As Liberty Central School District approaches the midway point of its five-year strategic plan, officials are taking time to evaluate what has been accomplished so far and what still needs to be done. Last month, the district reviewed its mission, vision and beliefs. Now focus turns to the  Curriculum pillar.

To review the strategic intents of the Curriculum pillar:

• By June 2027, 100% of PreK-12 curriculum will be vertically and horizontally aligned to meet all New York State standards for all content areas as evidenced by improved student outcomes (in all subgroups) on NYS and local assessments and an increased graduation rate.
• By June 2027, 100% of the administrators and teachers will use identified data protocols to analyze content area assessment results, identify student gaps and strengths in order to grow students (in all subgroups) to a new level of performance.

What does this mean?

Curriculum is the core of the education system. Without a strong, consistent curriculum, Liberty cannot give its students the tools they need to succeed.

That is why ensuring curriculum is aligned with New York State standards and that that curriculum is consistent across classes and grade levels is so important. District officials also must regularly review and analyze the plans and adjust if needed.

What is LCSD doing?

Over the past few years, the district has instituted and/or expanded several curricular programs that offer consistency through the elementary and middle school years, including the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt math and reading curriculum and the Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES Social Studies and Science 21 programs.

The Woz ED curriculum has been expanded to help Liberty students enhance the 21st-century skills they will need now and in the future. That curriculum will also expand into the high school once the Innovation Lab is completed.

At the high school level, Liberty has expanded college-level course offerings to include Syracuse University Project Advance classes. These are the same courses offered at Syracuse University, taught by our teachers, that will offer transferable college credit.

The district is working diligently on making sure curriculum maps are being updated, completed, filed and followed. Mastery standards per grade level and course are also being established. These steps allow educators to clearly set expectations for students, and students will know what they must accomplish. Administrators also use all available resources, including Star Renaissance testing and state assessments, to analyze the effectiveness of the curriculum and make adjustments as needed.

“An effective, consistent, responsive curriculum that meets the needs of all of our students is vital to the success of our district,” LCSD Superintendent Dr. Patrick Sullivan said. “We are moving in the right direction, with student performance improving, and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish in the future.”

For more information, email questions@libertyk12.org.

This is the second in a series of stories that focus on different aspects of LCSD’s  strategic plan and what it means for the Redhawk students, staff, families and community.