SPRINGER NINTH GRADE

Students in Grade 9 will have access to extended blocks for English and Math. This allows students the opportunity for scaffolding and/or extensions in the areas of English and Math. Students who are behind in these areas could master the content with foundational instruction and reinforcement. Those students excelling would have the opportunity for enrichment in the areas in which they thrive.

• Ensures students are learning the objectives outlined in the Common Core Standards
• Is engaging and interactive
• Allows for modification and flexibility
• Is developed to allow for more than one year of growth in math and English/Language Arts
• Is centered around clear learning goals for each individual child
• Is designed with a diverse perspective in mind

• Is an important tool in providing accommodations and strategies that can level the playing field and increase independence
• Must be used intentionally for learning purposes and strategies
• Must be modeled for students by teachers
• Requires instruction in order to be used effectively
• Helps students keep pace with the outside world
• Prepares students for future career goals

• Be highly engaging, fun and flexible
• Be multisensory in nature allowing students to be fully immersed in learning
• Be built on a foundation of research based instructional practices and interventions
• Be designed in a way that a gradual release of responsibility and independence can occur
• Be systematic throughout an educational environment
• Be created with a constant awareness of cognitive load capacity

• Assist students in building academic confidence by allowing them to experience success
• Reinforce critical concepts taught in the classroom
• Allow the teacher to have an increased level of awareness of student strengths and limitations, thereby guiding a more individualized instructional approach
• Provide opportunities for students to demonstrate knowledge and mastery

• Minimizes student and parent anxiety and frustration
• Honors individualized learning styles and needs
• Recognizes and respects competing demands for students’ time outside of school
• Meets individual student need and is strategically designed for each child
• Recognizes attempts at completion, not just accuracy
• Recognizes and respects the value of play and recreation outside of school

Students will engage in daily targeted interventions focusing on their specific learning needs. We will use research-based curriculums to target skills our students need to develop in order to be successful. Unique to Springer, 9th grade students will have access to other related services based on their individual needs including Occupational Therapy and Speech/Language Therapy.

Intervention and Executive Functioning
Students will participate in a daily Intervention and Executive Function Bell. During this time, students will methodically be taught to establish a routine, stay organized, meet deadlines, and communicate with teachers. These habits of executive functioning skills and independent work skills will become habits of practice for our students. As students become more competent and independent with their executive functioning skills, they will require less and less support.

Learning Strategies
Students will participate in a daily learning strategies class. During this time, students will learn specific learning strategies that can be used across curriculums and will engage in exploring technology resources. We believe technology is a powerful tool in creating independence for our students.

The Springer Way
The entire Springer organization derives its greatest strengths from the traditions of service and caring which have evolved over many years of studying students who learn differently and the most effective ways to teach these students. We know that our students do best in environments with explicit structure and routine. Our students need to focus on academics and not on understanding the expectations or worrying about what comes next. Our staff will be provided with expected instructional routines, a strong foundation for all instruction in each and every classroom.

As students progress and begin to successfully accomplish daily tasks, a method of gradual increase in independence will be introduced and encouraged.

We are committed to keeping core content class sizes at 14 or less. We believe that our students will have more opportunities to learn and grow and feel safe with taking risks. The outcome of such an approach fosters curiosity, increases confidence and builds potential on their path to a successful future.

Throughout a student’s time at a Springer grade 9 program, students and families will meet regularly with a staff member to discuss plans. Our staff will develop options for students based on their individual needs and future goals. This could be exploring the next steps in their high school journey, assessing their career interests and planning for college.

With our small class sizes, holistic Student Growth will be an integral part of the day at Springer. Students will feel a sense of belonging, as they grow into compassionate members of our community.

• Must be an integral part of what we do
• Happens when Character Education is explicitly taught
• Happens when Positive Behaviors are recognized and celebrated
• Happens when expectations are explicitly taught, practiced and reinforced
• Is important in order for our students to navigate difficult situations successfully
• Will help our students approach situations with confidence and a growth mindset
• Is an important part of long-term success