Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Curriculum topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Elementary principal outlines reading gains, math gaps and asks board to form a curriculum team and library review board
Summary
Stapleton's grade school principal reported reading improvements with 90-minute reading blocks and summer 'science of reading' training, said math needs a cohesive K'12 curriculum with more practice materials for grades 4'6, and requested a library board and a district strategic plan to align instruction.
The Stapleton grade school principal reported progress on reading instruction and asked the board to form teams to address math curriculum and library materials.
Principal Burnside said field day went well and that K' and grades 4'6 will have 90-minute reading blocks next school year. Staff members will attend "science of reading" professional development and kindergarten-through-third-grade teachers will use DIBELS assessments; the school will continue Accelerated Reader for K—.
On math, Burnside said gains have been made but fourth through sixth grades lacked a consistent textbook last year and teachers had to supplement with their own materials. "We need a curriculum that really is K through 12 that builds on each other," she told the board, proposing a K' and a 4'6 review team with classroom and specialist representation; Mrs. Jones was named to teach the 4'6 math block next year.
Burnside also described a recent library processing effort to catalog hundreds of non-fiction titles and asked the board to create a library review board that would pre-screen purchases and handle formal complaints about questionable books.
Finally, Burnside requested the board form a strategic planning team of teachers, administrators and up to three board members so the district can present a strategic plan at the visiting team's February review.
The board agreed to consider the formation of these teams and tasked staff with researching curriculum options and contacting neighboring districts about their materials.
