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VISION STATEMENT
The School District of Denmark's vision is to become an exemplary educational community that is strongly committed to high performing schools involving multiple partnerships that hold each other accountable for excellence in student learning.
BENCHMARKS OF EXCELLENCE FOR HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS
The benchmarks of excellence for high performing schools will serve as the blueprints for our improvement efforts and the standards by which the district will evaluate its progress in becoming a district of high performing schools.
STUDENTS
In the final analysis, the effectiveness of a school district is determined on the basis of the conduct, character, and achievement of its students. In an exemplary school district students:
1. Have a realistic understanding of their abilities and performance.
2. Use higher level thinking, apply knowledge and skills, engage in problem solving activities, and effectively communicate and work with others.
3. Believe in themselves and take pride in their achievements.
4. Demonstrate a desire to learn and to continually improve by setting challenging goals and giving their best effort to achieve them.
5. Form partnerships with their teachers to realize their full potential.
6. Practice self-discipline.
7. Are accountable for decisions and actions.
8. Practice respect of self and others.
9. Become actively involved in school activities.
10. Ensure the rights of others by conducting themselves in a way that
contributes to a safe, orderly, and positive school atmosphere and
environment.
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
An exemplary school district provides a diverse and balanced curriculum. This curriculum is based on researched standards that include a core, which specifies the knowledge and skills all students are to attain. The district designs its curriculum and instruction to enable all students to acquire these outcomes. In such a school district:
1. Specific, clearly stated, challenging standards guide curriculum and instruction at each grade level and course.
2. The scope (depth and breadth) and sequence (order and flow) of the curriculum are aligned from grade to grade and subject to subject so that teachers understand the relationship of their teaching assignment to the rest of the curriculum.
3. The academic progress of each student is closely monitored and support is provided for those who require additional assistance.
4. Faculty uses instructional strategies that demonstrate best practice, recognize individual learning styles, and actively engage students in meaningful learning activities during all instructional time.
5. Systematic processes of data analysis, goal setting, and implementation are in place to demonstrate the district’s commitment to continuous improvement of student learning.
6. A seamless curriculum connects each school in the system and prepares students for transition to the next level of education.
7. Alternative educational programs are designed for students who require a non-traditional setting.
Technology is used to complement and optimize student learning.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT
An exemplary school district expects that all of its employees continually improve their knowledge and skills. A high-performing school is academically excellent. Adults in these schools maintain a rich academic environment through work with their colleagues in their schools and communities to increase their own knowledge and improve their teaching. In such a district:
1. Faculty and staff are committed to continually improving their knowledge base and skills.
2. The staff development program is based upon district and school goals.
3. Each school strives to develop a professional learning community with the essential features: shared norms and values, a focus on student learning, collaborative activity, sharing of practice, and reflective dialogue.
SCHOOL CLIMATE
An exemplary school district ensures that all of its schools provide an orderly yet inviting environment that is conducive to learning and protects instructional time. In the schools of such a district:
1. Relationships are based upon mutual respect and consideration.
2. There is a commitment to providing an emotionally and physically safe environment.
3. The board, administration, faculty, and staff model behaviors that exhibit the qualities of trust, respect, and responsibility.
4. School rules are based upon a few fundamental principles that provide clear guidelines for student behavior.
5. The entire staff helps students understand the importance of the school rules by consistently enforcing those rules.
6. There is a conscious effort to recognize and celebrate the efforts and achievement of students, staff, and faculty.
7. All district and school personnel have a friendly people and service focus.
8. Schools are positive and energizing.
COMMUNITY
An exemplary school district creates an effective partnership with its community. This district is committed to addressing the needs of the community and establishes effective two-way communication to keep residents involved and informed of district policies, initiatives, and programs. Community support is essential to an improving district and exhibits the following characteristics:
1. The community provides the resources – personnel, facilities, materials, equipment, and time – that enable the school district to offer exemplary programs.
2. The school district provides community educational and recreational programs.
3. The community has access to the district’s facilities.
4. Schools are recognized as part of the total community.
5. The school district actively seeks partnerships in the community.
PARENTS & GUARDIANS
An exemplary school district creates an effective partnership with its parents/guardians. Parents/guardians serve as the primary educators in the home and create an attitude and readiness for learning with their child. Parent/guardian support is essential to the success of the child and exhibits the following characteristics:
1. Parents/guardians and families play an active role in the education of their children by monitoring their child's academic performance, working with teachers to emphasize the importance of education, and modeling a commitment to lifelong learning.
2. Parents/guardians are actively involved in his/her child’s education before the child starts school and remains involved in the child’s education throughout their educational career.
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