Curriculum & Learning Newsletter
Fall 2025
Welcome to the Fall 2025 edition of the Quincy Public Schools Curriculum & Learning Newsletter. As we transition from Fall to Winter during what has already been a productive and inspiring school year, we remain deeply committed to ensuring that every student thrives through high-quality instruction, meaningful learning experiences, and strong support systems. This work is only possible because of the remarkable dedication and partnership of our Curriculum Team members, principals, educators, and, of course, our students and families. We are sincerely grateful for your collaboration, trust, and continued commitment to learning. Together, we are building engaging, inclusive, and future-ready learning environments where every student can grow, explore, and succeed.
In this edition, you’ll find important information and updates designed to keep our community informed and connected. Highlights include report card timelines by level, districtwide assessment dates, academic updates and celebrations from across our schools, and helpful resources to support student learning at home. We hope this newsletter provides a clear and engaging glimpse into the outstanding teaching, learning, and collaboration taking place every day throughout Quincy Public Schools.
High School Level
Mid-Term Progress Reports were made available on December 12, 2025. The second term of the school year ends on January 23, 2026 with Report Cards available on January 30, 2026.
Middle School Level
Term 1 Report Cards were made available on December 5, 2025 while Term 2 began on December 1, 2025. The next report that will be made available is the Mid-Term Progress Report which will be available on February 13, 2026.
Elementary School Level
Term 1 Report Cards were made available on November 26, 2025 while Term 2 began on November 27, 2025. The next report that will be made available is the Term 2 Report Card which will be accessible on March 20, 2026.
Note: All reports mentioned above are available by accessing the Aspen Family Portal. If you need support accessing this portal please feel free to visit: https://www.quincypublicschools.com/family_resources/family/aspen_help_center or you can email AspenSupport@quincypublicschools.com directly with any questions you may have.
An Exciting Start to the 2025-26 School Year in ELA and Reading!
A message from Bridget Vaughan, Coordinator of ELA and Literacy, K-8
As part of our continued commitment to student success, Quincy Public Schools is making big strides in English Language Arts (ELA) to ensure every child is set up for reading and writing success. Our focus is on building strong literacy skills from the very beginning, so students are confident readers and writers for years to come.
Building Strong Literacy Foundations in Kindergarten Through Grade 5
In Kindergarten through Grade 5 this fall, foundational skill building is at the core of ELA work. We focus on the essential building blocks of the “big five”: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension, with an intentional focus on handwriting and written expression. This is accomplished through structured, systematic literacy lessons in Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA). In addition, students are immersed in a variety of knowledge-building domains and rich, rigorous, diverse texts, ordered to build upon one another and provide broad content knowledge in science, social studies and the arts. Please be sure to refer to the Home Connect Letters from your child's early literacy screening and Caregiver Letters from each CKLA Unit to learn more about what is happening each day!
Throughout the fall, here are some of the topics that students learned about:
Kindergarten: Nursery Rhymes and Fables, the Five Senses, Stories, Plants
Grade 1: Fables and Stories, the Human Body, Different Lands/Similar Stories and Early World Civilizations
Grade 2: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales, Early Asian Civilizations, The Ancient Greek Civilization, and Greek Myths
Grade 3: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows, Animal Classification, The Human Body: Systems and Senses, The Ancient Roman Civilization
Grade 4: Personal Narratives, Empires in the Middle Ages, Poetry, and Eureka Student Inventor
Grade 5: Personal Narratives, Early American Civilizations, Poetry, Adventures of Don Quixote
Supporting Growth Across Grades 6-8
Across grades 6–8, students progressively build reading, writing, speaking, and language skills through thematically organized units that integrate DESE MA ELA standards, allowing them to analyze increasingly complex texts, engage in evidence-based discussions, and produce clear, purposeful writing across genres.
In Grade 6, students explore meaningful themes through diverse literary and informational texts. In "Decisions That Matter", they analyze how choices shape individuals and history while building skills in close reading, discussion, and evidence-based writing across multiple genres. In "Dealing With Disaster", students examine real-world events through print and media sources, strengthening research, expository writing, and their ability to integrate information, vocabulary, and grammar skills across texts.
In Grade 7, students deepen their analytical skills through thematic units centered on purpose and risk-taking. In "Guided by a Cause", they examine social justice and personal conviction by comparing perspectives, analyzing characterization, and writing evidence-based expository responses. In "Bold Actions", students explore courageous choices across multiple genres and media, strengthening skills in theme, argument, discussion, and analytical writing.
In Grade 8, students engage with complex themes and texts that deepen their critical reading and writing skills. In "Culture and Belonging", they explore identity and community through literature and media, analyzing author’s craft while conducting research and producing narrative and expository writing. In "The Thrill of Horror", students study classic and contemporary works to examine point of view, theme, and suspense, strengthening analytical and narrative writing through discussion and multimedia analysis.
This year, our elementary teachers are renewing their focus on math fluency. Rather than relying solely on memorization, we are encouraging students to explore multiple strategies for problem solving. Theis flexibility celebrates different approaches and solidifies understanding. Students build these skills through hands-on activities and games.
In middle school, we are excited to be implementing Amplify Desmos Math in grades 6-8. It's problem-based approach invites students to engage more deeply with the curriculum by helping them develop conceptual understanding at the concrete, pictorial, and abstract level. This program supports students in building mathematical understanding, reasoning through complex ideas, and expressing their mathematical thinking. We look forward to seeing how this curriculum strengthens student confidence and curiosity in mathematics.
At the high school level, math classrooms are focused on helping students make sense of complex ideas by solving multi-step problems, using multiple strategies, and clearly explaining their reasoning. Students regularly engage with challenging tasks that require them to apply concepts, practice exam-style questions, and connect math to real-world situations. Teachers collaborate to align curriculum and assessments while offering targeted supports such as small-group instruction and additional practice when needed. We look forward to continuing this work as students build confidence, perseverance, and readiness for advanced coursework, college, and career pathways in mathematics.
Kimberley Quinn
Coordinator of Mathematics K-8
Sensemaking in Elementary Classrooms
In elementary classrooms, sensemaking often begins with students observing and wondering about the world around them. For example, students might investigate why shadows change throughout the day, explore how plants grow under different conditions, or model how weather impacts their community. Through hands-on activities, drawings, and discussions, students learn to explain their thinking and connect science ideas to everyday experiences.
Sensemaking in Middle School Classrooms
At the middle school level, science learning becomes more collaborative and evidence-based through the OpenSciEd curriculum. Students explore real-world phenomena such as observing a bath bomb fizz in water to explain how gas can appear without adding matter, using maps and models to understand how mountains move and why ocean fossils can be found on Mount Everest, and analyzing slow-motion videos, simulations, and hands-on experiments to explain why objects are damaged during collisions. Throughout these units, students share ideas, build and revise models, evaluate evidence, and strengthen explanations—working much like scientists do.
Sensemaking in High School Classrooms
In high school science courses, sensemaking prepares students for advanced thinking and real-world applications. Students design investigations, analyze complex data, and apply scientific principles to explain phenomena such as chemical reactions, biological systems, or energy transfer. High school students are also strengthening skills in argumentation, data analysis, and communication—important skills for post-high school education and careers.
Learn More at Our January Parent Academy
Families interested in learning more are invited to attend a January Parent Academy focused on the OpenSciEd middle school curriculum. This session will explain what sensemaking looks like in action and showcase student work from units used across QPS this year. All families are welcome, regardless of their child’s grade level.
Click here for more information and to register.
Hello, my name is Michael Marani, and I am proud to serve Quincy Public Schools as the Senior Director of Curriculum. I have the opportunity to work closely with many dedicated teachers across the district, including our Social Studies educators, who help students learn how to ask thoughtful questions, use facts to support their ideas, and understand their role as members of a community.
At the elementary level, students learned about their communities, history, and civic ideas through reading, classroom conversations, and hands-on projects that encouraged them to share ideas through writing, drawing, and presentations. This learning was further enriched by field trips to many of Quincy’s historical landmarks, made possible through our partnership with the Quincy Historical Society. These experiences help students connect what they learn in school to the real places and stories that make Quincy such a historically important community.
In middle school, students continued building these skills by working with historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and so much more. Students reference these important documents while discussing different viewpoints, and learning how to support their opinions with facts in both writing and class discussions. This work is being strengthened through districtwide civics efforts, including shared learning goals and the development of a new Grade 8 Civics Project, where students will take part in a student-led project focused on real community issues.
