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Vision Themes

Learning is what we're all about. We pose a question to ourselves that helps us think about our mission and our goals: "How do we create learning communities for the greatest thinkers and most thoughtful people... for the world?"

 

A number of themes emerged from the roundtable discussions that took place during two Futures Conferences the district held in 1994. The conferences brought together community people, parents, administrators, students, and staff members to talk about the future of the West Linn-Wilsonville School District. From the discussions, some common vision themes emerged. The district envisions a school learning community which:

  1. Demonstrates personal and academic excellence;
  2. Provides a personalized education to improve student performance;
  3. Establishes community partnerships and expands the classroom beyond the school;
  4. Creates a circle of support for each student;
  5. Educates the whole person--intellectually, emotionally, physically, and ethically;
  6. Integrates technology in daily learning.

 

PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Our educational system must maximize human potential. We must continue to provide high quality basic education, which allows all children to function successfully in our changing world. Our strength lies in our ability to access information, to use that information, to communicate that information to others, and to function at high levels of literacies. We want a high quality education for all our children.

Science Experiment Strategies

  • Establish intellectually rigorous expectations and standards for learning
  • Teach multiple literacies (arts, sciences, etc.)
  • Develop communication skills
  • Use advanced technology systems
  • Focus on basic skills
  • Expand the definition of "basic skills"
  • Create personalized educational plans
  • Help teachers become mentors/facilitators
  • Instructional strategies which accommodate different learning styles

 

PERSONALIZED EDUCATION

The educational system must provide a personalized education for all students, one that affords all learners the opportunity to capitalize on strength, work on challenges, and maximize potentials. An inquiry-based, collaborative, integrated approach to teaching and learning will actively engage students in their education.

 Strategies

  • Personalized education plans
  • One-on-one assistance
  • Performance-based assessment
  • Active, hands-on learning
  • Specialists, mentors, guides
  • Peer teaching
  • Integrated projects
  • Accommodation of different learning styles
  • Multi-age groupings
  • Alternative classroom settings
  • Flexible time schedules
  • Adaptive curriculum
  • Apprenticeships, internships, work study
  • Business involvement
  • Effective assessment of learning

 

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS: EXPANDING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

The whole community is a resource for the "academic neighborhood" with learning opportunities throughout the community. An active, dedicated network of community and business volunteers can assist the school to fully personalize education for all children. Community members have long been a vital part of education in this district, and efforts to more effectively involve the community will continue to be a high priority.Community

Strategies

  • Meaningful business partnerships
  • Business support for parent role at school
  • Students work with mentors
  • Field studies as part of curriculum
  • Collaborative, cross-age problem solving
  • Student operated businesses and projects
  • Civic interaction
  • Community service learning
  • Community-wide "collaborative councils"

 

CIRCLE OF SUPPORT

We want to do more than talk about the much-discussed notion that "it takes a whole village to raise a child." We believe a critical and essential role of the family is to be actively engaged in their children’s education. Truly the West Linn-Wilsonville community must become that village, and all members of the community must become a part of our children’s education.Veteran

Strategies

  • Support families to be actively involved in the education of their children
  • Increased parent volunteerism
  • Increased business and community partnerships
  • Increased global awareness/interactions
  • Establish long-term supportive relationships for children
  • More intergenerational connections
  • Mentoring programs to support student learning

 

EDUCATE THE "WHOLE" PERSON INTELLECTUALLY, EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, ETHICALLY

Education must be balanced: the whole person-intellectually, emotionally, physically, ethically – must be considered when creating a personalized education plan. Uniqueness must be cherished, and we must consider each student as a part of this community from birth through life. The development of character is essential in the education of the child.Rope Swing

Strategies

  • Personalized educational plans
  • Formal support networks for children
  • Curriculum, instruction, assessment integration
  • Character education
  • Fostering a sense of global responsibility
  • Parenting classes

 

INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO DAILY LEARNING

Technology is a tool for learning. Multimedia formats, interactive instructional materials, national and global connections, and student-directed inquiry must be integrated in daily instruction. Access to technology, along with interconnected partnerships with the technologies of businesses will provide students the opportunity to access and manage information through technology.Tech Lab

Strategies

  • Multimedia educational products
  • Learning portfolios on disc
  • Individualized learning programs
  • Local news and weather broadcasts
  • Students learn off-campus or in the workplace
  • Use of Internet
  • Community technology access

  • Technological access to the world