N. Merrick encourages parents to read closely

The North Merrick School District aimed to educate parents about changes to the English Language Arts curricula under the new Common Core State Standards at a Feb. 23 forum at Fayette Elementary School called “Parents University.”

The evening was the second of its kind in the school district. The first Parents University, which took place last November at Old Mill Road Elementary School, focused on math curricula. The most recent event included an overview presentation from teachers Marie Castle and Kimberley Goltermann, as well as smaller sessions with titles like “The well-rounded reader: Strategies in Decoding, Fluency and Comprehension” and “Demystifying TDEC: Multi-grade Reading and Writing Strategy.” The evening also featured a discussion with David Adler, author of the “Cam Jansen” series, “The Babe and I,” “Danny’s Doodles” and “Don’t Talk to Me About the War.” Adler signed copies of “Cam Jensen” books for parents.

“It’s different from when we were in school,” said Deputy Superintendent Beth Friedman in a district news release, referring to Common Core. “ … For example, when we read ‘Charlotte’s Web’ in elementary school, we were asked, ‘What is the setting of the story?’ Today, as well as knowing that the setting is a barn in Maine, and that the story takes place during four different seasons, children are asked why the author’s depiction of a setting is important to the plot.”

Funding for the evening’s activities came from “Reward School Dissemination Grants” that the state Education Department gave this year to the district’s three schools: Camp Avenue, Fayette and Old Mill Road. The schools received the grants, worth up to $75,000 each, because of their students’ high performance on state tests in 2011 and 2012, before implementation of Common Core tests.

Only districts that meet the criteria of Title I of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which provides aid for economically disadvantaged students, could be considered “Reward Schools.” The funds are split into two parts — $50,000 to “support required activities and enhance the school and district’s best practices,” and $25,000 to “disseminate best practices and mentor low-performing schools,” according to the state Education Department.

Friedman said staff teams from the Syracuse City School District are making site visits this school year to Camp Avenue and Old Mill Road to observe the schools’ practices.