At the Heart of our School District
Teaching and learning is at the heart of our school district. The three big ideas of our mission statement — critical thinking, lifelong learning and character development — inform how we approach student learning. Our goal as a school system is to create learning opportunities that challenge students to think, connect to their lives in a meaningful way, and help them work collaboratively with their peers.
Curriculum
The school board approves all district curriculum. The district regularly updates curricula to offer the best research-based materials to our students.
4 Questions of Teaching & Learning
The district uses the work of education researcher Rick DuFour to support quality teaching and learning. DuFour poses four question for teachers to address when they come together to discuss improvement strategies. They are:
1. What do we want students to know? (Need: Clear learning targets)
2. How do we know if they have learned it? (Need: Balanced assessment system)
3. What do we do if they have? (Need: Enrichment activities)
4. What do we do if they haven’t? (Need: Intervention strategies)
MVSD teachers come together on six professional days during the school year to examine student work and address the questions above. Teachers form teams in their departments or grade-level bands to work together.
