By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — The elementary schools are looking to implement a new math curriculum during the 2025-2026 academic year. 

Elementary Math/Science Curriculum Director Christina Perry said during a recent School Committee meeting that the elementary schools have formed the Math Curriculum Team that is comprised of general education teachers, special education teachers and administrators from both buildings. The team was created last summer and has been tasked with identifying, reviewing and selecting a new elementary math curriculum. 

“It has been awhile since Lynnfield has had a full curriculum review,” said Perry. 

Perry recalled that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) developed the Math Curriculum Frameworks in 2011. Afterwards, she said districts including Lynnfield Public Schools developed “district-created curriculum in order to meet the needs of what we were supposed to teach based on the new frameworks.” 

“Our teachers have been very successful with our district-created curriculum,” said Perry.  

After the team reviewed different math curriculum programs, Perry said the group “narrowed it down to a few curricula.” She said the team is “excited” about trying the programs.  

“I have been chatting with representatives of the companies, and we have hard copies in our hands as well as digital resources for our teachers to look through,” said Perry. “The plan is to adopt a new curriculum this spring after our classroom trials. It is our goal to find a curriculum that meets the needs of all of our learners.” 

Perry said elementary school students participating in the math curriculum pilot program “will still be getting the same standards and lessons that the rest of our students will be getting, but they will be getting a little bonus too with some of those new trial lessons.” 

“This feedback will help us ultimately choose which curriculum we will adopt for full implementation in the 2025-2026 school year,” said Perry. 

After a new curriculum is selected, Perry said administrators will make sure educators receive the professional development they need to “implement and roll out that new curriculum.” 

Assistant Superintendent Adam Federico said the process for implementing a new math curriculum “will serve as a roadmap” for future curriculum changes. 

School Committee member Jamie Hayman asked if the new curriculum will be aligned with math classes at Lynnfield Middle School. 

Federico said yes. 

 “I think that will be an important part of our selection process,” said Federico.  

Perry said LMS STEM Director Katie Ambroise and Lynnfield High School Math Department Karen Ellis have been assisting the Math Curriculum Review Team. 

School Committee member Jim Dillon asked how long are math classes at the elementary schools. 

 “Students are spending between 45 minutes and 90 minutes depending on which grade level they are in,” said Perry. “In addition to scheduling regular math classes, we have also allowed for a math WIN (What I Need) Block. In addition to the regular math instruction, they are getting additional math practice in whatever areas they need.” 

Dillon inquired if both elementary schools are using the same district-created math curriculum. 

Perry said yes.  

“It really is a fabulous, robust curriculum, but it is no longer meeting the need for the high-quality curriculum that the state is asking for,” said Perry. “We are really looking for something that gets kids to really think deeply about math. We are looking to really challenge students.”

As part of the evaluation process, Perry said the Math Curriculum Review Team wants to make sure the new curriculum meets the needs of students who struggle with math. 

“We are excited to find something that hopefully meets all of those needs, but certainly in the back of my mind, I am going to be looking at things that have made us successful over the past 15 years and implementing some of those if we need to,” said Perry. “Hopefully we will find something that encompasses all of it.” 

Federico anticipates that the Math Curriculum Review Team will “find a lot of commonalities between what our teachers are already doing and what some of these other programs offer.” 

In response to a question School Committee Vice Chair Jenny Sheehan, Perry said the goal is to begin piloting new math curriculum lessons this winter. She said teachers will be providing feedback about the different curriculum programs that are piloted before one is selected. 

“I really want this to be a team process,” said Perry. “I want all of us to dig in together. We are going to take that feedback data and have a majority rules type of vote so that we really choose the curriculum that the majority thinks is best for our students in the district.” 

School Committee Chair Kristen Grieco Elworthy was pleased that administrators and teachers have collaborated on the new math curriculum selection process.

“I really appreciate the amount of teachers and staff involved in this,” said Elworthy.  

Superintendent Tom Geary noted that the Math Curriculum Review Team began the process for selecting the new curriculum last summer. 

“They recognize the need and the priority of having a solid, recognizable process all the way through,” said Geary. “We appreciate it.”