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Gresham‑Barlow staff lay out social science adoption plan; K–2 to use Wonders with supplementary materials
Summary
District staff described an independent K–2 adoption using Wonders with supplemental curated resources and CORE coaching, middle‑school pilots underway and high‑school review postponed; plan aims to center student voice and bring a first reading in April and final adoption in May.
District curriculum staff updated the Gresham‑Barlow School Board on Jan. 22 about the social science adoption process and timeline for implementing new instructional materials in classrooms.
"We have 38 educators involved in this adoption process — 26 are elementary and 12 are secondary," a curriculum presenter said, describing a teacher‑led review that uses Oregon’s IMET evaluation tool. For kindergarten through second grade the district plans an independent adoption: staff proposed using the Wonders literacy curriculum to cover most social science standards and adding curated picture books and supplemental lessons to address standards not met by the literacy program.
Elementary teams are developing lesson plans and piloting materials in classrooms; middle schools narrowed seven approved packages to two options and have launched a four‑week pilot cycle. The district postponed the high‑school social science adoption until March to align with work on personal finance and implementation of Senate Bill 3.
Staff emphasized centering student voice in pilots and gathering community input. They described strategies used in prior adoptions — in‑class pilots, community forums and in‑person engagements during parent conferences — to improve attendance at review events and get more meaningful feedback. The presenters also said they are working with CORE (a contracted coaching partner through MESD) to develop lessons that complement the chosen packages.
Timeline and next steps: staff said they plan to return with a first reading in April and a final adoption vote in May, and to provide links to pilot curriculum so the public can review materials online.
Why this matters: adoption decisions change classroom materials and shape how teachers address standards, student discourse and multiple perspectives in social science instruction. The district is balancing literacy priorities in K–2 with deeper content needs at upper elementary and secondary levels.
