Supporting Academic Excellence

  • Male Teacher with male and female students

     

    Mission: Our mission is to equip every educator with the tools to provide a quality education for every child in every classroom every day.

    At Pickerington Local Schools, Academic Services delivers engaging, personalized learning experiences that empower students to succeed in college, careers, and life. By using innovative teaching practices, such as interactive whiteboards and virtual reality simulations, cutting-edge resources like online databases and e-books, and the latest technology, such as tablets and educational apps, we equip every student with the skills they need to thrive in an ever-evolving world.

    We believe in the power of community in the educational process. We nurture strong connections between students and educators, fostering habits of lifelong learning and preparing students to confidently navigate complex, dynamic environments. Hands-on, real-world learning experiences help students develop critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership skills, empowering them to positively impact their classrooms, schools, and beyond.

    To ensure we continue to offer high-quality education, we are committed to a seven-year cycle to review and update our curriculum and instructional resources across subjects like English language arts, math, and science. This unwavering commitment ensures our teaching stays relevant, effective, and aligned with the latest academic standards.

    We invite you to join us on this journey as we guide our students toward a bright future where they can achieve their fullest potential and make meaningful contributions to the world.

Contact Our Teams

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  • English Learners (EL)

  • Gifted Services

  • Prevention & Intervention

  • Special Education

  • Teaching & Learning

  • Dr. Alesia Gillison

Learning & Support Services

      English Learners

      • Pickerington Schools is home to over 800 English Learners (ELs) speaking more than 57 languages. The district provides various levels of services to this highly heterogeneous group of students who possess diverse gifts, educational needs, backgrounds, languages, and goals. Our program accelerates English language literacy while valuing the social and cultural knowledge that a child brings to school. The district primarily serves ELs based on language needs through self-contained instruction and integrated instructional settings. Our department includes an EL coordinator, an EL administrative assistant, EL specialists, Bilingual Family Ambassadors and paraprofessionals.

      Gifted

      • Approximately one third of Pickerington students are identified as gifted cognitively, creatively, artistically or in one or more academic areas. The district provides a continuum of services to gifted students, including enriched, accelerated, compressed, and differentiated curriculum and instruction. Communication with students, families, and staff is crucial to the success of Pickerington Schools. Please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or email with any questions or concerns. We always welcome the opportunity to connect with members of our community.

      Prevention

      • The Prevention & Intervention Office provides services to students aimed at helping kids learn to make healthy choices and to avoid risky behaviors. 

        At the core of these services is the promotion of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). SEL is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. A continuum of care is key to providing a comprehensive approach. The continuum of care acknowledges the importance of prevention programming at school-wide, group, and individual levels. For those students and families that need additional support, we link with community organizations and partners to assist with mental health and wellness. We seek to prepare all students for long-term success in life and to develop responsible, caring citizens in our multicultural society. Our office supports the pillar of Academic Excellence in Pickerington Schools’ Plan for Progress by addressing the Whole Child and Relationships (Plan for Progress). We work with school counselors, social work interns, administrators, and staff to promote student success and family engagement through social and emotional learning, prevention programming, and community connections.

      Special Education

      • Special Education and Student Supports serves approximately 1,500 students identified as having disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Services are provided in accordance with Ohio’s Operating Standards for Children with Disabilities and the Special Education Model Policies and Procedures.  
         
        Our office employs a range of professionals providing a comprehensive array of services for our students. These professionals include special education coordinators, intervention specialists, school psychologists, speech pathologists, paraprofessionals, occupational and physical therapists, assistive technology resource leaders, academic/behavior coaches, and a work-study coordinator.

      Teaching & Learning

      • The Teaching and Learning office provides leadership for educational programs and professional learning for teachers and administrators. We provide leadership for curriculum; assessment; instructional practices; teacher, school and district performance; continuous improvement; career-technical education; federal grants; the Ohio Improvement Process; Parent Curriculum Liaison Council; STEM programming; service learning; and professional development.

        As we strive to personalize learning for every student, our staff members oversee intervention and enrichment services including summer academic intervention, credit recovery and new credit, response to intervention programs, College Credit Plus, advanced placement, global scholars, gifted education, and services for English Learners.

        We recognize the need to prepare students for a changing, competitive, global workplace and are providing opportunities that reach beyond the boundaries of our schools through STEM programming, partnerships with business and industry, college coursework and service learning.