Your voice is important: curriculum, assessment and more!

/ susangifford
Laptop computer on table with two persons reviewing writing on paper while holding pencils as if to edit

This blog post was submitted by the Teaching & Learning Team

Opportunities to provide input that will influence updates to Policy 2020, related procedures and follow-up action plans include:

  1. Completing this survey by May 6
    1. Key audience: All OSD Educators/Staff, Families, Students, and Community Members
  2. Participating in a districtwide OSD Policy 2020 Focus Group
    1. Co-facilitated by Instructional Coaches Katie Savinski, Casey Church and Malia Lee with Dr. Cherlyn Pijanowski, senior director of Teaching & Learning, for the Teaching & Learning (T&L) Team
    1. Participants attend one session: Tuesday, April 26 @ 3:30-4:30 p.m. or Thursday, April 28 @ 4:30-5:30 p.m. at Knox Room 202 A/B
    1. Clock hours available through pdEnroller
    1. Key audience: OSD Educators/Staff

Background on Instructional Materials Policy Need for Update: Equity

Our district board of directors and superintendent’s office have been leading efforts around Equity Policy Development. While this long-term, sustainable work is taking place, our board has made it clear it will not wait to charge our district with moving forward as equity opportunities are unveiled.

Based on a data dive during the March 3, 2022 Board Work Study, our district was charged with updating Instructional Materials Policy 2020 and ensuring involvement of stakeholders in the process.

“Instructional Materials” Defined

Instructional Materials include course design and course code approvals, curriculum across all content areas and grade-levels spanning digital applications and physical curricular supports, and assessments to support learning and instruction.

Current Policy 2020

Our current Policy 2020 and procedures related to 2020 are on the OSD Board Policies and Procedures webpage. Policy 2020 was last updated in 2020 and serves as a foundation to charting a course for Teaching & Learning to partner with stakeholders for evaluating instructional materials (curriculum, assessment, course design & course offerings, etc.) and partnering on action plans moving forward in the interest of student success.

Purpose of Policy

The purpose of board-adopted policies is outlined on our Board Policy Review webpage. Policies are “essentially the governing documents by which the Olympia School District operates” and “are based on laws and regulations.” Procedures are developed by administrative staff to implement Board-adopted policies.

Leadership & Timeline

These Policy 2020 update efforts are being led by Dr. Hannah Gbenro, chief academic officer (CAO), in partnership with leaders across our T&L Team, school and community.

Learning from stakeholders is expected to conclude the evening of May 1 so that data can be analyzed to influence Policy 2020 updates, Procedure 2020 updates and/or action plans that will launch after policy recommendations are made to the board.

The first reading of the updated Policy 2020 is scheduled for May 14, 2022 at the board meeting.

A full, high-level timeline is included in the Policy 2020 Update, Project Charter (Action Plan).

Related Resources