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Board hears progress report on elementary math rollout; Go Math platform and Waggle draw parent and teacher questions
Summary
District presenters said they adopted the updated Go Math primary resource, reported digital usage, professional development and early teacher and parent feedback; board members asked for more family supports and clarified hands-on and multilingual‑learner supports.
Syosset Central School District officials reported to the Board of Education that the district has implemented an updated Go Math primary resource at the elementary level and is three quarters of the way through the first year of rollout, with professional development, curriculum-writing and parent outreach under way.
Why it matters: administrators said the primary resource supports the Next Generation Learning Standards and provides a consistent resource across the district’s seven elementary schools; the board’s discussion focused on family access, hands-on instructional time, supports for multilingual learners and evidence of early results.
What presenters said Dr. Weltzak (presenting with Barbara Fournier, elementary STEM administrator) said Syosset convened a committee of classroom teachers, special educators, interventionists, enrichment staff and administrators to evaluate elementary resources after the vendor for the district’s prior program announced its sunsetting. The committee used a rubric to compare products and selected the updated Go Math resource, which the presenters said is aligned to the Next Generation Learning Standards and offers digital tools, shorter focused chapters, teacher supports and an adaptive practice platform called Waggle connected to NWEA data.
Implementation and usage Presenters said the district ran summer curriculum-writing, delivered fall professional development and offered ongoing coaching through a virtual Coachly service that provides teachers with dedicated instructional coaches via the Go Math platform. The district ran a parent workshop in February and has collected monthly feedback. Digital‑usage data shown to the board indicated consistent student logins; the presenters noted unusually high engagement even during the winter break.
Feedback and planned adjustments Teachers reported that Waggle and the platform are accessible and that editable tests and coach sessions are helpful. Common teacher feedback centered on chapter/lesson order, pacing and report-card alignment; administrators said they will address sequencing concerns in summer curriculum writing. Presenters emphasized that while the digital platform is an enhancement, the majority of in‑class elementary math instruction remains workshop based, using manipulatives and centers; Waggle typically serves as one center rotation among others.
Supports and equity Presenters said the updated program includes multilingual-learner supports and that ELL staff and classroom teachers coordinate on word-problem instruction and concept vocabulary. A more robust intervention pathway tied to the new primary resource is available for tiered supports. The district said it will continue monitoring unit assessments and state assessment data to judge effectiveness.
Board questions Board members sought help for parents who struggle to explain newer methods at home; presenters said the platform contains short “math on the spot” videos and a parent/family room with online resources and that recorded materials and the slideshow will be posted. Members also asked whether learning has become more digital; presenters reiterated that workbooks and hands-on centers remain the central instructional tools.
Ending Administrators said they will continue monthly feedback collection, refine scope and sequence in summer curriculum writing, expand project‑based learning opportunities to support deeper mathematical thinking and report progress to the board.
