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Brunswick schools present proposed social studies, world language curricula; public review opens and board vote set for March 18
Summary
District staff and teacher committees reviewed and recommended new social studies and world-language materials. Materials will be available for public review beginning Feb. 26; the board will vote on adoption at its March 18 meeting.
Brunswick Board of Education officials on Feb. 25 presented recommended new social studies and world language curricula and said the district will make the materials available for public review ahead of a planned March 18 adoption vote.
The proposals were presented by district administrator Mister Geschke and high school principals Keith Merrill and Leanne Petrie, who described a committee-led review that prioritized state-approved resources, alignment to district learning goals called the "journey of a Blue Devil," differentiation and supports for English learners and intervention needs.
Geschke told the board the district began the review last fall, assembling large teacher committees to evaluate materials listed on the Ohio Department of Education's approved textbook list, vet vendors and apply the state rubric for high-quality instructional materials. He said the proposed materials will be available in the board office for public inspection starting Feb. 26 and that the board will consider a final adoption vote at its March 18 meeting.
Committee members and classroom teachers detailed selections for each grade band and subject. Elementary social studies teachers recommended Gallopade for fifth and sixth grades, praising its student workbooks, online platform and differentiation tools. Middle-school teachers recommended Savvas (grades 7–8) in part for its "active journal" workbooks and inquiry activities. High-school departments selected a mix of publishers: TCI for world history, Savvas for U.S. history and American government content, McGraw Hill for AP U.S. History, Cengage for AP European History, and various vendors for world languages including Vista Higher Learning and Carnegie Learning.
Presenters said committees emphasized student-centered learning, opportunities for primary-source analysis, current-events connections, and platforms that allow teachers to assign, annotate and monitor student interaction with texts. Several speakers stressed the ability to modify assessments or provide alternate lexile levels and read-aloud or translation tools to support diverse learners.
District staff outlined next steps: public review begins Feb. 26, the adoption will come forward for board action on March 18, and vendor-led professional development for social studies and world-language teachers is scheduled for April 21, a planned district professional development day.
The presentation included more than two dozen teachers and administrators who participated in the review committees; board members thanked them for the time invested in the multi-month process.
If the board approves the recommended materials in March, the district intends to phase in the resources with teacher training before classroom implementation.
