...in Scarsdale is a collaborative experience that encourages risk taking and prioritizes opportunities for students to think deeply about and work to solve problems relevant to their lives and connected to their interests. To achieve this, students develop and deploy powerful habits of mind and effective communication skills.
Goal: Promote a collaborative academic culture where confident and creative risk takers bring voice to their passions, think deeply about what they are learning, solve problems in increasingly sophisticated ways, and communicate what they know and can do through a wide range of performance tasks and assessments that occur within and beyond the classroom.
The 2025-26 budget promotes a collaborative academic culture that nurtures critical and creative thinking by:
funding the exceptional level of instruction provided through small class sizes (elementary), the house and team structure (middle school), a vibrant program of study (high school); and ensuring staffing levels consistent with expectations;
expanding our 8:1:2 (SMS) and 12:1 (SHS) special class programs for students with disabilities to retain currently enrolled students in-District;
continuing support for elementary math program improvement;
the development of performance-based assessments aligned to our Strategic Plan priorities;
authentic global opportunities and partnerships for students through the Institute for Global Learning and Round Square, and the implementation of sustainability projects through collaboration with the community and schools.
Key Action Areas - Recent, Current, Ongoing
Monitor, assess, and adjust key implementations- Reveal Math, Units of Study, Science Units.
Assess our current Special Ed continuum of services to:
identify priorities for enhancements and expansion;
increase the range of students with access to the curriculum within the least restrictive environment;
focus on transition services and opportunities for students with disabilities on non-traditional post-secondary tracks.
Articulate and implement assured learning experiences that support student development of the Scarsdale Digital Competencies.
Expand the application of tools and techniques that enable differentiated instruction to support all learners to meet their potential.
Key Action Areas - Emerging, Under Development
Identify and implement next steps to further the Scarsdale High School Profile of Graduate.
Develop a Profile of a Learner for our elementary schools and middle school, as well as a profile of a Scarsdale educator.
Elevate habits of mind, critical thinking, and problem solving through emphasis on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary learning, and performance-based assessments.
Review existing experiential and collaborative learning programs opportunities to identify approaches transferable to all classrooms (i.e., Choice, A School).
…more to come…