The following is a list of Guiding Questions meant to help all schools in the district remain focused on "students and their learning" and "staff and their work." These questions have been created using the district's Framework for Excellence and the areas of Rigor, Relevance and Relationships.
RIGOR
- Describe the academic performance of your students. How are you moving all students to higher academic achievement levels? What students does your school need to target?
- Data: How is data used by staff?
- Elementary - STAR Score – CST and CMA (Core Subjects), Similar School Scores, Fall and Spring Write, DRA, Envision Benchmarks
- Middle School - STAR Score – CST and CMA (Core Subjects), Similar School Scores, Fall and Spring Write, Letter Grades, Core Subject Area summative exams
- High School - STAR Score – CST and CMA (Core Subjects), Similar School Scores, Mock CAHSEE, EAP, CAHSEE, SAT, AP, ACT, Advanced Placement numbers (diversity of students), A-G
- What instructional strategies and programs are being implemented for your students? What benchmark evidence demonstrates the strategies and programs are working? (What is your money spent on? Is it making a difference for the students in the program? Is the change worth the money spent?)
- What evidence do you have that demonstrates students are being challenged in higher-level thinking tasks based in real world problems? (Has Daggett’s work been discussed with staff? Observe classes, tests questions, lesson plans. In classes using challenge-based curriculum are the questions and tasks asked of students pushing them to think in deeper more critical ways?)
- In what ways are you articulating both vertically (K-12) and horizontally (at the department/grade level) within your school and across the district to ensure better communication? (Frequency of meetings, what are the agendas/discussion topics?) (horizontally – Elem 3X a month, middle school departments 3X a month, High school 2X a month) (Vert – All levels 1X/month)
RELEVANCE
- Describe how your school is using the District Framework for Excellence to move instruction, assessment and learning into Daggett’s Quadrant D? (What PD is offered to your staff? What are you looking for in the classroom? Collaboration time and staff meetings are used to develop tasks and assessments that are in the D quadrant.)
- How do your teachers and students use instructional technology to increase relevance in their lessons? (Is tech being used? How frequently? In what ways? What level of use – substitution vs. transformation? What tasks and processes are being ask of students – level D Quadrant work?) - models
- How are you helping your parent community understand the importance of relevant curriculum and common core standards? (videos – Site and District website – Presentation to the PTA, Foundation, Boosters)
RELATIONSHIPS
- Describe the culture/climate on your site for adults and students. What are some of the climate issues on your campus and how are you addressing them? (Safety plan should reflect these two questions.
- In what ways does your school foster positive relationships between staff, parents, students, and the broader community we serve? How do you know it is working? k
- How are you ensuring that every student has at least one meaningful connection with an adult on your campus?