The mission of Vestavia Hills City Schools is to ensure each student learns without limits by pursuing knowledge and igniting curiosity about the world through a system distinguished by:

• A safe and nurturing environment
• The courage to be creative
• Unparalleled community support
• Appreciation of diversity
• Multiple paths to a bold future

The purpose of these instructional documents is to serve as a guide for student learning in the classroom at any point throughout the year.  The pacing guides have been developed through collaboration between all middle school teachers and administrators throughout the district, and content standards align with Alabama College and Career Readiness Standards. 

The use of guides provides consistency and continuity of instruction at both the school and district levels, as well as improves the quality of instruction by promoting increased rigor and equity of instruction for all students. Creating and implementing these guides fosters collaborative planning among educators, with the ultimate goal of improved student achievement. At the foundation of these pacing guides is Vestavia Hills City Schools’ strategic planning goal for teaching and learning:

Ensure that students learn and demonstrate a profound understanding of knowledge and skills consistent with expectations of teachers, parents, and the community, and ensure that students find value and meaning in the work provided to them.

Guides are divided by nine-week periods and include relevant content standards to be taught within each term.  Digital Literacy Content Standards, Literacy Standards, and, where appropriate, Gifted Learning Standards, are also included within the guides. These documents are dynamic and will continually be evaluated by teachers throughout the instructional process to make necessary adjustments for student learning.

Descriptions for each middle school course are available here.