Department of Student and Instructional Services

MARQUARDT SCHOOL DISTRICT 15

Student and Instructional Services provides support and leadership to assist students, parents, teachers and community members in achieving District goals and academic success for all students. 

I. CURRICULUM

Marquardt School District 15's curriculum is aligned to the Illinois State Standards for each grade level as it relates to English Language Arts, Fine Arts, Mathematics, Science, Physical Development/Health, Social/Emotional Learning, and Social Science.

• Pre-K

• Kindergarten

• 1st Grade

• 2nd Grade

• 3rd Grade

• 4th Grade

• 5th Grade

• 6th Grade

• 7th Grade

• 8th Grade

• K-8th Physical Education & Health

• K-8th Fine Arts

II. INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Marquardt School District 15 monitors the progress of students very closely. We strive to meet the needs of each of our students through a variety of instructional practices. Any parent who feels that their child requires such services may contact their principal for assistance.

• Bilingual and English Learner Program is designed to enable EL students to attain both English proficiency and parity with their non-EL peers in academic content at grade level. This is accomplished within a variety of effective program models.

• Special Education-Services are provided for students who qualify according to state criteria for specified programs or services. Services may include occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech/language therapy as well as programs designed for students with learning disabilities and behavioral disorders.

  • Resource- The Resource Program is designed for students who require special education services less than 50% of their school day. This type of program can include consultation by the resource teacher to the regular classroom teacher and/or individual or small group direct instruction, by the special education teacher.

  • Specialized Academic Classrooms- (Supported by the Cooperative Association for Special Education) – Specialized Academic Classrooms are self-contained special education classrooms designed for students who exhibit difficulties in the area of communication, socialization and academics. Support is also provided for students who have motor or sensory needs. Some Specialized Academic Classrooms are located within the special ed. cooperative, but not within Marquardt District 15.

  • Emotional Support Program- The ESP program is a highly structured program for students who exhibit emotional and/or behavioral difficulties. These programs provide specialized techniques and emotional support to allow students to benefit from educational instruction.

  • Hearing Impaired- Programs for students with hearing impairments are available in cooperation with the C.A.S.E. or SASED Special Education Cooperatives. Students may be serviced by an itinerant teacher who comes to the child’s home school or in a self-contained class structure.

  • Speech and Language- Speech and Language Services are provided for students with speech and/or language impairments which interfere with their educational or social development.

  • School Social Worker and Psychologist- Programs for students with a visual impairment are available in cooperation with the C.A.S.E. or SASED Special Education Cooperatives. Students may be serviced by an itinerant teacher who comes to the child’s home school or in a self-contained class structure.

• Early Childhood Special Education Program is designed for students with identified developmental delays in the area of speech and language, motoric, behavioral and/or cognitive functioning. This program is designed to provide early intervention in each of the developmental areas.

• Accelerated Math is a challenging accelerated program for academically able learners in the upper elementary grades. Advanced math learners receive daily math instruction with certified math teachers in content a year or more above their current grade level.

• Co-Taught Classes use an instructional model where two or more teachers work together to support student learning and growth. Co-taught classes provide students with the opportunity to receive instruction and feedback from multiple instructors with different strengths and perspectives. This model can be used to support general instruction or specific differentiated instruction.

• Summer School is a great way for your child to learn throughout the summer. We offer a variety of opportunities that allow your child to learn in a fun, hands-on environment. For students who are in instrumental music, there are band and orchestra camps. Sports camps are also available where students can hone their skills or just get active and try something new.

• Summer Music Camp is a great way to immerse your student in the musical arts during Break.

• Exploration University is a new Saturday program offered by MSD15. It provides engaging, problem-based learning opportunities for K-8 students outside of the typical school week. Students will apply their knowledge in all content areas while also further developing their collaboration, problem solving, critical thinking and creativity skills.

• PBIS Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports is a framework from which good behavior is systematically described and taught through expectations and rewarded when evidenced by students.

• Literacy and Numeracy Interventions

• Acceleration Processes

  • Early Entrance: Illinois Administrative Code indicates that a child who reaches 5 years of age by September 1 of their kindergarten year, may enter kindergarten. A child who reaches 6 years of age by September 1 of their first grade year, may enter grade one.

    Early entrance to school may be an excellent accelerative option for academically talented young children who do not reach the state requirements for age as defined by state code. Marquardt School District 15 has an acceleration policy and procedure that addresses exceptions for children whose potential and skills are very superior when compared with their peers.

    The decision for a child to enter school early is an important one, and one that impacts a child, both academically and socially, for the rest of the child’s school career. This decision involves not only academic readiness, but academic potential and social-emotional maturity.

    The Early Entrance Process is open between April 1 and June 30 each school year. Parents/guardians who feel their child is a strong candidate for early entrance should contact the appropriate school principal.

  • Whole Grade: This applies to children who are in kindergarten and show potential for whole grade acceleration during trimester 3 of the kindergarten year or children who are in 1st grade or higher and show potential for grade level acceleration (must be started by March 1st of current school year.)

    Referral for Whole Grade Acceleration must be submitted by MSD15 educator (additionally, a parent request must come through the classroom teacher.) This referral must go through a Whole Grade Acceleration Process. Parents/guardians who feel their child is a strong candidate for early entrance should contact the appropriate school principal.

    Whole grade acceleration may be an excellent accelerative option for academically talented students who meet certain state requirements. The decision for a child to accelerate grade levels is an important one, and one that impacts a child, both academically and socially, for the rest of the child’s school career. This decision involves not only academic readiness, but academic potential and social-emotional maturity.

• e-Learning: MSD15 is offering e-Learning in the case of an emergency including, but not limited to, snow days, “cold” days, etc. This is not to be confused with remote learning due to COVID-19. To learn more about e-Learning, please view the following documents:

  • MSD15 e-Learning Plan

  • MSD15 e-Learning Expectations

    
    

III. INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT

We offer 1:1 computer learning for all learners where educators can use interactive texts, videos, animations, and other features in digital instructional programs. Technology-based teaching and learning provides more dynamic, personalized lessons with assessment tools that determine each student’s level of performance to help teachers quickly identify academic strengths and areas of growth.

Classrooms across the district are also equipped with digital displays, projectors, document cameras, and also have access to computers. 

IV. STUDENT ASSESSMENT

Every school’s goal is for all children to grow and learn. Just as we use a tape measure to mark a person’s physical growth, in schools we use a variety of assessments to measure learning. Teachers use these results to help plan instruction and provide appropriate support. The following assessments are used in Marquardt School District 15 to understand what students know and can do:

• NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment measures each student’s reading and mathematical achievement level and growth throughout the year and from one year to the next. It compares a student’s performance to students in the same grade in District 15 and across the nation. Taken on the computer, it individualizes the test for each student; a question’s difficulty is based on how well the student answered all previous questions. The tests are administered online to all kindergarten through 8th grade students three times a year: fall, winter, and spring. The MAP assessment is aligned to the Common Core State Standards.

To support your child with NWEA Map...

Check out NWEA Resources for Parents, a website that provides parents information about NWEA, videos and parent guides in English and Spanish. 

• Dynamic Learning Maps Essential Elements supports the Illinois Learning Standards for specified students who participate in Special Education Services:

  • Kindergarten-5th Grade

  • 6th Grade-8th Grade

• Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) is a State-mandated achievement test that measures a student’s learning in relation to the Illinois Learning Standards. The assessments of English Language Arts and Mathematics are administered in grades three through eight.

• Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) is a State-mandated achievement test that measures a student’s learning in relation to the Illinois Learning Standards in Science. This assessment is administered in grades five and eight.

• PSAT is administered to 8th-graders . The PSAT prepares students not only for their high school coursework, but for their post-high school choices as well. It marks an important beginning for a student's future academic and career success. It is administered in October of a child’s 8th grade year.

To support your child with PSAT...

Read the "Benefits of Taking the PSAT" an informational parent handout.

• ACCESS for ELLs (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Learners) is a summative English language proficiency assessment. It is taken annually by English language learners in kindergarten through grade 8.

To support your child with ACCESS...

Check out the Illinois Board of Education's ACCESS Resources page and these How-to Videos.

• Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) is an observational tool designed to help teachers, administrators, and families better understand the developmental readiness of children entering kindergarten. Data for this tool is recorded in the fall and spring of the kindergarten year.

V. Professional Development

Staff Development in District 15 is our commitment to help all employees stay current around effective practice in instruction. These effective learning opportunities are designed to promote continuous, ongoing, and connected adult learning that is focused on accelerating student learning. Through ongoing and rigorous staff development, we believe our already high-performing staff will continue to meet the challenges of helping all students succeed. Below are a few ways that Marquardt School District 15 supports our staff's development as professionals:

• Collaborative Teams

• School Improvement Plan Work

• Sharing & Learning: Insight Days

• Sharing & Learning: Impact Days

Administrative Team