Instructional Services

 

"Learning for all. Whatever it takes!"
That’s our tag line. It’s a quick way to say what we’re all about

 

Vision (The Why): Why does the instructional services department exist? What is our cause, our purpose? What is the future we’re striving for that does not yet exist?

Learning for all – It’s the moral imperative. Equity in learning outcomes for all students.

To be our local districts' first choice for educational services, whether providing the service ourselves or making connections with other schools, agencies, or organizations.

To be sought after as a trusted, knowledgeable, collaborative partner that works side-by-side educators as a proactive leader to support each local school district of Cass County in achieving their vision.

 

Mission (The How): How will we make our vision become a reality?

Whatever it takes – Lewis Cass ISD instructional services department will lead by being:

  • One step ahead – empowering educational leaders with current research, policies, and best practices
  • Alongside – a collaborative, reciprocal relationship as we learn and work together
  • One step behind – being attentive and seeking to understand what educators on the frontline are experiencing and learning

 

Beliefs:

We exist to serve the school districts of Cass County.

Our success is determined by the collective success of educators, students, and families of Cass County.

Every teacher and child is doing their best, given the conditions in which they find themselves.

Unconditional positive regard is always appreciated and deserved.

The greatest form of accountability is social accountability – the obligation we feel to our fellow educator in helping each other achieve the common goal of learning for all.

The heart of school improvement is improving instruction.

The better we teach, the better students learn.

All children will learn and are motivated to do so.

 

 

Effective Schools Correlates:

  • Safe and orderly environment
  • Clear and focused mission
  • Climate of high expectations for success
  • Opportunity to learn and student time on task
  • Frequent monitoring of student progress
  • Instructional leadership

 

Who do we serve?

The primary stakeholders of the instructional services department are the educational leaders and teachers of Cass County (Cassopolis, Dowagiac, Edwardsburg, and Marcellus). By serving and supporting the educators of Cass County, we empower teachers to foster successful outcomes for the children and families of the communities they serve.

 

What services do we provide?

clickProfessional Development

We provide a range of professional development opportunities to meet the unique needs of our local school districts. Our goal is provide high-quality learning experiences for educators with follow-up, job-embedded support to enhance implementation of best practices.

Upon request, Lewis Cass ISD is able to provide training, coaching, and technical support on the following topics:

  • Michigan’s School Improvement Framework
    • Program Evaluation Tool (PET)
  • Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
  • Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS)
    • School-wide PBIS (K-8)
    • Positive School Climate (9-12)
    • CHAMPS / Classroom Management (PreK – 12)
    • Check-In/Check-Out (CICO)
    • Functional Behavior Analysis / Behavior Intervention Plans
    • Coaching Classroom Management
    • PBIS Surveys – Measures of Implementation Fidelity
  • SWIS/CICO/ISIS Technical Support and Training
  • Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS)
  • Early Warning Signs (EWS) – Screening for at-risk students (7-12)
  • Illuminate Behavior Data Collection
  • Explicit Instruction
  • Research-based literacy interventions/programs
    • REWARDS
    • Road to the Code (K-1)
    • PALS
      • K-PALS
      • 1st Grade PALS
      • 2-6 PALS
  • DIBELS Next (K-6)
    • DIBELS CARI (7-9)
  • Effective Literacy Instruction (K-5)
  • Teachers Learning Together (Models of Teacher Feedback)
  • Data-driven grade-level or building leadership team meetings
  • Conducting progress monitoring meetings
  • Conducting benchmark meetings
  • School-Based Intervention Teams (SBIT)
  • Diagnostic assessments of literacy skills
  • Crucial Conversations
  • Leadership
  • Implementation science

 

clickBehavior

Lewis Cass ISD offers a range of services and support to our local school districts to establish a safe and orderly environment in which relationships are fostered and students are engaged in school and their learning.

We provide support to schools with the following...

  • School-wide positive behavior interventions supports (PBIS) & Positive School Climate (PSC)
  • Effective classroom management (i.e., CHAMPS)
  • Class-wide interventions
  • Strategic behavior interventions (i.e., CICO)
  • Functional Behavior Assessment and Individualized Behavior Plans for students with the most significant needs

 

clickResources

www.pbis.org

www.pbisapps.org

miblsi.org

 

clickData & Assessment

Lewis Cass ISD offers a variety of services and technical support to assist our local schools in using data for multiple purposes to guide instruction and enhance student learning.

 

Technical assistance can be provided in the following:

DIBELS Next

SWIS 

PBIS Assessment

MiSchool Data

 

clickMcKinney-Vento Services for Homeless Youth

Lewis Cass ISD is a member of the McKinney-Vento Grant consortium in partnership with Berrien RESA. Each local school district in Cass County has a designated liaison to coordinate services for students that lack an adequate, regular, or fixed residence.

For students enrolled in the Great Start Readiness Programs (GSRP) and Lewis Cass ISD center-based, special education programs (at Brookside Learning Center, North Pointe Center, and ISD classrooms in Cassopolis), please contact our McKinney-Vento Liaison below:

Josh Townsley

Lewis Cass Intermediate School District

61682 Dailey Rd.

Cassopolis, MI 49031

[email protected]

(269) 445-6223

 

clickSchool Improvement

Lewis Cass ISD’s instructional services department provides guidance and technical assistance to schools to enhance their continuous school improvement efforts. This includes supporting our county schools through Michigan’s School Improvement Framework, as well as developing educational leaders’ capacity to foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Resources:

www.sitimeline.com

www.advanc-ed.org

www.effectiveschools.com

 

clickEducational and Instructional Leadership

Leadership is fundamental to creating and sustaining effective school reform. Educational leaders (regardless of position) can influence change in others, creating a dynamic educational environment that promotes learning and successful outcomes.

We support the development of educational leaders throughout Cass County through frequent collaboration (Curriculum Directors’ Meetings, Principals’ Meetings), onsite consultation, and quality professional learning opportunities. Through participation in statewide leadership networks, we equip Cass County leaders with current policies and best practices.


General Education Leadership Network (GELN)

Michigan’s Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative (MiBLSi)

Michigan School Improvement Facilitators Network (MSIFN)