This year at Westwood Junior High the students, and some teachers, have been setting growth goals for their graduate profiles. These growth goals are SMART goals that are specific to each person. In the past Westwood Junior high only set one overall goal for math but the process has evolved. Westwood is considered by the district as a pioneer school. This role is normally given to a magnet school like Westwood. Last year, Westwood and other pioneer schools started to use Schoology because of its unique capability of creating profiles. At Westwood the students use that feature to set and track their growth goals.
The growth goal setting process is a district requirement for all of the schools. The board of Trustees’ main purpose for implementing these goals is to have all students and teachers meet and exceed their goals. Westwood has been testing out this program this past year and sharing their findings with the district to help other schools understand and set these goals . Westwood has really been trailblazing a path that will really benefit students and schools in the future. Westwood administrators aren’t the only ones trailblazing. Coach A. is Westwood’s amazing CITS (Campus Instructional Technology Specialist). She has been working since last year to find ways to make the goal setting process more accessible and easier for teachers and students. She has been communicating with the district and has made the process easier for teachers around the district.
Westwood isn’t the only school doing Growth Goals, but Westwood has put its own spin on it. This year Westwood changed the overall name from Graduate Profile to Future Ready. In the past Westwood set one overall goal in advisory. This year Westwood went above and beyond and had each student go to an advisory class that was specific to their goal. This helped the students focus on their goal and feel connected to their peers who also had the same goal in mind. Westwood also has their students set goals in all of their classes so that their students can know they can grow in any aspect of their lives. Later on this year, growth goals will be sent to parents so they can know how hard their students have been working this year.
Westwood Junior High has really set the tone for other schools to follow. By implementing these growth goals Westwood will see their students grow and progress in a way they didn’t think possible. The WWJH staff can’t wait to see how far their students will go.
