Town of Windsor Locks

In the Windsor Locks Public Schools, our ultimate goal is improved student achievement. We provide a well-articulated, well-taught, and well-assessed curriculum that is designed to meet the educational needs of all students within the framework of the goals set by the Board of Education Our instructional program is at the heart of the educational experience. The curriculum development process is designed to systematically review what is taught based on current research on effective teaching and learning. The Connecticut Standards are the reference point for all curriculum. This process leads to an instructional program that is responsive to changes in local, state, federal, and global influences. The curriculum review process in Windsor Locks is a multi-year cycle in which each content area is evaluated for effectiveness and changes are proposed to improve instruction. Most recently, the review process has included the following curricula: K-5 Reading K-5 Writing K-12 Mathematics K-12 Science 3-12 World Language During the academic year, 2006-2007, our focus will be on completing the following curricula: Language Arts 6-12 Social Studies 6-12 At the district level, the effectiveness of the curriculum is monitored through student performance. All students in grades 3-8 participate in the Connecticut Mastery Tests, an assessment of student performance in Reading, Writing, and Math. Students in grade 10, participate in the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) which serves as a component of the graduation requirements at Windsor Locks High School. This test assesses reading, writing, math, and science skills. The results of these tests are presented to the Board of Education and revisions to the curriculum and instructional program are made to improve areas of weakness. In addition, all students in grades 3-8 participate in an assessment of student reading, writing and math in the Fall to monitor student progress and improve classroom instruction. Students in grade 9 are provided with assessments similar to the CAPT test. Throughout the year, curriculum-based assessments are used to monitor progress at every grade level.