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Livingston Park Elementary showcases Benchmark curriculum, student data folders and family engagement
Summary
At the Nov. 19 Board meeting, Livingston Park Principal Sid Dawson described new Benchmark curriculum implementation, student data folders and instructional practices tied to measurable gains in fourth-grade math and ELA; students demonstrated classroom projects and rubrics.
Livingston Park Elementary Principal Sid Dawson presented the school's instructional plan and student outcomes at the North Brunswick Township Board of Education meeting on Nov. 19, highlighting a district rollout of the Benchmark reading curriculum for early grades, student-created data folders and family engagement strategies.
Dawson explained that Benchmark — described as rigorous and spiraling — was implemented this year for kindergarten through second grade, with a heavy phonics component and a mix of whole-group and small-group instruction to personalize learning. "Every single child in our school, from preschool through fourth grade, has worked with their teachers to create personalized goals," he said, describing weekly tracking of reading and math fluency.
Students and visitors gave examples. Fourth grader Ayush Shah demonstrated a data folder that records reading and math fluency and tracks goals; Abigail described a Rock by Rock project on heat-wave safety; and Samaya Patel Gupta explained a student-created rubric for Thinking Classroom activities. Parent and classroom volunteer John Conroy described multiplication strategies used with families to practice at home.
Dawson cited recent assessment gains he attributed to instruction and intervention: a reported 6-point gain in fourth-grade math and a 17-point gain in English language arts for students meeting or exceeding expectations. He said staff analyze subgroup data for multilingual learners and students with disabilities to target supports.
The board commended teachers and staff; no policy vote on curriculum was taken at the meeting. The presentation was given during a conference/regular public meeting at Livingston Park Elementary and was followed by routine board business and approvals.
