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Redesign Strategies

Relationships

Neighborhoods:

At BIS 6th and 7th grade teams come together to form a neighborhood. As part of a neighborhood students and teachers make deep and lasting connections. A relationship based on trust is established between teacher and student, as well as teacher and parent as they work together to ensure student success. Neighborhoods make a big school feel small, and provide a sense of belonging and pride.

Advisory:

Students in the same neighborhood can strengthen connections as part of an advisory. A daily, small, teacher-facilitated advisory is a time when students can feel safe to share successes and struggles, provide and receive feedback from their peers, learn strategies for success in school and life, and demonstrate their learning via creation of a student portfolio and student-led conferences with parents and teachers. Teachers help students identify areas of academic improvement and strategies to seek help, such as options available to students during WIN(What I Need) blocks. Teacher/parent relationships are strengthened through increased communication. As a result of being part of an advisory, students become more invested in their own learning and development leading to a reduction in behavior referrals and increased attendance.

Family and Community Partnerships:

Prioritizing family and community partnerships ensures enhanced communication among teachers, families and the greater community, providing a feeling of positivity.

Rigorous, Relevant, Engaged Learning

Whole-human curriculum framework

Applying a whole-human curriculum framework expands the definition of “success” for students and promotes student ownership of learning. Understanding the “why” of their learning and making more connections to their lives, their future learning and their future plans will increase student engagement and attendance. Students will be given a voice and a choice in how they demonstrate their learning, and working with teachers, identify their strengths while recognizing how they can keep improving.

Common Instructional Practices for student-centered learning

Student-led learning demonstrations

Student-led conferences allow students to present a learning portfolio to their families to demonstrate their successes and challenges through many, varied ways. By expanding the definition of success, students are provided with choices in their learning products leading to greater ownership and accountability of their learning. Parent involvement in the process promotes a positive culture and sense of community. The process of curating and demonstrating examples of their learning allows students to practice college and career readiness skills.

Dedicated Intervention Time (WIN block)

Allowing students to determine What I Need (WIN) during dedicated intervention time increases independence and promotes ownership of student learning needs. Students are able to advocate for themselves to receive the individualized instruction they require from the teachers they know and trust. Advisory facilitators may help guide students to understand the areas they need to improve and their options for receiving help during WIN blocks, but the student ultimately makes the decision that suits his/her needs best.