Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
The Clarkstown Central School District provides an enriching curriculum that prepares our students for the challenges of college and career in the 21st century. Students experience instruction that is grounded in rigorous best practice as the written curriculum is translated into the taught curriculum. Throughout the school year, our professional learning community gathers together to ask and answer four important questions:
- What do we expect our students to learn?
- How will we know they are learning?
- How will we respond if they don't?
- How will we respond if they already know it?
The Clarkstown Central School District Mission Statement and Strategic Priorities remain the guiding principles for curriculum, instruction, assessment, technology and professional development in our schools. You can explore the below topics in greater depth below.
- ELA
- Fine Arts
- Library Media
- Mathematics
- Science
- Seal of Biliteracy
- Seal of Civic Readiness
- Technology
ELA
Our ELA Curriculum at a Glance
Clarkstown’s English Language Arts curriculum and instruction are designed to foster lifelong readers and writers and to ensure that students master New York State Next Generations English Language Arts Standards. Our program advances the district’s vision to develop well-rounded critical thinkers, lifelong learners and effective communicators, while still meeting the individual academic and social-emotional needs of all students. Success in this effort requires strong foundational literacy development, followed by the development of increasingly complex literacy skills.
What We Understand About Literacy Instruction
All meaningful learning should equip students to transfer their knowledge and skills into new contexts. Instruction that allows a gradual release of responsibility supports students to put their learning into practice. Such instruction types include explicit direct instruction, collaborative practice and individual project work.
Students need explicit and systematic instruction to grow their knowledge and skills. However, young minds also benefit from being able to choose texts and topics to read and write about. Choice fosters students’ agency and ownership of their learning. When students can choose literacy work that connects to their lives and the world around them, they more readily commit themselves to their learning and transfer what they have learned beyond a lesson or unit.
On top of the whole-class structure and content of literacy instruction, students need personalized feedback and instruction targeted to their strengths and needs. Ongoing formative assessment practices help ensure that teaching can be individualized to support each student’s growth.
In addition to student-teacher interaction, learning is socially driven. Peer interaction and collaboration grow students' communication and thinking skills and deepen their learning. Accordingly, our curriculum and instruction aim to nurture community in the classroom via common engaging anchor texts, class discussions, partnerships for peer support and the opportunity to participate in peer reading and research groups.
Structured speaking and listening opportunities are a common theme among our many literacy lessons. Celebrating student growth and accomplishments as a community of readers and writers is another priority in honoring our students’ investments in learning.
For a full breakdown on how we approach English Language Arts at the Clarkstown Central School District, please read our ELA Curriculum Overview.
How Clarkstown Teaches Reading & Writing
ELA Curriculum Resources
Fine Arts
The Clarkstown Central School District recognizes the arts as part of its core curriculum, along with other challenging subject matter. Clarkstown offers its students comprehensive instruction in the arts from kindergarten through Grade 12. All art and music teachers are certified in their respective fields. The District not only gives students the opportunity to study the arts, but also encourages excellence in these areas — paving the way for future creativity and providing the tools to start down the path of artistic freedom.
In elementary school, all students study both art and music — experiencing curricula based on the 2017 Learning Standards of the Arts set forth by the New York State Department of Education (NYSED). All third graders study recorder, while fourth and fifth graders can choose to learn either a band or orchestral instrument. Each elementary school has its own marching and concert band. All upper grades perform in chorus, and many are involved in acting and producing musicals. Outstanding musicians can participate in All-County festivals and New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Solo ratings. Many schools perform for local nursing homes, hospitals and veterans groups. Art students have the opportunity to display their work in many area shows and in the gallery in the Chestnut Grove Administration Building.
In middle school, all students participate in art and music classes and activities. In addition to the General Music classes offered, there are performance opportunities for both beginning and more advanced musicians. Many middle-level musicians also perform in the All-County festivals and NYSSMA Solo ratings. All students study art, and some have the opportunity to take more advanced Studio Art classes. The middle school hosts its own art show to showcase talent in the fine arts.
In high school, students have a wide range of experiences in the arts. They may explore band, chorus, orchestra, jazz band, Troubadours, chamber music, guitar (CHSS), Music Technology (CHSN), TV and Video Production, photography, Studio Art, painting, ceramics, sculpture, and Advanced Painting and Drawing as well as many AP and IB classes. Many students participate in the All-County and All-State festivals, as well as the NYSSMA Solo ratings. Both schools produce full-scale theatrical presentations each year, and all teachers in the arts share their programs with the community.
Furthermore, for many years CCSD has been named as one of the Best Communities for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation. This achievement recognizes our District's — educators, parents, administrators and community members — excellence in, and dedication to, this art form.
Contact: Elizabeth vonWurmb, Ph.D.
K-12 Coordinator of Arts, Music and Library Services
Email: evonwurmb@ccsd.edu
Phone: (845) 639-5617
Library Media
Mathematics
The Clarkstown School District’s mathematics curriculum is an integrated study of: counting and cardinality; operations and algebraic thinking; number systems, measurement and data; geometry, ratio and proportional relationships; expressions and equations; functions; and, probability and statistics. The goal of the math curriculum is to foster a conceptual understanding of mathematical fluencies through reasoning, communicating and applying mathematics.
The foundation of the Clarkstown mathematics curriculum is the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), with supplemental district level standards and resources. The CCSS in mathematics for Kindergarten through Grade 12 illustrate concepts students are expected to demonstrate to meet both proficient and mastery levels in math.
The goal of the mathematics curriculum is to provide students with an appreciation of mathematics that will engage them in creative problem solving and thoughtful decision making. In addition, students will acquire an understanding of the mathematics necessary to function in a world very dependent upon the application of mathematics.
There are 6 major instructional shifts of the CCSS in K-12 mathematics:
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Focus |
Teachers significantly narrow and deepen the scope of how time and energy is spent in the math classroom. They do so in order to focus deeply on only the concepts that are prioritized in the standards. |
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Coherence |
Principals and teachers carefully connect the learning within and across grades so that students can build new understanding onto foundations built in previous years. |
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Fluency |
Students are expected to have speed and accuracy with simple calculations; teachers structure class time and/or homework time for students to memorize, through repetition, core functions. |
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Deep Understanding |
Students deeply understand and can operate easily within a math concept before moving on. They learn more than the trick to get the answer right. They learn the math. |
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Application |
Students are expected to use math and choose the appropriate concept for application even when they are not prompted to do so. |
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Dual Intensity |
Students are practicing and understanding. There is more than a balance between these two things in the classroom – both are occurring with intensity. |
In addition to the 6 mathematical practices, here are the 8 mathematical practices:
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1 |
I can make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. |
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2 |
I can reason abstractly and quantitatively. |
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3 |
I can construct arguments and critique the reasonings of others. |
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4 |
I can model with mathematics. |
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5 |
I can use appropriate tools strategically. |
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6 |
I can attend to precision. |
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7 |
I can look for and make use of structure. |
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8 |
Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning |
Science
The Clarkstown K-12 science curriculum prepares students to become scientifically literate in a 21st century world. We strive to instill a fundamental understanding of science through the ability to apply, analyze, describe and understand scientific phenomena. In addition, students will focus on solving both qualitative and quantitative real world problems. The eight practices of science and engineering that the Next Generation Science Standards Framework (© 2013) identifies as essential for all students to learn are listed below:
- Asking questions and defining problems
- Developing and using models
- Planning and carrying out investigations
- Analyzing and interpreting data
- Using mathematics and computational thinking
- Constructing explanations and designing solutions
- Engaging in argument from evidence
- Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Elementary
The framework for the district's science curriculum is the New York State standards-based Science 21 program. Science 21, a locally developed program, is an inquiry based approach to learning science skills and concepts based on a spiral construction of knowledge. Experiential learning is emphasized for K-5 students.
Middle School
The middle school curriculum is based on state standards and has a defined curriculum. The core curriculum guides provided by New York State outline the key ideas, performance indicators, and major understandings in the physical, life and earth sciences.
High School
The Clarkstown Science Departments (North and South) are committed to helping students develop a life-long interest in science. The standards-based program of studies includes posing of questions, performing data analyses and drawing conclusions all of which help students understand the complex natural world around them. Students take NYS assessments at the end of 8th grade and at the conclusion of each Regents course (Earth Science, Living Environment, Chemistry and Physics). Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams are also administered, but not required by the State.
Seal of Biliteracy
The New York State Seal of Biliteracy recognizes high school graduates who have studied and attained a high level of proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages, in addition to English. If a student wishes to pursue the New York Seal of Biliteracy this year, they must submit an online application no later than December 8, 2023.
Application Links
Biliteracy Info
Seal of Civic Readiness
The Seal of Civic Readiness is a new certification for graduating seniors provided by New York State. The Seal was created to encourage the study of civics and civility through experiential learning; provide employers with a method of identifying high school graduates with skills in civics and civility; provide colleges with another way to recognize applicants; prepare students with 21st century skills; empower students as agents of positive social change; and strengthen our diverse democracy. The Seal of Civic Readiness can also be used as a 4+1 pathway to meet New York State diploma requirements.
Students who earn the Seal of Civic Readiness will have a seal affixed to their diploma, which they will receive at graduation. In addition, students who complete the requirements for earning the seal will have the designation listed on their official transcripts, and students pursuing the seal can note that they are candidates for the Seal on college and employment applications in advance of graduation.
For more in depth information on the Seal of Civic Readiness and to apply, see the resources below.
Seal of Civic Readiness Introductory Video
Resources
Technology
Click here to view the Technology Site for Students & Families.