Learning & Intervention
Every Student. Every Support. Every Success.
Through high-quality, essential core instruction, multi-tiered systems of academic and behavioral supports, and collaborative professional learning communities, Circle Public Schools creates opportunities for every student to thrive.
Essential Core Instruction
Essential Learnings (ELs) are the concepts we guarantee every student will master. They guide instruction and assessments, and make sure students build a strong foundation for future learning and success.
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
We know every student learns and grows in different ways. The Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) is how we make sure each child gets the right help at the right time.
MTSS combines both academic and behavioral supports into one system, so students get what they need to be successful—whether that’s extra practice in a subject, positive behavior support, or more individualized help.
Through MTSS, our teachers and staff work together to provide high-quality instruction for all students, add additional supports when needed, and create a safe, caring environment where every Thunderbird has the opportunity to thrive.
MTSS Tiers of Instruction
MTSS is a continuous process where teachers assess student skills, identify needs, and plan instruction a the right level of support to help every child grow.
Professional Learning Communities
At Circle, our teachers don’t work in isolation—they work together. A Professional Learning Community, or PLC, is a team of educators who meet regularly to share ideas, look at student data, and plan strategies to help every student succeed.
PLCs are all about collaboration, continuous improvement and four guiding questions. Teachers talk through what’s working, identify areas where students need extra support, and try new approaches in the classroom. They come back together to reflect, adjust, and keep moving forward.
Key Points About PLCs
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Collaborative: Teachers work as a team with the shared goal of improving student learning.
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Student-Focused: The main purpose is to support student growth and achievement.
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Data-Informed: Teachers use student data to guide instruction and make decisions.
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Ongoing Process: PLCs are not a one-time meeting—they’re a regular cycle of planning, teaching, and improving.
PLCs help our teachers grow as professionals so they can better support every Thunderbird in reaching their full potential.
PLC Four Guiding Questions
What do we want student to learn?
Tier 1
Clear, standards-aligned learning targets and pacing.
Tier 2
Focused small-group goals targeting prerequisite skills.
Tier 3
Individualized goals.
How will we know if they learned it?
Tier 1
Universal screening, Common Formative Assessments, and exit tickets.
Tier 2
Biweekly progress monitoring and benchmark checks.
Tier 3 Weekly probes and data-team reviews.
What do we do if they haven't learned it?
Tier 1
Reteach with scaffolds, flexible grouping, and adjusted instruction.
Tier 2
Targeted interventions (small groups) with regular progress monitoring.
Tier 3 Intensive individualized interventions and specialist support or curriculum compacting.
What do we do if they already know it?
Tier 1 Enrichment, higher-order tasks, and complex application.
Extended projects or deeper tasks to build transfer.
Acceleration, curriculum compacting, or mentorship opportunities.