District outlines timeline for curriculum mapping and profile-of-a-graduate work, flags dual-language and early-literacy priorities

Kennett Consolidated School District's curriculum committee reviewed a multi-year plan on April 28 to produce curriculum maps, adopt a district "profile of a graduate" and create an instructional model to guide classroom practice.

Dr. Kimberly Rizzo Saunders, co-chair of the curriculum committee and superintendent, said mapping is a calendar-based, collaborative process that will make curriculum a "living, breathing document" rather than a static binder. "Really mapping is a calendar ... that we both collect and maintain an ongoing database ... It encourages teachers to be curriculum designers, rather than just be handed a book," she said.

The committee described the sequence and timeline: administration aims to provide a curriculum-map template and exemplars by late summer (the superintendent specifically cited a target date of June 16 for a template), then spend the 2025'26 school year on consensus mapping across grade levels with district professional development days dedicated to the work. The committee also plans to define the components of a profile of a graduate and to crosswalk that profile with existing frameworks (Ed 4) to identify gaps.

Committee members emphasized a few priorities: - Early grades and literacy: Dr. Rizzo Saunders said the district will look at evidence-based early-literacy approaches and noted plans to review program options such as a science-of-reading strategy called "Letters." She said early reading and math should receive focused attention. - Science and authentic experiences: The district intends to preserve hands-on science instruction rather than reducing science to embedded literacy tasks; the committee discussed "cornerstone" experiences tied to community resources (for example, visits to a water-treatment facility for science connections). - Dual-language or immersion pathways: The committee flagged dual-language immersion as a strategic decision that would require multi-year planning and bilingual staff; the superintendent said such an initiative could take seven to ten years to implement because of staffing and recruitment needs.

Dr. Rizzo Saunders said the committee has already solicited staff feedback and run initial focus groups; she said broader community input is planned and that the district will continue outreach (including a Spanish-language focus-group event, Café y Familia). She also noted an upcoming May 20 profile-of-a-graduate discussion and added that staff and community engagement will shape final targets.

The committee did not take votes and set follow-up steps: finalize a template and exemplars over the summer, continue community outreach on the graduate profile, and devote 2025'26 professional learning time to collaborative curriculum mapping.