A Message from the Assistant Superintendent

With our students celebrating the 100^thDay of School on February 18^th, it’s hard to believe that half the school year is already gone.   I would like to bring you up-to-date on the many successes taking place in our school district.  The 2019-2020 school year saw the introduction of the GoMath and Science Dimensions programs.  These programs are firmly embedded within our curriculum with teachers receiving ongoing training during Staff Development Days, Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and Grade-Level Staff Meetings.  Our recent Staff Development Day, held on January 31^st, had teachers attend training sessions for both programs.  The Fundations Program continues to be implemented in Kindergarten through Grade 2.  On-site classroom training is ongoing throughout the district allowing for immediate feedback. Feedback for all three programs has been positive. 

During the February Parent-Teacher Conferences, parents with children in Kindergarten through Grade 2 received Report Cards and results from two research-based assessments being administered in the Bayonne School District – the iReady Assessment in Language Arts and Math; and, the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA3).  The iReady Assessment Language Arts domain assesses Phonological Awareness, Phonics, High Frequency Words, Vocabulary, Comprehension Literature, and Comprehension of Informational Text.  The four iReady domains assessed in Mathematics include Numbers and Operations, Algebra and Algebraic Thinking, Measurement and Data, and Geometry.    The iReady Assessment is administered three times per school year.  Parents with children in Grades K-2 received iReady reports detailing the progress their child has made in both ELA and Math since September.

The Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA3) measures a student’s reading performance, determining a student’s independent or instructional reading level.  Parents with children in Grades K-3 received information regarding the results of the DRA3. This is the first year the Bayonne School District is administering the DRA3 to students in Kindergarten through Grade 3.  It should be noted that our curriculum and in-district assessments are aligned with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS).

Ozobots are being introduced to students through our Technology Curriculum to teach coding.  Coding provides a platform for interdisciplinary lessons in all content areas and plays an integral role in our STEAM Curriculum.

Our full-day Pre-K program has been a resounding success with new classes being added throughout the school year.  Our Pre-K teachers receive frequent, on-site training as they implement the HighScope Curriculum for our youngest learners.  For more information about the Pre-K Program and HighScope Curriculum, visit the Board of the Education Website www.bboed.org where you will find information available for each department.    

It is because of the collaborative efforts of our Teachers, Parents, and Administrators that students of all ages throughout our district are able to achieve academic excellence.

Dr. Dennis C. Degnan

Assistant Superintendent

Curriculum & Instruction, Federal and State Programs