District asks for 9–12 science and math coordinator as high‑school workloads grow

Assistant Superintendent Marlene Solano outlined the Cheshire School District’s curriculum and instruction budget, describing textbook and subscription spending, curriculum‑writing work, professional development and the district’s request for a new high‑school science and math curriculum coordinator.

Solano said the district maintains a curriculum library for lesson plans, pacing guides and standards and that major recurring resource costs include Eureka Math (elementary math program) and I‑Ready (middle‑school diagnostic and instruction platform). She listed other subscriptions and platforms in use across the district, including PowerSchool (student information system), Performance Matters (data warehouse for assessments), School Links (college/career and common‑app support), WeVideo, Destiny (library management), and single‑sign‑on service Clever.

Solano described the current coaching and curriculum leadership structure: a K–8 coordinator (Kevin Hanlon), one elementary reading consultant and one elementary math consultant, six elementary curriculum coaches (one per elementary school, two at Highland), and content leaders and department chairs at the secondary level. She said elementary staff do not have daily classroom responsibilities and so can provide frequent coaching, while many secondary curriculum leaders teach full schedules and are released only one or two periods for coordination work.

The administration proposed adding a 9–12 science and math coordinator as a central‑office administrative position. Solano and Superintendent Dr. Solon said the role would be similar to the K–8 coordinator’s responsibilities: curriculum oversight, coaching, textbook selection, professional development planning, attending data team meetings, and supporting multilingual learners. They said the new position would also reduce the evaluation and administrative load on high‑school principals and department chairs, who currently evaluate large numbers of teachers.

Board members asked whether consultants could continue to fill the role. Solano said external consultants had produced gains (noting a strong year after Connecticut Science Center coaches supported high‑school science instruction) but that consultants are not a long‑term substitute for an in‑district coordinator who can run curriculum adoption processes, stay on site year‑round, and attend frequent PLC/data‑team meetings.

Nut graf: The request for a 9–12 science and math coordinator is presented as an operational, instructional investment: district leaders argued the position would expand coaching and curriculum implementation at the high school and reduce unsustainable evaluation burdens on existing administrators and department chairs.

Solano said the requested funds would support a new U.S. history textbook, vetting/replacing an Algebra 1 resource, a universal reading screener, and additional science supplies tied to recently created science coaching positions. She said district staffing already includes a mix of central office and building‑based curriculum coaches and that surrounding districts (e.g., Southington, Glastonbury, West Hartford) have analogous administrative curriculum roles.

Ending: The board asked for documentation on evaluation loads and other comparative data; Solano said she would provide further detail and that the planning and budget committees would review the staffing proposal as part of the ongoing budget process.