Aligned Systems for Learning

The Marzano Instructional Framework is a research-based guide for effective teaching that serves as the engine for the YCS Strategic Plan. In Yelm Community Schools, we use this framework to ensure that every student receives high-quality, evidence-based instruction that is grounded in best practices and promotes academic success.

By focusing on three critical areas—Classroom Strategies, Planning, and Reflective Practices—the Marzano Framework directly drives our progress toward our Strategic Priorities:

Priority: Student Learning

The framework provides the tools to ensure Goal 2: Consistent Tier I Instruction and Goal 3: Tailored Academic Support (MTSS). By using strategies like scaffolding and direct instruction, teachers can meet the diverse needs of every learner, ensuring growth and proficiency for all.

Through ongoing assessment and data analysis, the framework supports Goal 4: Student Ownership of Learning and Goal 8: Leadership and Creativity. Our educators use these reflective practices to monitor progress in real-time, ensuring our systems are always working to support the whole child.

Priority: Student Belonging

Effective teaching is the foundation of a safe environment. Marzano’s focus on classroom management and student engagement supports Goal 1: Increased Attendance and Goal 7: Environments of Dignity and Accountability. When students are engaged and valued, they feel known and empowered to succeed.

Visit Marzano Instructional Framework for more information.

In Yelm Community Schools we will create an inclusive culture that fosters a sense of belonging for all persons by respecting the dignity of each.

• Definition of Dignity: Dignity is our inherent value and worth as human beings. Everyone is born with it. Dignity is an internal state of peace that comes with the recognition and acceptance of the value and vulnerability of all living things.
• Definition of Belonging: Feelings of appreciation, validation, acceptance, and fair treatment that result from being treated with dignity.

A Culture of Dignity: Our Foundation for Success

In Yelm Community Schools, we foster a sense of belonging for all persons by respecting the inherent dignity of each. We recognize that recognition and acceptance is the prerequisite for learning. To reach our Strategic Plan Goals, we use the following standards to guide our actions:

Standard 1: Build Partnerships and Community

• The Action: We listen to perspectives, empathize, and co-create unity by sharing power.
• The Goal Connection: This standard is the engine for Goal 1 (Regular Attendance) and Goals 9, 10, & 11 (Community Input and Family Partnerships). When families and students feel a sense of shared ownership and safety, they engage more deeply with our schools.

Standard 2: Repair Harm and Restore Relationships

• The Action: We acknowledge concerns, accept perceptions as truths, and apologize when harm is caused.
• The Goal Connection: This directly supports Goal 7 (Environments of Dignity and Accountability) and Goal 5 (Graduation and Connection). By prioritizing restoration over exclusion, we ensure students remain connected to their learning journey.

Standard 3: Affirm Differences and Uniqueness

• The Action: We support the expression of authentic selves and validate effort and thoughtfulness without judgment.
• The Goal Connection: This powers Goal 6 (Meaningful Connections) and Goal 8 (Opportunities for Leadership and Creativity). Students only take creative risks and seek leadership roles when they feel their unique identity is recognized and valued.

Standard 4: Presume Competence and Positive Intent

• The Action: We enable agency, express belief in capability, and extend the benefit of the doubt.
• The Goal Connection: This is the cultural requirement for Goal 2 (Consistent Tier 1 Instruction), Goal 3 (Tailored MTSS Support), and Goal 4 (Ownership of Academic Progress). When we presume competence, we set the high expectations necessary for every student to meet grade-level standards.

Measuring Our Progress

To ensure we are meeting these standards and reaching our goals, we administer Belonging Surveys annually. This data allows us to understand the degree to which our students, families, and staff feel appreciated and validated, informing our work as we strive for a climate where everyone can thrive.

MTSS is an integrated academic and social-emotional framework that provides targeted support to students based on their individual needs. It is designed to ensure all students have access to the resources they need to thrive. By leveling the playing field, MTSS acts as our primary engine for educational equity.

The Three Tiers of Support 

• Tier 1: Universal Support – High-quality, schoolwide academic, social-emotional, and behavioral instruction provided to all students.

• Tier 2: Targeted Support – Small group instruction or counseling for students who require additional time or practice. 
• Tier 3: Intensive Support – Individualized instruction or therapy for students requiring more intensive interventions.

1. Screening & Progress Monitoring: We use systematic, valid screening tests three times annually to identify needs and measure progress. This proactive approach supports Goal 1 (Regular Attendance) by identifying barriers early and Goal 4 (Student Ownership) by giving students data to track their own academic growth.
2. Multi-Tiered Prevention: By selecting evidence-based practices and ensuring fidelity of implementation, we ensure that every student—regardless of background—has a pathway to Goal 5 & 6 (Meaningful Connections) where they feel known, valued, and supported.
3. Data-Based Decision Making: Teams analyze assessments to evaluate if interventions are yielding the intended results. This ensures we are meeting Goal 7 (Environments of Dignity, Accountability, and Growth) by holding our systems accountable to student outcomes.
4. Collaborative Teaming: Shared leadership and two-way communication with families ensure that our system is responsive. This pillar directly fulfills Goal 11 (Family Partnerships) by engaging parents as partners in the decision-making and goal-setting process.

No Excuses University is a nationwide initiative designed to promote a culture of high expectations and academic excellence in schools. The program is based on the belief that every student, regardless of their background or circumstances, has the potential to succeed if given the right support and opportunities. No Excuses University schools commit to creating a learning environment that prioritizes academic achievement, character development, and college readiness. Students benefit from this program in numerous ways, including access to rigorous academic curricula, dedicated teachers and staff who believe in their potential, and a sense of ownership over their own education. The No Excuses University program also fosters a culture of responsibility and accountability, encouraging students to take ownership of their learning and strive for excellence in all aspects of their lives. Ultimately, the No Excuses University program empowers students to achieve their full potential and prepare for a successful future.

All elementary and middle schools in the district are members of the No Excuses University network of schools.

Visit No Excuses University Website for more information.

While teacher instruction is the most important factor in student achievement, principal leadership is the critical component in ensuring that teachers have the support and resources they need to be effective. In Yelm Community Schools, we believe a strong partnership between the Office of Student Learning (OSL) and building principals is essential to achieving our Strategic Plan Goals:

Cultivating the Instructional Core

Principals provide the instructional leadership necessary to implement the Marzano Framework and evidence-based practices with fidelity. This partnership ensures:

• Goal 2: Consistent Tier 1 Instruction that supports growth and helps all students meet or exceed grade-level standards.
• Goal 3: Tailored Academic Support delivered through a robust, data-informed Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).
• Goal 4: Student Ownership of Learning where students are inspired to actively participate and demonstrate ownership of their progress.

Creating Environments for Learning

By building strong relationships and setting high expectations, principals create a positive school culture where every student can thrive. This leadership is the foundation for:

• Goal 1: Regular Attendance supported by positive, proactive, and student-centered systems.
• Goal 6 & 7: Environments of Dignity and Growth where all students build meaningful connections and feel known, valued, and safe.
• Goal 8: Opportunities for Leadership and Creativity that are accessible to all students across school life.

Systemic Alignment for Achievement

By working together, OSL staff and building principals ensure that academic programs and initiatives have the intended impact. We monitor student progress and use data to make the adjustments needed to reach our ultimate outcome:

• Goal 5: Graduation and Future Success – Ensuring students graduate and pursue meaningful connections in environments that have prepared them for life beyond our halls.

For more information, visit

• Association of Washington School Principals School Leader Paradigm
• Association of Washington School Principals Leadership Framework

Parents and students know them as Wednesday late starts. Teachers and staff members know them as PLCs – or Professional Learning Communities. Whatever you call them, they impact the way our staff approaches teaching and learning.

Beginning in 2008, Yelm Community Schools began implementing the model known as Professional Learning Communities, using the one-hour late starts on Wednesday mornings to meet together. All PLCs follow the same processes and have certain elements in common. The bottom line is we want to make sure all students have access to powerful teaching and learning.

Driven by Strategic Goals

Our PLCs do not work in isolation; they create coordinated action plans to achieve our Strategic Plan Goals:

• Goal 2: Consistent Tier 1 Instruction – PLCs ensure every student receives high-quality instruction that supports growth and helps them meet or exceed grade-level standards.
• Goal 3: Tailored Academic Support (MTSS) – Teams use PLC time to ensure students receive academic support tailored to their needs.
• Goal 4: Student Ownership of Learning – By analyzing progress, PLCs help students actively participate in learning and demonstrate ownership of their academic progress.
• Goal 7: Environments of Dignity and Growth – Collaborative teams ensure all students engage in learning environments that prioritize dignity, accountability, and growth.

The Five Critical Questions

Staff members grapple with 5 critical questions from the PLC+ Framework as they work collaboratively to create action plans:

1. Where are we going? – Focuses on teacher clarity, learning intentions, and success criteria to ensure both teachers and students understand the goals.
2. Where are we now? – Involves gathering and analyzing evidence of student learning to determine the current impact of instruction.
3. How do we move learning forward? – Centers on selecting high-impact instructional strategies and actions to bridge the gap between the current state and the goal.
4. What did we learn today? – Encourages reflection on the professional learning of the educators themselves and the immediate impact on student performance.
5. Who benefited and who did not? – The "plus" in the framework, this question focuses specifically on equity, ensuring teams analyze which student groups are succeeding and which are being left behind

These questions may seem pretty basic. However, we are striving to address them as a whole school community, rather than individual by individual. By answering these questions together, we ensure that every student is known, valued, and on a path to Goal 5: Graduation and Success.