Curriculum & Instruction Departments
Secondary Education
The Office of Secondary Education works collaboratively with middle school and high school teachers and administrators along with district leadership to develop curriculum which supports the implementation of the Common Core State Standards as well as the North Carolina Essential Standards. Starting with the 2012-2013 school year, the new Common Core State Standards and the North Carolina Essential standards will be taught and assessed. The Essential Standards include the standards for the newly adopted curriculum in the following areas: English as a Second Language, Science, Social Studies, World Languages, Arts Education and Healthful Living.
Orange County Schools are supporting our teachers and students as they transition to the new Common Core and NC Essential Standards.
It is essential that teachers, students and parents have a clear understanding of the academic standards at each grade level. These standards describe what students “shall know and be able to do in each content area.” We must work as partners to ensure that every child finds success.
Instruction should be rigorous and relevant, yet personalized and respectful. Our goal must be total student engagement. Learning is not passive. Our students have diverse learning needs, and we are constantly challenged to meet those needs. One way we can do this is by selecting appropriate instructional strategies. We are focused on continuous improvement and we model continuous learning through operating as a Professional Learning Community.