Developing Life-long Learners to become productive global citizens
Our Program
Effective schools are schools in which students are able to succeed well beyond what is generally expected. Our schools must add extra value to each Student’s outcome in comparison with other schools serving similar student populations. We remain committed and dedicated to improving the well-being and academic outcomes of all our children as we transform Willingboro Public Schools into a ‘Blue Ribbon’ School District.
As we enter into 'Year-6' of innovative initiatives, we must capitalize on ‘Year-5’ investments, and develop life-long learners for productive global citizenship.
Our journey to improve student achievement entails creating new courses, implementing new initiatives, and researched best practices. Our commitment and pledge to provide a quality education for all students will be the foundation and driving force our students need to ascend to outstanding academic achievement during their educational tenure.
Technology Refresh:
The objective of the computer refresh is to upgrade the existing technology in classrooms and computer labs with current year technology; replacing the six to seven year old computers in District’s computer labs and classrooms. This refresh consists of 1,000 desktop computers, and eight 30-station laptop carts; one for each school. The benefits to this Technology refresh are huge. With PARCC high stakes testing occurring this school year, and our increased utilization of online formative assessments, with Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP) testing, newer technologies allow us to take advantage of greater computing efficiency.
Cosmetology Program Returns:
We welcome the return of Cosmetology to the course offerings in our high school CTE programming. This is the first level of a 3-year Cosmetology Course designed to provide students with instruction required to meet the standards set forth in the Cosmetology and Hairstyling Act of 1984. A State Licensed Program which requires a student to complete 1200 Hours (1000 Hours Vocational School) of instruction and take the State Board Examination to earn the Cosmetology/Hairstyling license upon completion of the Program.
Willingboro High School is offering AP Language and Composition for high performing juniors.
Contemporary Young Adult Literature:
This course traces the development of modern literature in the last 40 years where students will study a variety of genres: past and present. This course provides the platform for making rich, real-life connections to literature. Students will be able to express themselves through a variety of creative activities, and demonstrate understanding of key contemporary ideas by completing performance tasks that fuse current web-based programs and instruction to provide students with a well-rounded literary experience. Students will explore multiculturalism and how it contributes to a continuously advancing a diverse America, and study some controversial selections that are appropriate in understanding the world as it continues to evolve. The selections also inspire activities aligned with the common core standards.
AP 11 Language and Composition:
Prerequisite: Minimum “B” average in English 10 Honors or “A” average in CP English 10.
This course engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts, and in becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. The course emphasizes the expository, analytical, argumentative writing, as well as the personal and reflective writing. Students’ writing will be based on reading,as well as, on personal experience, and observation. Students will also learn how to read primary and secondary sources carefully, to synthesize material from these texts in their own composition, and to cite sources using conventions recommended by professional organizations such as the Modern Language Association (MLA). This course is recommended for advanced proficient eleventh graders interested in the AP12 track.
MiddleSchool Robotics:
The purpose of this curriculum is to provide an introduction to robotics and encourage young people to explore the technology that encompasses robotics. Our goal is to inspire interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects that will open the door to career opportunities in the aviation and space realm.
System44:
System 44 is an intensive foundational phonics and decoding intervention reading response program for our most challenged readers in Grades 3-12. From the creators of Scholastic's Read 180 program, System 44 will be piloted this year in each school targeting our non-readers to beginning readers in both general and special education programs.
Naviance:
Naviance college and career readiness solution is a proven resource that both middle and high school students utilize to research and explore hundreds of colleges and career paths. As part of the district-wide investment to enhance college and career readiness for our students, we eagerly look forward to the positive impact Naviance will have on our students' goal-setting, establishing academic plans to meet their goals, and desire to be life-long learners.
NewTechnology:
Our desire is to meet our students’ needs and move them into our 21st Century world prepared, inspired, and ready to make significant contributions to humanity. All English Language Learners in grades 9-12 will receive an iPad to assist them in mastering the English Language. The purpose of this initiative is to accelerate the acquisition of phonics, vocabulary, fluency, reading-comprehension skills, and other language building blocks for our ESL students. Students will have access to software to improve their English fluency.
Middle School Curriculum Updates
On June 16, 2010, the NJDOE adopted a plan for the implementation of revised curricula. The plan required that districts adopt the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in grades 6-8, beginning September 2013. With that goal in mind, Willingboro Public Schools has adopted a new textbook and revised the middle school math curriculum. Our teachers had a great deal of input and influence in the adoption of the textbook and the revised curriculum. We are certain that the addition of these new resources will provide our teachers with the additional confidence and tools needed to engage student learning on all levels.
Benchmark Assessments
Last school year the high school implemented NWEA MAP assessments to measure student growth, design instructional programs based on student’s needs, and to identify learning readiness and opportunities for student growth. This school year we will use NWEA MAP in grades 1 to 12 to measure student achievement and to improve instruction. Research indicates that the frequency of student assessments directly correlates to student achievement. Periodic benchmark assessments are implemented to provide school and district administrators with timely internal educational data to drive instruction of critically needed conceptual development in the classroom.
K-12th Curriculum Implementation
Curriculum is a set of predetermined work plans developed by or for teachers to use in classrooms by which the content, scope, and sequence of that content, and the skills taught through that content are defined and configured. Formal curriculum is predetermined and it structures the curriculum of the school, and appears in curriculum guides, state regulations, or officially sanctioned scope and sequence charts. Core Curriculum focuses on content and skills basic to the disciplines of Reading/Language Arts, Social Studies, Science and Mathematics. We are excited to announce that teachers in grades K-12th beginning Fall 2012, will utilize an updated curriculum that provides pacing and instructional guidance for our elementary schools based upon the 2009 NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards, as well as the new Common Core Standards for Language Arts and Mathematics.
Textbook Inventory & Management System
With the full implementation of the Follett web-based Textbook Management System, administrators will finally be able to account for and share available textbook resources within our school district electronically, and more efficiently adopt new texts as required.
Textbook Adoption
An innovative textbook adoption program, whereby required texts are secured through a lease agreement was recently approved by the Board of Education.Through this initiative, a long standing issue of dated instructional resources has been addressed. To date, new textbooks have been purchased for Geometry, Algebra, PreAlgebra, Social Studies, Biology, Science, World Languages, K-8 Music, and K-5 Literacy.
Preliminary SAT Scoring Service (PSSS)
The PSSS will provide students with opportunities to learn and practice proven strategies for successful aptitude testing. The PSSS test measures critical reading, mathematics and writing skills using the pre-disclosed 2012 PSAT/NMSQT Saturday test form. We will use the PSSS to help guide and inspire our students as they plan for their promising future.
Gifted and Talented Program Expansion
During Winter 2011, Willingboro schools embarked on a journey to restore the Gifted & Talented Program for students in grades 3-5. Teachers helped develop students who demonstrated high levels of proficiency on multiple platforms of assessment in their park school. The instructors, through partnerships with both William and Mary University and Rutgers University, were tasked to challenge these students to think critically and expand their aptitudes. Last school year, these opportunities were expanded to the middle grades.
Alternative Education Programming
Our desire to meet the needs of all of our students inspired the designed an Alternative Education Program which will be located at Bookbinder School this school year. The Alternative Program helps to academically prepare students who can benefit from smaller learning communities in an environment where alternative learning styles are explored to promote students success. Additionally, this program supports students who are returning to Willingboro Public Schools from out of district placements.
NJQSAC
The New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (NJQSAC), as required by N.J.S.A. 18A:7A-3 et seq., is a system whereby all public school districts in the State are monitored and evaluated. NJQSAC is designed to be a single,comprehensive accountability system that consolidates and incorporates the monitoring requirements of applicable State and Federal programs. This year we will continue to execute the State approved District Improvement Plan (DIP) to ensure compliance with the five established NJQSAC components: Instruction and Programs; Fiscal Management; Personnel; Governance; and Operations.
Middle School Sports Initiative
Willingboro School District is very pleased to announce the successful restoration of competitive sports for our middle grade students. We believe the reinstatement of Athletic programs at the Middle School will augment our overall program; by both motivating students to improve their performance away from the competitive environments and providing leadership opportunities for youngsters.
Professional Development Partnerships
In an effort to accelerate the academic performance of our students, and the instructional capacity of our teachers in secondary settings; the Willingboro School District is excited to announce multiple Professional Development Partnerships with Texas Instruments, and Progressive Mathematics Institute (Mathematics), Children’s Literacy Initiative, and Standard Solution (Language Arts and Social Studies).
