Welcome to Curriculum & Staff Development!
Supporting Quality Instruction
by Brad Best
February 19, 2003
Mr. Brad Best is the district's Director of Curriculum and Staff Development. He can be reached at his office at the High School at 643-2988, or via email at brad.best@connectseward.org. Kathy McLaughlin serves as the secretary in the Curriculum/Staff Development Office. Her email address is kathy.mclaughlin@connectseward.org.
Curriculum Offerings
The School District of Seward offers a diverse curriculum,
including the following instructional programs: art, business
education, computers, language arts, sciences, social studies,
Spanish, health, family and consumer sciences, industrial
technology, mathematics, vocal and instrumental music, physical
education, agriculture education, special education, and high
ability learner education. Advanced placement courses are offered
in calculus and English literature and composition.
Nebraska State Standards
The Nebraska Department of Education promotes a set of student
learning standards entitled, 'Nebraska LEARNS' (Leading Educational
Achievement through Rigorous Nebraska Standards). The standards
were written as content standards for reading/writing, mathematics,
science, and social studies/history. They state what students
should know and be able to do by the end of the first, fourth,
eighth, and twelfth grades, and were written for all students.
Seward"s Board of Education adopted the state standards in
September of 1998.
Nebraska's assessment and accountability process is managed through a program called STARS (School-based Teacher- led Assessment and Reporting System). To learn more about the STARS program, please visit the Nebraska Department of Education website.
State of the Schools Report
In the fall of each year the Nebraska Department of Education
releases The State of the Schools Report. This report includes
student performance data, teacher data, and information about the
schools at the state, district, and building levels. Student
performance on standards as well as student results on national
tests are all available in this report. School
district data including ratings on student performance and
assessment quality are displayed along with the demographic
characteristics of each school district. In addition to the
information about student performance and assessment quality,
detailed information is provided on teacher qualifications, course
offerings, school expenditures and receipts. Seward's
Current State of the Schools Report can be seen on the NDE
website.
Please watch this site for more information on curriculum and staff development!
