Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Curriculum And Assessment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Duxbury principals report curriculum changes and mixed iReady results as district plans expansions
Summary
Superintendent and school principals updated the School Committee on curriculum reviews, CKLA adoption at elementary grades, a middle-school 'I am' math rollout, and iReady diagnostic results; administrators said early results show gains but cautioned staffing changes could affect momentum.
Duxbury school leaders told the School Committee that curriculum reviews this year led to pilot adoptions and targeted instruction changes, while diagnostic testing showed mixed but improving results in early grades.
Dr. Wilcox, the district curriculum lead, summarized yearlong reviews in English language arts and mathematics and said recommendations included more consistent reading practices, vertical alignment and common instructional language. "Recommendations based on the review included creating more consistent practices in reading, thinking about reading, talking about reading, and writing," she said, adding that the district will pilot and implement CKLA at the elementary level.
On math, principals reported the district implemented an "I am" math program at Duxbury Middle School with plans to expand to high school courses including geometry and Algebra II. Administrators said the change required teacher training and time for implementation.
Principals also presented iReady diagnostic data for early grades. Chandler Principal Gerard told members that for grades 1–2 combined, roughly 93% of students were on grade level at year-end, a gain of four percentage points from the prior year. Gerard said first grade ended with 94% on grade level and 82% meeting growth targets; second grade ended with 91% on grade level and 76% meeting growth targets. Alden and other elementary reports showed similar patterns of most students on grade level but a smaller share meeting stretch growth targets.
Committee members asked about sustainability: with the upcoming departure of a curriculum director, several members pressed administrators on the risk to implementation. Elementary administrators said principals and reading/math specialists will increase support for implementation and that all-hands engagement will be required.
At the secondary level, Duxbury High School leadership reported a decennial NEASC visit with positive findings and recommendations to better operationalize and measure school initiatives. High school leaders also said they are expanding common planning and co-planning time for general- and special-education teachers.
No formal policy decisions were taken; staff agreed to bring more trend and comparative data (district-year-to-year and state norms where possible) to the committee’s summer workshop so the board can adopt specific KPIs for district strategic goals.
