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Abington Heights curriculum committee outlines new social studies sequence, PBIS review and AI policy follow-up
Summary
The district’s curriculum committee described a new comprehensive K–6 social studies plan, changes to where civics is taught, planned PBIS climate surveys with the intermediate unit, caregiver workshops and a follow-up review of AI use and academic-integrity policy.
The Abington Heights School District curriculum committee reported a set of curriculum and climate changes that the board heard at its May 21 meeting, including a new K–6 social studies plan, adjustments to when civics is taught, expanded PBIS reviews, and further study of how artificial intelligence is used in classrooms.
Committee chair Missus Henderson summarized four agenda items from the May 7 curriculum committee meeting. The committee reviewed a new comprehensive social studies curriculum written this year. Henderson said the district does not teach social studies as a standalone subject in kindergarten through sixth grade; the new materials are designed as supplemental lessons for elementary teachers.
Henderson told the board that fifth- and sixth-grade social-studies lessons will be taught after the PSSAs during the remaining seven weeks of the school year. Seventh grade will receive world-history instruction under the new plan, and eighth grade will move to geography. Henderson specifically addressed community questions about civics instruction: she said civics remains a state standard and will continue to be taught in Abington Heights, but the district is shifting the requirement so that civics becomes part of the high-school curriculum. Current eighth graders and older already had civics at the middle-school level; incoming eighth graders and younger will take civics as a required course once they are in high school, and the district will also offer a new elective civics class at the high school.
The committee also outlined plans to work with the intermediate unit (IU) on a deeper review of PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports). Henderson said each school completed a PBIS survey and highlighted practices that are working and items to address; the district will distribute additional parent, teacher and student surveys to assess school climate and gather stakeholder feedback.
On extracurricular engagement, the committee reported a completed caregiver workshop series that the district will rework for next year, and it reviewed the range of assessments used across grades—benchmarking, formative, summative and standardized instruments—to ensure committee members share a common understanding of assessment purpose and timing.
Committee members also reviewed the district’s AI policy with the goal of preserving academic integrity while helping students learn to use AI responsibly. Henderson said the committee will do a deeper dive with administrators and teachers to document how AI is being used and then determine next steps.
The committee’s report and linked materials are available on the district’s BoardDocs posting, and Henderson encouraged stakeholders to review those documents for full details.
