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Southmoreland board adopts Open Court ELA curriculum for K–5 after teacher endorsement
Summary
After presentations from teachers, the board approved adoption of the Open Court K–5 ELA resource (option B), citing the program's phonics emphasis and teacher support; the board also approved a dual-enrollment agreement with WCCCC.
The Southmoreland School District board voted to adopt the Open Court English language arts program for kindergarten through fifth grade after teachers who had reviewed curriculum options recommended what the board described as the "Cadillac" option.
Board members said two teachers who presented at a prior meeting convinced them of the program's potential. One board member praised the program's focus on phonics and differentiation, noting it "deals with significant components of phonics and spelling and writing" and said the K–5 teachers supported the selection. The board moved and seconded the adoption of option B (Open Court) and approved it by voice vote.
At the same time the board approved a dual-enrollment agreement with WCCCC to support postsecondary options for eligible students. The meeting materials listed costs in the accompanying quotes; the board said teachers had reached consensus and that the adoption reflected a multi-step decision process that included classroom presentations and staff review.
Supporters said the program revives fundamentals the district has lacked in prior years and expressed hope it will improve reading outcomes. The board did not provide detailed implementation timelines in the public discussion; those specifics were described in the attached materials referenced at the meeting.
