Instructional Focus Statement

We will use formative assessment to monitor student learning and inform teacher practice to improve outcomes.

We will foster student-centered learning through cognitively engaging tasks, discourse routines, and collaborative learning structures.

School Mission / Vision

Our mission and vision is to have all students equipped with the necessary skills to engage in a competitive world by teaching them to be critical thinkers who think outside the box and learn through creative paths while still maintaining the power of two languages. In doing so we want to be culturally responsive and ensure we embody students' needs and cultural differences. We yearn to afford each of our students an educational experience through various modalities and collaborative work in order to best accomplish student achievement.

Instructional Focus: Using Formative Assessment to Guide Instruction

Amistad Dual Language School’s Instructional Focus is a common goal that all staff members work toward with the belief that the work will positively and directly impact student learning and achievement.

Theory of Action: Meaningful and timely feedback to students allows students to revise their work, self-monitor their learning, and motivates students to continually improve through culturally responsive practices. Meaningful and timely data about student learning allows teachers to work collaboratively to share best practices and refine their instructional approaches to meet the needs of all learners. Student-centered learning increases student participation and positions students as co-constructors of their own learning through meaningful and authentic learning experiences. 

Teachers will...

● Build a school community that are safe, nurturing places in which all children and families feel a sense of belonging.

● Utilize student-centered discourse and collaborative learning strategies to increase participation.

● Develop meaningful and authentic learning tasks designed to cognitively engage students, promote productive struggle, and apply learning in realistic ways.

● Create and implement meaningful, standards-based common formative and summative assessments in Literacy and Mathematics at least 4 times per week.

● Promote the use of curricular resources that feature diverse perspectives and honor positive identity perceptions

● Collectively norm grading, use common rubrics, and analyze student work and data with the intention to identify instructional areas of focus and share best practices.

● Provide timely, accurate, and specific feedback to students that will guide improvement towards mastery.

● Differentiate appropriately using assessment data to support student learning.

● Participate in professional development around Danielson’s 3D.

● Participate in data inquiry cycles during common planning at least three times per week.

Administration will...

● Monitor system and structures to support data-driven instruction. Beliefs

● Provide meaningful PD to support the Instructional Focus.

● Regularly participate in teacher teams to provide timely and meaningful feedback about data-driven instruction.

● Build a school community that is a safe & nurturing place in which all children, families and staff feel a sense of belonging.

● Create inclusive classroom environments that promote civic engagement, collective responsibility and active participation in democracy.

● Facilitate and nurture parent- teacher collaboration.

Parents will...

● Ensure their child’s regular attendance at school.

● Maintain contact with the school to learn how to support their child at home through: monitoring Pupil Path, attending Parent Teacher Conferences, attending workshops, participating in school events, etc.

Students will...

● Utilize feedback to improve their work.

● Monitor student learning outcomes through DOE online platforms weekly.

● Self-assess and develop / monitor data-driven goals twice times per year.

● Work collaboratively taking active roles in constructing their own learning.