Andrew Martins, Managing Editor
After being largely devoid of activity for the summer, the halls and classrooms of Hillsborough’s nine schools will spring back into action next week with the start of the 2017-18 school year.
Starting on Thursday, Sept. 7, the roughly 180 weekdays that follow will be devoted to the instruction and enrichment of thousands of students from Hillsborough Township and Millstone Borough.
“The beginning of a school year is always an exciting time in school districts across the state … [and] the 2017-2018 school year promises to be another great year for the Hillsborough community,” Dr. Lisa M. Antunes, the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said.
In anticipation for the new school year, officials made a number of changes to everything from staffing to curriculum.
“We are putting finishing touches on the facilities, our athletic teams are excited about the upcoming fall season, literacy curriculum has been rewritten, administrators are happy to welcome teachers back from well deserved summer vacations as the teachers are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their students,” Antunes said.
Earlier this year, the Hillsborough Township Board of Education approved a measure in the 2017-18 budget that allowed for the district’s elementary schools to get their own school counselor.
Previously, the district employed three counselors to serve its six elementary schools. With the additional staff, officials at the time said the counseling needs of the schools’ students and staff will be more easily addressed. To that end, officials said the district composed a new, comprehensive guidance curriculum was written over the summer.
Along with the new guidance curriculum, officials said the English department gave its K-12 curriculum a major overhaul during the summer months. Starting this year, the new English curriculum will focus on a workshop model.
The science curriculum was also adjusted this summer, after last year’s revision completed its first year of implementation.
In addition to any department-wide curriculum changes, officials said the district’s teaching staff has been busy getting ready for the school year by writing their individual curricula and developing common assessments during the summer.
Teachers and district staff have also attended professional development opportunities, including a grading symposium, a week-long You, Me and the PLC Institute, as well as training for building online common assessments.
Official said the district is also looking to continue past successes like earning the New Jersey State Seal of Biliteracy after members of the Class of 2017 earned the distinction for a high level of proficiency in one or more languages in addition to English.
District officials said they plan to continue the program, in addition to expanding the opportunity to more students.
High School health and physical education classes will also be re-aligned to offer students a more comprehensive approach to physical education and health.
Concurrent enrollment options with Raritan Valley Community College will also be expanded to include additional course offerings.
