Scranton School District superintendent outlines curriculum, safety and recovery priorities

Erin Keating, who said she has served as Scranton School District superintendent for nine weeks, used the district's May Financial Advisory Committee meeting to outline early priorities including curriculum alignment, school safety and systemwide communication.

Keating described planned changes to K–5 scheduling to meet new state standards, saying the district will shift how it sequences science and social studies and will integrate social‑studies nonfiction into the ELA block. She said administrators are developing a materials purchasing cycle so ARP/ESSER dollars used for instructional materials do not all come due at the same time.

"These were the major projects that I kinda jumped into," Keating said, and later added, "the primary focus we can't read, we can't learn, and we really need to make sure that our kids have an advanced level of literacy and our teachers truly understand the science of reading." The superintendent said the new state standards must be in place by the 2025–26 school year and that the district plans to be proactive.

Keating also discussed safety and security measures. She said the district has seen an increase in handgun crimes in the city and is increasing security in areas that have shown upticks in incidents. Keating noted a ransomware incident handled by district technology staff prior to her arrival and said ongoing IT updates remain a priority.

The superintendent described outreach and professional development plans, including a visit this week from Randy Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, for an elementary school visit and a strategy session on structured literacy. Keating said the district is pursuing restorative practices funding and will convene mental‑health providers, juvenile‑justice representatives and community partners under a federal Bureau of Justice grant led in part by Richard Gold.

Keating said she has visited every district building except two and plans further site visits, and that she is instituting weekly districtwide updates to improve communication. She closed by briefly recounting the first weeks on the job and noting the board's operational and capital priorities, including asbestos abatement and other summer work.

The committee asked follow‑up questions about scheduling and topics for future meetings; Keating agreed to provide a calendar of focused monthly topics for the advisory committee.