Cosmos Nation

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community Members,

In our journey towards educational excellence, it's imperative that we redefine how we measure success. While standardized test scores like NECAP, SBAC, and Cognia have traditionally been the yardstick, we believe there are more holistic ways to showcase our district's improvement.

What?
At the heart of our approach lies the development of a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum (GVC) that is both personalized and competency-based. This means ensuring that every student, from pre-K through 12th grade, has access to a curriculum that is not only rigorous but also tailored to their individual needs and learning styles.

Why?
The shift away from solely focusing on standardized test scores is motivated by a desire to cultivate well-rounded individuals who are not only academically proficient but also equipped with essential life skills. Our aim is to nurture students who are critical thinkers, effective communicators, collaborators, and contributors to society.

How?
Building a GVC involves meticulous planning and alignment across all grade levels. It requires us to identify the essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions that students need to succeed academically and thrive in their personal and professional lives. By implementing a competency-based approach, we ensure that students progress at their own pace, mastering concepts before moving on to more advanced material.

Furthermore, we are committed to establishing a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) district plan. MTSS provides a framework for early intervention and targeted support to address the diverse academic and behavioral needs of our students. By identifying and addressing these needs proactively, we create a learning environment where every student can thrive.

The Critical Alignment

Aligning our efforts from pre-K through 12th grade is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it ensures a seamless transition for students as they progress through different grade levels, eliminating gaps in their learning journey. Secondly, it allows us to foster continuity and coherence in instruction, ensuring that all students receive a consistent educational experience regardless of their grade level or school. Finally, it enables us to reinforce our district's vision and goals, as articulated in our Portrait of a Graduate.

The Impact

We firmly believe that this comprehensive approach to education will yield far-reaching benefits. By increasing student engagement through personalized learning experiences, we expect to see a decrease in behavioral concerns and disciplinary issues. Moreover, by focusing on intentional instruction and providing targeted support, we anticipate a significant improvement in academic achievement scores across the board.

In conclusion, while standardized test scores remain a part of the educational landscape, they do not define our success as a district. By prioritizing the development of a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum, implementing MTSS, and focusing on intentional instruction, we are laying the foundation for a more equitable, inclusive, and effective educational system.

Thank you for your continued support as we strive to empower every student to reach their full potential.

The school budget plays a critical role in providing students with a quality education by directly influencing the availability of resources and programming. Every dollar allocated impacts the breadth and depth of educational opportunities afforded to students. Cutting the budget translates to diminishing these resources and programs, consequently limiting the avenues through which students can enhance their educational experiences. Whether it's access to technology, extracurricular activities, specialized courses, or support services, the budget serves as the lifeline for enriching the academic journey of our students. Therefore, any reduction in funding jeopardizes not only the present quality of education but also the future prospects of our learners. It's imperative to recognize that investing in education is investing in the potential and success of our youth.

We proudly announce that we are spearheading a collaborative effort to provide Advanced Placement (AP) courses to our students, partnering with other regional districts. AP courses are rigorous college-level classes in various subjects, including English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. In English, students delve into advanced literature analysis and composition skills, preparing them for college-level writing and critical thinking. In Mathematics, they tackle complex topics like calculus, statistics, and advanced algebra, enhancing problem-solving abilities essential for higher education and beyond. Science AP courses encompass biology, chemistry, and physics, fostering a deep understanding of scientific principles through hands-on experimentation and inquiry. In Social Studies, students explore subjects like history, economics, and government, analyzing complex societal issues and historical events to develop informed perspectives.

Additionally, we are thrilled to have been awarded the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Curriculum. This curriculum provides students with hands-on aviation education and insights into various aspects of aviation, including flight, navigation, and aircraft maintenance principles. Through these initiatives, we aim to empower our SSD students with diverse educational opportunities and equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary for future success.

In Vermont, the assessment of public schools extends beyond traditional measures and encompasses a comprehensive evaluation through multiple indicators. Each school or school system undergoes Education Quality Reviews, providing a holistic assessment of its adherence to Vermont's Education Quality Standards and overall success. To ensure a thorough examination of school quality, Vermont evaluates five distinct domains: personalization, emphasizing tailored learning experiences to meet individual student needs; safe and healthy schools, fostering environments conducive to student well-being and conducive to learning; academic proficiency, gauging students' mastery of core subjects and academic standards; investment priorities, reflecting the effective allocation of resources to support student learning and school improvement initiatives; and high-quality staffing, recognizing the significance of skilled educators in facilitating student success and fostering a positive learning environment. Through this comprehensive approach, Vermont endeavors to uphold high standards of educational excellence and provide every student with the opportunity to thrive academically and personally within a supportive school community.

In Vermont, the identification of schools in need of improvement is a multifaceted process guided by the Agency of Education. The Agency provides support and guidelines to school systems, facilitating continuous improvement in educational practices and student outcomes. Through this process, schools are encouraged to establish Education Quality Standards (EQS)-aligned goals tailored to their local context, ensuring a focus on areas crucial for student success. Data plays a central role in decision-making, with schools utilizing comprehensive information to inform their strategies across all educational domains. By aligning state and federal resources, Vermont maximizes support for schools, directing assistance where it's most needed. Importantly, this approach prioritizes the needs of vulnerable students, ensuring that support is targeted to address disparities and provide equitable opportunities for all learners. Ultimately, the goal is to foster a culture of continuous improvement across Vermont's education system, driving positive outcomes for students and promoting excellence in teaching and learning.

Last year marked the inception of a transformative journey within our educational institution, centered around crafting a robust vision for our graduates' future. Through collaborative efforts involving input from diverse stakeholders such as business leaders, community members, alumni, families, students, staff, administration, and the board, we crafted a Portrait of Graduate (POG) that now serves as our North Star. This collective endeavor didn't stop at envisioning; it propelled us into a comprehensive needs assessment, meticulously scrutinizing our practices and pinpointing areas ripe for enhancement. As a result, three critical focus areas emerged: cultivating a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum (GVC), implementing a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), and integrating intentional instructional practices. This year, our concerted efforts are directed towards the development of the GVC, with Mathematics slated for initial implementation next year. This holistic approach underscores our commitment to nurturing well-rounded graduates equipped with the knowledge, skills, and resilience to thrive in an ever-evolving world.

Our school district is working hard to make sure students do better on tests. We have a plan to help them learn better and be more interested in their schoolwork.

As our district engages in our work building a guaranteed and viable curriculum and MTSS we will view this data to measure our impact of instruction on student growth. As we view our current students and their levels as indicated by the above scores, it is very apparent that we will need to offer more personalized and targeted instruction as a number of students are performing below grade level. This is the focus of our work and how we will move forward with our systems of instruction, curriculum and assessment.

First, we're making a guaranteed and viable curriculum that will teach them the most important things they need to know. A guaranteed and viable curriculum refers to an educational framework that ensures all students receive high-quality instruction in essential content areas, regardless of teacher or school. "Guaranteed" implies that every student has access to the same rigorous curriculum, ensuring equitable opportunities for learning. "Viable" signifies that the curriculum is realistically implementable within the constraints of time, resources, and personnel, ensuring it's feasible for teachers to effectively teach and students to learn. This approach emphasizes clarity in learning objectives, coherence across grade levels, and alignment with standards, fostering consistency and effectiveness in instruction while accommodating the diverse needs of learners. This curriculum will be based on what they should know and be able to do at each grade level. It's like a road map for teachers and students to follow. This is important as we acknowledge that some of our students need access to learning that is found in a prior grade level.

But we know that every student is different. So, we're also making sure that each student gets the help they need. We want to make sure they understand what they're learning. This means some students might need extra help, and others might need more challenging work.

We're also making our teaching methods better. This is called MTSS, which stands for Multi-Tiered System of Supports. It means we're paying attention to how we teach and how students learn. If a student is struggling, we can give them extra help right away. We are utilizing the iReady diagnostic three times a year to provide us with valuable data to identify students' needs, deliver targeted interventions and supports, monitor progress, and promote academic success for all students. It serves as a valuable tool for data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement in educational practices.

As we build consistency and transparency around what we teach and expect from our students, we have also begun the process of intentional instruction. This simply means we are aligning our instructional practices to the learners expressed needs. This is the basis of our systems of support, called tier 1 in the MTSS model. Referring back to our Cognia data profile, some students may require more targeted core instruction, while others may need specialized instruction.

The net result of using this data to inform our instructional impact should lead to more students getting just the right instruction, fewer behavior disruptions and of course increased scores!

The district strategically employs the iReady diagnostic assessment three times a year as a fundamental component of its Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) framework. The district effectively monitors student growth across various academic domains through this approach. Leveraging the detailed insights provided by iReady, educators can tailor instruction to meet the specific needs of each student, creating personalized learning plans that address areas of strength and target areas for improvement. Additionally, the assessment data enables educators to group students based on their skill levels, facilitating the implementation of targeted interventions and additional support as part of the MTSS process. This proactive approach ensures that all students receive the necessary resources and interventions to thrive academically, fostering a culture of continuous growth and achievement within the district.

Link to Curriculum Associates Presentation of SSD and National Data

Cognia, formerly known as AdvancED, is an organization that provides accreditation, assessment, and certification services to schools and education systems worldwide. Last year was the first year that Vermont utilized the Cognia Assessment to assess student progress and identify areas for improvement in educational settings. Previously the state utilized NECAP (New England Common Assessment Program) and SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium)as assessment measures.They help educators tailor instruction to meet the diverse needs of students and ensure that all learners have the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) serves as a vital tool in measuring the academic proficiency of students across the United States. It provides a comprehensive overview of student achievement in key subjects, including reading and math, at various grade levels. Over the years, the NAEP has tracked long-term trends in literacy and math performance, offering valuable insights into the evolving landscape of education. While there have been notable improvements in some areas, such as increased proficiency rates and narrowing achievement gaps, there remain persistent challenges, including stagnant scores in certain grade levels and demographic groups. These long-term trends underscore the importance of ongoing efforts to enhance teaching practices, curriculum development, and educational policies aimed at ensuring equitable access to high-quality education for all students.

LINK To NAPE National Trend Data