Curriculum and Instruction
Teaching and Learning
The Sweet Home School District Office of Teaching and Learning supports District staff and programs in curriculum development, implementation, and student assessment. We strive to coordinate district-wide curriculum and instructional efforts to help each student achieve success in school and beyond.
While supporting our district’s mission, we work to ensure our curriculum is correlated with the New York State Next Generation Learning Standards as well as provide professional development to achieve district and building improvement goals.
District improvement strategies continue to focus on the following areas:
Safe, Respectful, and Supportive Learning Environments:
- Intentionally designing structures and activities to cultivate connection, build leadership, and promote student well-being, creating a strong sense of community.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion/ Culturally Responsive Teaching:
- Foster a culture of inclusion and care where every SH community member feels supported and experiences a strong sense of belonging. Utilize culturally responsive practices to improve learning for students.
Curriculum and Assessment Alignment:
- Revise the local K-12 curricula (curriculum and assessment) to meet the rigor of Next Generation Learning Standards and/ or National Learning standards.
Program Design/Delivery/ Professional Learning Communities:
- Build the capacity of teachers to utilize a focused set of best professional practices promoting higher levels of learning for all students.
Responsive Teaching:
- Implement data analysis cycles/ protocols of state and local assessment data to identify trends in student performance and make instructional adjustments that are responsive to student needs.
Technology Integration:
- Implement the meaningful integration of technology to deepen student engagement and personalize the learning experience.
Portrait of a Graduate
Our strategic plan has been developed to ensure that our students are seen, supported and ready for the future. To reach this goal, we have drawn from three guiding frameworks. First, Franklin Covey’s Leader in Me builds a welcoming school culture where every child learns that they have a voice, unique strengths, and the power to lead. We believe that the Leader in Me habits, core paradigms, and framework cultivate a learning environment where every student is empowered to lead, take ownership of their learning, and contribute meaningfully to our school community.
Second, because we know that students can only learn when their emotional and academic needs are met, our Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) provides the structure to prioritize the needs of the whole child, including social-emotional, behavioral, and academic growth. It ensures culturally responsive-sustaining environments that are welcoming and safe, forming the foundation of all instruction and interventions.
Finally, the New York State Portrait of a Graduate gives us our ultimate destination, defining the real-world skills, empathy, and resilience our children will carry with them long after graduation. This guided the development of our Portrait of a Panther. By weaving these three frameworks together, our district strives to ensure that daily school culture, targeted student support, and long-term educational milestones work together to cultivate resilient, capable, and future-ready leaders.
NY Inspires: When will these changes impact students?
Frequently Asked Questions related to the NY State Graduation measures initiative.
Kathryn Barillari
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
kbarillari@sweethomeschools.org
(716) 250-1426
Heather Kramer
Administrative Assistant
hkramer@sweethomeschools.org
(716) 250-1422
(716) 250-1426
Heather Kramer
Administrative Assistant
hkramer@sweethomeschools.org
(716) 250-1422
Dr. Elizabeth Kosakowski
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
ekosakowski@sweethomeschools.org
(716) 250-1419
Lindsay S. Marcinelli
Director of Special Programs
lmarcinelli@sweethomeschools.org
(716) 250-1234
Chandra Jagielo
Assistant Director of Special Programs
cjagielo@sweethomeschools.org
(716) 250-1237
Lindsey Harrington
Director of Instructional Technology & Data
lharrington@sweethomeschools.org
(716) 250-1416