During the 2020-21 school year, collaborative groups of administrators and teachers researched options for learning pathways, including arts integration, STEM/STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), outdoor education, and dual language immersion. A learning pathway is defined as speciality programming that is offered at particular school sites across the school district. Each group wrote a paper, detailing the findings of their research. The options researched were the ones with strong community support for implementation in D11. A dual language immersion program was started at Rogers Elementary School in the fall of 2021, with a kindergarten and a first-grade class. Families were given the option to participate in this learning pathway at Rogers.

D11 is committed to quality in any instructional model chosen.With this in mind, groups of school administrators and teachers have visited schools to see their implementation in action! Trips included: A+ Arts Schools in Charlotte, NC, a STEAM school in St. Petersburg, Florida, Outdoor Education Schools in Colorado, and Dual Language Immersion schools in Utah. Trips included not only classroom observations, but also time to debrief and ask questions of administrators and teachers at these schools. Our D11 school teams are now in the process of taking their new learnings back to their own schools, to determine readiness and interest in these learning pathways. Their next step will be deciding which pathway(s) they may choose to apply to become!

By the end of the 2021-22 school year, these district teams will have determined which elementary schools will be pathway schools, on both the east and west sides of our school district, through an application and interview process. Schools choosing to apply will show both staff and community support for their application. The 2022-23 school year will be a "zero year." A "zero year" allows time for logistics planning, professional development and support, marketing, and materials development/acquisition, before a full implementation of the new program in the school. Additionally, a team is being developed to define "Quality Neighborhood Schools," to include both metrics and supports for schools. The goal of the AMP is to ensure that all D11 schools are Quality Neighborhood Schools, and to also offer choice programming to all families.

• Pathway School Application Readiness
• What does it mean to be a D11 pathway school?
• Launch of Quality Neighborhood Schools work group
• Questions? Please contact us at 520-2045.