Dexter presenters outline 'Arts and Letters' ELA for Creekside; board records motion but no recorded vote

Creekside teachers and literacy staff from the Dexter Community School District presented the Arts and Letters K–6 English/language arts (ELA) curriculum for consideration and described a recent pilot, projected timeline and funding plan. The board took a motion and a second to adopt the curriculum for the 2025–26 school year; the transcript records the motion and second but does not record a final vote.

Why it matters: The proposal would standardize ELA instruction across Creekside (grades K–6 at the time of the presentation), introduce common materials and assessments, and rely in part on a grant to pay most costs. The curriculum change would directly affect classroom instruction, teacher professional development and materials orders for the coming school year.

Creekside leaders said they selected Arts and Letters after reviewing student data and piloting the program in multiple classrooms. Presenters described the curriculum as evidence-based, with tiered supports, integrated reading-and-writing lessons, and frequent fluency and speaking practice. Examples used in the presentation included nonfiction and fiction trade books, artwork as text, poetry (Langston Hughes) and cross-disciplinary connections (jazz, history). Teachers reported strong student engagement during the pilot; staff described rubrics, exemplar materials and ‘‘learn books’’ that place student resources and assessments in one physical packet to reduce digital navigation overhead.

Pilot and instructional details: Presenters said four classes piloted parts of the curriculum during the second semester; each participating teacher covered at least one unit. The program organizes each unit with bookend lessons, wonder and reveal lessons, and planned assessments. Creekside staff emphasized pre-teaching (“prologues”) that special-education staff can use to prepare students for more complex lessons. District staff said the curriculum emphasizes pencil-and-paper practice alongside some digital resources.

Timeline and implementation costs: Staff proposed submitting the district order by July 1, with digital pilot materials available to teachers around July 7 and physical materials arriving in August. The district planned roughly six hours of professional development for teachers before the school year and anticipated roll-out to students by early September. Presenters said they expect to charge roughly two-thirds of the curriculum cost to a 35J literacy grant, with the remaining one-third to be covered from district fund balance for sixth-grade materials and staff. (Transcript provides the grant name and the two-thirds/one-third split; an exact dollar total for the district portion is not specified in the transcript.)

Board discussion and next steps: Board members asked about pilot size, how Arts and Letters compares with previously used materials (EL Education and units of study), and whether the curriculum pacing and teacher usability addressed prior concerns. Staff responded that the new materials were intentionally organized for teacher usability and that prior materials required navigating many PDFs. At the end of the presentation a board member moved to adopt the Arts and Letters ELA curriculum and a second was recorded; no roll-call or voice vote appears in the transcript. The transcript therefore does not show whether the board took a final recorded vote that evening. Procurement and purchase orders were discussed as the next administrative steps if the board proceeds.

Supporting details and context: Staff said Ann Arbor Schools was also piloting Arts and Letters and that district teachers had exchanged notes with them. Presenters noted the curriculum provides unit texts across genres, explicit rubrics and exemplars, opportunities for partners and public-speaking fluency work, and built-in supports for struggling readers.

The board packet and meeting transcript record the presentation, the motion to adopt and staff descriptions of grant funding and timeline; the transcript does not record a final vote, so any final adoption status should be confirmed with district clerks or the official minutes.