Curriculum Connections Newsletter
For the week of 10.26.26
Hello Tiger Nation!
Congratulations on leading your students through Quarter 1 of the school year! As we enter November and the season of Thankfulness, I would like to take this opportunity to thank each of you for the time and efforts you put into your lessons each day in your classrooms with your students. Some days are harder than others, but you show up for your students and it is truly appreciated.
Quarter 1 Grading Window
Please remember to enter all grades for grading period 1 by 11:59pm on Friday, October 23.
Quarter 1 Grade-level Team Meetings (SCHEDULE for the day)
Middle & High School - 10/23/26 from 8:00-11:00am at the High School
Elementary - 10/23/26 from 1:00-3:45p at Fairfax
*Please bring your charged device to access online materials and earbuds/headphones (morning session only).
Elementary Science update
Dear CH-UH Elementary Teachers,
As we continue to gather information from the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce and work to make sure our classroom instruction continues to align with the adopted Ohio Learning Standards for Science, the Academic Services Office is writing to share an update with you.
As you recall, the district made the decision to shift to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) last year. We are now asking that teachers refocus their science instruction on the Ohio Learning Standards and Model Curriculum in the interest of aligning instruction with state standards, teacher feedback, and available resources. More information in regards to this change will be communicated at the October 23 grade-level team meeting. That said, we discovered that many strategies designed for use by the NGSS can be useful when implementing the Ohio Science Learning Standards. Academic Services encourages teachers to use the NGSS practices to support classroom instruction and utilize inquiry-based lessons in their Science classrooms.
Elementary teachers can continue to utilize the Explore Science Weekly (NGSS) lessons, as well as access the Ohio Science Weekly lessons on the Studies Weekly online platform. Updates to the district-adopted pacing guides and curriculum maps will be available soon. It is our goal to be clear on how our current resources will be used for instruction to support the Ohio Science Learning Standards.
Please reach out to Jen Banisadr or Chris Keating for support and guidance.
Warm Regards,
The Learning Team
The CH-UH Professional Learning Day is just around the corner on November 3, 2026. Thank you to all the staff members that have signed up to present! Information regarding available session times and logistics of the day will be shared with all CHUH staff in the coming days.
Per the negotiated contract, CH-UH teachers who are presenting will be paid for 1.5 hours of preparation time per hour of presentation. After November 3, you will want to request this payment by using an extra assignment sheet and sending it to Chris Keating at the Board of Education.
As staff work to embed Clarity practices into their daily routines with students, the Academic Services team would like to recognize staff that have already embarked on their own journey with Clarity and author Kara Vandas. We thank the more than 110 staff members who have volunteered to participate in one of our three cohorts since we began the journey with Kara during the 2024-25 school year.
With the help of your colleagues, the Academic Services team has created a CHUH Clarity for Learning HUB that ALL staff can access for ideas and exemplars. The HUB can be accessed via the CHUH Staff Resource Portal. Once on the Portal, look for the tab labeled CHUH Clarity for Learning HUB on the left-hand side of the page.
Phonics 95 has a three-part series that provides a roadmap for building literacy alignment through explicit instruction and creating connected learning experiences that improve outcomes for all students. The first session was recorded and the video is linked below. The second session is on 10/21/26 and will also be recorded and available on their website at a later date.
Session 1: Lead with Literacy Alignment 95% Group Webinar
Learn why literacy alignment matters and how it creates instructional coherence, reduces cognitive load, and supports student success.
Session 2: Build Literacy Alignment
Discover how to create consistency across instructional tiers with shared goals, routines, and practices that strengthen teaching and learning.
Session 3: See Literacy Alignment in Action
Hear from district leaders who have implemented literacy alignment and the impact it has had on instruction, educator effectiveness, and student growth.
DIWALI
Diwali is an important Hindu holiday sometimes called the Festival of Lights, this year it will be celebrated on November 8
ELECTION DAY
Election day is November 3, 2026. Find and review your ballot here.
Elementary/MS Resources: BrainPop
HS Resources: The Constitution Center
Veterans Day is November 11, 2026
Veterans Day is a day to honor all armed service members, both past and present. Veterans Day was originally named Armistice (stop fighting for a certain period of time) Day to commemorate the end of WWI in the eleventh month on the eleventh day at the eleventh hour in 1918
Kid friendly videos from: PBS & BrainPop explaining how and why Veterans Day was established.
Ways to thank a veteran and share with your friends and family
Write a letter to a veteran: Thanks a Million Letter writing
November is NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
November is Native American Heritage Month, also called American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, which is a nationally recognized time to celebrate the cultures, traditions, and contributions of Native Americans. The month was established in 1990 to honor the first peoples of the United States, raise awareness about tribal nations, and recognize their history and ongoing impact on the country.
PBS Learning Media has resources by grade band to learn more: Grades K-2, Grades 3-8, Grades 6-12, Grades 9-12.
Additional resources: The Smithsonian and Library of Congress
