Our current strategic plan has targeted this standard with school-wide initiatives that focus on social-emotional learning, project-based learning, and solid assessment practices. Two years ago, the school launched the 7 Mindsets program for PK-12. The research-based program is based upon the development of 7 Mindsets, or core beliefs, that lead to happy, successful lifestyles. To support the implementation of this program, we adjusted the master schedule to provide a sacred space for all students and teachers to connect about these topics in an advisory period (MS/HS) or Morning Meeting (PS/ES). We have also added an additonal curriculum to this advisory time using a platform called Xello. Xello has a series of self-assessments for students to identify their learning styles, personality types, strengths, and passions in life. Once students take the self-assessments, they are encouraged to talk about their results with their advisors.

In addition, last year we launched project-based learning school-wide. Projects are based on the PBL Gold Standard, which includes a built in process of sustained student inquiry, student voice and choice, and multiple opportunities for feedback. Students are assessed on soft skills as well as content in each PBL. Finally, our school wide assessment policy is founded on standards-based grading, where reported grades show current levels of mastery rather than averages over time. Students are encouraged to harness the “Power of Yet” where they continue to strive toward mastery, even if they have not arrived there “yet.” The concept of a growth mindset is central to our ongoing feedback in Google Classroom and our official reporting in Alma (our SIS). We have initiated our data collection for these initiatives in the past two years and have noted a positive trend in the efficacy of our practices. Further analysis of our data will be necessary to make necessary modifications to our program implementation in the future.

Implementation (IM)

Leadership Team i3 Rating: 2

Staff i3 Rating: 2.5

• Sample PBL Project Unit Plan

• REACHES Protocol - MS/HS

• Teacher Feedback on Google Classroom

• Student-led conferences/portfolios of learning - ES