This summer, I attended New York State's Race To The Top Summer Curriculum Institute in Albany to bring back the latest updates on the Common Core State Standards. One of the messages was clear: it is essential to provide our students with strategies and skills to become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and decision makers. I feel that my educational background and many years in literacy education and staff development have provided me the knowledge and tools to promote the design of optimal learning opportunities for students. I join district efforts this year to engage all learners in a culture of achievement to prepare them to meet the rigors of the new standards and become college and career ready.

As in past years, I will continue to showcase the talents of the West Babylon literacy practitioners and work diligently to promote essential strategies and skills that ensure success for all K-12 students. If we join efforts, New York State’s portrait of the student who meets the standards will become the face of each one of our West Babylon students.

Continue to read because literacy matters!

 

Respectfully,
Carol Varsalona, Director of Language Arts and Testing