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As a school district, academics are our top priority. Our curriculum is designed to provide variety and breadth through the study of content and process in the fundamental learning areas of reading, language arts, math, science, social studies, fine arts, physical development and health, computer literacy, and, in the upper grades, foreign languages. District 135 curriculum is aligned with the State Goals for Learning and Illinois Learning Standards and is assessed using Illinois Standard Assessment Tests (ISAT), as well as several local assessments.
The Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment is Laura Berry, Ed.D. The Assistant Director is DJ Skogsberg, Ed.D. Dr. Colleen Schultz serves as Assistant Superintendent of Special Education and Director of Student Services, with Assistant Director Patti Murtagh.
Please click on any of the following links for further information on our academic program:
Assessments
Common Core State Standards
Curriculum Maps
Enrichment
Online Textbooks
Report Cards
Special Education
"Weaving the Tapestry" Video
This video (approximately 20 minutes) gives a history of the Orland School District, identifies the direction the district is heading through its current initiatives, and weaves together the initiatives to the common purpose of what we do and why we do it.
Common Core State Standards
"The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The standards were developed in collaboration with teachers, school administrators, and experts, to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce" These standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs. The standards:
- Are aligned with college and work expectations;
- Are clear, understandable and consistent;
- Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
- Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
- Are informed by other top performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society; and
- Are evidence-based."
English/Language Arts Standards (Key Points)
Reading
- The standards establish a "staircase" of increasing complexity in reading skills, including comprehension, in what students must be able to read so that all students are ready for the demands of college- and career-level reading no later than the end of high school.
- "Through reading a diverse array of classic and contemporary literature as well as challenging informational texts in a range of subjects, students are expected to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspective."
- Mandated critical content:
- foundational U.S. documents,
- American literature,
- the writings of Shakespeare, and
- classic myths and stories from around the world.
- The standards appropriately defer the many remaining decisions about what and how to teach to states, districts, and schools.
Writing
- Writing logical arguments – "The ability to write logical arguments based on substantive claims, sound reasoning, and relevant evidence is a cornerstone of the writing standards, with opinion writing—a basic form of argument—extending down into the earliest grades."
- Research
- Annotated samples of student writing to help establish adequate performance levels in:
- writing arguments,
- informational/explanatory texts, and
- narratives in the various grades.
Speaking and Listening
- Gain, evaluate, and present increasingly complex information, ideas, and evidence through listening, speaking, and media.
- Academic discussions in multiple settings.
Language
- Expanded vocabulary:
- determine word meanings,
- appreciate the nuances of words, and
- steadily expand their repertoire of words and phrases.
- Use formal English in their writing and speaking.
- Make skillful choices among many ways to express oneself through language.
Media and Technology
- Skills related to media use:
- critical analysis and
- production of media.
Mathematics (Key Points)
- The K-5 standards founded in whole numbers, the four basic algorithms, and rational numbers – which help young students build the foundation to successful apply numeracy skills.
- In Kindergarten, standards follow international models by focusing work on numeracy:
- learning how numbers correspond to quantities,
- learning how to put numbers together, and
- how to take numbers apart.
- K-5 students do hands on learning in geometry, algebra and probability and statistics.
- Students who have completed 7th grade and mastered the content and skills through the 7th grade will be well-prepared for algebra in grade 8.
Helpful Links Related to CCSS
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