Williamsville showcases math curriculum emphasis on sense‑making, manipulatives and classroom discussion

Williamsville Central School District officials presented a district curriculum update on Sept. 9 that highlighted an instructional shift emphasizing sense-making, manipulatives and student discourse in mathematics.
Acting Assistant Superintendent Dr. Chris McGinley described five competencies the district has prioritized for about a decade: number sense, visualization, generalization, metacognition and communication. "We have really focused our mathematics curriculum in developing these 5 competencies," McGinley said, and the board viewed classroom video examples showing students working collaboratively at whiteboards and using manipulatives.
Presenters and classroom footage showed early-grade activities using blocks and "math stackers" to build number sense and make ten, and an elementary "grocery store" anchor experience to support multiplication and equal groups. Teachers and presenters described the approach as ‘‘sense making’’ that begins with hands-on experiences and supports language development, reasoning and confidence.
Dr. Marie Bellen (assistant superintendent for curriculum) and Dr. McGinley said materials and the full speaker-series video will be posted on the district website, along with grade-level resources and information about accelerated math pathways for middle and high school students.
Board members asked no substantive questions following the presentation; administrators said the recorded video and supporting resources would be available online for families and educators.