The Instructional Model is comprised of the principles of instruction that the district wants to see reflected in every classroom throughout Vance County Schools. The four major components with its respective big ideas are as follows:

MODERN INSTRUCTION

LEARNER-CENTERED CULTURE

FLEXIBLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

AUTHENTIC LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Click here to access the full descriptors of the  VCS Instructional Model.

The Teaching and Learning Cycle guides the work of educators to consistently develop sequences of learning to maximize student engagement and achievement. This cycle is a research-informed model that identifies the aspects of a teacher's responsibilities to align learning goals with classroom activities, create engaging and inclusive environments, and integrate assessment into learning in ways that promote improved student learning.  Five key dimensions complete the Teaching and Learning Cycle. Accessible within each dimension are key elements and guiding questions to consider when designing and delivering instruction.

Click here to access the full descriptors of the  VCS Teaching and Learning Cycle

The VCS Pacing Guides are created by district curriculum leaders to help teachers stay on track and to ensure curricular continuity across schools within VCS. These guides serve a purpose similar to that of traditional scope-and-sequence documents, which lay out expectations of the material to be covered in each subject at each grade level. The state-tested subject pacing guides are different because they map out the topics that are expected to be on district- and state-level assessments and schedule these topics before the respective testing dates. Most of the VCS pacing guides are aligned to benchmark assessments that take place quarterly which further delineates what our teachers must teach and when they must teach it. 

Access the 2025-2026 VCS Pacing Guide document here  *you must be signed into your VCS district account to access*

Vance County Schools has developed a district lesson plan template that promotes effective planning in alignment to the VCS Teaching and Learning Cycle.

When planning for instruction, our educators are encouraged to follow the backwards design approach, whereby final knowledge, skills and understandings are determined first and then learning tasks are scaffolded to ensure optimal student achievement. Our lesson structure supports a gradual release of responsibility for learning from the classroom teacher to the student.

Click the links below to access the VCS district lesson plan template, exemplar lesson plans, and the "how to" guide on lesson planning:

• VCS Lesson Plan Template (Daily version) (Weekly version)

• VCS AVID Schools - Lesson Plan Template (Daily version) (Weekly version)

• Lesson Planning "How To" Guide (pg. 3)

• Exemplar lesson plan #1 - Elementary Literacy

• Exemplar lesson plan #2 - Elementary Physical Education

• Exemplar lesson plan #3 - High School Band

• Exemplar lesson plan #4 - K-3 Art

• Exemplar lesson plan #5 - Elementary Music