Norwood Public Schools Curriculum and Instruction

This page is maintained by Dr. JJ Muñoz, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum for the Norwood Public Schools. Suggestions for improvement are always welcome.

The mission of the Norwood Public Schools is to seek academic excellence for all children in an environment which is safe, nurturing, and supportive; to inspire in them an enduring love for learning; and to prepare them to contribute as citizens of a diverse community.

We believe that

• every child can learn.
• academics is the primary focus of education. In addition to academics, the fine arts, athletics, and activities are essential for a complete education.
• each child is unique and has special abilities and interests that must be recognized, encouraged, and developed.
• the home, school, and community are responsible for the education of all children.
• teachers must engage every student in learning.
• students are responsible for their own learning and for their personal conduct.
• parents are responsible for setting values and expectations that support the learning process.
• lifelong learning is essential for productive and responsible participation in a diverse and changing world.
• teachers have the right to teach and students have the right to learn in a safe and nurturing environment.
• a community thrives when individuals contribute to the well being of others.
• integrity, respect, and cooperation are essential in building trusting relationships.
• our community is strengthened and enriched through diversity.

Our goal is to help all students attain high levels of engagement and achievement in Academics, Arts, Activities, and Athletics (Norwood’s 4A’s) and to be college and career ready by the time they graduate.

Norwood Public Schools offers a comprehensive curriculum to all its students in grades PreK-12. Our curriculum is aligned with the national and state Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy and for Mathematics (http://www.doe.mass.edu/candi/commoncore/) and our other curricula is aligned with the most recent versions of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks in science and technology engineering, history and social science, foreign languages, health, and WIDA English Language Development Standards (http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/current.html).

The district has a District Curriculum Accommodation Plan (DCAP) that is designed to assist the regular classroom teacher in analyzing and accommodating diverse learning styles of all children in the regular education classroom and in providing appropriate services and support within the regular education program. The district also has a Professional Development Plan that is designed to meet the diverse learning needs of our staff while also focusing on key initiatives that support our District Strategic Plan for Improvement and our District Technology Plan.

Through the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/), the state currently tests all our students’ mastery of English Language Arts and mathematics in grades 3-8 and 10, and science and technology engineering in grades 5, 7, and 10. Through the ACCESS test (http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/access/), the state also tests all our English Language Learners’ (ELL) comprehension and communication skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in grades 1-12. In addition, our teachers have developed district-wide common assessments in all content areas. This assessment data is collected and reviewed periodically, and our teachers meet on a regular basis to review and update their curriculum and modify their instruction based on student assessment results.To see an overview of how Norwood's students are doing on these assessments, go to our Assessment webpage.

Our teachers make every effort to challenge all students to do their best and achieve their full potential. In order to accomplish this goal, we ask that parents, guardians, and other family members partner with us in this effort by

1. attending parent nights,
2. making sure that they stay informed about their child’s progress,
3. communicating regularly with their child’s teachers,
4. knowing what homework is expected and by making sure that the homework gets done consistently to best of their child’s ability,
5. making sure the student has a proper place to study,
6. helping/requiring their child limit TV, video, and computer game time, until after all academic work is completed thoroughly,
7. making sure their child seeks help from teachers when needed,
8. making sure their child is exposed to math, science, and good reading material (non-fiction, fiction, and informational text) as often as possible,
9. making sure their child eats well at school and at home (feed the brain),
10. making sure their child gets enough sleep (rest the brain),
11. making sure their child gets plenty of exercise (stimulate the brain), and by
12. making sure their child gets involved in extracurricular activities.