Schools plot future courses

Rockville Centre Schools Superintendent Matt Gaven said that based on feedback collected from parents, teachers and students over the past six months, the school is prepared to roll out new curriculum and program recommendations for next year.

“Our goal this evening is to outline some of the proposed changes to course offerings and curriculum that are historically robust and academic programs already happening,” Gaven said at a presentation to the Board of Education on Feb. 3.

Based on the results of the district’s “climate survey” and additional outreach efforts with PTA groups and others, the school administration targeted three areas in which the district could improve.

First, the proposed curriculum will aim to increase relevance by adding courses that will teach students real-world skills. Second, students’ choices will be expanded with new courses, many of them electives. And third, on the elementary level, the district hopes to provide more challenging coursework that will align across all five elementary schools.

“With those three themes in mind, we wanted to make sure, as we designed our curriculum offerings this year, that we maintain a high expectation,” Gaven said last Friday. “That is the key. What has made Rockville Centre a great place is that maintenance of a high expectation for our students.”

To give students more opportunities to learn about computer science, robotics and engineering, the district has proposed a K-through-12 approach to build on to existing programs at the elementary level, and to offer more courses in coding, robotics, computer-assisted design, 3D printing and engineering at all grade levels. This will include a new Advanced Placement class, Computer Science Principles, at the high school.

The new curriculum will also add advanced music classes. The district does not currently offer high-level chorus, instrumental, or orchestra classes. Students have recommended that they have the chance to be graded based on their performance and skill.

There are also plans to add a new hands-on science program for students in grades K-5, new math and English courses for grades six through eight, new social studies and ELA classes for high school juniors, a new statistics course at the high school and a virtual enterprise program for business students.

Administrators also said they are exploring options for a Primary Years Program and Enrichment for All in the elementary schools.

“This is all very doable,” Nicole Moriarty, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, said “because of the sound infrastructure the Rockville Centre schools have already established, and the long history of excellence.”

A critical component of the new curriculum is the district’s team-based approach, which aims to include parents as partners. Parents with any questions about the curriculum, course offerings or program changes are encouraged to reach out to their children’s guidance counselors to plan and schedule courses that best fit the students’ wants and needs.

“For us it was really important to show the community that we listened,” Gaven said. “That we have heard and acknowledged concerns, and that we’ve adjusted our programs to allow for that, while still acknowledging the fact that, historically, we get excellent results.”

After his presentation, members of the Board of Education shared their thoughts on the proposed new curriculum.

Vice President Donna Downing acknowledged the effort that went into the planning. “I think it’s really important that, philosophically, we never want to be a place to put gates up,” she said. “If anything, we take ... off the roof and we let the kids fly. We give them opportunities, and they soar.”

Downing also noted that many colleges now expect students to be familiar with a wide range of subjects at an earlier age, and that offering courses in such specialties as engineering and statistics will increase district students’ likelihood of getting into the colleges of their choosing.

School board Trustee Tara Hackett said that based on the presentation, the new curriculum aims, at all grade levels, to expose students to more potential areas of interest for higher learning.

“One thing that this impressed upon me is keeping the finger on the pulse of what’s happening after high school,” Hackett said, “and getting students to be able to think very early on about the things that they have an aptitude or propensity for and being able to pursue those things. Being able to offer things like engineering at the high school, middle school and elementary level is so exciting because we’re giving kids exposure to things that we don’t know if they will pursue or not, but they can try and go through the trials and tribulations and say, ‘Does this feel good on me? Is this something I want to do?’ I think all the things that have been added here really help students to do that preparation from an earlier age.”

Trustee Erica Messier said that while she was excited about the changes in curriculum, she still had concerns about the approach.

“I understand the philosophy behind the team-based approach,” she said, “but what I’m seeing right now is gate-keeping, which I feel could create barriers for students to access these courses. The main barrier that I see it creating is a barrier of communication.”

Messier added that her concern is that emphasizing accelerated learning could stigmatize students who opt to take regular classes.

Gaven tried to dispel that notion by saying that the district had always had a high rate of success with students at all levels while supporting those in high-level classes.

“There’s no stigma attached,” he said, “which is why we want our parents involved in the conversation. But we need to recognize the tradition of excellence that we’ve had. I hear very much what you’re saying. I don’t discount that. But I do feel that the presentation that we made today is something that will allow a balance between the students and parents that want something different.”