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Sayreville curriculum leaders propose targeted investments and pilot adoptions while holding overall budget nearly steady
Summary
Curriculum & Instruction staff described priorities — phonics expansion, district writing assessment, StudySync adoption/pilot, new electives and math intervention pilots — and said the proposed curriculum appropriation shows a modest dip (from about $1.2M to ~$1.182M) because of one‑time purchases and multi‑year material costs.
Curriculum and instruction leaders presented the board with a program‑level review and the proposed curriculum appropriation for 2025–26 at the Feb. 4 meeting, focusing on early‑literacy expansions, assessment tools and new course offerings.
Miss Grossman (curriculum & instruction lead; first referenced at SEG 1321) told the board the department aims to expand Heggerty phonics instruction to grade 2, acquire decodable readers aligned to that program, and extend district writing assessments to additional grades through a partnership that included Rutgers. She said the district piloted StudySync (McGraw Hill) and seeks to adopt it for grades 9–12 while piloting it for grades 6–8.
Key instructional additions: The presentation listed new high‑school electives (American Sign Language II continuation and a proposed ASL III, Freshman Foundations for study and social‑emotional skills, film studies, and a History of New Jersey elective). The department also seeks math intervention tools (SuccessMaker and Momentum screener for grades K–5) and to expand dual‑enrollment offerings with Middlesex College to help students earn college credit.
Budget posture: Miss Grossman said the Curriculum & Instruction appropriation was approximately $1.2 million for 2024–25 and that the proposed figure is about $1.182 million, a slight reduction due to multi‑year purchases and one‑time investments already made. She framed requests for targeted local funding to support interventional tutorials, co‑curricular teams and materials that are not fully covered by federal grants.
Board questions and partnerships: Board members asked about Freshman Foundations implementation, music and recording arts tied to the district’s Bon Jovi facility and partnerships with colleges (Monmouth University and Middlesex College were mentioned as potential collaborators). Pear Deck and the virtual tutoring tool formerly known as TutorMe (referenced in transcript as Pear Deck/TutorMe) were discussed as on‑demand tutoring solutions; Miss Grossman confirmed access through the district Clever portal.
Direct quote: "We would like to expand the use of Heggerty in grades K through 2 by purchasing some decodable libraries," Miss Grossman said, describing a literacy alignment strategy.
What’s next: The department’s requests feed into the larger budget process; the presentation framed program priorities for the coming year and asked the board to consider continued local support for interventions and curricular materials.
