School Board approves $1M curriculum update including foreign language and business programs

The East Stroudsburg Area School District Finance Committee convened on June 9, 2025, to discuss significant updates regarding curriculum purchases and capital payments. The meeting focused on the allocation of funds for educational resources, emphasizing the need for updated materials across various subjects.

The committee began by addressing capital payments, which are essential financial obligations for the district. Following this, discussions turned to the approval of several curriculum purchases aimed at enhancing language and business education programs. Notably, the district approved the acquisition of Carnegie Learning products for French, German, and Spanish programs, marking the first upgrade in these subjects since the 1990s.

In addition to language resources, the committee approved several math and business curriculum purchases. This included a $14,007.67 investment in consumer math materials from McGraw Hill and a total of $70,007.19 for business resources from Cengage. These purchases are part of the district's efforts to meet the requirements set by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) for personal finance education.

The committee also recommended the purchase of LinkIt for $51,005.75 and Cartwheel for $65,000, both funded through grant money. Furthermore, they approved a professional development package for restorative practices at a cost of $12,138. The total spending discussed during the meeting amounted to approximately one million dollars, with a significant portion covered by grant funding.

The committee acknowledged the hard work of department chairs in vetting and selecting appropriate materials, highlighting the importance of updating outdated curriculum resources. The meeting concluded with a recognition of the district's commitment to enhancing educational offerings and ensuring compliance with state educational standards.