Unionville-Chadds Ford SD proposes thematic approach, new high‑school texts; curriculum cycle extended to 2028–29

Unionville‑Chadds Ford School District staff presented a package of proposed English texts for grades 9–12 and a revised multi‑year curriculum cycle at the district’s June 10 Curriculum, Instruction & Technology committee meeting.

Amy A. Hart, a 10th‑grade English teacher and department chair at Unionville High School, said the department is moving "toward a thematic approach instead" of labeling courses by geographic or historical scope (for example, replacing a strict "world literature" label with themes chosen for developmental fit). She said the change is intended to let staff choose texts that better match "reading level, their interest level, the rigor that they need" for 15‑year‑old students rather than defaulting to materials better suited for older seniors.

Hart described proposed 9th‑grade selections focused on shorter, high‑interest works and literature‑circle choices for lower‑level classes, citing titles the committee packet identified including Orbiting Jupiter; Brown Girl Dreaming; Foster; Long Way Down (noted as used in middle school but proposed for first‑level 9th graders); and core texts for higher levels. For 12th grade, Hart referenced a collection organized around thematic "points" (she referenced The Things They Carried as an example of the kind of short‑story/essay collection under consideration) and said the department proposes adding Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing to provide a comedy choice across grades 9–12.

Hart emphasized teacher choice and pilot testing: "we may already have 10 titles that we use, and now we're adding 3 more," and additions would be presented as whole‑class texts or as options in literature circles before any core designation. She also cited research and classroom practice, saying choice is a primary driver of student reading engagement.

District staff told the committee that members of the public may review the materials, and that because July will be an abbreviated board agenda the English text recommendations will be presented for a vote in August. Separately, the committee reviewed a proposed revision to the district’s curriculum cycle (moving the previously adopted 2020–25 cycle forward through 2028–29). Staff said English language arts at the elementary level will be moved to Year 1 of the cycle to align with ongoing structured‑literacy and science‑of‑reading work, and that the four core subjects (ELA, social studies, math and science) will be scheduled in separate years to distribute workload across buildings.

The committee did not take formal action on the texts or the cycle at the CIT meeting; the curriculum‑cycle proposal was described as slated for approval at next week’s full board meeting and the English text list is scheduled for the August board vote. The district encouraged community members to review the texts before those board hearings.

Reporting note: committee discussion referenced existing core texts still in place (for example, Old Man and the Sea remains listed as a current core text) and described the proposed titles as additions or pilot candidates rather than immediate replacements.