INSTRUCTIONAL
PROGRAM/CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Continuous work is required to
maintain an up-to-date and effective curriculum in a constantly
changing world.
The Board, Superintendent and staff
shall do those things necessary to reduce and eliminate the gender gap
in academic performance between female and male students.
In all curricular and co-curricular
activities there shall be gender-free teaching practices and learning
opportunities.
All curricular and instructional
materials shall include fair gender representation. In-depth analysis
of gender issues shall be included in the curriculum where
appropriate.
The District's counseling program shall
provide gender-fair counseling relative to career choices and the
balancing of family and employment needs both inside and outside the
home.
The Board encourages and supports the
professional and administrative staff in its efforts to research new
curricular ideas, develop improved programs, and evaluate results.
The Superintendent shall spearhead
curriculum development and provide leadership district-wide.
The Assistant Superintendents for
Instruction, in consultation with the Superintendent or designee,
shall present proposals for all curricula and programs proposed for
implementation during the next school year to the Board for approval.
Proposed changes in existing programs and proposed pilot and
experimental projects and programs shall be presented prior to the
adoption of the following school year's operational budget and shall
be accompanied by information indicating funding sources and staffing
requirements.
The Board encourages the use of pilot
projects before district-wide implementation of any curriculum area is
initiated.
All instructional material, which will
be used in connection with any research or experimentation program or
project, shall be available for inspection by the parents or guardians
of the student engaged in such program or project. For the purpose of
this policy, research or experimentation program or project means any
program or project in any applicable program designed to explore or
develop new unproved teaching methods or techniques.
Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary, the administration can take whatever measures are required
to ensure the integrity and validity of test given under the pilot
program.
Before any pilot project proposal is
submitted to the Board for approval, an evaluation format shall be
developed and included with the pilot project.
Proposed changes in programs and
curricula, whether of a permanent or experimental nature, shall be
discussed with those administrators and teachers who will be affected
by the changes. The Superintendent shall consider their suggestion
before making any recommendations to the Board regarding curricular
changes.
To comply with the provision of the No
Child Left Behind Act, the Superintendent will, in writing, inform the
professional staff of the federal requirements concerning sex
education and the prohibitions and restrictions concerning
distribution of contraceptives or materials that encourage sexual
activities. The District will comply with federal guidelines
concerning age appropriate sex education.
The Superintendent will ensure that any
programs for limited-English proficient students have a primary goal
of mainstreaming those students into the regular classrooms, and that
those programs emphasize English language instruction.
INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES/INSTRUCTIONAL
MEDIA
The Board shall support telecommunication systems that support
instruction, learning, and are applicable to instructional progress.
The Board encourages partnerships
between the District and community entities where it can be
demonstrated that such partnerships shall have a positive impact upon
student learning.
The Board also encourages national and
international linkage through satellite communication, fiber optics,
and other transmission mechanisms in support of distance learning
activities for students.
The Board encourages the Superintendent
or designee to seek funds from outside sources to acquire and maintain
the hardware and programming necessary to utilize the capabilities of
this use of technology.
INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES/COMPUTER
ASSISTED INSTRUCTION
The Board supports computer assisted instruction for the
District's students in order that the student may efficiently and
completely accomplish his educational goals and become computer
literate.
The Board shall demonstrate this
support by establishing computer learning centers in each school as
funds are available. Such funds may be obtained through state and
federal sources, donations, and gifts.
The administration may develop a
research and evaluation program, which will provide the Board with
data to be used in the development of curriculum areas. The use of
research findings of other agencies, departments, colleges and
universities is encouraged by the Board.
The Director of Technology shall be
responsible for maintaining an inventory of all computer software
programs available in the District and their location. This inventory
list shall be provided to all professional and administrative
personnel on an annual basis at the beginning of each school year.
INSTRUCTIONAL
RESOURCES/INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES RESOURCE AND ITINERANT TEACHERS
The District shall employ professional personnel as resource
teachers to assist classroom teachers and/or students in subjects such
as mathematics, reading, social studies, science, and computer
education. These resource teachers shall work a regular schedule
and/or be on call at other times. Reading, mathematics, social
studies and science resource teachers shall work under the direction
of the Assistant Superintendents of Instruction.
The computer education resource
teachers shall work under the direction of the Director of
Technology.
The Superintendent or designee has been
given the authority and must approve the employment of resource and
itinerant teachers to assist classroom teachers and/or students in
specialized areas of instruction. Within thirty days of their
employment, the Superintendent shall report to the Board any resource
and itinerant teachers that are hired herein.
