The Rockwood School District has a history of continuous improvement. Our mission statement of "doing whatever it takes" reflects our commitment to be better at what we do so students will succeed. In our efforts to continuously improve, Superintendent Bruce Borchers, Ph.D. presented information to staff, parents, community members and the Board of Education in Sept. 2011 regarding the four areas of focus for the school year. These areas include:
1. Vision Scorecards
The development of vision scorecards will allow Rockwood to "define excellence" by aligning key performance indicators to our strategic directions. Students, parents, teachers and administrators will see multiple, clear measures of growth in student achievement. View the Draft Vision Scorecard to learn more.
2. Curriculum revision process
Rockwood will continue to work on refining our district curriculum. This work includes:
- Creating, updating and communicating a detailed timeline of the curriculum revision cycle
- Developing a consistent curriculum model across all grade levels and content areas
The district will develop a Curriculum Vision Scorecard to provide direction for curriculum and student assessment.
3. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
In Rockwood, we have a commitment to Professional Learning Communities. PLCs are teams of teachers who work together to share best practices, review data and discuss strategies to help students learn better. Four questions guide the actions of PLCs are:
- What do students need to know and be able to do in the classroom?
- How do educators know if they have learned it?
- What will we do if students haven’t learned it?
- What will we do when they already know it?
When teachers keep this focus, it helps educators work more effectively to meet the needs of all students and their learning.
4. School Improvement Plans (SIPs)
Schools are the foundation in Rockwood. Each school community has its own strengths, as well as areas that need improvement. This is why SIPs are important. Each Rockwood school is responsible for identifying those areas that need work. The school’s SIP identifies and guides those improvements to ensure students receive the education they deserve. The district uses the SIPs to develop its own comprehensive plan. This process ensures all schools keep on track and are provided the resources to meet the needs in the classroom.