Back to PCSC Home Page | Back to Curriculum Development Page

Phase #1 – Developing the District Mission Statement and Strategic Plan

1. The Pike County School Corporation (PCSC) district mission statement consists of brief statements about the nature of learning within our district, the role schools play in educating children, what is expected from all students, school staff members, and citizens living in the Pike County community.

2. In the spring of 1999, a PCSC Instructional Leadership Council was formed to develop a mission statement for our school district.  Members of the Pike County community, as well as school stakeholder groups, served on this team. The PCSC Board of Education adopted the final version of the PCSC mission statement developed by this group.

3. The PCSC mission statement gives direction and focus to our efforts when planning appropriate educational experiences for all Pike County students.  It should always serve as the foundation piece when we begin to develop our district’s overall strategic plan.

4. The Instructional Leadership Council was responsible for developing a simple educational plan for the Pike County School Corporation.  The resulting district mission statement provided the foundation for the PCSC district strategic plan that further defined PCSC district-wide objectives, statements of belief, and program implementation and evaluation strategies.

Phase #2 – Establishing District Curriculum and Instructional Practices

1. Curriculum development and instructional practices are constructed with the PCSC strategic plan uppermost in mind.  Under the direction of the PCSC Board of Education and Superintendent, the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction can assemble the PCSC Instructional Leadership Council (ILC) at least once each semester.  This group is responsible for planning, developing, and evaluating special projects, either on-going or under consideration.

2. Members of this committee include:  the superintendent; the assistant superintendent; high, middle, and elementary principals and teachers; a representative of the PCTA; a PCSC board member, the PCSC Director of Technology; and selected representatives from the Pike County community. The ILC is chaired by the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction.  All findings and recommendations by the ILC are forwarded through the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction to the PCSC Administrative Team.

3. The PCSC Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, in cooperation with members of the PCSC Administrative Team, work together to oversee curriculum development and instruction in our corporation.  He is charged with receiving recommendations from the ILC and other PCSC Curriculum Committees, and overseeing curricular and instructional program planning, implementation and evaluation.  Other duties that the Assistant Superintendent and the PCSC Administrative Team oversee include:  identifying the status of curriculum development and programs, designing a curriculum development master calendar, establishing a system of district curriculum development committees, and developing a process for:

1. Reviewing curriculum and or programs, either in existence or proposed, to determine further action. This includes describing a program’s status, assessing program goals, judging the need for revision, and recommending action.
2. Conducting needs assessments by gathering data on the current status of curriculum, instruction, and programs in the district. This includes assessing student performance, availability of resources, classroom practices, content (scope and sequence), program goals, program activities, and recommending action.
3. Designing curriculum. This includes: determining learner outcomes, selecting content, selecting learning activities, selecting resources, proposing an evaluation plan, piloting programs, and developing teacher training sessions.
4. Implementing programs. This includes monitoring and modifying the program, employing curriculum design, and designing staff development activities.
5. Conducting curriculum/program review and evaluation. This includes collecting data, analyzing results of the program implementation, reporting progress made, judging the need for revision, and recommending a course of action.

5. Approving district staff development plans.

6. Approving grant applications and implementation processes for the district.

7. Communicating progress made in the development of curriculum.

8. Developing timelines for various curriculum projects.

PCSC curriculum committees are responsible for identifying program goals, competencies to be taught in each subject area or program, instructional activities, student behavioral indicators, and standards or acceptable levels of academic achievement. These must be based on Indiana’s Academic Standards and content standards adopted by the Indiana Board of Education and the PCSC Board of Education.

Phase #3 – Implementing District Curriculum Plans at the Building Level

1. Each PCSC school has a mission statement in their PBA document, which gives direction and provides focus for the school’s faculty and staff.  It should always be congruent with the PCSC district mission and strategic plan.

2. Each school establishes goals for its programs.  These goals must be congruent with district program goals.  Program goals are developed in a collegial setting, with input being solicited from all stakeholder groups at the school site.

3. Activities for each curriculum or program that has received the approval of the PCSC Administrative Team, are to be implemented at the building level.  All programs must be identified by grade or course level.

4. Student behavioral indicators established by district curriculum or program committees must be monitored at the building level.  Evaluation should be conducted on an on-going basis.

5. Each school develops a reward or recognition procedure, and a process for remediating students who exceed or fall below standards set by the State of Indiana or by the Pike County School Corporation.

6. Support services must be planned for, developed, and implemented at the building level.

Phase #4 – Classroom Instruction

1. Each teacher will develop their own instructional methodologies and strategies within the framework of the district mission and strategic plan. They will be in concert with district goals, expected program objectives, activities, standards, and outcomes as specified by PCSC curriculum development committees.

2. Instructional activity includes unit and lesson planning, delivery of instruction, and evaluation of student or program performance.  It also involves determining when students are ready to learn, using "best instructional practices," proper selection of materials, and whether or not district goals have been achieved.

---

Back to Top of Page