Curriculum: What & How We Teach

  • The West Fargo Public Schools elementary and secondary leadership teams are continually monitoring and improving our curriculum. Our focus is on research-based instruction and best practices. The standards provided by the state are not a curriculum, but provide a target for our district to utilize as we determine the resources that we implement and use to educate our youth in West Fargo.

Department Leadership

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Vincent Williams

Secondary Assistant Superintendent

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Rachael Agre

Elementary Assistant Superintendent

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Heather Sand

Director of Curriculum & Instruction

The How: Professional Learning

  • At West Fargo Publics Schools, we have recognized the greatest impact on student learning occurs through teacher collaboration focused on evidence of student learning and adjusting instruction based on student data (teachers supporting teachers through Professional Learning Communities and Professional Learning Walks).  Our district continues to leverage the national Learning Forward Standards to structure our short-term and long-term professional development plans.  Guidance from the standards has framed our focus on professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students. Key components embedded in our professional growth plans include:

    • Ongoing with teacher support during implementation
    • Occurs during learning communities committed to continuous improvement
    • Focused on student learning
    • Supported through modeling and instructional coaching

    Research and best pedagogical practices having greatest impact on student learning (Hattie, 2009) has narrowed our focus on positive student relations and growth mindsets; student engagement and quality assessment practices; student literacy embracing critical reading, writing, and content vocabulary; and 21st century learning opportunities targeting personalized learning experiences (see illustration). West Fargo Public School utilizes the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching as our evaluation tool, which closely aligns to our continuous growth model.

High School Program of Studies