Lindbergh Schools unveils Model of Instruction and discusses early childhood program changes

Lindbergh Schools’ teaching and learning leaders presented a districtwide Model of Instruction and updates on early childhood programming at the board workshop.

Dr. Jill Lawson and Dr. Craig Hamby described the MOI as a framework to provide "a clear and consistent vision for classroom instruction, professional learning, and the teacher evaluation process." The tool organizes instruction into three overarching categories (feedback, context and content), 10 design areas and 36 elements, and staff said the document will guide professional learning, learning walks, coaching cycles and auditing of curricula and programs.

Dr. Lawson said the MOI grew from multi-year work that began with standards-based learning and priority standards and that a prototype (identified in the presentation as prototype 7.1) has been revised over the past six months. Teaching staff reported positive reception: when asked, staff said the MOI was “the best thing they've ever seen,” though district leaders acknowledged the document can look overwhelming and advised teachers to start with the elements where they are ready to grow.

On early childhood, Lindbergh officials described an audit and family survey (about 150 responses) and a focus group of classified and certified staff. Caitlin McGovern, early childhood principal, said the district’s current wait-list process permits families to join as soon as a child is age-eligible and that the list has grown large: for the 2025–26 school year she reported 84 two-year-olds on the wait list with 48 available openings, 86 three–four-year-olds on the list with 12 available spots, and 82 four–five-year-olds with 20 openings. McGovern said the district is considering moves to an annual wait-list window (open for a limited time each year), changes to part-day scheduling (including running AM and PM classes to allow a Monday–Thursday model), reserving an allocation of seats for new-to-district families to increase diversity, converting a two-year-old room to preschool to increase spots at older ages, and possibly moving West site classrooms from part day to full day where demand exists.

McGovern said 48 percent of surveyed families indicated afternoon classes would work for their schedules and that 62 percent of current part-day families said a move to full-day at the West location would work for them. She cautioned that any program changes would likely happen incrementally over several years and would be coordinated with teaching and learning staff.

Board members asked about students who receive early childhood special education (ECSE) services and how they could be accommodated if services occupy only mornings or afternoons; staff said adding PM classes or moving to full-day at West would open options for scheduling the ECSE day with families’ preferences.

District leaders said the MOI will inform a forthcoming revision of the teacher-evaluation tool and be used to audit curricular materials and professional learning. No board action was taken; staff will continue implementation planning.