- Granite Falls School District 332
- Academics
Academics
-
Learning Standards
Our learning standards help ensure that all students have the skills needed to be successful in two- or four-year college or for entering the workforce after graduation from high school. Basic education in Washington state is defined by the legislature. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) develops the state's learning standards and oversees the assessment of the learning standards for state and federal accountability purposes. Learning standards define what all students need to know and be able to do at each grade level.
Background
Four learning goals provide the foundation for the development of all academic learning standards in Washington state:
- Read with comprehension, write effectively, and communicate successfully in a variety of ways and settings and with a variety of audiences;
- Know and apply the core concepts and principles of mathematics; social, physical, and life sciences; civics and history, including different cultures and participation in representative government; geography; arts; and health and fitness;
- Think analytically, logically, and creatively, and to integrate technology literacy and fluency as well as different experiences and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems; and
- Understand the importance of work and finance and how performance, effort, and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities.
Our state learning standards are developed through collaborative, public processes informed by educators, administrators, community members, parents and guardians, and stakeholder groups across the state and nation. Here are our learning standards in the areas of English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, science, and social studies.
Granite Falls School District works closely with staff, families, and the community in designing learning aligned with the Washington State Learning Standards that support the success of every student.
Learning Standards By Subject
-
Health & Fitness
- Granite Falls School District recognizes the connection between academic success and physical fitness among our children. Through community collaboration and partnerships, we will serve as a catalyst for change as we move toward reducing youth obesity and increasing the number of students graduating from high school empowered with strategies for staying fit for life!
-
Mathematics
Granite Falls School District is committed to ensuring each student has access to and is engaged in rigorous mathematics that is relevant and provides college and career readiness. We recognize that mathematics is a vital and critical life tool in our increasingly quantified society. Our mission is to remove barriers and ensure that all students learn to become mathematical thinkers and are prepared for any academic career or professional path they choose.
-
Sexual Health Education
Kindergarten - Grade 3
- No sexual health content or curriculum is taught in grades K-3.
- Social and emotional learning (SEL) is taught using the Second Step curriculum. SEL is a process of building awareness and skills in managing emotions, setting goals, establishing relationships, and making responsible decisions that support success in school and in life.
Grades 4-5
- GFSD uses selected lessons from Family Life and Sexual Health (FLASH) curriculum for sexual health education in grades 4-12 in compliance with the requirements of SB 5395. No other supplemental materials are used.
- For grades 4 and 5, lesson topics include: family, self-esteem, friendship, decision-making, personal hygiene, avoiding sexual exploitation, puberty, parts of the reproductive system, and HIV/AIDS.
Grades 6-8
- For grades 6-8, all lessons are from the FLASH curriculum based on current research to prevent pregnancy, STDs and sexual violence. No other supplemental materials are used.
- Topics include: anatomy, reproduction and pregnancy; puberty and development; self-identity; abstinence and other pregnancy and STD prevention; healthy relationships; influences on healthy relationships; affirmative consent; bystander training.
Grades 9-12
- For grade 9, GFSD uses selected lessons from FLASH curriculum in compliance with the requirements of SB 5395. No other supplemental materials are used.
- For grade 9 Health, lesson topics include: healthy and mindful choices, intrapersonal and interpersonal communication skills, influences on healthy relationships, health care and prevention resources, abstinence and birth control, HIV/AIDS, affirmative consent, and bystander training.
- Students in grades 9-12 receive annual HIV/AIDS education, including STD prevention using the FLASH curriculum consistent with the AIDS Omnibus Act.
Rights of Parents and Guardians
Opt Out
- Parents/Guardians can opt their child out of any or all instruction in comprehensive sexual health education.
- GFSD will honor the parent or guardian request to opt their child out of sexual health education.
Notification
- School districts must consult with parents and guardians in the adoption of their locally determined comprehensive sexual health education curriculum.
- School districts must notify parents and guardians at the beginning of the school year when their child's school will be providing sexual health education instruction and make instructional materials available to parents and guardians for review.
Senate Bill 5395
What is meant by "comprehensive" sexual health education?
Comprehensive sexual health education, as defined in the bill, is recurring instruction in human development and reproduction. It is medically and scientifically accurate, age-appropriate, and appropriate for all students, regardless of protected class. The word comprehensive refers to instruction covering a wide variety of topics over time. It does not refer to instruction that is embedded in other content areas.
Beginning in the 2020-2021 School Year
- Schools must ensure curriculum, instruction, and materials include affirmative consent and bystander training.
- Inform Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) of any curricula used to provide comprehensive sexual health education and alignment to the requirements of the bill.
Beginning of 2021-2022 School Year
- Schools must provide comprehensive sexual health education at least twice between grades 6-8 and 9-12 and must include age-appropriate information about affirmative consent and bystander training.
Beginning of 2022-2023 School Year
- Schools must provide social emotional learning (SEL) to students in grades K-3. There is NO sexual health content required for grades K-3.
- Schools must begin providing comprehensive sexual health education at least once between grades 4-5. Instruction on human growth and development (puberty) generally begins in 5th grade.
Contact
- If you have questions or would like more information, please contact your school building's office.
- You can also visit the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction's website for more information on the new legislation and the state's requirements for sexual education for schools: https://www.k12.wa.us/
-
Social Studies
-
The vision of the Social Studies program is to prepare students to make a positive difference as thoughtful, active citizens in an ever-changing, diverse global community. To accomplish this vision, the focus of our social studies program is engaging students in the study of history, geography, economics and civics to ensure that students reach:
- an understanding of the past
- an appreciation of the present
- an awareness and consideration of the future
- an understanding of diverse cultures
So that students can become adults who participate productively in our democratic society and our complex, rapidly changing world, students engage in an inquiry approach to learning to deepen their understanding and application of social studies concepts and skills and learn and use 21st-century skills for deeper learning and taking informed action.
-
-
Visual Performing Arts
-
The Washington State K-12 Learning Arts Standards describe what students should know and be able to do in the arts, including 11 anchor standards and four artistic processes for all grade levels.
Visual arts, music, and theatre classes focus on these standards and 21st century skills, which offer students the opportunity to learn concepts and processes in the arts. Students have the opportunity to express and understand themselves through the art works, music performances, and theatre experiences they produce, perform, and present.
With a focus on state arts standards and 21st century skills, visual arts classes in Granite Falls School District offers students the opportunity to work with a wide variety of methods and mediums, from clay to painting, from digital art to drawing. As students create art works, they develop knowledge and skills in the "Four C's of Art," including:
- Craftsmanship/Technique - Developing artistic skill/control over art tools and materials through deliberation and attention to detail
- Composition - Intentionally organizing art elements using the art principles to create a visually unified design
- Communication - Applying art knowledge and skill to express, identify, and evaluate ideas and feelings in artwork
- Creative Process - Solving problems and expressing ideas in unique and personal ways
Performing arts programs in Granite Falls School District are standards-aligned to provide students with general music and performance knowledge and skills at the elementary level and opportunities to hone those skills through middle and high school. Students enrolled in these programs have the opportunity to perform throughout the school year.
Each year Granite Falls School District reports to the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) regarding standards-aligned assessments administered to elementary, middle, and high school students enrolled in arts programs. Completion of standards-aligned assessments is reported to the district and then by the district to the state at the end of each school year.
-
-
World Languages
Language and communication are at the heart of the human experience. Through the study of language and culture, students develop cultural and global competence to successfully interact within our diverse local, national and global communities. With increasing levels of language proficiency, students develop knowledge and skills to become effective communicators in academic and career contexts, as well as in life.
World language content standards for each course align with Washington K-12 World Languages Learning Standards and 21st-century skills. State standards are adopted from the national standards published by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and incorporate English Language Arts Common Core Standards (ELA CCSS) standards.
The eleven standards delineate what students should know and be able to do in five goal areas:
- Communication – Develop interpersonal, interpretive, and presentation communication competencies for different contexts and purposes
- Cultures – Interact with cultural competence and understanding
- Connections - Connect with other disciplines and acquire information and diverse perspectives to function effectively in academic and career-related situations
- Comparisons - Develop insight into the nature of language and culture
- Communities – Communicate and interact with cultural competence to participate in multilingual communities at home and around the world
A focus on use of the target language in the classroom, rather than using English, and learning and studying language and culture with authentic cultural resources are best practices that world language teachers strive to incorporate in their classes. District-adopted instructional materials provide support for teachers and students with textbooks and online resources. Teachers also engage students with the world by connecting them with resources that bring language and culture into the classroom, such as accessing cultural and news resources in countries they are studying.
Granite Falls School District's world languages program offers Spanish at the high school level. Students are encouraged to go beyond the two years of language study required for high school graduation and for admission to Washington state four-year colleges and universities. Options for further study include Advanced Placement (AP) language and culture courses.