As parents, students, grandparents, guardians and neighbors of the children of Asbury Park, we are concerned about the findings of the Curriculum Audit and the length of time that has been suggested for improvement and implementation of an appropriate curriculum for the students of the Asbury Park School District. We acknowledge that Dr. Lowe, Superintendent, Dr. McGarry, Director of Curriculum, and our elected officials have placed curriculum development as their highest priority for the Asbury Park School District. As partners with you in the education of our children,
We request:
· A written document outlining the steps that will be taken in developing the curriculum.
- A timeline of goals and dates for all aspects of the creation and implementation of the curriculum, and an alignment with the state’s timeline. Clear communication of what curriculum guides will be in place when students return to school in September 2010.
· Open communication about the qualifications and experience of the curriculum development team and their progress in its development. Feedback from teachers, parents and community members about the progress in curriculum development.
· Parental participation in the overall preparation of the curriculum, especially in addressing the unique circumstances of our children.
· A collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to curriculum development, wherein teachers from all grade levels build on the outcome goals of each grade. We request Data Driven Instruction so that teachers have guidance as to how their students are progressing.
· Special attention to high school students, who will graduate before the fully developed curriculum will be in place.
· A Parents’ Guide and Resource to the curriculum that is used in the school, so that parents know what their children should be learning and how to obtain assistance in the learning process.
· Teacher trainings and resources that will complement and supplement the education that is taking place in the process.
· Required contacting of parents when a student has been failing for a week, and bimonthly communication about students’ academic progress. We request new technology that would offer a Parent Portal - a place where parents can check up on student attendance and progress on-line.
