Freedom Middle and High School Curriculum and Instruction
Welcome to the Freedom Middle and High School Department of Curriculum and Instruction! Here at Freedom, we strive to provide an academic program that is supportive and rigorous as we prepare students for success after graduation.
Our school engages in continuous professional development focused on student success. Teachers and support staff regularly attend external and internal workshops to hone their skills and build their capacity. We are proud of our graduates and educators! We partner with CESA 6 and other learning organizations, and host a voluntary summer academy for our PK-12 teachers that enjoys over 80% attendance.
This website provides a general overview of our 6-12 academic program. Please contact the Director of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction, Dr. Gereon Methner, at gmethner@freedomschools.k12.wi.us with any questions.
Academic Standards:
The Freedom Area School District has adopted academic standards for all content areas at Freedom Middle and High School. Standards ensure that our academic program is up-to-date and aligned with post-secondary education expectations. Please visit the link below to access information related to district-adopted standards:
Curriculum Course Guides, Unit Plans, and the Teacher Clarity Model of Instruction:
Freedom Middle and High School have adopted a universal curriculum course guide unit planning template that is inspired by the Teacher Clarity Playbook resource. Externally trained and certified Freedom administrators have guided departments through this work starting in fall of 2021. The unit plan template ensures that instruction and assessment are aligned to standards, and that students enjoy a “common language” of instruction during their 6-12 experience thanks to the Teacher Clarity Playbook . All new staff are trained in the unit plan process and the Teacher Clarity Playbook as they join our team.
Curriculum Review Cycle and Resource Adoption:
Middle and high school curricula are reviewed on a regular basis. The need for ad hoc curriculum review arises when updated Wisconsin State Standards are adopted, when curriculum resources are no longer supported or effective, and/or as the needs of students change. Our process includes:
- Reviewing the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s content area guidance and the Wisconsin State Standards
Setting content-area vision and goals that align with the FASD Continuous Improvement Plan
- Mapping the existing standards taught at each grade level to identify possible gaps and redundancies in our intended curriculum
- Reviewing existing assessment information to explore the degree to which our intended curriculum is successful
- Exploring high-performing schools throughout Wisconsin and beyond to identify common practices and curriculum resources
- Determining which of our resources are to be kept and which should be replaced
- Site-visits to area schools that are successfully implementing high-quality resources
- Piloting new resources in our current unit plan structure
- Identifying resources and training to propose for adoption for the upcoming school year
- Proposing new curriculum resources for FASD School Board approval
- Providing training and support during the implementation of new curriculum resources
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support:
The Freedom Area School District is committed to providing opportunities for all students to succeed in our academic program. As a result, we have adopted a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) that provides intervention and enrichment opportunities for students’ academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs. Examples of our MTSS program include, but are not limited to:
Academic Supports:
The FMS and FHS commitment to core instructional success via unit planning, regular review of various student data, curriculum review cycle, and Teacher Clarity Model of Instruction
- Small group and individual additional Tier 2 instruction during our Irish Hour intervention/enrichment program
Intense individualized additional Tier 3 instruction for students who are multiple grade levels behind their peers in targeted skill areas in reading and mathematics
- Referral to special education services when general education MTSS supports are not successful
Social-Emotional Supports:
Whole group, small group, and individual school counseling instruction covering topics including:
- Positive peer relationships
- Coping strategies for challenges at school
- Challenges outside of school that impact successful participation in the academic program
- Developing positive self-image and its connection to post-secondary opportunities
- Guest speakers that empower students to overcome challenges and be positive contributors to the school community
Behavioral Supports:
- Committee-generated Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS) programming that teaches responsible, respectful, and safe conduct
- Tiered support for discipline that includes restorative and empathic behavior
- Peer education and mentoring programs are in place to reinforce positive choices and the “Irish Way”
Wisconsin State Report Cards:
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) reports annually on student achievement, attendance, and graduation rates with school and district report cards. The Wisconsin DPI also maintains a site to explore and compare statistics about student achievement and school information for all Wisconsin's public schools at the WISEdash Public Portal. Freedom Middle and High School use this information to reflect on overall instructional outcomes and trends over multiple years. Other points of data such as core instructional assessments, math and reading screener scores, and intervention are regularly reviewed as a means of planning for student success.
EDUCATION FOR EMPLOYMENT
Board Policy po2420
The education for employment program provides career awareness for elementary grade level, career exploration at the middle-school level, and career planning and preparation at the high school level. Career programs are available at technical colleges. An education for employment program shall include a long-range plan approved by the Board and developed by a team of District staff and community stakeholders, which may include businesses, postsecondary education institutions, and workforce development organizations.
