Welcome to the Curriculum & Instruction Department for the Port Byron Central School District. The Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment department works to support teachers and school leaders in the equitable education of all children in the district.

This office is responsible for the following PreK-12 programs:

• Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for all grade levels and departments
• Professional Development for all faculty, staff and administration
• Universal Prekindergarten
• Instructional Technology
• Special Education programming
• Teacher Evaluations
• Pathway Planning for college and career success
• School Improvement - Accountability Metrics and Reporting
• Equity - Planning, Professional Development and Reporting
• Multi-tiered Systems of Support
  • Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports
  • Academic Intervention Services
  • Response to Intervention

This work is supported throughout the district by the Curriculum Council whose membership includes administrators and teachers from each grade level and department.

What is Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment?

Curriculum: What we teach

Instruction: How we teach it

Assessment: How we know what students have learned

Curriculum

Our curriculum in PBCSD is based on the New York State Learning Standards. The State establishes student learning expectations (standards) for what students should know and be able to do. The District then develops the "written" curriculum [units, lessons, scope & sequence] in order to 1) align with the District's vision, mission and core values, 2) support the NYS Learning Standards, and 3) match the needs of our students. The "taught" curriculum is closely aligned to the written curriculum and represents the explicit instruction teachers provide in the classroom. Both formal and informal assessments are used throughout the school year to assess student understanding and inform instructional practices.

Instruction

Our "taught" curriculum, or instruction, is closely aligned to the written curriculum. Instructional practices are based on research, best practices in the field, and collaborative expertise of our professional staff. We strive to create an active learning environment where students have voice and choice in their learning experience.

Teachers provide students with explicit instruction in all subject areas through whole class, small group, and one-on-one settings. Teachers provide instruction through modeling and demonstration, inquiry, and through examples of the content or skills being taught. Students are given opportunities to ask questions, problem solve, collaborate, create, and use critical thinking skills.

Assessment

The purpose of assessment is to give students opportunities to demonstrate their understanding of content, concepts and skills and to provide feedback to students in order to improve their learning. We regularly monitor and assess our students' learning through a variety of formal and informal assessments. In grades K-6, students engage in nationally-normed literacy and math assessments three times per year. In addition, teachers utilize other diagnostic assessment tools to assess students' skills and knowledge. At the high school level, students are assessed regularly through Mastery Connect benchmark assessments, quizzes, tests, and final exams, including AP and Regents exams. Pre-assessments are often given to assess students' knowledge prior to instruction. Post-assessments are given to assess students' understanding of the content taught. Informal assessments, such as observations, student work, and student participation, are used on a daily basis to inform instructional decisions and assess students' learning needs.

Professional Learning and Practice

The Port Byron Central School District continues to partner with BOCES to ensure all staff have access to embedded professional development both inside and outside of the classroom. We are committed to providing staff with an onsite professional learning coach and technology integration specialist in order to provide coaching and support.

We regularly work to improve student learning, provide professional learning for our staff, and engage in research and inquiry in order to improve practice.