The Laurel School District has the ability to be the highest achieving district in Lawrence County as measured by the PSSA exams grades 3-8 and the Keystone exams administered to secondary students. For the Spring of 2021, the Laurel SD had the best 3rd grade PSSA scores in reading (75%) and math (75%). The district also had the highest Keystone scores (Literature 84%, Algebra 84%, Biology 87%).
We are bound and determined to reignite the instructional fires that have been compromised by COVID-19 these last 3 years. Keep in mind that these seniors have not had a normal year of school since they were freshmen. Those students currently enrolled in k-2, know nothing other than mitigation, quarantine, and school closure. It is our intent to maximize opportunities for face-to-face in person instruction.
All instructional staff are working on a curriculum writing project. The culmination of their work will provide all stakeholders to have an opportunity to review a living, breathing, curriculum housed on our website. By having the curriculum in the cloud, teachers have the opportunity to update and revise planned instruction so that the curriculum continues to evolve year over year, rather than remaining stagnant in a notebook shoved in a closet. .
We are increasing the rigor and relevance of our grading and reporting. Teachers in grades k-2 are developing a standards based report card. This will allow teachers to report on the progress of individual students against a standard of expected academic skills. Grades 3-6 and any regular course grades 7-12 will have the majority of the grade reported through summative assessments (tests, quizzes, projects). As the course becomes more rigorous, things like homework, participation, and/or bonus will not dilute accuracy of achievement.
We have revised our standards for honor roll and high honor roll. It should be challenging for students to be recognized as an honor roll student. If our standards are too low, what type of honor is it?
Let us #Reignite the instructional fires of the Laurel School District. Let us all strive for the standard of excellence in all that we do. May we capitalize on our ability to achieve and place Laurel at the top of the achievement pyramid. May our instruction utilize relationships and make rigor and relevance possible through authenticity.
