The Department of Curriculum and Instruction supports student learning through the development of district curriculum, the administration of state and district assessments and the promotion of teacher learning and professional growth. The work of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction is committed to delivering our district’s vision: Everyone Learning Every Day… anchored by our primary aim: increased student achievement. The Curriculum and Instruction Department’s goal is to provide educational cohesion and consistency among all schools, creating a seamless educational experience for our students.

The Department of Curriculum and Instruction provides expertise and support for all curricular and instructional programs.  Designing a curriculum requires the intentional alignment between standards, instruction, and assessment. Teams of teachers and district leaders utilize the following process: 

• Unwrap the Missouri Learning Standards (MLS)
• Sequence and organize the standards into manageable Units
• Prepare a pacing calendar
• Construct Unit Plans
• Write unit assessments and learning plans 

The curriculum team utilizes many instructional resources, materials and textbooks that support teaching the MLS as they design the district’s curricular documents.  These documents, created for teachers, include essential questions to guide instruction over the course of a unit, student-centered learning targets, and engaging activities that drive daily instruction.  The Department of Curriculum and Instruction is responsible for guiding and orchestrating the process of all curriculum writing. Curricular development is an ongoing process. In addition, the department identifies best practices for content areas and passes on that knowledge through various training opportunities. 

Instruction refers to the action or practice of teaching which includes activities that support learning.  The district utilizes instructional coaches that work closely with teachers.  Together, their focus is on supporting the learning, growth, and achievement of students .  As lessons are prepared, the district’s written curricular documents are expected to be followed as the primary guide to ensure that our students receive a coherent, consistent educational program.

Assessment is the formal and informal evaluation of student progress. The primary state assessments used in Missouri are the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) and End of Course Exams (EOC) tests. MAP tests are administered each spring to students in grades three through eight and End of Course in language arts, writing, science, social studies and math are administered in grades 9-12. Additionally, our curricular documents include local assessments. Teachers use common summative, formative, and diagnostic assessments as a regular part of the instructional process.