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West Bend recommends Savas My Perspectives for grades 6–8 ELA after multi-month review
Summary
District curriculum staff recommended Savas My Perspectives for grades 6–8 ELA after a multi-stage review of 25 materials; the curriculum team voted 75.9% in favor and the board will consider the contract on May 26. Implementation would include professional development and multi-year purchasing options.
The West Bend Joint School District No. 1 curriculum team recommended adopting Savas My Perspectives as the primary English language arts instructional material for grades 6–8, district staff told the school board on May 11.
Chrissy Steinhaus, one of the middle-school English teachers who led the review, said the team narrowed 25 candidates using an eight-page rubric, EdReports evaluations, vendor demos and site visits. "We have decided that Savas My Perspectives, with a 75.9% vote, is a better fit for our district," Steinhaus said, citing strong writing instruction, coherence across units and built-in scaffolds for diverse learners.
Kelly Downes, director of curriculum and instruction, described the selection process in detail: an initial screening reduced the pool to 11 resources, the district solicited RFIs and then piloted six options before choosing the final two and inviting broader staff feedback. Downes said the choice emphasizes alignment with the science of reading, supports for multi‑lingual and special-education students, and embedded teacher supports and coaching.
Downes outlined implementation supports the district would seek if the board approves the recommendation: initial training days in August, program-specific workshops, ongoing coaching, learning walks and progress monitoring. She also presented purchase options: a one-year contract with annual consumables and PD built in, or multi-year contracts (three- or six-year) that include complimentary student novels in later years. "If we do a six-year contract, we would receive a complimentary novel for each student every year," Downes said.
Board members asked about expected student-outcome timelines and cost differences between contract lengths. Steinhaus said gains are often gradual and an initial implementation dip is common; she said a five-year horizon is reasonable to expect measurable gains but that some implementations have produced faster improvements.
Superintendent Wimmer told the board the item will be returned for action at the May 26 meeting and recommended placing the contract on the consent agenda unless a board member pulls it for discussion. The curriculum committee previously reviewed and supported the recommendation.
What happens next: the board will consider the final contract and pricing on May 26; business office staff will negotiate final terms and the district plans a removal process for old materials once a purchase is made.
