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KCS Vision & Mission
The vision of the KCS MTSS Leadership team is one that focuses on a system for overall student improvement, with a specific focus on helping school staff implement a high-quality system of assessments and interventions to address student academic, behavioral, attendance, and social-emotional challenges.
The mission of the KCS MTSS Leadership team is to increase the overall quality of district MTSS structures and processes and to provide resources and training for implementation at the school level. Under the guidance of the KCS MTSS Leadership Team we assist the KCS Curriculum and Instruction Leadership Team with choosing valid, reliable, and user-friendly assessments for schools to use for student identification within MTSS structures. We also help with choosing research-/evidence-based interventions for schools to use to address challenges. We identify and address professional development needs regarding assessments and interventions utilizing existing KCS personnel (e.g., instructional coaches, school psychologists, etc.) and needed outside resources. We assist the KCS Testing and Accountability Department with equipping school staff to use data analysis skills to examine student assessment data for problem identification at the individual student level and for student groups. The mission of the department is to create an overall KCS MTSS implementation plan that helps schools provide the highest quality identification of student challenges and an equally high-quality intervention system to address problems.
KCS Strategic Plan Department Goals
Goal #1 – The KCS MTSS Leadership Team will support the implementation of MTSS at all KCS schools.
Goal #2 – The KCS MTSS Leadership Team will continue to create new, and refine existing, MTSS structures and procedures to increase the quality of the district’s MTSS implementation.
Goal #3 – The KCS MTSS Leadership Team will continue to utilize available resources to help with increasing the quality of the district’s general knowledge about and implementation of MTSS.
Goal #4 – The KCS MTSS Leadership Team, in conjunction with other KCS teams, will focus efforts to ensure school staff (teachers, support staff, and administrators) and other district leaders have access to needed professional development and trainings related to MTSS implementation.
KCS MTSS Overview
NC multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) employs a systems approach using data-driven problem-solving to maximize growth for all. North Carolina MTSS is defined as a multi-tiered framework that promotes school improvement through engaging, research-based academic, behavioral and social-emotional learning practices.
Kannapolis City Schools is committed to this vision and the success of the whole child by systematically meeting the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs of all students. We do this through data-informed support structures and a problem-solving framework to target instruction and intervention for all students. If your child is found in need of additional support, you will receive information regarding specific interventions.
Effective implementation of MTSS requires school staff to review and analyze available sources of data for all students in the school to support increased student performance and total school improvement. The following screenings, assessments, and information are essential to this process:
- Report cards/transcripts
- Review of educational records
- Teacher observations
- Attendance
- End of grade/course scores
- Behavioral/social-emotional screening
- Reading/Math screening
- Reading/Math diagnostics
- Content area benchmarks
- Common formative assessments (i.e. classroom teacher assessments)
Your partnership in your child's learning is important. If you have any questions, please contact your child's school and/or teacher.
JoAnne Garay, M.S. CAS District MTSS Coordinator | Kannapolis City SchoolsP: 704-938-1131 E: joanne.garay@kcs.k12.nc.us A: 100 Denver St, Kannapolis, NC 28083 www.kcs.k12.nc.us 
