Samuel Clemens School is a proud GE Foundation Demonstration School! We are one of just 10 Milwaukee Public Schools elementary schools to become models for putting students on track to career and college readiness as new GE Foundation Demonstration Schools.
The schools will develop innovative ways to put the rigorous Common Core State Standards into practice. The Common Core State Standards define what students learn at each grade — and research has shown the standards will help make U.S. students competitive with counterparts around the world.
The schools feature a mix of standards and practices focused on high levels of success and achievement:
- Rigorous instruction through the Common Core
- A true learning community in which teachers have the opportunity to collaborate during the school day to develop best practices for increasing student achievement
- A collaborative culture in which educators work together with students and parents to understand the needs of all learners
- Partnerships with businesses and community organizations that expand opportunities for students and ensure that they are prepared for college and career success.
Milwaukee Public Schools’ Comprehensive Literacy Plan and Comprehensive Math/Science Plan are aligned to the Common Core and the district has utilized portions of a five-year, $20.4-million GE Foundation grant to develop the Math/Science Plan and to help support or fund more than 80,000 hours of training for thousands of teachers.
A portion of the GE grant dollars will now be used to provide additional support to the 10 GE Foundation Demonstration Schools, including the creation of common planning time for teachers to work together to move students forward. New teaching positions have also been created for the schools, aimed at making relevant connections between curriculum and students’ lives.