In alignment to District 300’s mission, to provide engaging and inclusive educational experiences that empower and equip all students to discover, innovate, and succeed now and in the future, students who graduate from D300 schools will be able to read with confidence, write with purpose, speak with meaning, and think critically as they enter into colleges and any career.

Elementary School

Elementary English language arts instruction allows students to foster an understanding and working knowledge of foundational skills including concepts about print, alphabetic principles and conventions of writing with the goal of ensuring students are effective readers. As students progress throughout elementary school, they will read more challenging texts to strengthen their understanding of what they read while building a strong vocabulary knowledge. Students will also begin to write for specific purposes, including: to inform, explain, or tell a story.    

Middle School

Middle school English language arts instruction continues to build upon the foundation of reading and writing that began in elementary school. Students will encounter more rigorous texts in order to strengthen their comprehension and find connections across text types. Through informational texts and literature, students will develop a stronger vocabulary in order to better understand texts. Students will write arguments focused on claims and relevant evidence, write informative texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, and write narratives depicting real experiences and events.  

High School

High school English instruction builds upon the foundation of reading and writing in middle school with the emphasis on deepening a student’s understanding to be college and career ready. Students will encounter more rigorous passages while continuing to strengthen their comprehension and find connections across informational texts and literature. Students will write arguments focused on claims and relevant evidence, write informative texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, and write narratives depicting real experiences and events.