How GLPS Thinks About Teaching and Learning

GLPS Families,

As we head into the last full weekend in October, it is wonderful to see the growth and learning that are happening throughout the district. I spent more time in classrooms and buildings this week, and students and staff remain fully engaged in the learning process. With that in mind, I thought it would be a great time to share some information about how we think about teaching and learning here at Grand Ledge Public Schools through our Academic Services and Instructional Frameworks.

Academic Services Framework

Our Academic Services Framework outlines the structures that need to exist to ensure that all students learn.

The outer gold ring identifies the need for a safe and supportive environment for students and staff, which then leads to the inner blue space of effective teacher collaboration. When teachers have the opportunity to work together in a collaborative space, they can then focus their energies on ensuring that our essential learnings, curriculum, instruction, assessments, and grades/reporting are all well aligned. The arrow has points on each end, meaning that all of those elements are connected, because when they are, it creates a cohesive learning experience for all students.

Instructional Framework

Our Instructional Framework further defines what Instruction looks like in the middle of the arrow. 

This framework clearly identifies what teachers should be doing every day and what students should be doing every day to maximize learning within the classroom. This framework is rooted in research based best practices, and when followed, leads to strong outcomes for students.

There is both an art and a science to strong teaching practices in the classroom, and we spend a great deal of time as educators collaborating with one another to make sure that we are creating outstanding learning opportunities for our students. These two frameworks drive that work, and they are part of our every day practice. For more information on all of our academic practices, I invite you to check out our Academic Services web page by clicking here.

As I wrap up this week, I also wanted to mention that I received a few questions about fog delays today, as a couple of neighboring districts had one. We typically do not delay school for fog, partially because fog coverage is so unpredictable, but also because we recognize that two-hour delays create significant disruptions for families. Our bus drivers are prepared to get kids to school safely, and I encourage you to use caution on these foggy fall mornings. The good news is that unlike snowstorms, the fog typically does not last much longer than sunrise on most days. I hope that helps explain our thinking a bit. 

Thank you, as always, for your support and for giving us the opportunity to work with you and your children every day. I am very thankful to be able to learn and lead here in Comet Country, and I am #proudtobeacomet!