Welcome to the Willard Elementary School website, Cougar Country.

As a result of two years of research and planning, Willard has chosen three concepts to focus on over the next five years. The goal of each of these concepts is student success.

The most important focus will be on literacy. The Willard staff is focusing on how to integrate reading and writing into all subject areas. The underlying belief is that if a student is successful at reading and writing, they can be successful after they leave Willard.

Comprehension strategies are the second critical component of the Willard approach to education. These strategies include questioning, making connections, visualizing, inferring, determining importance and synthesizing. Teachers use these as the basis of lessons. They have high expectations of students and believe that students will learn higher level thinking skills if they use comprehension strategies across the curriculum.

The third concept is called the Apprentice Model of Teaching and Learning, AMTL. It is a cognitive apprenticeship and differs from a traditional craft apprenticeship. It is a gradual release of responsibility that values variability and invention.

Willard’s research has created a unique learning environment for staff and students. Please browse through our website and, better yet, come visit the school!