DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM - DR. JAMES BEVERE Hillside’s Commitment to a Standards-Based Education “ Every Hillside student will be given a standards-based education to help ensure their success in the post-secondary world.” -Erskine R. Glover, Hillside Superintendent Hillside’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction's goal is to ensure that every Hillside student is provided access to instruction that strongly aligns with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS). These standards clearly state what students are expected to learn and demonstrate at all grade levels, Kindergarten to Grade 12. Additionally, these standards allow for every teacher, parent, guardian, and community member to clearly understand the learning expectations, which helps all community stakeholders support student learning and celebrate students’ individual growth as measured against these set standards. The student learning standards were initially designed as “Common Core Standards” in 2010, however, in 2016 they were realigned and given a name change after input from students, teachers, and guardians. As a result of the implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, there is a heightened level of accountability within each school and amongst all teachers for designing learning experiences and using resources that align with the standards for their given content area and grade level. Opportunities for ongoing review and reflection to our Hillside staff guide our teachers and inform their planning, instruction delivery, and student assessment methods. Having NJSLS-based instruction helps guide curriculum implementation and assessment of our student learning. More importantly, the NJSLS allows us to adjust to our learner’s needs. Student outcomes are mapped out through standards-aligned curriculums and include research-based scope and sequences that align with each prescribed standard. Using standards allows teachers to personalize instruction, ensuring that teaching practices purposely focus on agreed-upon outcomes and that students are continuously growing. The Hillside Curriculum and Instruction Department regularly reviews and affirms the alignment of our curriculums, across all content areas, to these standards. We have committed to the process of a rigorous review and evaluation of our curriculums, our instructional practices, and our students’ outcomes, as measured by the NJSLS, to ensure that high-quality teaching is being delivered and high levels of student learning are attained.