Board of Ed Approves Curriculum Changes

The Board of Education has approved that will retain academic-level and honors-level classes for the ninth-graders, offer two sections of Humanities classes and eliminate some of the barriers for entering Honors classes.

BHS Principal Bryan Luizzi said that, additionally, the components that were approved by the school board in February were retained, including adding more options beyond the core courses in the advanced placement program.

He has said those offerings would probably include courses in studio arts and music theory.

School board member Jane Miller, the chairman of the Curriculum and Program Evaluation (CAPE) subcommittee, said that since the initial revisions were approved in February, public forums were held with parents to seek further input, particularly regarding the options for the ninth grade students.

Superintendent Anthony Bivona said 20 to 30 parents attended each session.

Luizzi, , said in an interview that the revisions that were approved at this last Wednesday night’s school board meeting would retain the current program for the ninth grade students.

“We’ll have academic-level classes and honors-level classes for the students,” he said.

Miller said the revisions also would provide more offerings in Humanities.

“We’re going to be offering it as a semester elective instead of a year-long course” so more students could take it, Luizzi said.

The principal said the latest revisions would eliminate “some of the barriers for students that want to challenge themselves and go into the Honors classes. We’re eliminating the paper waiver form that we’ve used and are allowing students with parent permission to take them.”

School board Vice Chairman Rob Gianazza said he was concerned that during the initial discussion at the meeting there was no detailed documentation on the most recent revisions.

He said later in the meeting after documentation was provided that he had felt as though the board was being used as a “rubber stamp” during the earlier discussions.

Luizzi said the increase in advanced placement offerings would be important since BHS hasn’t been offering enough options beyond the core courses.

“It’s important for us to create opportunities for students to excel in all different areas,” he said. “Under our plan, kids can find their niche and pursue their areas of interest.”

The school board also announced that nine teachers would be retiring at the end of June.

They include BHS English teachers Carl DeVoe and Gene Newell, who have both been in the district for 35 years.

The other retirees include Mary Clare Sullivan, speech and language pathologist at Center Elementary School (CES), 17 years; Marcia Bartow, teacher at Huckleberry Hill Elementary School (HHES), 28 years; Anna Lee Serrano, physical education teacher, HHES, 25 years; Elizabeth Gannon, Spanish teacher, Whisconier Middle School (WMS), 24 years; Diane Holskin, French teacher, BHS, 26 years; Donna Didsbury, math teacher, BHS, 10 years; and Nancy Siecienski, Spanish teacher, BHS, 10 years.