Academic reviews flag strong relationships and small‑group instruction, urge deeper cognitive tasks

Dr. Bula presented findings from week‑long academic reviews conducted in three schools and described a mixed picture: observers reported consistently strong student‑teacher relationships and effective small‑group instruction, but also identified recurring gaps in teacher clarity, alignment between written lesson plans and classroom practice, limited formative assessment checks, and a need for tasks that require deeper student thinking aligned with the revised SOL standards.

"We were seeing it across the board" in math and ELA small‑group strategies, Dr. Bula said, while also noting that many lessons still relied on surface‑level recall rather than deeper student discourse. The reviews used paired classroom observations, student interviews and leader debriefs; staff emphasized the purpose was diagnostic and to inform targeted coaching rather than punitive evaluation.

Recommended next steps include implementing more consistent coaching cycles for classroom teachers, paired walkthroughs with administrators, strengthened PLC (professional learning community) planning, and spring follow‑up visits to measure progress. Dr. Bula said instruction teams would work with principals and MCLs (instructional coaches) to prioritize measurable objectives and routine formative checks so teachers can know whether students have mastered key standards during lessons.

Board members asked how the instructional shifts align to assessment pacing and whether unit plans reduce other objectives to allow deeper work; staff said curriculum teams are prioritizing essential standards to balance depth and breadth.

The division plans additional audit work focused on EL instruction and scheduled spring checks to assess implementation.