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Barre Town Supervisory District Policy Manual

TITLE: Curriculum & Instruction Policy     CODE: IG

  1. For the purpose of this policy, the curriculum is defined as all planned learning activities within the school district’s jurisdiction.
  2. The Board recognizes its responsibility for the review, improvement, and growth of the educational program.
  3. Curriculum is the basis for statements of expected learner outcomes which shall be generated for each academic discipline for every grade level. Each expected outcome will be assessed. Toward this end, the Superintendent shall annually submit to the Board a calendar of assessment. This calendar will include all major assessment efforts which are administered to improve instruction. The assessments will be reported to parents, students, staff, and the Board, and an annual summary report on the progress of all students will go to the community. After reviewing assessment data, an annual action plan shall be established by an Action Planning Team lead by the Principal for program improvement.
  4. The Board shall annually appoint citizen members to the standing committee for Curriculum and Instruction, and review the Board’s change to this committee.
  5. The purpose of the Curriculum and Instruction Committee will be to represent the Board’s interest in the periodic review of all curriculum. The charge to the Curriculum and Instruction Committee shall include, but not be limited to, the following areas of interest:
  1. current practices at Barre Town Elementary School in curriculum, instruction, and assessment;
  2. best practices in alignment with the Vermont Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities and grade expectations as recognized by local, state, and professional organizations and/or college and university sources and/or school-level implementation:
  3. a discrepancy analysis between above items A and B;
  4. these identified discrepancies will be a base for further curriculum development;
  5. identification of policy implications from proposed changes in curriculum;
  6. short and long-range budget implications from proposed changes in curriculum;
  7. the assessment of learner outcomes using multiple assessment strategies to determine needs for further curriculum adjustment;
  8. description of how the proposed curriculum does or does not meet the needs of challenged and gifted learners;
  9. identification of the implications for the use of technology in a proposed curriculum;
  10. community service learning opportunities with the proposed curriculum;
  11. maintaining a balanced school experience that will benefit the whole child;

The committee will ensure that rigorous and specific academic content is taught at each grade level bringing focus and clarity to the curriculum. The committee’s goal will be to help all students learn more - raising expectations for student work and demanding hard work and effort from each student and employee.

  1. It is also the intent of the Board that:
  1. curriculum at Barre Town be coordinated with that of Barre City and Spaulding High School;
  2. instructional programs be selected for their across-grade coherency:
  3. programs/curricula must be selected with close alignment with the Vermont Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities and grade expectations.
  4. for each new program there will be both pre and in-service programs of training, as needed, for all staff administering the program/curriculum.
  5. Teachers will enable more students to reach high standards of performance by using instructional strategies and techniques that allow individuals or small groups to move through a sequence of instruction at their own pace. In “continuous progress” programs, able and motivated students are not held back and students take on new instruction as they show they have prerequisite skills.
  6. The educational environment fosters collaboration among staff, parents, service personnel and community members by encouraging open communication, defining roles and responsibilities, using problem solving techniques and engaging In participatory decision making for the purpose of supporting all learners.


Those seeking information regarding specific curriculum and instruction documents should follow these procedures;

  • Parents would first contact the student’s teacher;
  • If a need is not met at the previous step, the person seeking information should obtain an appointment with the Principal;
  • Community members seeking information and/or curriculum and /or instructional documents should first contact the Principal who can direct them to an appropriate teacher if necessary;
  • Persons not satisfied with information or documents provided at the level of the Principal should arrange a meeting with the Superintendent of Schools

Date Adopted: 9/16/98
Date Revised: 9/16/98
1st Reading: 2/16/05
2nd Reading/Date Effective: 3/2/05
Legal Reference(s):16 VSA, Sect 164(9) and Section 165 (a) Act 60 of the 1997 Session of the General Assembly and Act 71 of the 1998 General Assembly
Cross References: Vt. Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities
Date Distributed: 10/7/98