High school, middle school course descriptions are now available to public 

by Melissa Martin 

Dec. 18 school board meeting 

Superintendent Jeffrey Harrison unveiled the district’s new high school course options catalog revisions implemented during the 2024-2025 school year. As part of those revisions, Harrison said the district has elected to update a number of new curriculum frameworks, with the intention that the course guide will become a public-facing document that illustrates what courses are taught, what resources are used and how students are assessed on the materials taught during classes. 

“When people come in asking what we are teaching in that social studies class, or that AP or art class, this is the document that I would point people to,” he said. 

Harrison explained the curriculum frameworks not only highlight the district’s philosophies on curricular matters but also note the district’s strategic plan that addresses its values and beliefs. Harrison said the creation of the guide was performed in conjunction with the newly adopted strategic plan which is aimed at boosting partnership and communication between the schools, staff, parents, students and community members. 

“The work done to compile the document is performed by the curriculum department and, more importantly by the teachers themselves who teach the courses,” Harrison said. “These documents are meant to be a living document so during professional development meetings throughout the district, teachers will be directed back to [the guide] to make sure it is updated and ongoing,” Harrison said. “As we change resources or update curriculum, these documents will be updated.” 

Harrison said that as part of the school board’s January meeting, Dr. David Martin, director of curriculum and instruction, would be in attendance to explain the resources at a more detailed level and show the public how the course frameworks are intended to be used. He said the documents are available for every course the district offers for grades six through 12. 

Kindergarten cutoff 

Harrison and the board noted that parents of upcoming kindergarteners should be aware that the district has implemented a new age cutoff date for students enrolling in kindergarten. Though the district currently has a Sept. 30 cutoff date, meaning that incoming kindergarten students must be 5 years old by Sept. 30, the district has changed that date to Aug. 1 for the 2025-2026 school year to make sure kindergarteners have a better chance to succeed. 

“There is a big difference between an Aug. 1 and Sept. 30 cutoff date for kindergarten with the increase in rigor we have seen in kindergarten over the years and the increasing amount of standards they have to cover,” Harrison told the school board in May. 

Harrison said that in kindergarten screenings, teachers are increasingly noting developmental issues and told the administration that it may be beneficial for teachers and students to move back the date. 

“They are the ones who are doing the work every single day,” Harrison said. “They are the ones in the classroom who know it best.”