Curriculum

Innocademy Allegan Campus Curriculum

Below is a brief overview of Innocademy Allegan Campus’ curriculum. These resources support the teachers’ work of teaching the common core standards that have been adopted by 42 states. For grade level guides to the standards for English Language Arts and Math visit http://www.corestandards.org/.

Brief Overview

Subject Curriculum Assessments Additional Information
English Language Arts:
Reading, Writing,
Phonics
Amplify Fountas & Pinnell
Running Records
NWEA Reading
Fluency Y5- 1st
NWEA MAP 2-8th
M-STEP 3-7th
PSAT 8th
Learn More
Math Savvas Unit assessments
Delta Math K-8th
NWEA MAP K-8th
M-STEP 3-7th
PSAT 8th

Learn More

 

Social Studies TCI Unit assessments &
projects
M-STEP 5th & 8th
Learn More
Science Mystery Science K-5th
Project Learning Tree
& Project Wild
Outdoor Discovery
Center partnership
Unit projects
M-STEP 5th & 8th

Learn More

Learn More

Social Emotional
Learning
Second Step N/A Learn More
Global Mindset Empowering Students
to Improve the World in
Sixty Lessons
N/A  Learn More

Specials

In addition to our core curriculum of ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies, “Specials” classes are offered in 40 minute classes per week throughout the year for all students.

These classes are where students experience an integration of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. Often, students are learning conjunction with their core classrooms while participating in the STEAM classrooms.

In lieu of Specials classes, on occasion middle school students can choose an alternative class, such as learning and working as a teacher assistant, coding, or completing a stewardship activity.

Art

There are no rules in art, just inspiration. Students grow creatively as they study art history, the masters, elements, principles, and culture. Students are exposed to art, encouraged to express themselves, and then celebrated as individuals whose work is personal and meaningful.

Music

Music is an integral part of educating the whole child at Innocademy Allegan Campus. Music helps child development by stimulating neural pathway development leading to greater gains in core academics, growing an appreciation for other communities’ music and cultures, and developing each child’s own passion within music.

Learn To Be Fit

L2BF is fully intended to be a foundation to develop a lifelong healthy lifestyle and enhanced quality of life. Motor skills are developed in games and sports. Cognitive skills are developed with a focus on nutrition, strategy, and physiology. Students apply personal and social values in their activities while interacting with one another and respecting individual differences.

Field Experiences

We believe that part of educating the whole-child involves exposing the students to a myriad of opportunities. The trips that are planned for our students to progress in range and depth as they grow from a younger friend to an oldest friend.

Our goal is to have students experience real-world applications of content they’re learning in the classroom, as well as provide opportunities to explore the natural world within our very own communities.

Students visit the Fennville library, take walks around our property, hike the dunes, explore Remington Forest, participate in activities at the Outdoor Discovery Center, and are exposed to the arts…to name a few of the field experiences we’ve provided in the past.

Kindergarten

Kindergarten is the start of an exciting and new educational journey. At IAC, we want to make sure your child has a great start to their academic career by recognizing their strengths and building on them. We keep our student-teacher ratio low to ensure we can meet the needs of our little learners.

Because many 5- and 6-year old children are naturally curious about the world around them, we use a nature-based learning approach where we spend part of our day exploring the great, big world around us.

When we are in the classroom, we do most of our learning in small groups to ensure each child is challenged appropriately. We also strongly believe in the importance of play and incorporate an element of play into our daily routine.  

Nature-Based Outdoor Learning

We’ve formed a  partnership with the Outdoor Discovery Center Education Network to help us with student achievement and whole-child student growth that encompasses emotional, social, spiritual, and physical well-being.

IES Student Support Services: Overview

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)

 IES utilizes a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) in order to best support students’ learning and social-emotional needs. MTSS is a framework to provide all students with the best opportunities to succeed academically and behaviorally in school. The principles and practices of an MTSS are based upon what research has shown to be effective in creating successful and sustainable system change and providing the most effective instruction to all students.  The MTSS framework includes a variety of programs and supports, including those listed later on this document.

What are the essential components of MTSS?

As defined by MDE, the essential components of MTSS are:

  • Team-Based Leadership
  • Tiered Delivery System
  • Selection and Implementation of Instruction, Interventions and Supports
  • Comprehensive Screening & Assessment System
  • Continuous Data-Based Decision Making

Data Dig/Intervention Process

All students in grades K-8 are screened three times a year to monitor progress throughout the curriculum. District reading and math assessments, curriculum based measurement, and NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) are used as assessment tools.  The Data Dig process uses the results of these assessments to determine which students may require additional support in reading and math. 

Who are the members of the Data Dig Team?

The Data Dig team may consist of the school lead, classroom teacher, speech and language pathologist, reading interventionist, school psychologist, and resource room teacher. 

What is the Purpose of the Data Dig?

The Data Dig is a collaborative process of instruction, assessment, and intervention. It is designed for the early identification of students who are struggling in reading and math. The Data Dig revolves around providing targeted instructional interventions with regular progress monitoring. The goal of the Data Dig process is to increase the likelihood of successfully mastering reading and math skills within the regular classroom.

How does the Data Dig/Intervention process work?

The Data Dig team collects data on students from the universal screening conducted three times a year for all K-8 students and analyzes the data to determine if there are any students showing a need for more support in the area of reading and math. The team then makes recommendations for how students will be grouped, what interventions will be provided at the Tier II and Tier III level, how students will be monitored for progress, and what staff member/s will be appointed to work with each student. Tier movement is happening all of the time. Students are able to move throughout the tiers during the entire school year depending on their current academic needs.

Child Study Team (CST)

The Child Study Team process was developed to ensure students are provided reasonable accommodations and modifications within the general education setting in order to best support academic, behavioral, and social-emotional growth.

What is the purpose of CST?

The purpose of the Child Study Team process is to work together to identify the student’s learning/behavioral strengths and needs, to put strategies into action, and  to take frequent progress monitoring data in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions and to determine if any changes/modifications are needed

What is the CST process?

Any staff member that participates in a student’s academic process may recommend a student for the CST process. The team should consider specific areas of concern, including social-emotional concerns, behavioral concerns, and/or academic concerns. 

The CST follows these steps:  

  • Review the student’s strengths, interests, and talents.
  • Discuss reasons for referral, overall performance level, and behavior in the learning environment.  
  • List interventions previously tried and their rate of success. (School  interventions may include accommodations, modifications, and behavior plans. Home interventions may include follow up with health/mental health  concerns, behavior plans, academic support, etc)   
  • Brainstorm interventions that address concerns 
  • Select interventions to try
  • Develop a plan for carrying them out  
  • Agree on a time to meet again to discuss progress.
  • Put the intervention plan into action and evaluate it over time.  **Interventions should be implemented, tracked and documented over at least 2 six-week periods.  
  • The CST meets every 4-6 weeks to discuss the success, or lack thereof, of the intervention. The CST will evaluate whether as a result of the  intervention, the student’s performance improves, remains the same, or regresses. 
    • If the interventions are effective and the student seems to be back on  track, the team should continue with the plan and hold future meetings as  needed. This suggests the student will benefit from instruction in the  general education setting with continuing interventions.  
    • If the interventions don’t bring about desired change, the team may decide  to:  
      • try another round of interventions or alter the current ones
      • refer the student for a special education evaluation to find out if  he/she is eligible for special education services as a student with a  disability. Proper documentation of the interventions attempted and outcome tracking must be provided upon referral to the special education staff.  

 

 

Special Education

In accordance with the Child Find process, IES offers evaluations to children suspected of having a disability that impacts their ability to fully participate in the educational setting (at no charge to families) in order to identify students who may be in need of special education services. IES has a full diagnostic staff that conducts student evaluations and provides support services to students, teachers, and parents.  Diagnostic staff may include the following: teacher consultants/special education resource teachers, speech language pathologists, school social workers, school psychologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists.  We value partnering with parents and students to develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students who are eligible for special education services. IES offers a wide continuum of programs and services for students who qualify for special education. 

Evaluations for Specific Learning Disabilities

Currently, IES uses an evaluative model commonly referred to as “pattern of strengths and weaknesses” (PSW) to determine initial eligibility for a specific learning disability (SLD).  The PSW model involves two main components.  The first component is to review the student’s response to targeted interventions in the general education setting.  Prior to considering SLD eligibility, it should be clear that intensive general education interventions were attempted but unsuccessful in correcting the academic delays.  The second component is to review existing data and administer assessments in an effort to determine if a pattern of strengths and weaknesses can be identified.

Additional Resources:

  • Section 504 Plans:

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/504Plans_721430_7.pdf

  • Procedural Safeguards:

https://www.oaisd.org/downloads/special_education/procedural_safeguards_notice_550307_7.pdf