Norwood Public Schools:

Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment

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

• MCAS Results
• Understanding and Appreciating the Common Core State Standards. Anyone who does not believe in the value added by the Common Core State Standards should read this straight forward document. Our nation desperately needs this and Massachusetts will not be hurt by it.
• Curriculum Links
• Professional Development
• Extended Day
• Best Practices (with Links to Articles and Tools Shared Folder)

Norwood's curriculum is aligned with the state's content standards and the Common Core State Standards.

If our curriculum and instruction do not respond to learner variability, our curriculum and instruction are disabled.  See our District Curriculum Accommodation Plan.

The goal of instruction is to actively engage and develop students who can meet our well defined and communicated performance standards. We strive to develop "expert" learners who are

• College and Career Ready (the goal of the Common Core State Standards)
• Resourceful, knowledgeable learners,
• Strategic goal-directed learners, and
• Purposeful, motivated learners

The goal of formative assessment is to provide students and teachers with frequent (timely) and concrete (actionable) feedback on each student's progress toward meeting clearly identified and communicated learning goals, standards, or objectives so that students and teachers can modify their learning and teaching to accomplish the desired outcomes.

The goal of summative assessment is to provide students and teachers with a clear and accurate appraisal of the degree to which each student has met the end of unit or course objectives and standards. Effective formative assessment practices should lead to successful summative assessment results.