachers at Georges Valley strive to provide an intellectually challenging curriculum. The Integrated Algebra/Geometry sequence provides an alternative choice to the traditional Algebra I, geometry, and Algebra II sequence and will meet college entrance requirements for mathematics. A combination of parental concerns, data analysis regarding student performance and professional development activities has prompted the development and implementation of this Integrated Algebra/Geometry sequence. A full four-year sequence is offered in French and Spanish. AP classes are offered in history, art, English, and biology. However, review of student work provides evidence for the need to emphasize depth over breadth in all areas of the curriculum and to ensure that all classes provide academic rigor. Lack of depth and rigor across all content curricular areas will limit student ability to demonstrate proficiency in the Maine Learning Results and to meet the school’s expectations for student learning. Further, while students do have opportunities to present projects to their peers and other school personnel, limited use of student-centered learning activities such as project-based formats, interdisciplinary instruction, and thematic units, greatly hinders opportunities for students to demonstrate authentic application of knowledge, skills, ideas, and concepts to outside audiences or to employ higher order thinking and problem-solving skills. (student work, students, observations, self-study)
The following serve as examples of
integrated instructional curriculum activities used at Georges Valley High School.
Yearbook/Desktop Publishing integrates advertising and sales, photography, budgeting,
and proofreading with theme development and design to produce a yearbook. The
sophomore social studies classes integrate class learning about civics, geography,
economics, and current events with a community service component that requires
student to be involved with an aspect of the local area. Integrated Algebra/Geometry
classes are offered through the math department. Earth Systems is an integrated
science class which was adopted to offer students the opportunity to meet standards
in the science and technology section of the Maine Learning Results. The Research
and Web Page Design class integrates research and technology. Buccaneer Broadcasting
is a course that challenges students to learn and integrate video production
as well as providing programming for the local cable channel. Junior Journey
is a team-taught integrated course that provides students the opportunities
to acquire skills necessary for the successful transition from high school to
the world of work and/or post-secondary education. Robotics integrates knowledge
of electronic components and circuits into the operation of a variety of working
robots. Because these and several other integrated courses are offered at Georges
Valley High School, students are able to meet more than one of the school’s
expectations for student learning and fulfill the content standard of the Maine
Learning Results by the successful completion of each course. In addition, these
integrated courses emphasize depth of understanding through the use of project-based
learning. Despite the many opportunities for integrated approaches to student
learning, there is limited opportunity for interdisciplinary learning. Little
work has been done to ensure that the curricula has been coordinated and articulated
across content areas. Teachers are not provided adequate time or resources to
explore interdisciplinary curricula approaches. As a result of the dearth of
interdisciplinary learning activities, students do not easily recognize that
knowledge and learning are not isolated within a particular subject area. (students,
teachers, parents, school leadership team)
Georges Valley High School provides opportunities through a number of programs
to extend student learning beyond the normal course offerings and the school
campus. Junior Journey students have the opportunity to earn Red Cross CPR certification
and complete the civic and social expectations for student learning through
community service. Sophomore Social Studies also provides students opportunities
to participate in community service activities such as volunteering at local
nursing homes, animal shelters, elementary school and a variety of other locations.
This volunteer program not only benefits the recipients, but also benefits the
students by allowing them to experience authentic applications of their skills
and knowledge. Students have access to coursework that would otherwise be unavailable
at the school through classes at the University College in Thomaston, the Hutchinson
Center, and the Mid-Coast School of Technology. Students are informed of these
offerings through a listing of courses in the GVHS Course Handbook 2004-2005
and through student services. Attendance in the University College (Thomaston),
and Hutchinson Center may be limited by the fact that partial tuition must be
paid by the student. The Job Training/Cooperative Education course provides
students with the opportunity to learn transferable skills on the job. A variety
of co-curricular activities, such as National Honor Society, Recycling Club,
Key Club, and chorus, are also offered to students. As a result of these opportunities,
students are able to extend their learning beyond the normal course offerings
and experience rewarding encounters with those outside school. (students, self-study,
teachers, parents, school support staff personnel)
There is limited curricular coordination and articulation between and among all academic areas within the school as well as with sending schools in the district to ensure the school’s expectations for student learning and standards of the Maine Learning Results are being addressed. In the last year, the K-8 and the 9-12 curriculum coordinator positions were combined into a full-time K-12 curriculum coordinator position. Some 9-12 curricula, such as math and science, are aligned with the K-8 curricula, but most are not. There is no comprehensive district plan to review, coordinate, and articulate the curriculum K-12 to assure that it aligns with the Maine Learning Results. This causes overlap and gaps in certain K-12 content areas such as social studies where it is unclear where students will study such topics as the Renaissance Period. The impact of not having K-12 coordinated curricula is that the students may not receive sequential, comprehensive learning experiences. The library/media center’s resources, programs, and services are supportive of the curriculum. Efforts are being made by the media specialist to coordinate programs and services with the courses offered at Georges Valley. (teachers, self-study, teacher interviews, parents, panel presentation)
Instructional materials, technology, equipment and supplies, and staffing are sufficient in most areas to allow for the implementation of the curriculum. Despite budgetary constraints, Georges Valley High School has approved implementation in Grade 9 of the state’s laptop initiative. This will allow all Grade 9 students the opportunity to practice and apply computer literacy skills during the school day. Most departments’ instructional materials are sufficient, but some textbooks are not current. Project-based learning in some classes such as foreign language, math, and chorus is limited by classroom size. The library/media center’s resources adequately support the curriculum with supplemental materials as well as computers to support research but space constraints and limited access restrict the effectiveness of the library media center’s programs. Teaching loads vary from 90 to 130 students per teacher, thus causing staffing inequities between teachers and overloads some classes. Such overloading impedes curricular delivery as well as assessment of student achievement. Thus, students in those classes are not assured equitable academic opportunities. Science laboratories are up-to-date and computer rooms are available to accommodate classes. The current assignment/allocation of classrooms does not allow sufficient space/number of rooms to fully support implementation of the school’s curriculum in areas such as chorus, foreign language, special education, library/media, and health. Lack of space for some disciplines/content areas impedes implementation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment strategies. Thus, students impacted by spatial limitations are not assured of equitable educational opportunities. (facility tour, observations, teachers, student work, student shadowing)
Some curriculum areas do utilize data collected in individual courses to review and evaluate curriculum. This review includes analysis of student work, students’ performance on classroom and self-assessments, and Maine Educational Assessment results. However, there is no formal school-wide curricular review process based on student achievement data. As a result, there is no mechanism by which to review and adjust the school curriculum in order to ensure that all students can demonstrate proficiency in both the school’s expectations for student learning and the standards of the Maine Learning Results. (self-study, school leadership team, teachers)
MSAD #50 does not allocate enough time, funding, or personnel to review and evaluate the curriculum. Although there are five early release days built into the school calendar, the time has been devoted recently to developing expectations for student learning, aligning the curriculum with Maine Learning Results, and in preparing for New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation visit. Also, while common planning time has recently been built into the daily schedule, it is so highly structured that it does not allow time for regular review and evaluation of curriculum. Limited funding to compensate personnel for time worked beyond the school year also contributes to inadequate curricular review. Not having sufficient time for review and revision of the curriculum means that the status quo remains and that the school’s student expectations for learning as well as the standards for Maine Learning Results will not be met by all students. (self-study, school leadership team, teachers)
While content area staff members have been and continue to be actively involved in the development and review of the curriculum at the high school, there is no district-wide formal process in place to ensure that all teachers are involved in curriculum development, articulation, coordination and revision K-12. Thus, curricular adjustments and additions do not universally occur and therefore this impacts student academic opportunities. (self-study, school leadership team, teachers)
The MSAD #50 Board of Directors is supportive of professional development and provides professional leave days and financial support. The principal regularly informs staff members of professional development opportunities related to the curricular areas. In addition, staff members are encouraged to initiate participation, as long as monies are available, in activities that will enhance their curriculum or teaching strategies. Participation in professional staff development activities is encouraged as funds are available. The math department recently revised the curriculum by adopting Core-Plus Math. This decision to revise the math curriculum was a result of attendance at professional development activities at the University of Maine over a period of three summers. However, no plan is in place to provide teachers the skills needed to ensure that curricular review and revision is based on a common understanding of the necessary processes. Thus, curricular alignment in all content areas in regard to the school’s student learning expectations and the standards of the Maine Learning Results is piecemeal. This greatly impacts the school’s ability to ensure that all students have equal opportunity to achieve academic success. (self-study, school leadership team, teachers)
Commendations:
Recommendations:
Previous
~ Table of Contents ~ Next
Accreditation
Index ~GVHS Home ~MSAD#50