A Look at Academic Possibilities

By Lisa Grinberg McManus

The election provides a welcome opportunity to discuss my interests in K-12 curriculum and the tools our children need to find their places in the world.

Everyone is excited at the prospect of working with a new superintendent who will be articulating the vision for our district going forward. In my case, the election provides a welcome opportunity to discuss my interests in K-12 curriculum and the tools our children need to find their places in the world. Members of the school board, the administration, and parents alike must evaluate the academic program thoughtfully, critically, and analytically, basing our decisions on research and results.

To illustrate this general point, I want to touch briefly on a few specific areas:

Math is the language of science, and science is the currency of the future. There is a reason why, if you look at any college catalog or website, you will find a photo of a student in a lab wearing goggles and holding a frothing beaker. It is our responsibility to provide Croton's schoolchildren at all levels with the knowledge and experience they need to hold their own with their peers from around the country and the world. Thanks to a dedicated high school staff and administration, we are fortunate to offer four sciences at the advanced placement (AP) level, along with a science research program and some great electives. Unfortunately, the CHHS science labs need updating to meet safety and educational standards. This is a project of critical importance and one that I hope the community will agree would serve our students well and be valuable to us all.

Our science sequence currently involves teaching the Regents-level Living Environment course + that is, the Science-Formerly-Known-as-Biology + as a two-year cycle in seventh and eighth grades, instead of one in tenth grade. Our PVC science teachers do an amazing job helping the children master this material. But in light of the Physics First science education reform movement starting to take hold in high schools, perhaps this is the time to take a fresh look at what we gain and what we give up with our reordered sequence. The movement posits that teaching physics first provides a better foundation for chemistry, which in turn leads to a deeper understanding of biology.

Taking two years to complete Living Environment when we are trying to encourage students to go further in the study of science might not be as productive as doing it in one year after all, and the vocabulary-dense Living Environment course can be somewhat abstract. Some students struggle with chemistry and physics in high school + or don't take them at all + because they haven't done as much foundation work in those areas. We could teach Earth Science in eighth grade + thereby fulfilling our goal of offering challenging science in middle school and completing a year of the high school requirement -- and then design a developmentally appropriate, dynamic introduction to the physical sciences for seventh graders that would spark their interest in the way the world works and equip and inspire more kids to go on to all the advanced sciences with greater success.

Whatever shape the science curriculum takes, it must be firmly grounded in a strong math program reaching back to the earliest grades. This is an area that demands our full attention and focus now, with concerned parents and committed educators working together to move all the children forward at their appropriate instructional levels--and helping to take them as far as they can go. Email me at the address below, and I will tell you about my K-4 math plan.

Our treasured arts programs are the jewels in the crown of Croton's schools. They touch every aspect of the children's lives and enrich the entire curriculum. Croton has been steadily expanding the breadth and scope of its arts offerings, and now, more than ever, we need to reaffirm the role of the arts in the curriculum and safeguard cherished programs from budgetary pressures. I suggest that we also consider sometimes using large scale arts projects for our character education and team-building programs instead of the same athletic challenges.

A look to the future must include discussing ways to provide our students with an enhanced global perspective. We should consider adding advanced placement courses in Global History or European History to complement the existing AP U.S. History course + even if we are only able to offer them on a bi-annual basis. Such offerings give students the chance to fulfill their broader interests and prepare for the rigors of college work.

And another idea I am happy to poach from the college world is the Freshman Read. Each year, our entering high school freshmen + and interested parents and community members + could read and discuss a selected book + a beloved classic or a hot new pick -- and have the chance to bond as a learning community, moving forward together.

These are some of the ideas I would bring to bear in carrying out a Board member's responsibility to help chart a general course for the District. The Board cannot do everything at once, but in setting a tone and sense of direction, it can create a framework for making the decisions that lie ahead. I thank the dedicated PTA board members who went before me setting the solid precedents we still follow. We make decisions that benefit the most students in the fairest way, act for the general good and not in self-interest, operate by consensus and in good faith. As a school board member, I would stick with that plan.

I would appreciate the opportunity to hear your ideas or to discuss in more detail my own. I will be at the Black Cow for the next three Thursday mornings starting at 9:00 am. If you would like to get together in the evening or at another location, or have any questions at all, please email me at Alisamac@optonline.net

Sincerely, Lisa Grinberg McManus