Academics

Welcome to the  Curriculum Department. The curriculum of Pennsauken Public Schools is aligned to the NexGen Science Standards and the common New Jersey Student Learning Standards in all content areas. We offer a comprehensive Pre-K to 12 program to prepare our students for both college and careers in the 21st century.

The Curriculum Department supports teachers in continuous improvement of their knowledge and skills. Our goal is to provide a rigorous curriculum equitably across the district so that every student is thoroughly prepared for success in life. All students should have equal opportunity to have the same level of learning, and all teachers should have the tools they need to help our students achieve the learning goals.

Please find links to the Curriculum and Pacing Guides below:

The Gifted and Talented Program at Pennsauken Public Schools offers services to learners in grade kindergarten through 12th. At each level, students receive a variety of enrichment activities suitable to their abilities and interests. Students at the elementary level are offered pull out programs that focus on project based learning aligned with the reading and writing program. Students at the intermediate and middle school level have an exploratory period and are encouraged to participate in the accelerated courses. Students at the high school may enroll in Honors classes or Advanced Placement courses in all fields of study. A number of factors determine a student’s entrance into the program including scores on intelligence exams, standardized tests, benchmark exams, and teacher recommendations. Students have the ability to enter into the program at each grade level. Parents interested in their child’s participation in the Gifted and Talented program should contact their building principal for details. Families may appeal placement decisions, in writing, to their building principal.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law on December 10, 2015. The ESSA replaces the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and is the latest reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

Although NCLB was designed to make changes in teaching and learning in order to increase students’ academic achievement, the Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) provision under NCLB was eliminated from the ESSA. Despite this fact, all educators in New Jersey still are required to hold the appropriate state certificate/license for their given position.

Under the ESSA, all schools receiving Title I funds must inform parents of their right to ask schools about the professional qualifications of their child’s teachers and paraprofessionals. All the schools in our district receive Title I funding and we are happy to share this information with you upon your request.

New Jersey has some of the most qualified teachers in the country, and we are extremely proud of the quality of the teaching staff in the Pennsauken Public Schools. All of our regular teachers have college degrees, and many have advanced degrees. In addition, every teacher continues learning through professional development activities, and our teachers are evaluated each year to make sure that their teaching skills remain at the highest possible level.

I encourage you to support your child’s education and communicate with your child’s teacher(s) on a regular basis. For more information on ESSA, and the role of parents, please visit the United States Department of Education’s (USDE) website at http://www.ed.gov/essa. By partnering, families and educators can provide your child with the best education possible.

Right to Know Letter - English
Right to Know Letter - Spanish

Please click on the presentation below to learn more!

Please see the links below for valuable information:

• Khan Academy - Free video Language Arts lessons (and other subjects as well).
• Language Arts Collections 6-8 - Student log in for the Language Arts Textbook for grades 6-8.
• Online Graphic Calculator - Free online graphing calculator.
• Math Video Games - Free online video games based on common core standards for math.
• New Jersey Student Learning Standards

Please see the contacts below for our Curriculum & Instruction Department. Families are always encouraged to first contact their building principals for support. 

Director of Secondary Education
Dr. Angel Alexander-Cook
angel.cook@pennsauken.net

Curriculum Supervisor - Secondary
Tarah Gillespie
tagillespie@pennsauken.net

Administrative Assistant to the Director of Secondary Education
Maria Chambers
mchambers@pennsauken.net

Director of Elementary Education
Caroline Steer
caroline.steer@pennsauken.net

Curriculum Supervisor - Elementary
Jonathan Nguyen
jnguyen@pennsauken.net

Administrative Assistant to the Director of Elementary Education
Amaril Checo
amaril.checo@pennsauken.net

Director of Student Support Services
Michael McGovern
mmcgovern@pennsauken.net

Mathematics Instructional Coach
Elizabeth Bieryla
elizabeth.bieryla@pennsauken.net

Language Arts Instructional Coach
Diana Frank
dfrank@pennsauken.net