April 24, 2024

During the April meeting of the Teaching and Learning Board Advisory Committee, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Tara Sparks shared recommendations from the Embedded Credits and Academies Task Force, which met this year with the goal of designing high school programming that will begin in the 2025-26 school year.

The Embedded Credits and Academies Task Force set forth to make learning more meaningful through offering cross-curricular learning opportunities, offering career exposure and preparation, and taking its time to build sustainable programs. 

The task force recommendation is to create a "microschool" with a focus in humanities, where learning is very personal and students create their own learning experiences with support from their teachers. A microschool is a competency-based learning environment connected to state learning standards, where students demonstrate learning in a variety of ways, including: applying skills in an authentic setting, or participating in performance showcases or artifact showcases. Students would be eligible to take up to five out of seven classes in the microschool each semester.

This recommendation would take place over the next four years, beginning with development of the program during the 2024-25 school year. In fall 2025, students in 10th grade will be eligible to participate in the microschool, and additional high school grade levels will be added each year.

During the Teaching and Learning Board Advisory Committee, Dr. Sparks shared this recommendation with committee members and answered questions from students and parents.

The Teaching and Learning Committee provides input on teaching and learning within Lindbergh Schools. This includes learning about current curriculum and instructional practices as well as future-ready practices for instruction. As a part of this committee, members will provide feedback and suggestions for subjects undergoing curriculum revision as well as input on priorities for student learning.

This committee is chaired by Chief Academic Officer Dr. Tara Sparks, Executive Director of Secondary Education Dr. Ronni Zagora, and Executive Director of Elementary Education Dr. Craig Hamby.

This is the last meeting for the 2023-24 school year.