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Superintendent outlines curriculum, STEM and social-emotional programs in annual State of the Schools
Summary
Superintendent Neil Gupta delivered Oakwood Schools’ State of the Schools, highlighting a new literacy curriculum, STEM partnerships, the district-wide "3 R's" behavior initiative, and recognition of student achievements.
Superintendent Neil Gupta delivered Oakwood Schools’ second annual State of the Schools address at the March 10 board meeting, highlighting recent curriculum changes, STEM partnerships, social-emotional learning initiatives and student accomplishments.
Gupta described the district’s new English language arts curriculum, Wit and Wisdom, and said teachers reported strong engagement and deeper student discussions. Third-grade teacher Emmy King told the board the curriculum mixes texts, artwork, articles and video to immerse students in topics and develop reading, discussion and writing skills. "Implementing our new ELA curriculum, Wit and Wisdom, has been a game changer," King said.
Gupta outlined literacy supports including a foundations curriculum for K–3, a phonemic awareness program referenced in the presentation, a daily 30-minute "WIN (What I Need) Time" intervention block and the Wilson Reading System for tier-3 intervention. He said the district is emphasizing evidence-based approaches to close learning gaps.
The superintendent also described expanding STEM work through partnerships with the national organization Jason Learning and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA). Jody Allen, a kindergarten teacher and designated STEM champion at Lang Elementary, described classroom-level projects and cross-building collaboration that incorporate coding, robotics and engineering challenges.
Gupta presented the district’s social-emotional work around a districtwide "3 R's" initiative — be respectful, be responsible and build relationships — and credited staff leaders for embedding the framework across all buildings. Michael Wadham, Harmon School counselor, described programs for military-connected students and a house system at Harmon that uses positive recognition and schoolwide activities to promote belonging.
The address also recognized winter athletes and student academic achievements. Athletic Director Tyler Bridal introduced swimmers and divers who qualified for state competition; Guptan noted student Joseph Hong spoke about AP, CCP and college-preparatory opportunities that influenced his decision to pursue engineering.
Context and numbers included in the presentation: the superintendent said the district budget is $31,100,000, that 71.1% of the budget goes to classroom instruction, and that the district's average class size is 20. Gupta said Oakwood continues to receive top ratings on state report cards.
Ending: Gupta closed by thanking staff, families and the Oakwood Schools Foundation and urged continued community support for district priorities.
