• Kindergarten: Scholastic Next Steps, Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), iReady Diagnostic
• Grade 1: Scholastic Next Steps, Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), iReady Diagnostic, COGAT
• Grade 2: Scholastic Next Steps, Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), iReady Diagnostic
• Grade 3: Scholastic Next Steps, ILEARN Checkpoints , iReady Diagnostic
• Grade 4: Scholastic Next Steps, ILEARN Checkpoints , iReady Diagnostic
• Grade 5: Scholastic Next Steps, ILEARN Checkpoints , iReady Diagnostic

• Title I
• High Ability
• English Language Learners (ELL) Instruction

Teachers at the same grade level work as a team to develop the year-long themes implemented at their respective grade levels. All themes are based on significant knowledge key points, which are directly related to the Indiana Academic Standards for the grade level. These significant knowledge key points serve as the target for what the participants are to understand after the instruction is completed.

Mastery of the Indiana Academic Standards is targeted by the utilization of emotional hooks, specific procedures and agendas, emotionally and physically safe environments, real-life experiences, active learning, target talk, modeling, learning clubs, cooperative learning, etc. The instructional process is modified to meet the needs of students who display the variety of learning styles identified in the Multiple Intelligences Assessments utilized by the staff. Collaboration is required between and among the grade levels to ensure that a proper scope and sequence of instructional opportunities exist and match the curricular objectives/standards. All instruction is connected to and integrated throughout the curriculum.

Special-area teachers also collaborate with classroom teachers, and each other, to connect their standards with the academic curriculum. They have coordinated grant proposals, parent communications, family nights, and cross-curriculum activities, etc. to best facilitate student learning.

The curriculum Indiana Academic Standards have been organized into a meaningful, conceptually designed framework. Grade level teachers continually modify and enhance their instructional program in their integrated yearlong plan.

Staff members utilize the results of ILEARN Checkpoints (3-5), Scholastic Next Steps (K-5), NWEA (K-2), etc. to set curricular goals for the students and adjust their instructional program to meet the needs of the individual learners. Third grade teachers also utilize the results of the IREAD-3 test. “Power Conferences” are held in early February of each year with families of statistically identified students in jeopardy of not meeting ILEARN mastery to develop an individualized prescriptive remediation plan to be implemented in the weeks prior to ILEARN testing.

Grade levels connect their instructional program to the standards being taught within each subject area. Teachers utilize additional assessments to provide a more accurate picture of students’ progress and continuous growth such as end of unit test, STAR Reading, and other web-based measurements.

Rubrics, checklists, rating sheets, and self-assessments have been developed based on the criteria of finished products and are connected to the state standards and TSC curricular objectives. Tests have been designed based on the criteria of the state standards being taught. In order to provide practice, some tests model the format of the standardized tests the students will be taking.

There is communication and articulation between and among the grade levels to ensure that adjustments in instruction are occurring when the analysis of data necessitates it. Each grade meets with the grade level above and below it to analyze this data on an annual basis.

Beliefs

Effectively integrating technology into the instructional process has the potential to positively impact the educational experiences for students at the Tippecanoe School Corporation. The availability of technology and quality digital resources allows for students to demonstrate creativity and innovation, to communicate and collaborate, to research and evaluate information, and to think critically. Digital tools, resources, and practices are embedded into the curriculum to support the corporation’s instructional goals and enhance student achievement.

Budgeting & Sustainability

When implementing technology initiatives, plans for sustainability must always be taken into consideration. Historically, the TSC has been dependent upon Common School Loans and STAA Loans to sustain its 1:1 initiative. Because we view the device as an integral part of curriculum delivery, we have transitioned to a model that will ultimately enable the initiative to be self-sustaining as a result of a technology rental fee paid by students.

Stakeholder Collaboration

A great deal of collaboration takes place between curriculum leaders, technology staff, principals, and teachers at each stage of technology deployment. Both instructional and tangible goals (e.g. what do we want the students to do with the technology?) are taken into consideration, as well as a host of other factors. Before a large-scale implementation, we typically utilize a pilot group to gather input, identify professional development needs, and assess the overall scalability of the project.

The Tippecanoe School Corporation strives to maintain a safe and secure learning environment in each school in the district. Several initiatives have been implemented in past years, and remain active to promote safety and security throughout the district. These include:

● Annual review of school safety plans by school personnel and emergency responders.
● Implementation of Standard Response Protocol for students and staff conducted through regular drills.
● Building level safety committees as well as a corporation safety committee to review safety plans and concerns .
● Tippecanoe County Safe Schools Commission meets several times during the year to share school safety practices and discuss student services.
● Installation of video surveillance equipment and building access systems to provide secure entries and visitor control.
● Security officers are posted at each high school daily, as well as (2) School Resource Officers to serve the district’s elementary and middle schools.

Staff development activities generally fall into two categories: individual and group. Depending on the academic focus of the school, monies may be expended for individual teacher in-service and/or a group of teachers. Reports are written at the conclusion of each activity and presentations at faculty meetings on contnent gained at the activity are also required at many of our schools. Additional staff development occurs during the Instructional Improvement Block (IIB). Principals schedule staff activities related to school specific goals and improvements each morning during a 30 minute professional development time frame.

Burnett Creek Elementary School’s staff also pursues a variety of outside funding sources to supplement the professional development budget provided by the Tippecanoe School Corporation. Examples of successful sources are the Burnett Creek Parent-Teacher Organization, Private Corporation grants, Public School Foundation Grants, Purdue University sources, and Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce.

Burnett Creek Elementary involves itself with a great number of business, community, and higher education collaboratives. Evonik is wonderful resource to our school community from their formalized "Mr. Wizard" program and other speakers to their outdoor learning classroom that we utilize. Many of our staff members have successfully acquired grants via their Partners in Education grant program.

The Tippecanoe County area is fortunate to have many businesses and organizations willing to support and collaborate with local schools. Burnett Creek Elementary has formally involved itself with the following groups: Public Schools Foundation, Read to Succed, Junior Achievement of Greater Lafayette, West Lafayette Kiwanis Club, West Lafayette Lions Club, and Battle Ground Lions Club. Our partnerships with these organizations range from speaking engagements to formal literacy programs such as the federally sponsored Reading Is Fundamental grant.

Our affiliations with state universities bring us specific pride and unique programming offerings to our school. We have served student teachers from Ball State University, Indiana State University, and Purdue University. Indiana Wesleyan and Purdue University have both utilized our facility to offer graduate courses for area educators, thus providing an opportunity for our staff to be “guest lecturers” in their respective areas of expertise.

Our geographic proximity to Purdue University allows us to engage in a variety of partnerships with their School of Education. We host their “Block” courses that meet at our facility during our school day. This allows the Purdue students to receive their lecture/theory instruction here and then to immediately and directly apply it into practice with our students under the supervision of practicing teachers. This also affords Purdue students majoring in education the opportunity to be in classrooms to implement their “theory in to practice”. This exposure to general classroom procedures and practices is to assist them in their training and to ensure that their true desire is to pursue the educational profession.

The Purdue affiliations are truly endless. They include but are not limited to the following: hosting regional supervisor student teacher training meetings, outreach professional development sessions, teachers teaching Purdue classes, hosting a variety of education class sessions on our site, and entertaining dignitary guests of Purdue. Burnett Creek Elementary collaborates with Greater Lafayette Commerce and United Way to implement Read to Succeed. Recruitment for volunteers from local businesses will partner with the school to implement the mandated ninety minute Reading Block.