Civil Municipal - Feb 2024

Sonday program, acknowledging, “That program is more geared towards phonics-based instruction, whereas the workshop model doesn’t focus as much on phonics.” She adds that as students move into middle school and high school, independent reading is promoted, allowing opportunities for students to have the autonomy to select literature based on personal preference. STEM education is another priority for the New Providence School District and has been since 2015. The initiative began at the high school level, where existing programs were assessed, and curricula were adopted with the support of the national organization, Project Lead the Way. “We did include in that first year, introduction to engineering and engineering design,”Zirpoli recounts. “In subsequent years, we then added aerospace engineering, and environmental sustainability.While we did that, with Project Lead the Way, we also looked to revamp and rewrite many of our curriculums, and within the curriculum, we included design thinking.” This commitment to STEM education has extended to the middle and elementary levels, ensuring a continuous learning experience from kindergarten through 12th grade. When designing a new curriculum, the District takes a progressive approach, looking toward the future needs of students and graduates. “Generation Z, the skills that they need, the type of jobs that are going to be out there for our current kindergarteners, we don’t even yet knowwhat they’re going to be,”Zirpoli maintains. “We engaged in something called Think Tank 2.0, where we had six committees that focused through a lens of Generation Z, and one of those was curriculum. They did look to incorporate more of a futuristic approach in terms of including real-world linkage to our curriculums.” New Providence School District also works to provide opportunities for students to be deeply engaged in problem-solving and critical thinking experiences. 238 St. Paul Street Westfield, New Jersey 07090 edlawgroup@cmmolaw.com (908) 481-5000 Congratulations to the New Providence School District. We are happy to have served you for over 16 years and many years to come. Supporting Education Through Legal Counsel 203 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 02 NEW PROVIDENCE SCHOOL DISTRICT, NJ