The mission of School District 129 is to provide a positive learning environment that guides all students toward lifelong learning by maximizing academic, social, emotional and physical growth. 

The mission of the division of Teaching and Learning is to support increased student achievement by providing relevant instructional materials and training for teachers and administrators.  The office works closely with the division of Student Services to ensure a shared vision, a common language, and the alignment of priorities that support current best practice and educational research.  Our work focuses on the time, tools and training that support the daily work in schools and individual classrooms. 

“Good” schools are geared to continuous improvement. No school, no teaching, no curriculum is ever perfect; good schools are places where people are neither smug nor complacent. Good schools are always in the making (Ayers, 2000).

School District 129 is always “in the making.” Thank you for your participation as we continually work at improving instruction for our students.

September 2009 Approve Internet safety curriculum for grades 3-12 Recommend elementary school field trip changes May 2009 Approve eSchool Plus as the District’s new student data management system (Purchase and implementation delayed due to economic conditions.) Approve K-5 Math: Otter Creek Math Facts Program for 2009-10, but delay Envision Math instructional materials until 2010-11 due to economic conditions Approve new middle school gifted instructional materials - Word Within the Word March 2009 Approve new math instructional materials for middle and high schools Approve Jewel restructuring Adopt Pre K-12 writing tools Approve new elementary school schedule with an additional 100 minutes of instructional time per week Begin training of elementary principals and teachers on Six-Trait Writing Model Recommend and approve new writing instructional materials for all grades   January 2009 Update middle school and high school math tool improvements Present the review process for math standards, evaluation, and development and recommend multiple new math instructional materials for grades 6-12 Continue course fee discussion Recommend restructured middle school schedule with an additional 125 minutes of instructional time per week Assess individual buildings on phases of implementation with the use of student progress data to drive instructional decisions November 2008 Present Herget’s E-Plan Continue discussion of assessments and diagnostic tools Review effectiveness of 8-period day at West Aurora High School Training for Teaching and Learning leadership team and principals on the use of student progress data to drive instructional decisions   September 2008 Teach elementary school parents at Pearson Science Night how to use new online science resources at home to help in their childrens science learning Purchase PLATO, a technology-based teaching and standards-driven assessment tool to provide continuous academic improvement for Dist. 129 alternative school students Review possible new math textbooks and support materials for eighth grade for implementation in 2009-10 school year to upgrade math teaching and learning Implement new teacher evaluation process to assist teachers in improving their skills Expand partnership with IMSA to provide an after-school math and science enrichment program at Fearn Begin discussion of fee matrix at all levels Begin discussions of elementary and middle school time of day Present Teaching and Learning Plan of Work to Board of Education Begin discussion and collection of field trip matrix data   July 2008 Held summer camp for middle school engineering clubs that began last year in partnership with Northern Illinois University April 2008 Approve West High 8-period-day for 2008-09 Approve new middle school science textbooks and related materials Approve new middle school science textbooks and related materials Start at Hope Wall a new Special Olympics program for younger children with intellectual disabilities January 2008 Start enrichment classes for 20 high-achieving elementary students in partnership with Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development October 2007 Approve Advanced Placement English textbooks for West High Two teachers earn National Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards July 2007 Install new West High science equipment, including LCD projectors for the Biology program and a classroom polling system Approve new West High Science textbooks for biology, honors chemistry, honors biology, geology/meteorology, chemistry in the community, anatomy and physiology and chemistry   May 2007 Implement the Waubonsee Community College Dunham Academy Program where 25 West High seniors will earn one year of college credit   December 2006 Eleven teachers earn national certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards   August 2006 Began implementation of research-based Positive Behavior Intervention Suports in schools   June 2006 Receive a $30,000 foreign-language-assistance grant to research the development of advanced Spanish classes for students whose native language is Spanish		October 2009 Present school improvement plans to board Present update on Aurora City-Wide Mathematics and Science Education system Held Teaching and Learning study session for board Plan for East/West Parent University, a day-long seminar for parents     August 2009 Recommend Internet safety curriculum for grades 3-12 Implement new math instructional materials for grades 6-12 Implement new writing instructional materials for all grades Implement new gifted instructional materials for grades 6-12 Implement new schedule for grades K-8 Train School Improvement Planning teams in the use of state tests to develop school improvement goals     April 2009 Recommend eSchool Plus as the district’s new student data management system Recommend new middle school gifted instructional materials, Word within the Word Recommend new math instructional materials for grades K-5     February 2009 Approve School Improvement Plans Recommend course fees for grades 6-12 Present the review process for writing of standards, evaluation, and development for writing curriculum and recommended writing instructional materials for all grades Train Teaching and Learning leadership team on the development and use of quarterly common assessments of students to assist teachers in data-driven decision making Update PreK-12 Reading/ Language Arts/Writing improvement plans Approve new middle school schedule with an additional 125 minutes of instructional time per week Restructure preschool program to include blended (combined general education and special education) classrooms     December 2008 Recognize four district teachers for achieving National Board Certification Approval of Herget’s E-plan Update course fees for grades 6-12   October 2008 Contract with Quad County Urban League to provide services for middle school (AMSA) and high school students (Pathways) Continue field trip matrix discussion for future alignment with curriculum Approve PLATO software purchase Begin discussion of assessments and diagnostic tools   August 2008 Add eighth period to longer high school day to provide more educational options for all students Place science learning tools online for parents to use in helping their children learn the new science curriculum Implement fourth- and fifth-grade Language Arts Enrichment classes, an expansion of the Gifted and Talented program Expand enrichment classes to 10 more high-achieving elementary students in partnership with Northwestern Universitys Center for Talent Development for a total of 30 students Adopt of PLATO software as a web-based instructional tool   May 2008 Accept for review the gifted enrichment textbooks for fourth and fifth grades: "Caesar's English One," "Caesar's English Two" and "Junior Great Books Series Four" and "Junior Great Books Series Five" Accept for review the new high school English Text, "Archetypes in Literature" Accept for review an updated seventh-grade Social Studies textbook – Holt: " World Geography 2009" Propose  fourth- and fifth-grade Language Arts Enrichment classes, an expansion of the Gifted and Talented program     February 2008 Present new Gifted Continuum of services to include enrichment pull-out for grades 4-5 and the development of a gifted academy for grades 3-8 Approve new science textbooks and support materials for kindergarten through fifth-grade     December 2007 Start middle school engineering clubs in partnership with Northern Illinois University   September 2007 Strengthen gifted education including clustering K-8 students, increasing middle school math enrichment sections and training teachers to better prepare middle school students for high school Advanced Placement classes Evaluate preschool programs   June 2007 Middle schools accepted into IMSA E2K math and science after-school enrichment program   April 2007 Referendum passes. Voters approve new operating rate   September 2006 Evaluate English Language Learner Programs Evaluate Special Education Receive an additional $175,000 to reduce class sizes under the state’s Class Size Reduction Pilot Program   January 2006 Develop priority learning targets for Foreign Language, Health, Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, Physical Education, Science, Social Emotional Learning, Social Science and Visual/Performing Arts