Shields Elementary School

Why Shields Elementary School was nominated

Shields Elementary School focuses on nurturing the whole child through intentional opportunities to develop social-emotional skills, build relationships, and appreciate students for who they are. Each day starts with a morning meeting, where students engage in community-building activities, have one-on-one check-ins with adults, and set daily goals. This time sets up students to engage in collaborative, personalized learning over the course of the day. Learning at Shields is highly collaborative, cross-disciplinary, and customized. Students participate in extended, interdisciplinary learning blocks that incorporate small-group, project-based, and technology-rich activities across all content areas. They rotate through four stations: teacher-led small-group instruction, adaptive curriculum at a computer station, independent self-directed practice, and a collaboration station for real-world problem-solving with peers. Teachers flexibly adapt these modalities based on student data to ensure appropriate challenge and support. Throughout these experiences, students are held to high expectations with rigorous learning, encouraged to persist through challenges, and are supported to access the resources they need to keep trying. Students also receive targeted interventions in math and reading during Genius Lab every Friday.