Curriculum Development

     The Golden Triangle Curriculum Cooperative (GTCC) is a consortium of thirty-seven K-12, eleven K-8 and two 9-12 rural Montana and private school districts. In response to many changes, reforms, and mandates affecting national and state education standards today - the GTCC was formed to address the curriculum, assessments and professional development needs of its’ member schools.

     GTCC member educators guide, research and write the curriculum objectives for each specific content level. Regional master committee meetings and periodic revisions to documents are ongoing processes that improve the developed materials.

     Through collaborative efforts, the Golden Triangle's members have made it possible to provide quality training and resources to assist member schools as they plan, design and implement curriculum and assessment programs within their districts.

      The GTCC's products are available to member districts for use in adapting the curricula and assessment tools to their needs in meeting district, state, and national accreditation standards.

Yearly Goals - identified for ongoing professional development 

  • Alignment of Golden Triangle Curriculum objectives to Montana state standards; with consideration of National Standards in 14 content areas

  • Amend current instructional strategies and professional development opportunities to meet member schools’ needs

  • Encourage regular participation in all cooperative events, happenings, and revision via regular communication (website, email, monthly newsletters, announcements, mailed correspondence)

  • Instruct and support member teachers/administrators with remote learning strategies

  • Support and emphasize differentiated instruction, special education instruction, and Indian Education for All implementation through regular provided professional development and correspondence

  • Support member teachers’ reading, writing and math instruction & implementation

  • Support member schools’ individual needs via regular communication

  • Seek and encourage new school membership

Action Plan

Curriculum Revision Meetings: Revisions for the GTCC curriculum standards are completed on a five year rotation cycle as required by the Board of Public Education for accreditation; six meetings over a calendar year complete a revision cycle. These committees of nominated GTCC teachers come together in meetings to edit, revise, review, and align the curriculum. All GTCC standards are aligned to current Montana state standards with consideration of current national standards. Discussion in these meetings help set goals and identify professional development needs. This identification of needs triangulates with Superintendents’ vision in their Fall Advisory Council Meeting and the vision of the administrators in their Spring Leadership Forum. See Appendix B

Community Relations

What to expect from your school:

  • an annual report to the community

  • open and continuing communication

  • a safe environment which encourages a positive learning climate

  • the teaching of skills needed to successfully take students into the twenty-first century

  • the building and nurturing of school, business, community, and parent partnerships

  • capable, qualified educators and a caring support staff

PROGRAM ASSESSMENT

Each community within a district has unique resources and needs. GTCC member districts maintain the autonomy to assess local needs and to develop plans which reflect community based curriculum solutions.

Curricular programs will be assessed relative to the following areas of DISTRICT SPECIFIC CRITERIA

  • TIME allotted to attain goals and objectives

  • CULTURAL AND GENDER issues reflected and infused into the subject matter

  • LOCAL INVOLVEMENT of teachers, students, administrators and community members in the planning process

  • realistic attainability and appropriateness of the GOALS AND OBJECTIVES of the program

  • CONTENT which provides for continuity of learning experiences to meet student needs as well as reflect state and national standards

  • TEACHING STRATEGIES which encompass a wide variety of learning opportunities

  • LEARNING EXPERIENCES that lead to the development of higher level thinking skills

  • MATERIAL available to accomplish and enhance program goals and objectives

  • on-going student and program EVALUATION

  • the ability to reach BEYOND THE CURRICULUM of the K-12 classroom and into the community

Professional Development

Opportunities for STAFF DEVELOPMENT include:

  • Summer Institutes

    • Workshops

    • Best Practices

  • Seminars

  • Book Studies

  • Roundtable Events

  • On-site In-service Training

  • Participation in National Curriculum & Assessment Conference

TRAINING opportunities for GTCC member administrators and teachers involved:

  • Developing resources from within our member school districts.

  • Identifying and using quality resources from outside our school districts.

  • Topics include, but are not limited to:

    • Curriculum development and review

    • Assessment techniques

    • Pedagogy

    • Exemplary teaching styles & methods

    • Technology and technology planning

    • Strategies to motivate minority and female students toward engaged learning

    • Mentorship programs

    • Developing and refining partnerships

    • University partnerships and university course revision

    • Grant writing techniques and opportunities

    • Connecting educators and policy makers

    • Interschool participation in olympiads, fairs, collaborations and competitions.

    • Benchmarking