TLC Report

Greg James

Director of Teaching and Learning

It is an understatement to mention that it has been a memorable twelve months at ISK and around the world. From the perspective of the Teaching and Learning Center, we have fully embraced the idea of constantly promoting and embracing flexibility. As a school, we are currently in our first year of our new strategic focus area system (our schoolwide goals). All three of these focus areas are deeply rooted in the day-to-day work of the Teaching and Learning Center. They are our north star and have served as our foundation during this time of pandemic education. Here is an update of the work we have accomplished during the 2020-2021 school year

Strategic Focus Area One

We will continually focus on improving teaching and learning.

Highlights from Strategic Focus Area One:

 In August, all ISK teachers and teaching assistants were engaged in professional development that focused on creating connections and powerful learning experiences online.  The distance learning professional development served as an anchor for divisional work as teachers planned through the first semester.  We have begun to reimagine the way we plan and construct units and projects at

ISK. Our emerging process places a larger emphasis on our instructional aims (skills and dispositions) to be the driver of our content and curriculum.

 With the shift to distance learning, we have offered time and support for our teachers and teaching assistants to learn and upscale their expertise with certain online

tools and resources (Zoom, Seesaw, Padlet, etc.). This work has allowed them to be more creative and confident with their unit planning and delivery. Â Within the high school, we have created an additional focus on our advisory program. During the second semester, all

ISK advisory teachers worked with outside consultants (Kate Weiller and Jo Taylor) to think about consistency within our program. Â As a school, we have used this moment in time to reflect and begin some very foundational work. One component of our work has been the creation of shared ISK values (Trust, Community, Diversity/Equity/

Social Justice, Inclusion, Learning/Growth, and Innovation). These values are in line with our mission and vision and help us stay focused on our direction and purpose moving forward.

 We have continued to grow our understanding and practices around diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. For the next year, it will be a catalyst with our curriculum as we take a closer look at culturally responsive leadership and practices. This work will be firmly grounded in our strategic focus areas and our professional learning structures.

Strategic Focus Area Two

We will integrate a comprehensive approach to student wellbeing throughout the school.

Highlights from Strategic Focus Area Two:

 For the 2020-2021 school year, we were able to hire a school-wide student health and wellbeing coordinator to help set our direction and build our community-wide approach.  The ISK leadership team worked with our student health and wellbeing coordinator along with outside consultants to envision and plan our goals for our community wellbeing structures.  We have worked with different stakeholders to develop a working definition of wellbeing at ISK.  Within each division, we have taken a deep dive into the division’s social emotional learning plan. Moving forward, we want to ensure vertical consistency as students move through our school.  Similar to Strategic Focus Area One, our high school advisory teachers have worked with outside professionals with a goal of creating consistency with our advisory program.  We have two student-led groups within the high school and middle school focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

These two groups (Social Equity Committee and Social Justice Club) have focused on increasing student voice. Â Two student clubs were offered a focus on wellbeing as part of their middle and high school co-curricular clubs program. Â We have reviewed and updated our child protection policy and process, moving towards a safeguarding approach. Â Recognizing that a key component for thriving wellbeing is a sense of safety, all staff members completed child safeguarding courses to be able to prevent, recognize and respond to signs of harm or abuse.

 Opportunities were provided for the faculty to engage in social emotional learning along with mental health and wellbeingfocused presentations and workshops.  We have clear health standards within our physical education program.

Strategic Focus Area Three

We will define and fully implement our approach to inclusion.

Highlights from Strategic Focus Area Three:

 During the school year, we have offered virtual professional learning opportunities focused on inclusion and neurodiversity.  Speech/language and occupational therapy trainings have been offered to our early-year teachers.  We have offered full faculty support and training as we plan to expand and open our

Life Centered Education program in middle school and high school. Â Our head of student support services offered coaching opportunities that were tied directly to growing our shared understanding of inclusive practices in the classroom.

 Cross-divisional protocols have been created to help guide data discussions during student support team meetings.  Our ISK learning support teachers have received training on Response to

Intervention. This framework will help us focus on using data to make intervention decisions for our learners.

 We have created a definition of inclusion that fits our ISK values and direction.

ISK’s Definition: Inclusion is embracing and honoring the unique learning needs of every learner. We thoughtfully combine educational excellence with equitable practices.