Curriculum Updates for 2025-26 School Year
The following courses are either being taught for the first time or have received significant updates for the 2025-26 school year.
New Course:
AP Seminar is a foundational course that engages students in cross-curricular conversations that explore the complexities of academic and real-world topics and issues by analyzing divergent perspectives. Using an inquiry framework, students practice reading and analyzing articles, research studies, and foundational, literary, and philosophical texts; listening to and viewing speeches, broadcasts, and personal accounts; and experiencing artistic works and performances. Students learn to synthesize information from multiple sources, develop their own perspectives in written essays, and design and deliver oral and visual presentations, both individually and as part of a team. Ultimately, the course aims to equip students with the power to analyze and evaluate information with accuracy and precision in order to craft and communicate evidence-based arguments.
Course with Major Revisions
- Spanish 4: Spanish 4 received a significant update, including new learning tasks in all three domains of language acquisition, new assessments, and updated content knowledge and skills based on new tasks. Curriculum revisions are based on students' performance and assessment data.
- AP Literature and Composition: AP Literature and Composition was updated to include the new novels (approved by the BOE in 2025), which align with the College Board recommendations.
- Literacy K, Literacy Grade 1 (Writing Only), Literacy Grade 2 (Writing Only), Literacy Grade 3, Literacy Grade 4: The K-4 Literacy Curriculum was updated to reflect the tenets of Universal Design for Learning instructional model, providing additional small group lessons, standards-aligned benchmark lessons, and student-facing activities in a wide range of learning styles. Student materials were also developed to increase student efficacy and independence. Additionally, the resource sections for each unit were updated.
Parental Opt-Out Rights
New Jersey has a long-established law that permits parents to excuse their children from certain Health and Family Life lessons that conflict with their family's sincerely held religious or moral beliefs. This provision has recently been expanded by a Supreme Court decision, which now allows parents to opt their children out of a wider range of lessons containing LGBTQ-inclusive materials if those lessons are perceived as influencing the student in a manner contrary to the family's religious convictions.
For advanced notice of topics in the curriculum, please visit the district’s curriculum located here. Families can review the curriculum content and resources and identify the units or topics that may conflict with their sincerely held religious beliefs. (When doing so, please ensure that you select the grade level/ course that applies to your child.) Please contact your child(ren)’s school Principal with any opt-out requests and any other questions you have regarding this provision.