District Goal
To maximize student learning and
achievement outcomes, the Weehawken School District is committed to providing a rigorous and equitable education through differentiated and personalized instruction, offering targeted support and enrichment opportunities to address both academic and behavioral needs of every student.
Math Initiative
The 2024-2025 mathematics initiative is to provide a rigorous and equitable education for students in Grades K-12 by focusing on and implementing:
Standards-Aligned Curriculum: Instruction is aligned with the NJSLS (New Jersey Student Learning Standards) to ensure students are learning essential mathematical concepts and skills at each grade level. This alignment prepares students for the content and rigor of the NJSLA (New Jersey Student Learning Assessments).
Conceptual Understanding and Procedural Fluency: Programs emphasize both a deep conceptual understanding of math topics (e.g., place value, fractions, algebraic thinking) and fluency with procedures (e.g., arithmetic, algorithms), ensuring students can apply mathematical reasoning effectively on the NJSLA.
Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking: Students will be assessed on content, reasoning, and modeling. Lessons incorporate complex, multi-step word problems and real-world applications that require students to think critically, reason logically, and communicate their mathematical thinking—skills that are directly tested on the NJSLA.
Math Practice and Rigor: Regular practice with diverse problem types, including higher-order questions, helps build rigor. Students are encouraged to persevere through challenging tasks and explore multiple problem-solving strategies (productive struggle), reinforcing their ability to tackle difficult questions on the NJSLA.
Math Across the Curriculum: Math is integrated into other subjects, like science and technology, to foster interdisciplinary connections and give students additional opportunities to practice math in varied contexts.
Formative Assessments and Data-Driven Instruction: Ongoing formative assessments, such as quizzes, exit tickets, and unit tests, allow teachers to monitor student progress and adjust instruction to address gaps. Feedback helps students refine their skills and strategies for the NJSLA.
NJSLA Practice Tests and Test-Taking Strategies: Students engage in practice tests modeled after the NJSLA to familiarize themselves with the format, question types, and time management. Teachers also provide explicit instruction in test-taking strategies, such as how to approach multiple-choice and open-ended questions.
These initiatives aim to build a strong foundation in math while preparing students for the rigor and expectations of the NJSLA through targeted instruction, practice, and assessments.
Math Implementation
Promote student proficiency with rigor → higher-level critical thinking, real-world application, multi-step word problems.
Dreambox during homeroom periods daily (Grades 5-6)
Common Assessments - Math Committee
Using the Performance Coach practice workbook, students will practice:
a mixture of objective items assessing content
constructed-response items requiring the application of grade appropriate reasoning and modeling.