a core value of collective efficacy, which is that idea that by working together, we can have a tremendous impact on our student’s success.” “There’s a lot of expertise and wisdom in the room, and when we come together in really authentic, collaborative ways, we are able to do some pretty incredible things for our students, and our families.” NURTURING MINDS AND WELL-BEING At KASD the emphasis is on more than academics, it is a commitment to the whole child, from the youngest 4K learners to graduating seniors. Holly Magness, Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Continuous Improvement, explains, “We’ve done a lot of work with our Equitable Multi Level System Support or EMLSS. That’s looking at our students as they’re learning from a social emotional lens, and from an academic lens as well, so that we can really think about that whole child and who they are as a learner.” The district works with external providers to offer on-site mental health support and also connects families with resources through Care Solace, a service that helps community members access therapists and counselors based on their specific needs. But Magness underscores the importance of support that begins in the classroom. “Before we even think about all of those needs, we look at how we instruct kids, how we honor and build relationships with students. We really value that student centered relationship,” she says. Visible learning strategies inspired by researcher John Hattie highlight the powerful impact of teacher beliefs and collaboration on student achievement. “We think about how important our collaboration is among teachers, and how we build that collective efficacy by being able to see each other’s craft, see how our teaching is done, and how students respond. That’s really something that we focus on here in our district,” Magness adds. MORE THAN CURRICULUM To ensure consistency across its seven schools KASD is implementing a new K–11 literacy curriculum. 267 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 08 KAUKAUNA AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
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