Champlain Valley Union High School District - Chittenden South ...

WILLISTON SCHOOL DISTRICT
“Creating the Future Today!” We use these words to create a sense of urgency
around the work we do “today” with our students and how important it is to
use every moment we have wisely in educating our children. Williston
supports innovators. In order to educate students for the 21st century, we
must prepare them for their future and the world they will face - an ever
changing landscape that will require them to be lifelong learners. To do that
and to make sure our students can compete globally, we need to continually
push the boundaries and framework of education and adopt the innovations
our faculty develop to attain this goal.
We also need to remember what truly makes a difference in educating every student. The key words include TEACHER -
prepared and knowledgeable of the best and next educational practices. SCHOOL - systems in place to provide a safe,
supportive learning environment for all students. RELATIONSHIPS - with students, parents and co-workers. TIME -
learning is the constant - time is the variable. EARLY INTERVENTION - all students have rich educational experiences
before entering public school.
This year, we continue to work with our TEACHERS on expanding their knowledge of best practice in math, increasing
their skills and practices when teaching science, and expanding the use of technology as a tool in all instructional areas.
Teachers have also spent inservice time preparing for the implementation of the Common Core, which has been adopted
by the State of Vermont and most of the country as the instructional guidelines for all Vermont students.
Each SCHOOL has adopted the PBIS philosophy. This entails developing a
school wide system of student expectations and rewarding students
when they are caught doing the desired behavior. When either enough
“buzzies” or “smart cells” have been collected, students earn a school
wide celebration. There are three levels of implementation. The first is
universal - expectations for all students. Most students will learn the
desired behaviors at this level. Phase 2 is targeting students who may
need a little more individualized reinforcement to help them learn the
expected behaviors. Both schools are at Phase 2 this year.
We continually stress the importance of RELATIONSHIPS. Students work harder for teachers that they know and respect.
Teachers also have to learn about and form a relationship with their students. In addition, parents are part of the triangle
of support. If the student, parents, and teacher are working closely together, student learning increases. We also know
that students will face challenges along the way. It is part of maturing. A strong triangle will help students weather the
trials and tribulations of growing up.
We have increased the length of the day for some students in two ways by
offering more learning TIME after school. The SPARK Academy was
created this year for students in grades 5-8 who need more time to master
the skills and knowledge to help them be successful learners. SPARK also
has an enrichment component to help provide students broader life
experiences to draw upon in the future. An important characteristic of
SPARK is small group targeted instruction based on student need. There
are approximately thirty students in the Academy. In addition to SPARK,
every house from grade 3-8 has a house-based extended day club. This
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