NEW MILFORD, CT — New Milford school officials are working with a University of Delaware consultant to address declining English language arts performance in grades six through eight, while expanding literacy programs and strengthening assessments for the district's youngest students.
The initiatives were discussed during the Board of Education's Committee on Learning meeting Nov. 4, when administrators outlined curriculum changes, preschool assessment practices and efforts to improve student achievement.
Superintendent Janet Parlato said the district is working to improve academic performance through standards-aligned instruction and consistent curriculum implementation across grade levels.
The committee took no formal action on the educational initiatives presented.
Assistant Superintendent Holly Hollander said teachers in grades six through eight are collaborating with a University of Delaware consultant to develop a written English language arts curriculum aligned with Connecticut Core Standards.
The work is intended to address declining performance and provide standardized instructional resources rather than requiring teachers to develop materials independently.
At the elementary level, the district has expanded its Science of Reading instructional materials through the Bookworms program for kindergarten through fifth grade.
Committee Chairperson Sarah Herring asked about phonics instruction.
Hollander explained that the district retained Heggerty and UFLI instructional approaches based on teacher preference. Teachers use DIBELS and nonsense-word assessments to monitor students' decoding progress.
Herring emphasized the importance of aligning assessments with classroom instruction.
At the high school level, administrators are reviewing English 1 and English 2 to eliminate overlapping skills and improve coordination between courses.
Responding to a question from committee member Tammy McInerney, Hollander said departments are now collaborating directly.
Parlato also reported the introduction of Sheltered English 1 and Academic Reading courses for ninth-grade students who need additional foundational literacy support.
Administrators outlined several initiatives affecting mathematics and science instruction.
Elementary schools are in their fourth year of using i-Ready Math, supplemented by WIN instructional blocks.
Students in grades six through eight are in their second year of using Savvas mathematics materials, with support from EdAdvance consultants.
For grades nine and 10, Math Lab courses use assessment data to identify students who need additional help with numeracy.
In science, the district is working to align instruction in grades six through 12 with the Next Generation Science Standards, using OpenSciEd materials.
Special education curriculum revisions include Learning Strategies courses for ninth- and 10th-grade students, designed to develop study skills and independence.
Self-contained reading and mathematics programs use adapted Bookworms materials, with plans to expand those resources into higher grades.
The committee also received an update on PreK Excel, the district's early childhood education program, and its use of the Connecticut Documentation and Observation for Teaching System, known as CT DOTS.
Hollander said early learning is essential to stronger academic outcomes and can reduce the need for later interventions.
Director of Student Services Kimberly Culkin explained that Excel provides free early childhood education for children with disabilities under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
New Milford Public Schools also offers places to children without disabilities, whose parents pay a small tuition fee.
The program serves children beginning at age 3 and emphasizes inclusive, play-based learning.
Hollander said young children develop problem-solving, communication, curiosity and social skills through real-world activities.
Culkin outlined eight developmental areas addressed by Connecticut's early learning standards: cognition, social-emotional development, physical health, creative arts, science, mathematics, social studies and language and literacy.
The district is training teachers to use CT DOTS to document student development and report information to the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood.
Hollander said children enter kindergarten with varying levels of readiness because not all attend accredited preschool programs.
McInerney asked how students enrolled in Excel are tracked as they transition into kindergarten.
Hollander said the district is working to establish more consistent experiences across classrooms to support those transitions.
McInerney said that consistency is particularly important because Excel operates as a half-day program.
PK-5 Special Education Supervisor Kristen Phillips described the program's approach to instruction, saying teachers develop daily lessons around identified learning needs and organize activities into coordinated units.
She said teachers also provide parents with strategies to support learning at home.
Hollander noted that some children remain in Excel for as long as three years, depending on their birthdates.
Culkin said children without disabilities who participate as peer models are selected through a lottery and screened to determine whether they are appropriate for that role.
McInerney emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between students receiving special education services and their peer models as enrollment changes.
Committee member Joseph Failla asked whether teachers collect ongoing data about classroom progress.
Phillips said teachers meet regularly to review student performance and development.
Parlato reported that approximately 80-81 percent of incoming kindergarten students enter school below benchmark reading levels.
Herring cautioned against making preschool programs overly academic.
Parlato said the district's early childhood instructional framework remains play-based.
Administrators also discussed revisions to curriculum templates across grade levels to incorporate the Portrait of a Lifelong Learner framework.
Responding to questions about i-Ready assessments, Hollander said assessment items are tailored to students' individual levels.
Parlato added that state requirements call for progress monitoring three times annually.
Hollander said the district's professional development and curriculum resources are selected to address instructional needs while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
The Nov. 4 meeting was informational, with no votes recorded on curriculum changes, preschool assessments or instructional programs.
Committee members present were Herring, Failla and McInerney.
Also attending were Parlato, Hollander, Phillips and Culkin.
No public comments were recorded.
The meeting began at 6:30 p.m. at the Sarah Noble Intermediate School Library Media Center, and ended at 7:21 p.m.
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