Curriculum Insights

Thank you for visiting our DREAM BIG: CURRICULUM INSIGHTS newsletter. 2025 is off to a great start and we are thrilled to showcase some of the family engagement and technology endeavors underway in our district. The weather has been perfect for scientific observations and lots of time to read in class -- and hopefully at home too!

Cheryl Cuddihy, Ed.D.

Director of Curriculum & Instruction

Atlas serves as the online vehicle for the Red Bank Borough Public School’s curriculum mapping. Curriculum mapping is a calendar-based method of organizing and planning what is happening in district courses at specific points in the school year. Curricula are developed chronologically so teachers can plan interdisciplinary units with their colleagues.

When visiting the website, click All Curriculum in the upper left-hand corner and then All Courses. That link leads to a page where you can filter all curriculum guides in all content areas from Kindergarten through Grade 8. The foundation of all curricula are the NJ Student Learning Standards. These guides are “living documents” that evolve throughout the year.

Earlier this month the Red Bank Primary School hosted a digital safety family workshop to share proactive tips for families to help their children safely navigate the Internet. Sponsored by NJ4S COMPASS: Preferred Behavioral Health Group, participants learned about social media, gaming platforms, how to establish privacy settings in order to protect children's' personal information, and how to recognize and address cyberbullying. COMPASS, a program by Preferred Behavioral Health Group, serves Ocean and Monmouth Counties under New Jersey's NJ4S initiative, which is designed to improve access to prevention and mental health services for students. The program offers free services to public and charter school students and their caregivers, without replacing existing programs.

Below are some resources that families may find helpful in successfully and safely navigating the Internet, including social media and gaming.

Common Sense Media: Use these Family Tech Planners to inspire conversations about tech use as a family. Entertainment and tech have the potential to spark meaningful conversations. And tech planners are a great way for kids to have a shared understanding of how your family makes the most out of entertainment and tech time. You can also review helpful information to make judgements about movies, tv, books, games, apps and podcasts with the Age-Based Media Reviews for Families.

The Bark Blog: Visit this site to learn more about chatroom safety, best (and worst) apps for children, how to manage screen time and so much more!

Internet Matters: Social media apps are constantly evolving and emerging. If your child is using social networking sites to chat to friends and family or share their latest selfie, take a look at Internet Matters' list of social media guides to get you up to speed on the most popular platforms and help them set the right privacy settings.

In addition to the family workshop, Red Bank Primary School students also attended an assembly during the school day to learn more about online safety. Students discussed the differences between personal and private information, how to refrain from excessive screen time, and how to safely navigate the Internet. The presenters stressed the importance of children working with their families to design screen time plans.

This year our district was excited to offer expanded opportunities for Computer Science courses at both the Primary and Middle Schools. NJSLS Computer Science Standards are banded by grade levels as follows: K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and students will have multiple exposures in various grades. In order to provide more comprehensive and hands on experiences we implemented a robotics program in Grades 1 & 2. Using the Next Wave STEM resources during activity periods, Ms. Boehm, Music & Enrichment Teacher, invites students to explore robotics through interactions with Colby the Robot Mouse. Students learn how to complete algorithms, how to give and follow directions, read maps, and apply them to Colby for results. Click the presentation below for more information.

In Grades 4-8 we have included additional opportunities for students to experience various STEM components for computer science and engineering. Mr. Holcombe Hurd, Computer Science & Enrichment Teacher, spearheads the computer science coursework, while Mr. Eric Schwarz, PLTW (Project Lead the Way) Teacher, presents his coursework through an engineering lens. Both classes offer a mix of computer science, engineering, science, mathematics and technology to meet the rigor of the NJSLS.

The new computer science classes at Red Bank Middle School are sparking excitement and curiosity among 4th, 5th and 6th grade students. With 1:1 Chromebook usage, students dive into engaging topics like cybersecurity, programming, and the ethical use of AI.

Using PLTW strategies and the UBD framework, the curriculum combines creativity and structure to meet students at their level. Hands-on opportunities with cutting-edge CAD programs, such as Tinkercad and SketchUp for Schools, inspire innovative design and problem-solving. Activities through Code.org provide a fun and accessible way to build programming skills, while advanced learners can explore more challenging content through Khan Academy for coding and math support. Students also learn to use Chrome extensions effectively, boosting their productivity and confidence. Ethical considerations in technology are emphasized, preparing students to become thoughtful digital citizens. The classes are designed to be inclusive, exciting, and relevant, ensuring every student leaves with valuable skills and a passion for learning more about technology.

The 7th and 8th-grade computer science curriculum at Red Bank Middle School challenges students with rigorous, real-world drafting and design experiences using SketchUp for Schools. Students begin with simpler projects, like designing furniture, and gradually progress to creating birdhouses, curved objects, and finally a real-life challenge: designing an energy-efficient home with great feng shui and thoughtful design elements.

Along the way, they learn to manage the memory demands of professional-grade 3D modeling tools and explore resources like the Trimble 3D Warehouse. Students are introduced to constraints such as building codes and are exposed to best practices in architecture and construction, giving students a glimpse into using CAD real-world applications. Additionally, students enhance their coding skills through HTML simulations from PhET and activities at Code.org. Ethical use of AI, including tools like ChatGPT, is integrated into the program, ensuring students understand the responsible application of cutting-edge technology. This hands-on, engaging curriculum equips students with essential technical skills while fostering creativity, problem-solving, and a deeper appreciation for design and construction.

Mr. Schwarz, our PLTW Engineering teacher, pulls from a variety of resources to create hands-on engineering experiences outlined below.

Grade 4: The concepts of potential and kinetic energy are brought to life through hands-on activities. By tackling challenges such as building a pendulum, racing cars, and designing a safety system for a 15-ft crash, students explore the engineering design process. These projects not only highlight the importance of engineering but also foster creativity and problem-solving skills.

Grade 5: Robotics comes to life as students investigate and build robots designed to navigate an obstacle course. In addition, they test their creations in a fun battle bot challenge, aiming to pop another robot's balloon. Through these activities, students develop teamwork and critical thinking skills while gaining an introduction to the exciting world of robotics and engineering.

Grade 6: Inventions and innovations are explored as students research how technologies evolve over time and create their own future innovations. Projects like building a math cube, turtle sandbox, and pirate ship playhouse give them a hands-on approach to learning. Using metric measurements, students design and race their own skimmer cars, connecting theoretical knowledge with practical skills.

Grade 7: Collaborating with the art class, students face the challenge of designing a unique cardboard chair without using adhesives. This innovative project will be showcased at the Red Bank Green Fair on Earth Day. By combining engineering with art, students learn valuable design principles and teamwork while creating something both functional and sustainable.

Grade 8: Robots are being built to take on a variety of challenges, from a race course to Mario Kart battle mode, as well as clawbot soccer and basketball competitions. In the process, students gain knowledge in construction, mechanics, and teamwork, working to make their robots successful in these engaging and competitive activities.

Recently, the Bilingual Parent Advisory Council offered Bilingual Family Literacy Classes in collaboration with the Latino Family Literacy Project and the Red Bank Borough Education Association (RBBEA). Beth Moran, ESL Teacher, explained that the association applied for the FAST (Families and Schools Working Together) Grant offered by the New Jersey Education Association which then enabled the RBBEA to fund various portions of the classes, including food baskets in time for the holidays.

During the classes, parents learned the importance of establishing a family reading routine with their children, how to share books, and acquisition of English vocabulary together as a family. Ms. Gonzalez and Ms. Nieves who spearheaded this initiative reported that the classes were a big hit for our families as they leveraged bilingual materials to further a love of literacy as a family. Ms. Nieves, Bilingual Teacher, emphasized the importance of this initiative and shared a quote that has always resonated with her, "Biliteracy in schools empowers students to connect across languages, cultures, and communities, preparing them for success in an interconnected world."

Ms. Gonzalez, Bilingual Teacher, shared, "The Latino Family Literacy Project was a wonderful experience for our families. It’s not just about fostering literacy; it's about building stronger connections between families and their children's education. Parents left each session feeling empowered to support learning at home, and students gain a deeper love for reading and storytelling. It’s a program that truly celebrates our bilingual and bicultural roots."

All students in Grades 2-8 recently took the IXL Snapshot #2 for English Language Arts and Mathematics. Students are able to view their performance and you can too! Just have your student login with their credentials and they can show you how they are performing. Keep in mind this is only a moment in time reflecting your child's skillsets.

Key steps:

• Login: Sign in to your child's IXL account.

• Access Analytics: Click on the "Analytics" tab.

• View Student Summary: Select the "Student Summary" report to see a general overview of your child's progress.

• Explore further details: Use other reports like the "Score Chart" to see specific SmartScores on skills and the "Questions Log" to review individual questions answered.

You can view this guide (English | Spanish) to better understand how to interpret your child's scores. Openly discussing your child's strengths and needs can help you support your child in areas where they might be excelling or struggling. Teachers regularly review the data to tailor instruction to meet your child's individual needs so they can serve as a resource too!

From mid-January to early February students in Grades K-3, some in Grades 4-5, and our Bilingual classes will be assessed with mCLASS DIBELS-8 and mCLASS Lectura to monitor their early reading skills development. You can learn more about the assessments by visiting Amplify's Caregiver Hub. Below is a list of the different assessments students may be exposed to.

For more details about districtwide assessments you can reference the 24-25 Assessment Calendar & Notification Letter shared earlier this school year.