Our Kindergarten - Grade 8 instructional services (Printable brochure) are based on each student's Individualized Education Plans (IEP). Each student's strengths and needs are identified in his or her IEP and addressed in classroom instruction. Each student's IEP goals and objectives are aligned with the state performance standards identified in the Maine Learning Results and assessed within our Comprehensive Local Assessment System, which we are still in the process of establishing. In this way students are provided access to the general
curriculum at their zone of proximal development. Over the last few years, we have been keeping our curriculum, instruction and assessment in line with the changing educational trends in Maine and across the country.
We support the philosophy of assessment driving instruction. The more a teacher knows of a student's abilities and areas of challenge, the more effectively a program can be designed. In-house evaluations are followed by teacher workshops to address common concerns. We are in the process of developing common assessments for all subject areas.
Thematic planning and instruction is another way we increase the students' schema and knowledge base. Through thematic instruction, they are exposed to a set of skills and knowledge which apply to all the content areas. Since the students are exposed to them more often throughout the day, this helps the students internalize them more effectively. In this way, they broaden their horizons and develop an in-depth understanding of new skills and knowledge.
During the 2002-2003 school year, we implemented the Positive Discipline Philosophy which promotes mutual respect, caring, and developing responsibility for behavior and choices. At the beginning of the year, students and teachers develop classroom rules and expectations for behavior. Each department holds a classroom meeting every day which helps students develop skills in problem solving, decision making, understanding and accepting different perspectives, and respecting and accepting diversity.
During the 2003-2004 school year, we are implementing the Positive Alternate Thinking Strategies (PATHS) curriculum which will provide more of a foundation for Positive Discipline. Many deaf and hard of hearing students who are deaf or hard of hearing have gaps in their social/emotional development; hence, the need for a curriculum geared toward developing those pre-requisite skills to support the Positive Discipline Philosophy. This curriculum was used with deaf students before it became more widespread and makes it a perfect fit for our students.
All of the GBSD students in the middle school are participating in the Maine Laptop Initiative (MLTI). As the middle school class is a multi-level classroom, Apple Computers supported the purchase of additional laptops to allow all students to participate on an equal level. The middle school teacher and the computer technician both attended training specific to MLTI.
GBSD Policies and User Procedures are in place to allow student use of the laptops within the classroom or library under the supervision of staff. Insurance for the laptops has been secured. Policies and Procedures allowing for students to borrow the laptops to take home or to the dorm have been developed by the Technology Committee and are currently being reviewed by the School Board.
The community Based Education Program is offered to students who are deaf with disabilities that preclude them from participating in a regular academic program. This community-based model and philosophy promotes training in functional life skills in a community setting. They learn cooking, grocery shopping, banking, adaptive PE, Art, therapeutic horseback riding, therapeutic skiing, and job training. To foster improved social interactions, they participate in some integrated activities with the grades 6 - 8 program students.
Our Kindergarten - Grade 8 program is also working on implementing the Core Principles, Core Practices for Learning and Teaching, and The Maine Learning Results Guiding Principles so our younger students will be better prepared for the academic rigor of high school.
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