In a series of stories, CISD will be showcasing how the district uses Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) so that all students can experience growth. This story shows MTSS at work at Canyon Ranch Elementary
Canyon Ranch Elementary has embraced the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) educational approach, alongside Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) with the ultimate goal of collaborative growth for both learners and educators.
“At Canyon Ranch Elementary, we believe that all kids are our kids and that transformational learning begins when people feel loved, valued and connected,” said Canyon Ranch Elementary Principal Ashley Minton.
According to CISD’s Director of Accountability, Assessment and MTSS Mary Kennington, one single teacher cannot fulfill every student's unique needs. MTSS and PLCs offer a proven structure for widespread impact, fostering a partnership among students, teachers, parents and the community by prioritizing positive academic, behavioral and social-emotional growth.
The heartbeat of Canyon Ranch lies in the school’s core belief that every child’s learning is a collective responsibility. This belief is shown each day in the school’s distinctive house system, comprising six groups of classrooms spanning multiple grade levels. Within these houses, open, adaptable spaces facilitate collaboration among learners, fostering vertical alignment, multi-age cooperation, leadership and a sense of community.
Watch how Canyon Ranch Elementary lives out #AllMeansAll through PLCs to support transformational learning. Every single staff member is utilized in an intentional way to support MTSS.
Each school day at Canyon Ranch Elementary has learners engaged in various activities across the six houses. Educators, learning specialists, administrators and support staff seamlessly navigate the spaces, leading small groups and fostering an environment where each student's needs are met.
Central to the school’s success is its use of MTSS and PLCs, which identifies areas requiring targeted interventions or extensions for students using the following questions as a guide:
What do we want our students to learn?
How do we know if each student has learned it?
What interventions are in place if students haven't learned it?
What extensions are available for those students who already grasp the content?
Academic skills, social and emotional needs and a variety of other areas are addressed through diverse learning and enrichment activities such as coding, book clubs and interactive games, ensuring a comprehensive approach to student growth.
The lines between classrooms blur during team meetings as educators discuss individual student progress, showcasing the collective responsibility they hold for every child's development.
"Success is when you can't pinpoint one classroom teacher for a child's growth," Minton said.
This unified approach permeates the school's culture, promoting a seamless support system for students to reach their maximum potential.
In addition, the school embodies the PLCs concept by having teachers and staff working together to improve as educators to grow professionally to better meet students’ needs
“Over the past four years, we have sought to establish ourselves as a true Professional Learning Community working together, not just alongside each other, for the growth of all,” Minton said. "We work hard to avoid saying that we do PLC, because we believe we are a Professional Learning Community. We know that mindset that makes us better educators and helps us best serve our students.”
This implementation of PLC and MTSS underlines the school’s commitment to a mindset that drives transformational learning experiences and growth for each child. Canyon Ranch Elementary is embracing a culture where a variety of student assessments result in data-driven decisions and interventions to develop the education pathway for each student to work towards the common goal of one year of academic growth for each child.
Canyon Ranch Elementary believes in collective responsibility for every child's learning and growth. Through this collective effort, Canyon Ranch Elementary recently was recognized as a “School Transforming Learning” by the National Principals Institute.
Learn more about how CISD is using MTSS to ensure one year of academic growth for each student at www.tinyurl.com/CoppellMTSS.