District curriculum staff presented multiple resource recommendations across English language arts, social studies and science and outlined a high-school electives survey intended to inform future course offerings.

Why it matters: The proposals would affect classroom instruction, teacher planning and district budgets. Staff asked the Board to approve textbook and materials purchases at the June meeting and to authorize distribution and curriculum-writing work over the summer.

ELA and social studies: Sandra Connolly, humanities supervisor, said the district will add Freedom on My Mind for the AP African American course and recommended Discovering Wes Moore for middle-school eighth grade and Ender's Game for a new high-school course, Visions of the Future. Connolly estimated secondary text purchases at about $35,000 and said that figure is included in the proposed budget; a later slide noted 14 new high-school texts (a separate figure near $38,000 appeared on materials slides). Connolly said the tenth-grade team decided not to add To Kill a Mockingbird as a core tenth-grade text at this time; the title remains on the approved book list and in libraries.

Science materials and adoption: Dr. Alexis McGloin, interim STEM supervisor, presented a multi-level science materials adoption driven by updated standards. She said middle-school curriculum gaps (particularly in physical science) require new Lab-Aids kits and online resources; high-school proposals include updated AP textbooks and an OpenStax biology resource. Dr. McGloin provided itemized figures: AP Environmental materials were the largest single line at about $40,000 because of high enrollment; the high-school materials package was $58,004.96; the middle-school materials figure cited was $257,459 (presenter phrased it as $2.57 $4.59), and staff quoted a total investment for science materials at $368,004.28. Dr. McGloin said she was negotiating price reductions and expected the final figure to come down before purchase. She described a six-year digital subscription and classroom-set model for textbooks and said teachers will receive training on the new materials and the district's new standards.

Electives and implementation timeline: Dr. McGloin said a student survey showed interest in electives such as marine environments, microbiology and botany; any new electives would be phased in for 2026'27 and could vary in length (semester, quarter). Staff said they will ask the Board for approval of textbook and kit purchases in June, distribute materials in summer and continue curriculum writing in 2025'26; initial units would be ready by the beginning of the next school year and full writing to continue during the school year.

Board members asked for a breakdown of textbook and materials costs, durability choices such as VinaBind for hardcovers, accessibility supports (Spanish and other language versions where available), and assurances on scaffolds for multilingual and diverse learners. Connolly and McGloin said they would provide detailed cost breakdowns and clarifications at or before the June Board meeting. No formal Board action occurred at the committee meeting; staff will return with final quotes and a purchase request for Board approval.