Haverford proposes new 11th–12th English electives and textbook additions; To Kill a Mockingbird moved to 10th grade

Sandy Connolly, curriculum coordinator for Haverford Township SD, told the Curriculum and Pupil Services Committee that high‑school English teachers have developed six new topic‑based courses for 11th–12th graders and compiled recommended core texts and supplementary reading lists for each course.

The proposed 11th–12th options include Visions of the Future (science and technology in literature), The Underdog, Heroes and Rebels, American Voices for Power and Justice in Literature, Diverse Voices in Short American Literature, and Man and Monsters. Teachers identified core texts for each course (examples discussed: The Martian; Never Let Me Go; I, Robot; Hidden Figures; Seabiscuit; Circe) and plan to pair fiction and nonfiction readings with independent research projects. Connolly said teachers will select two of these topic courses to satisfy the 11th/12th English requirement.

Connolly also presented a separate change for 10th grade: the district’s English teachers propose adding Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird as a 10th‑grade core text; the Glass Castle would move to a literature‑circle choice rather than the core. Connolly said the book had previously been taught in 8th grade and that teachers believe it will “fit well with the other texts” in 10th grade.

Why it matters: the course redesign shifts the emphasis from a single required course to a set of topic pathways designed to teach the same 11th–12th grade standards—literary analysis, argument and synthesis—through different thematic lenses. The change could alter what students are assigned and how teachers sequence reading across grade levels.

Supporting details and process: Connolly described a multi‑step adoption process: teachers reviewed past, district‑approved titles and outside districts’ lists; teachers read candidate texts and evaluated complexity, perspectives, and fit with standards; recommendations were routed to the curriculum coordinator, the principal and the assistant superintendent. Tess Hartman and Kirsten Montgomery are named as the high‑school lead curriculum developers who guided the selection work.

Cost and scheduling: Connolly estimated the cost for new texts at roughly $20,000, with most purchases covered by the regular high‑school English textbook budget and by replacing aging copies. Final quantities and exact cost depend on enrollment and which courses students select; Connolly said the district will know more after course selection in February and expected to finalize orders in March.

Questions and public comment: Committee members asked how literature circles will operate, whether multiple titles could appear simultaneously in one classroom, and how books are managed (Connolly said physical copies are shared and that students typically annotate with sticky notes or online annotations). Several committee members and commenters raised concerns about To Kill a Mockingbird’s perspective and how teachers will scaffold sensitive content. Connolly said teachers plan to address missing perspectives explicitly—analyzing author context and what the text omits—and that the curriculum team will plan safeguards and contextual material so students can engage with the book thoughtfully. Public comment included support from a former teacher who urged approval and described classroom approaches to teaching the novel.

Next steps: Connolly said the course selection guide will appear on the full board agenda on Jan. 23 (the board presentation referenced at the committee meeting) and that any additional book approvals would be returned to the committee in May.

Ending: The committee thanked Connolly and the English department for extensive review and teacher leadership; members indicated the board will consider the course selection guide and associated text adoptions at upcoming meetings.