Rowan Instructional Update

Mission - Leading future-focused students to achieve personalized growth through high quality, engaging, discovery-based learning experiences.

Vision - LEAD - Learn, Engage, Achieve, Discover

• High Quality Instructional Resources and Professional Learning
  
• Family Engagement, Attendance, and Social Emotional Learning
• Vibrant Learning Experiences
  

As we welcome the new year, we want to share our best wishes from our school district community. This is a time to reflect on the past year, celebrate our shared achievements, and appreciate the strength of our connections.

To our students, teachers, staff, and families – thank you for making Rowan County Schools a place of growth and collaboration. Your dedication and support make a difference every day.

We hope your winter break has been filled with peace, joy, and time with loved ones. Enjoy the rest of your time off, and we look forward to seeing you on January 7, 2025.

Strong Tier 1 instruction is at the core of an effective Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, enabling it to promote vibrant learning experiences and improved outcomes for every student.

Research demonstrates that simply providing teachers with a curriculum and high quality instructional resources (HQIRs) without also providing them professional learning focused on how to implement those resources effectively to meet the needs of all students will not impact student achievement (Short & Hirsh, 2023; Blazar, et. al, 2019; Instruction Partners, 2019). Educators need professional learning that deepens understanding of what to teach, improves content knowledge and pedagogy through exploring how best to teach it, and facilitates transfer by being connected to the curriculum used in classrooms (Rivet, 2020). This need, now recognized in the field, has resulted in beginning to establish high-quality professional learning that is curriculum based.

The professional learning/instructional work days embedded into the Rowan County Schools calendar for the 2024-2025 school year have given teachers an opportunity to receive professional development on high quality instructional resources in addition to valuable time working in their classrooms. These days are necessary for integrating HQIRs into instruction and are part of the draft calendar for 2025-2026 being considered by the board for approval in January.

Family engagement, social-emotional learning (SEL), and attendance work together to create a supportive environment where students can thrive academically and personally. When families actively participate in their children’s education, they emphasize the importance of school, establish routines that support regular attendance, and model positive attitudes toward learning. This involvement also highlights the value of SEL, which helps students build self-awareness, manage emotions, develop social skills, and build resilience.

Family engagement strengthens SEL by encouraging parents and caregivers to practice these skills at home, aligning with what students learn at school. For example, when families focus on empathy, decision-making, and positive relationships, students are more likely to adopt these behaviors. These SEL skills often lead to better behavior, stronger relationships, and increased school engagement, all of which support consistent attendance.

Regular attendance is key to academic and social-emotional success. Students who attend school consistently benefit fully from SEL programs and classroom instruction, while those with frequent absences risk falling behind academically and socially. They may also face challenges such as isolation or anxiety.

By working together, families, schools, and communities can promote regular attendance and SEL, ensuring students feel valued, safe, and ready to learn. Integrating these efforts provides a holistic approach to supporting students’ academic progress and personal growth.

Congratulations to our schools who received Family Friendly certification this fall through the Prichard Committee. The Rowan County Preschool Center, Clearfield Elementary, Rodburn Elementary, and Rowan County Senior High School were all awarded the Prichard Committee’s Family Friendly Schools Certification. Only 54 schools, early care and education programs earned this prestigious certification for 2024. Congratulations, Rowan County!

Vibrant learning experiences are essential because they create engaging, meaningful opportunities that make learning come alive for students. These experiences capture students' interests, increasing their motivation and leading to a deeper connection with the material. When students are actively engaged, they are more likely to remember what they've learned, as hands-on activities and real-world applications help reinforce concepts long after the lesson ends. Vibrant learning also nurtures critical thinking skills by encouraging students to analyze, question, and synthesize information, all of which are crucial for success in and beyond the classroom.

Additionally, these experiences foster creativity and innovation, allowing students to experiment with new ideas and find unique solutions to problems, which cultivates adaptable and forward-thinking learners. Engaging, varied learning experiences often involve collaboration and communication, helping students build essential social and emotional skills like empathy, resilience, and teamwork. By incorporating authentic, real-world scenarios, vibrant learning prepares students for future challenges, equipping them with practical skills that are valuable well beyond their school years. Altogether, vibrant learning experiences contribute to the growth of well-rounded, lifelong learners who approach the future with confidence, curiosity, and a positive attitude toward learning.

See the examples below that exemplify the competencies of our Valiant Viking - Profile of a Learner. Kudos to our teachers for planning such engaging, high quality lessons for our students!

Moving forward, our schools are committed to fostering an environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We will continue to prioritize high-quality instruction, build meaningful family partnerships, and create vibrant learning experiences that inspire curiosity and innovation. By focusing on attendance, social-emotional development, and authentic engagement, we’re paving the way for students to reach their full potential in a rapidly evolving world. Together, we will support every learner, embrace challenges as opportunities, and build a brighter future for our school community.

By Pam Rowland

Welcome to the Valiant Viking Podcast where we explore how Rowan County Schools are shaping the future by focusing on deeper learning and the “ Profile of a Learner.”

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