Coalition of Essential Schools (CES)

Ten Common Principles

http://www.essentialschools.org

o Learning to use ones mind well o Less is more, depth over coverage o Goals apply to all students o Personalization o Student-as-worker, teacher-ascoach o Demonstration of mastery o A tone of decency and trust o Commitment to the entire school o Resources dedicated to teaching and learning o Democracy and equity

We Learn Norms
A focus on the important work of schools learning.

We listen to each other. Everyone learns something every day. Learning takes hard work. Each of us brings gifts to share. All of us are responsible for our
community. Real learning requires risk.

School for the Arts and Academic Excellence

Principal: Megan Dodd

Fountaindale

Nothing or no one prevents us from

learning.

901 Northern Avenue Hagerstown, MD 21742 301.766.8156

fountaindalees.weebly.com

How is Fountaindale like many other schools?

Diverse student population Instruction aligned to the Common Core State Standards Students preparing for the MSA and PARCC assessments Average class size: 20 students Adherence to various state & county initiatives (SLO, Lucy Calkins, Synergy, standardsbased report cards, etc.) WCPS contractual obligations Evaluations aligned to the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching

How is Fountaindale different from most schools?

Classroom Environment
o o o o o We Learn Norms~ a culture established on learning, not simply compliance Tone of Decency- respecting students enough to expect much from them Students who have a voice and choice, being passionately engaged in learning Community of learning, even after school hours, through various academies based on student/teacher passions and interests Celebrating excellence through quarterly STARS events, Golden Ticket breakfasts, and VIP lunches o o o o o

Planning and Preparation

o Core to the Classroom Process: scrolling, unpacking standards, creating assessments, and unit planning Teacher ownership of curriculum, assessment, and instruction Personalization- adjusting instruction based on each students strengths and needs Place-based learning in our very own wetlandsthe Outdoor Learning Lab

Instruction
o o o o o o Arts Integration and Artful Thinking Routines Student-as-worker, Teacher-as-coach Integrated instruction based on enduring understandings, essential questions, and big ideas Students engaged in authentic learning experiences and challenges Students generating questions to drive instruction: Question Formulation Technique, Socratic Seminar, and various protocols Purposeful planning of 21st century learning, technology instruction, and STEAM experiences o

o o o

Professionalism Creative scheduling to provide integration and job-embedded professional development Flexible positions that allow for a fulltime STEAM teacher Individualized professional development Teachers engaged in self-assessment, peer observations, ongoing reflection, feedback, and goal-setting Teachers engaged in professional conversations--tuning curriculum, instruction, and assessment based on feedback Teacher leadership: hosting visitors from county, state, & national schools/organization, seeking opportunities for professional development, mentoring and coaching a variety of teachers, presenting at conferences, developing partnerships Connections with our community: event sponsors, wetlands development, volunteer tutors, etc.

o Assessment as instruction~ students self-