nihf stem Middle School Student Success Overview
The NIHF STEM Middle School’s student success model uses nine focal points to measure achievements, skills, literacies and core knowledge.
1. High-Performance Standards: the way to the destination and means to the milestones
High-performance expectations -- which include core knowledge, skills and fluencies -- are set for all learners, shaped by the intellectual and imaginative powers and competencies that learners need. Learning coaches can clearly articulate what learners should know and be able to do while working together to help learners succeed.
2. Leadership: the shared responsibility to lead
The NIHF STEM Middle School’s staff and educators operate in a system of distributed leadership. (All members of the school community lead positional roles that support improved learning. This requires continuous adjustment and modeling. To increase student achievement, administrators must also be contributing members of the instructional team, which creates a shared learning approach.)
3. Knowledgeable and Skilled Educators: the lifelong learners who know how and continue to learn how
At the NIHF STEM Middle School, a learning coach’s expertise is directly tied to student development. The complexities of learning require educators to be knowledgeable, flexible, nurturing, caring and collaborative team members.
4. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment: the navigation for our course
A curriculum that serves the vision of the NIHF STEM Middle School begins with authentic and adaptive learning experiences that enhance and accommodate the diverse skills and abilities of the learners. Taken into account is the importance of building on prior knowledge and incorporating individual learning styles.
5. Environment for Learning: the setting and tools that promote advancement
The NIHF STEM Middle School climate supports high expectations with care, trust, fairness and generosity. Diversity is embraced. Democratic decision-making promotes a respectful and participatory culture in the classroom and throughout the school.
6. Family, Community and School Partners: the advocates that promote high learner achievement
7. Student as Learner: self-directed, active participants
Through self-directed and collaborative learning opportunities, the NIHF STEM Middle School’s learners are encouraged to take intellectual risks and to become innovative, creative thinkers.
8. Systems for Sustainable Operation: the infrastructure that keeps our goals on the horizon
The NIHF STEM Middle School’s Systems for ensuring student success require a team approach between the learning coaches, the learners and the learners’ families.
Leadership development: Leadership development, a goal for both the learners and the learning coaches, instills the importance of working as a team and sharing responsibility. Learners and learning coaches also collaborate to understand a learner’s development and decision-making abilities.
Professional development of learning coaches: Learning coaches are held accountable for professional development to encourage lifelong learning, curriculum development and advancements to constantly improve teaching methods and material and the maintenance of a professional learning community. Learners’ families have an active role when it comes to program assessment and communications so that a learner’s progress is followed in school and at home. With ongoing, mutual support, learning can continue after the bell has rung.
9. Learning Organization: the methodical and mutual approach to learning
The pursuit of knowledge is important in every school. The NIHF STEM Middle School involves all members of the school community in this pursuit with a shared purpose of imparting a well-rounded education for the school’s learners.
Data-driven: The real-world approach that the NIHF STEM Middle School has incorporated is prevalent among all the staff and school community.
Continuous learning model: Learning coaches and staff continually define how they can improve their techniques and find more effective and efficient methods.
Professional growth and learning: All members of the school community have a responsibility to improve their knowledge and abilities with ongoing growth and learning.
