Curriculum & Instruction – SSR Findings
2025-2026 Onboarding Year SSR Feedback
| Strength Areas | Growth Areas |
|---|---|
| Individualized & Responsive Instruction Teachers know students’ individual strengths, challenges, learning styles, and needs. Small class sizes allow staff to adjust instruction, provide individualized support, re-teach when students do not understand, and respond quickly to student learning needs. | Written, Aligned & Vertically Articulated Curriculum A major area for growth is developing a clearly documented K–12 curriculum that is aligned to Colorado Academic Standards and vertically articulated across grades and subjects. While curriculum and resources are in place, the review did not find sufficient evidence of curriculum maps or a systematic process for identifying gaps, overlaps, and progression of learning. |
| Engaging, Relevant Learning Experiences Students experience engaging instruction through problem-solving, project-based learning, interest-based learning, and individualized opportunities. Learning activities provide opportunities for curiosity and help students make connections between learning and their interests. | Consistent Expectations for Rigorous Instruction Individualization is a strength, but it should not replace appropriate rigor and differentiation. Instruction can be strengthened by consistently providing students with cognitively complex learning, higher-level thinking, problem-solving, depth and complexity, and appropriate challenge—including for students already performing at or above grade level. |
| Strong Knowledge of Individual Students Teachers demonstrate a strong understanding of where individual students are academically and use that knowledge to guide instruction. Students generally understand classroom expectations and learning targets, while teachers build upon students’ prior knowledge and provide support as needed. | Formalized Systems of Student Support Because teachers know students so well, supports often occur naturally and informally. A growth opportunity is to formalize these practices through a clear tiered support/MTSS structure so intervention, enrichment, SPED, GT, and other student supports are systematic, documented, and sustainable. |
| Scaffolding & Feedback Teachers use modeling, examples, practice, re-teaching, revision, and feedback to support learning. The findings specifically note that teachers naturally scaffold instruction, particularly within Vilas’s multi-grade classrooms. | Student Mastery, Reflection & Ownership Students can become more active participants in understanding and evaluating their learning. Greater consistency with mastery criteria, rubrics, exemplars, reflection, goal setting, revision, and student monitoring of progress would strengthen student ownership and move personalization beyond simply providing individual choices or assignments. |