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Spartan District 2 honors graduate Bryson Grant Gilbert and spotlights Chesn High School’s "visible learning" program
Summary
At a June board meeting, Spartan School District 2 celebrated graduate Bryson Grant Gilbert’s decision to join the U.S. Navy and heard a detailed presentation from Chesn High School staff on their "visible learning" initiative, which emphasizes teacher clarity, success criteria and student feedback cycles.
The Spartan School District 2 board on Tuesday recognized Bryson Grant Gilbert, a 2026 graduate of Chesn High School, and received a presentation from the school’s visible learning team on classroom practices aimed at improving student outcomes.
A board presenter invited Gilbert to the front of the meeting, praised his perseverance and noted that he plans to serve in the U.S. Navy. “Your hard work has paid off. Your diploma is well earned, and we thank you for your willingness to serve our nation,” the presenter said.
Steven Fisaro, representing the Chesn High School visible learning team, told the board the initiative began with a focus on teacher clarity: defining learning standards and ensuring students understand learning intentions and success criteria. “One of the things that was kind of new is posting the learning intentions and the success criteria,” Fisaro said, adding that coaching cycles for teachers helped make those standards measurable and manageable.
Students and teachers described using "I can" statements and checklists so learners know objectives and can self-assess. A student speaker said the approach fosters ownership: when students can map their progress, they can identify strengths and areas for improvement and participate in setting learning goals.
Fisaro also detailed feedback cycles and a districtwide "name and need" strategy used to identify students at risk of not graduating. He cited Gilbert’s story as an example of outreach that helped a student re-engage and earn a diploma. The school reported progress on several performance indicators, including historically high rates in U.S. history C-or-higher grades and improved college-and-career-ready measures. Fisaro told the board Chesn High School was certified as a globally recognized visible learning school on 2026-05-27.
The presentation emphasized teacher-student relationships, differentiated instruction and regular one‑on‑one meetings as practices that contribute to student success. Board members applauded the progress and congratulated Gilbert.
The board did not take formal action on the presentation; it received the update as part of the instruction and curriculum agenda.
