Progress in Arts, Curriculum, and Special Education Initiatives

July 2023: Progress in Arts, Curriculum, and Special Education Initiatives

Dover School District continues to push forward with exciting initiatives aimed at enriching education, supporting students, and fostering innovation. Here are the highlights from this month’s updates:

Dover Joins the Community-Based Instruction (CBI) Project

The district is proud to announce its acceptance into the Community-Based Instruction (CBI) Project, a collaboration with the Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities and the New Jersey Department of Education’s Office of Special Education. CBI is an instructional approach designed to help students with disabilities transition successfully into adult life, focusing on:

• Community Living

• Post-Secondary Education

• Career Development

The Dover team will participate in 20 hours of professional development through the Foundations of CBI training series, which includes:

• Understanding the Foundations of CBI

• Transforming Post-School Outcomes with Quality Planning

• Best Practices in CBI Implementation

• Supporting and Sustaining CBI Through Leadership

This initiative will kick off in the fall, and more updates will be shared as the program develops.

Arts Integration Leadership Institute

A district team, including Ms. Gaynor Matante, Mr. Nunez, Ms. Hanna Omo (dance teacher), and Ms. Lynn Gilo (English teacher), attended the Arts Integration Leadership Institute in Princeton. They participated in impactful workshops, such as:

• Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy in Practice

• Advocacy Through the Arts

• Teaching and Learning for Social Justice

• Engagement and Impact with an Arts Integrated Lens

The team also began discussions on a district arts integration project, which will be developed with coaching support and presented at a gallery walk next summer. This initiative aims to use arts integration as a tool for fostering creativity, equity, and student engagement.

Curriculum Writing Updates

The district is making great strides in curriculum development. To date:

• Most first units of courses have been completed and reviewed by supervisors.

• Feedback has been shared with writers, and remaining curricula are on track to be finalized for review in August.

• The goal is to have all remaining curriculum approved by the September board meeting after thorough review by the curriculum committee.

As updates are finalized, board members will be notified to review materials via the Atlas platform.

Looking Ahead

From expanding arts integration to enhancing educational opportunities for students with disabilities, the district continues to build on its mission of delivering high-quality, equitable education.