About the Department of Instruction

The purpose of the Department of Instruction is to focus on leading and supporting staff with the implementation of curriculum and instructional best practices to support innovative learning experiences that yield student success. District 303 employs Instructional Support Coaches who collaborate with building leaders and staff to integrate our curriculum and research-based instructional practices in the classroom within each of our schools. This provides our staff and students with greater access to innovative learning experiences.

Strategic Commitment Alignment

One of the strategic commitments Community Unit School District 303 has made to our stakeholders is: Provide students with innovative learning experiences that prepare them for post-secondary careers and higher education.

Our department works to align with this commitment by facilitating designated learning sessions related to utilizing local and state data to support school improvement initiatives and instructional decision making. This involves building leadership teams working alongside our department to analyze and discover areas of strength and areas of growth. Instructional decisions and adjustments are then made at the school and district level. 

Another way we align with this commitment is by defining and aligning our instructional model to support the personalization of learning in order to improve student achievement and growth. We do this by working with the Instructional Support Coaches to develop an Instructional Playbook based on best practices from research and supporting staff in using identified resources and tools to support personalized learning experiences for students. In District 303 we offer our staff professional learning opportunities to enhance their classroom practice utilizing instructional technology and innovative practices. 

We also are developing a district framework for blended learning and designing a common blended unit plan that is aligned with the instructional model across all subjects, courses, and grade levels at the high school level. We will evaluate this framework by creating indicators of success to determine effectiveness.

Another strategic commitment relating to our work is: Hire and retain high-quality staff members.

Our work aligns with this commitment by building staff capacity by offering professional learning opportunities aligned to innovative instructional practices through re-designing professional learning course options to include pathways for educators' growth and learning. We provide new educators to D303 a supportive four-year mentoring program that includes New Educator Academy, Professional Growth Cycles and Professional Learning opportunities.

Responsibilities

The Department of Instruction is responsible for leading and supporting staff with implementing district curriculum and researched-based strategies in classroom instruction for student success. Instructional Support Coaches are members of the district’s curriculum development teams and support the development of the curriculum, instruction and professional learning for teachers related to this new content. 

The department is also responsible for instructional technology integration, innovation, new educator mentoring, and professional learning. The department oversees the Instructional Support Coaches, Instructional Technology Specialists, and LRC/Media Specialists.

 Our goal is to work to improve student learning through the highest quality instruction for each and every student and provide students with innovative learning experiences that prepare them for post-secondary careers and higher education opportunities

The responsibilities of the Department of Instruction include:

Guide and support:

  • Instructional Support Coaches
  • Instructional Technology Specialists
  • LRC/Media Specialists

Provide opportunities for staff to learn and grow through:

  • Developing, communicating, implementing and overseeing new educator induction program
  • Designing and organizing staff professional learning
  • Supporting the facilitation of data inquiry sessions

Support the district commitment to innovative instructional practices through:

  • Developing, implementing, and facilitating a vision for Blended Learning
  • Overseeing instructional technology integration within the classroom

Department of Instruction Staff

PJ Pamela Jensen

Senior Director of Professional Learning

SC Sarah Cann

Director of Instructional Design