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District plans full-day kindergarten, revised K-8 STEM aligned to new state 'STEEL' standards for 2025-26
Summary
A kindergarten implementation committee recommended shifting Cornwall-Lebanon elementary kindergarten to full-day in 2025-26, with new pacing guides, special-area schedules and two added STEM positions; district also revised K-8 STEM curriculum to align with Pennsylvania STEEL standards.
Cornwall-Lebanon School District staff told the board they have completed a planning process to move kindergarten from a half-day to a full-day program for the 2025-26 school year and have developed accompanying curriculum and staffing recommendations.
Administrators described a multi-stakeholder kindergarten committee of teachers, interventionists, specialists, administrators and board members that spent months mapping an “ideal” full-day kindergarten program. The resulting plan includes pacing guides for core kindergarten subjects; curricula for all five special areas (art, music, physical education, library and STEM); intervention resources for tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 supports; common expectations across the district's four elementary schools; and added staffing including two STEM positions and classroom aides to support expanded instructional time.
Separately, the district reported it has rewritten its STEM curriculum for grades K-8 and aligned the courses to Pennsylvania's new science-related standards (referred to in the presentation as STEEL: Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental Literacy and Sustainability). The K-5 curriculum replaces pre-COVID computer classes with an expanded STEM program; middle school STEM experiences were redesigned and formalized to match the new alignment.
Administration said curriculum approvals for the kindergarten special areas (physical education and library) and the STEM program will be on the consent agenda at the next board meeting. Board members asked about current kindergarten enrollment levels and potential class sizes; staff said preliminary enrollment is low this summer but may change and that they will continue to monitor numbers and staffing needs.
The district said the implementation plan includes schedules and supports intended to provide consistency across buildings and additional intervention resources for students who need them.
