When I sat down during the summer of 2021 to draft a welcome message, I was doing so as the brand new director of curriculum and instruction for McGuffey. It is hard to believe that I am already sitting here at the beginning of my second year leading curriculum and instruction in the district. I continue to be blown away by the collaboration and dialogue I have had with my fellow administrators, teachers and staff in the district, parents and families, and of course our great McGuffey students. 

I am very appreciative of the support I have received thus far, and I enjoy every minute of my role here in the district. I am truly excited for what lies ahead in the 2022-2023 school year. While I cannot possibly capture everything that we have going on, I do want to bring the spotlight to a few curriculum related initiatives we will be undertaking in 2022-2023. 

We will be implementing a new core math resource, Reveal Mathematics, for grade K-8, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry. In addition to this core series, we will be implementing Redbird Mathematics for K-5 personalized learning and Arrive Math Booster for K-5 intervention and support. Students in grades 6-12 will be utilizing the ALEKS program for both personalized learning and intervention. These improvements in curricular resources, along with a continued emphasis on meaningful instructional strategies and routines, will help us move towards our goal of every student developing into a strong mathematician.

With some of the heaviest lifting for math resources completed, we will also be spending the 2022-2023 school year taking a deep look into our English Language Arts curriculum and the core and supplemental resources we use to support students in ELA. Specifically we will be looking at our ELA instruction through the lens of the science of reading.

Last, but certainly not least, we will be rolling out our recently adopted Future Ready Comprehensive Plan (FRCP) for 2022-2025. Much work has gone into the development of this plan, including the development of a new vision (We will ensure all students reach their greatest potential) and mission (Better today than yesterday, McGuffey will T.E.A.C.H). Along with an updated mission and vision, our future ready plan also will be targeting four priority focus areas, which include: student attendance, fostering a vision and culture of high expectations, the recruitment and retention of high quality teachers and leaders, and partnering with local business, community organizations, and other agencies. 

For additional information about curriculum and instruction, please visit the curriculum corner section of the McGuffey School District website, which is located at https://www.mcguffey.k12.pa.us/CurriculumCorner.aspx. You can also feel free to contact me at [email protected]. 

I look forward to a great school year, and I know that together we will TEACH our future STARS to SOAR with PRIDE. Go Highlanders!