Continuous Progress
**Please note – At their October 17, 2022 meeting, the Edina School Board approved the phase out of the Continuous Progress choice option at Countryside Elementary for new Kindergarten students starting in the fall of 2024.
Continuous Progress (CP) is a districtwide Edina Choice Program that offers multi-grade classes.
Two classrooms form a "family" - one classroom includes grades 1 and 2 and the other classroom includes grades 3 through 5.
Countryside students who join CP would begin in first grade and stay in their "family" for all 5 years with the same two teaching partners.
This structure promotes student/teacher and parent/teacher relationships as well as leadership opportunities, self advocacy, family activities, and parent involvement.
View the Continuous Progress Informational Webinar to learn more!
CP Pillars
Pillar 1
Multi-age "family-like" classroom environment
Pillar 2
Long-term relationships between teachers, students, and families
Pillar 3
Innovative and personalized instruction
Pillar 4
Continuity
Multi-age "family-like" classroom environment
The "family" structure for CP is set up with teaming:
-
Two teachers and one paraprofessional in each family.
- A primary teacher (Gr. 1-2) and an intermediate teacher (Gr. 3-5), with a grade 5 classroom connection provided.
- Teachers teach at least one content area (Math, Writing, theme) to other homerooms in the family.
Innovative and personalized instruction
Long-term, meaningful relationships are the anchor of the program. Due to these relationships, teachers are able to personalize learning and help students find their sparks in learning.
- Leadership opportunities and role modeling are a part of every school day.
- Science and Social Studies are taught in a thematic and real-world way, including annual overnight environmental learning experiences.
- We build intentional bridges between the traditional and CP programs through involvement in leadership teams, safety patrol, music and art classes, and participation in the school's news show.
Long-term relationships between teachers, students, and families
This style of program provides the opportunity for a long-term partnership between teachers, students, and families as they continue throughout the program. Parents can engage with the program through:
- Being a PTO classroom volunteer
- Leading service projects
- Being a classroom parent
Continuity
Students remain with the same CP family and teaching team for 5 years, with their sibling entering the same family.
- This creates the opportunity for a long term partnership between teachers, students, and families as they continue throughout the program.