FISD Secondary Teaching & Learning

FISD is dedicated to delivering high-quality, inclusive instruction that meets the needs of every student, ensuring that learning experiences are both meaningful and engaging. Our commitment is to create lessons that not only align with academic standards but also resonate with students' personal lives, interests, and future aspirations. We understand that education is most impactful when it feels relevant and connected to real-world experiences, and we strive to design curriculum that reflects this philosophy.

At FISD, we believe that students thrive when they are actively involved in their own learning journey.  Through collaborative, student-centered teaching, we aim to cultivate a love for learning that will serve students well beyond the classroom helping them to become lifelong learners who are capable of adapting to new challenges and opportunities. 

Instructional Technology Enhancement Beliefs

FISD is committed to grading practices that support the learning process, encourage student success, and accurately reflect student progress toward mastery of the course standards, determined by the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) or College Board. 

Our beliefs about learning and grading practices are grounded in the following statements: 

• All students can learn. 
• Students learn in different ways. 
• Students learn in different time frames. 
• Errors are inherent in the learning process. 
• Assessment is a process for providing feedback that influences learning. 
• Grades should accurately reflect mastery of the standards. 
• Certain behavioral traits are essential for student success. 

As evidence of our commitment to these beliefs, the following grading and assessment practices will be implemented: 

• Methods of grading, feedback, and evidence of learning will be communicated in the teacher syllabus and should be consistent among content teams. 
• Criteria for evidence of student learning is determined by the classroom teacher in collaboration with the content team. Weekly grades/feedback will be posted in Skyward. 
• Students will be expected to complete all assignments on time and in their entirety in order to receive timely feedback.
• Within each learning unit, formative assessments will be used allowing for feedback regarding the learning standards. The nine weeks grade should reflect an appropriate sampling of summative assessments to accurately reflect mastery of the targeted standards.

FISD believes that relearning and reassessment encourages a growth mindset, fosters deeper understanding, and facilitates long-term retention of knowledge and skills. 

How does reassessment promote mastery of standards?
Reassessment provides students the opportunity to identify areas where they may have gaps in their understanding or skills. By reviewing their performance, students are given time for reflection, feedback, targeted practice, and personalized support. Relearning followed by reassessment encourages a growth mindset, fosters deeper understanding, and facilitates long-term retention of knowledge and skills.

How does reassessment promote student accountability?
Students are held accountable  for understanding the clear learning targets, responding to feedback, and taking action on the necessary steps to achieve mastery. This shifts the accountability from grades alone to a deeper understanding of concepts and skills, ultimately holding students responsible for their own learning and growth.

How does reassessment prepare students for post-high school readiness?
Reassessment promotes the development of both academic and behavioral skills necessary for success after high school by shifting the focus from the grade to the learning. This shift helps students develop skills in goal-setting, self-assessment, and self-direction, which are essential for success in college and the workplace.

Research shows that in this globally and digitally interconnected world, all learners need skills and knowledge to succeed. These skills not only provide a framework for successful learning in the classroom, but ensure students can thrive in a world where change is constant and learning never stops.

If we want to prepare our students for success in school, work and life, opportunities to develop these skills for success and receive feedback on their growth is essential. FISD has identified three characteristics that are directly related to a student’s academic success.

Success Standards

We can say we want students to be ready for success in college or their chosen career, but unless we identify what that means and teach it, the proclamation is nothing more than lip service.
 Schimmer, Grading from the Inside Out, 126

FHS students who participated in the focus group discuss the changes to class rank and why they believe the changes will benefit them in their educational pursuits. 

*When Maren discusses having to take regular speech and health, the courses she intended to discuss were PE and fine arts.*

• FHS Assessment Calendar
• Advanced Placement
• FHS Final Exam Exemption Policy

FISD believes technology is a powerful that supports student learning and positively impacts student achievement. After careful consideration and stakeholder feedback, FISD has selected specific digital resources to invest in that will enhance personalized learning and data-driven instruction, align with state standards and foster 21st-century skills for FISD students.  Many of these digital resources vary in purpose and complexity and enable teachers to deliver targeted instruction that meets the specific learning needs of their students, leading to improved academic performance and learning outcomes. 

Listed below are the core digital resources that have been selected by the FISD Teaching & Learning and Instructional Technology departments and will be used to support FISD students in grades 6 - 12.