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Academic services outline upcoming textbook adoptions and curriculum updates for K–12
Summary
Dinwiddie County Public Schools’ academic services team presented a timeline for textbook adoptions and curriculum updates, recommending Five Ponds Press for K–8 history, pilot work for high‑school materials, and reviews of math and ELA resources with planned community and teacher preview opportunities.
Members of the district’s academic services team presented the board with an overview of planned textbook adoptions and curriculum work across K–12 subjects and asked the board to allow display/pilot periods and community review before final recommendations.
A curriculum presenter said the division plans to adopt instructional materials aligned to the 2023 history standards and noted the Virginia Department of Education has released instructional guides that teachers can use during curriculum writing. "We feel pretty confident that Five Ponds Press will be the direction that we go K through 8 because of the rich resources that they have historically produced," the presenter said, adding sample copies are under review and teachers will pilot materials this spring and summer.
For high school history and social studies the team said publisher options are limited and staff will recommend materials once VDOE guidance and approved textbook lists are clearer. The district is piloting Mathspace at the secondary level and evaluating Kiddom and STEMScopes for elementary math; staff said they will solicit teacher and community feedback via displays and a QR‑code survey before making final recommendations.
English/language arts materials (HMH) are being reviewed in coordination with cross‑curricular planning to align ELA, history and science resources. Staff said science standards for 2025 are similar to the 2018 standards at many levels but include refinements in high school course sequencing; curriculum teams will continue work through the summer to embed chosen resources into teacher materials.
No formal board action was required; staff said they will present final recommendations after community review and the textbook review committee’s evaluation.
Board members asked how materials would be provided (physical vs. digital); staff said K–8 adoptions will include physical student books where appropriate and that most publishers offer both print and digital teacher resources.
