Washingtonville advances Academic Excellence across elementary schools

Classrooms in the Washingtonville Central School District are educating students on how to think – instilling early habits of analysis, curiosity, communication and application. These are skills that will serve them for the next decade, not just the next grade level.

Across Taft, Little Britain and Round Hill Elementary Schools, that focus is shaping daily instruction through an elementary-wide shift in curriculum designed to strengthen foundational literacy and math skills while building discussion, problem-solving, and the confidence to apply learning in new situations.

“Students are developing the confidence, resilience and stamina to work through challenges,” said Marguerite Fusco, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. “They’re learning how to approach problems in different ways, and that’s changing how they experience learning.”

In classrooms, educators say the shift is helping students not just learn content, but take on new challenges with greater independence.

Strengthening consistency across classrooms

To support this work, the district invested in curriculum programs from Savvas Learning Company, a national, research-backed provider of math and literacy resources.

After a year of piloting and evaluating multiple instructional platforms, a team of elementary educators selected enVision Math and myView literacy for implementation across all three schools. The goal isn’t to make every classroom look the same, but to ensure every student has access to the same strong academic foundation.

“We wanted to build more consistency across all of the elementary buildings,” said Alexandra Bandremer-Perez, Director of Curriculum and Instruction. “As students move from grade to grade, the routines and structures remain familiar, allowing teachers to focus more deeply on content because students already understand how to engage with the learning.”

Washingtonville’s adoption of myView aligns with the science of reading, a research-based approach grounded in decades of research on how children learn to read, drawing from education, psychology, linguistics, neuroscience and other related fields, according to the New York State Education Department.

A closer look at literacy instruction

This approach was visible in Paige Yezarski’s second-grade classroom at Little Britain, where students explored the essential question: “What makes a tradition?” 

Using an interactive infographic, students examined how culture and geography shape traditions. They then drew a favorite family dish and placed it on a world map, connecting food to place and culture.

The lesson continued with procedural texts, as students learned how written instructions guide a process. Ms. Yezarski added a hands-on element, too. After reading a recipe, students followed the steps to “make” salsa using printed ingredient cards, practicing how to sequence instructions.

While the lesson centered on traditions, it also intentionally built vocabulary, background knowledge and comprehension skills, all key components of the science of reading framework.

“The Savvas program provided an engaging, culturally rich text that connected directly to our goals,” Ms. Yezarski said. “We paired it with close reading and a hands-on activity, which made the learning more interactive.”

Strong literacy skills also support learning across subjects.

“We’re building better readers,” Ms. Bandremer-Perez explained. “Reading is the basis for most content areas, including math.”

Building confidence across subjects

Teachers are also noticing a shift in how students approach their work: taking notes, trying different strategies and sticking with challenges more than before.

By strengthening decoding, analysis and comprehension early, the district is building a foundation for long-term growth. At the same time, enVision Math emphasizes discussion and strategic thinking.

In Sally Walsh’s third-grade classroom at Taft, students interpreted pictographs by analyzing titles, keys and scales before writing comparison statements. Rather than simply counting, they explained their thinking, practicing both data analysis and communication.

Ms. Walsh noted that the program allows her to move efficiently while still going deeper.

“I’ve spent a lot of time on this unit in the past,” she said. “This allowed us to cover the same material in a more focused way.”

She also saw strong student engagement, supported by a mix of digital tools, workbooks and group collaboration.

Across classrooms, teachers report growing confidence and persistence as students work through challenges and engage more deeply with complex material.

In fifth grade at Round Hill, students in Daniel Stadler’s class explored decimal division through a structured approach. Each lesson begins with a “Solve & Share,” where students first work independently, then compare strategies before instruction.

The lesson continues with modeled solutions and a “Convince Me” check, where students explain their reasoning.

A key part of this approach is giving students multiple ways to solve problems and find what works best for them.

Looking ahead

Before adopting Savvas, Mr. Stadler and his team created their own materials for each unit. While that collaboration was valuable, he said the new program provides helpful structure and clarity.

“I like how the lessons are organized,” he said. “There are also strong supports for students who need extra help, as well as opportunities for enrichment.”

Across grade levels, the approach remains consistent: clear skill-building, meaningful discussion and multiple ways to learn. While the first year has required significant effort, district leaders expect the impact to grow over time.

“It’s a ground-up effect,” Ms. Bandremer-Perez said. “Over time, students will come in with more background knowledge and familiarity, allowing teachers to build more quickly.”

This shift reflects Washingtonville’s broader commitment to Academic Excellence by strengthening instruction across all elementary classrooms. By ensuring access to high-quality learning, the district is building a clear path forward for students.

“We want every student to leave our elementary schools with strong academic skills and the confidence to take on new challenges,” said Superintendent Dr. Larry Washington. “When students believe in their ability to learn and grow, it changes their entire educational experience.”