Curriculum and Instruction
Tom Gray, Assistant Superintendent
207-785-2277 ext. 235 or email tom_gray@rsu40.org
RSU 40 seeks to thoughtfully, effectively, and collaboratively plan and implement curriculum, instruction, and assessment that is horizontally and vertically aligned to a shared set of district-wide learning goals, guided by the Understanding by Design framework.
Curriculum Blueprint
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
Goal 1: Student Achievement: Increase the achievement of all students.
Objective 1 – Curriculum: Thoughtfully, effectively, and collaboratively plan and implement curriculum, instruction, and assessment that is horizontally and vertically aligned to a shared set of district-wide learning goals, guided by the Understanding by Design framework.
| Strategy 1 | Implement an agreed-upon framework based on the Understanding by Design model to identify learning expectations and to provide continuity for curriculum development.Section 4.02.E.2.c; E.8; Section 5.01 |
| Strategy 2 | Design or select common assessments aligned with the district’s learning expectations and transfer goals.Section 4.02.E.2.e; Section 5.02; 5.03 |
| Strategy 3 | Design instructional units that provide learning experiences aligned with the learning expectations and transfer goals. |
| Strategy 4 | Implement a software program that tracks and communicates the learning expectations and long-term goals for each student PreK-12.Section 5.04 |
Objective 2 – Professional Development: Provide professional development time and support to plan, monitor and adjust instruction to impact student learning.
| Strategy 1 | Ensure that time is provided for professional learning communities to meet. |
| Strategy 2 | Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) focus on four essential questions: What do we want students to understand, know and be able to do? How will we know when they have learned it? How will we respond when some students don’t learn? How will we respond when some students already know it? |
| Strategy 3 | Monitor and support PLC work to ensure a focus on learning, a collaborative culture and a focus on results. |
| Strategy 4 | Provide embedded professional development to support the personal learning and growth of all staff. |
| Strategy 5 | Consider additional teacher days for planning and in-service professional development. |
Objective 3 – Resources: Provide resources needed to support teaching and learning in all buildings in terms of staff, professional learning, teaching materials, and system structures.
| Strategy 1 | Provide necessary instructional and library media resources to support teaching and learning. Section 4.02.E.4 |
| Strategy 2 | Provide necessary staffing/personnel as recommended by the Maine Department of Education (Chapter 125).Section 4.02.E.3; Section 7.02; Section 8; Section 9 |
| Strategy 3 | Procure technology tools and services that support student achievement objectives as outlined in the District Learning Technology Plan. Section 9.03.C |
| Strategy 4 | Provide multiple pathways to support teaching and learning.Section 4.02.E.2.a, b; 4.02.E.9 |
| Strategy 5 | Implement Response to Intervention (RTI) processes for all schools.Section 4.02.E.2.a, b |