001Good evening. My name is Mark Demo and I have the privilege of serving as the chief officer of curriculum and leadership for the Greenwich Public Schools. It is with great pride that I present this evening's curriculum management report. A well-designed curriculum management plan is essential to the success of any school district. It provides a structured strategic framework for ensuring that curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation are aligned with district goals, state standards, and student needs by clearly identifying annual focus areas and sequencing work over time. The plan promotes coherence, sustainability, and accountability, ultimately supporting highquality teaching and learning across all grade levels. The GPS curriculum management plan outlines strategic focus areas across preK through 12 for the next five years by concentrating on one priority area per year rather than attempting to address all subjects simultaneously.
002The district ensures that each phase of the curriculum cycle is initiated and completed with fidelity. This phased approach supports sustainable implementation and is contingent on the availability of approved budget resources to maintain progress. Starting with phase one, which is when a program or course curriculum is marked as needed for review. In this phase, the program coordinator conducts an internal audit of the program. He or she will look at performance trends, standards alignment, and whether current primary resources are outdated and the need of change. After this, the cycle continues to phase two where curriculum core materials such as textbooks or primary resources are selected or created depending on the course or program area. This is done in concert with stakeholders through the collaboration of the curriculum advisory committee. Once selected or created, we move on to
003phase three where teachers implement the curriculum, feedback is gathered, and refinements are made. Towards the end of the multi-year cycle, we enter into the progress monitoring phase where no significant refinements are made and the curriculum is evaluated as it is to determine next steps. The physical plans in front of you include a key outlining the curriculum management plan process I described earlier. On the slide, you'll see an enlarged version of this key, which provides greater detail on the layout. Each curriculum area or GHS course is color-coded to indicate its current phase along with a 5-year plan for monitoring and progress. A note of caution, long-term projections reflect our best current thinking and may shift based on evolving needs or budget constraints. If short-term priorities change due to funding, our long-term plans will adjust accordingly. We're
004grateful for the board's continued support over the past several years, which has enabled us to complete essential curriculum work. Our curriculum management plan is effective because it clearly defines annual focus areas, allowing for targeted and sustainable progress. Below is a forecast of preK8 priorities with limited focus areas identified for each content area per year. One notable update since last year's report involves K8 science. Following an internal audit during the 202425 school year, we've confirmed that the existing Greenwich Public School science curriculum continues to meet student needs. Lesson plans, assessments, teacher supports, and digital resources remain strong as reflected in rising grade five and grade 8 NGSS scores. The district will maintain its spiral realignment in grades K through 5 and make minor refinements in grades 6 through 8. Looking ahead to 202526, grades 3 through
0055 will receive two key literacy updates. In writing, updated units will be implemented throughout the year. supported by ongoing professional development in reading. New units will be introduced ahead of June 2026 training to ensure readiness for classroom use. In 2026 27, the new reading units will be fully implemented to complement the writing updates from the previous year. During the 2425 school year, the Greenwich High School science department conducted an internal audit of NGSS aligned courses. The review confirmed that our lesson plans, digital resources, and assured experiences effectively support rigorous three-dimensional learning as reflected in strong NGSS assessment results. However, textbooks for biology, chemistry, and physics are outdated. For 2526, we will explore updated textbook options that will align better with instructional quality. Additionally, AP Physics 1, Astronomy, Marine Biology, and Environmental Science materials will require
006renewal for 2627. AP PhysicsC textbooks have been distributed to students and are actively being used alongside AP classroom. The textbook provides clear explanations and detailed derivations serving as an excellent resource to support and enhance student learning. Teachers are utilizing the new AP psychology textbook with success. This Myers textbook is aligned to the College Board's redesigned psychology curriculum. Students and teachers appreciate that the book is designed in structure and content to prepare students for the AP exam in May. The curriculum team looks forward to engaging with you and addressing any questions during our scheduled time on October 9th. Thank you for your support.