2012 SCORE Prize Winners: Embracing High Standards | Page 7

• At Meadowview Middle School, all students
participate in extended learning time to acquire
additional skills in mathematics and reading/language arts, mostly focused on grammar standards.
• At West View Middle School, extended skills
classes are also offered, providing students with
an extra 12 weeks of mathematics instruction in
their leveled math groups.
High school teachers have also been trained in the
Capturing Kids’ Hearts approach. Through the training, they learned how to develop a safe, trusting,
self-managing classroom environment, build students’ motivation and responsibility for their actions,
decrease delinquent behaviors, reinforce emotional
intelligence, and develop students’ empathy for
diverse cultures and backgrounds.
Programs for English language learners. Hamblen County teachers use the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol for teaching content to
English language learners. This protocol enables
teachers to help these students develop English
fluency and master skills in multiple content areas
within the regular classroom setting in addition to
pull-out programs. The program requires teachers
to provide varied methods of instruction to help
students with meaning-making, including visual and
Video: “Supporting English
Language Learners” (2:47)
http://tnscore.org/scoreprize/
district-2012.php

kinesthetic activities. A summer school program is
also offered to the most at-risk English language
learner students to address literacy and math skills.
Transportation is provided through a partnership
with Douglas Cherokee Economic Authority. This
partnership also operates several after school programs aimed at developing 21st century skills.
International Center for newcomers. The district also offers a Newcomers’ Program, funded in
partnership with the Niswonger Foundation, Walters
State Community College, the county government,
Morristown city government, Jefferson Federal
Charitable Foundation, Mahle Inc., and Garcia Labor,
to help English language learners acclimate to the

17

Pathways to the Prize
Lessons from the 2012 SCORE Prize District Winner

district. Teachers at the Center provide sheltered
instruction in economics, U.S. government, geography, and other high school core content courses. Students attending these classes can receive
credits toward their high school diploma as they are
learning English.
Inclusion of students with disabilities. All Hamblen
schools provide inclusion for students with disabilities, meaning that, to the extent possible, they serve
the students in the classrooms rather than through
pull-out programs. Classroom teachers have
become more attuned to the learning styles of the
students identified for special education and place
more emphasis on interpersonal learning.
One challenge the district has addressed is how
to help students with disabilities pass the Algebra
I End-of-Course exam and thus become qualified
for a regular high school diploma. Using funds from
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Part B discretionary grant, the district developed
a math boot camp for special education teachers.
The goal of the boot camp is to help teachers gain
the knowledge and skills they need to support students in a course that many fail. The two-week boot
camp is led by a certified algebra teacher. Last year,
four special education teachers attended and then
became algebra mentors to their students. While
results are not yet known, the district anticipates
that the teachers will help the students gain confidence, develop skills, and improve performance on
End-of-Course exams.

“Materializing the Promise
of Sheltered Instruction”
http://www.tnscore.org/scoreprize/
downloads/2012/Materializing_the_
Promise_of_Sheltered_instruction.pdf