Acting superintendent highlights elementary liaisons, class‑size data and new fifth‑grade academy
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Summary
Acting Superintendent Dr. Gorman told the board the district has implemented elementary grade‑level liaisons to improve communication, reported preliminary class‑size comparisons, and outlined a new fifth‑grade academy and SEL supports for middle school transition.
Acting Superintendent Dr. Gorman briefed the Carmel Central School District Board on Oct. 7 about elementary liaisons, class‑size data and new supports for students transitioning to middle school.
Dr. Gorman said the district approved grade‑level elementary liaisons and RTI staff, and that the stipend cost is comparable to previously used department‑chair structures. “Without this extension of help… all the responsibility would be on a singular person,” Dr. Gorman said, describing liaisons and department chairs as extensions of the office of curriculum and instruction.
He presented a preliminary comparison of sections and average class sizes between the 2024–25 and 2025–26 schedules for general‑education courses. Dr. Gorman said average class sizes in fifth and sixth grades are typically in the low‑ to mid‑20s, that some course enrollments (for example, accelerated Math 7) remain consistent year to year, and that language offerings vary modestly between years.
Dr. Gorman also described the newly launched fifth‑grade academy — a smaller, self‑contained transition program intended to give fifth graders a dedicated wing, front seats on buses and extra social‑emotional learning supports. He said lunch‑bunch groups, SEL lessons during independent study and targeted restorative practices are planned for the cohort.
Administration said it would return with a deeper dive on high‑school class sizes and schedule details next month, and indicated ongoing work to integrate assessment data via a data dashboard to guide interventions.