Overview

Welcome to the Teaching and Learning page. In the Methuen Public Schools, teaching and learning are the heart of our work. We are constantly working to enhance these areas in order to provide the very best learning opportunities for our students.

Curriculum maps were developed to incorporate the standards in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks (which include all of the Common Core State Standards), a rigorous set of expectations defining what all students should know and be able to do at the completion of each grade. These maps allow parents to see exactly what teachers are teaching throughout the year and which standards are covered in each unit. These maps consist of three stages; Stage 1 includes the standards, essential questions, and enduring understandings. All of Stage 1 has been made public.

Our teachers use the curriculum maps and related resources to provide effective instruction. To assist teachers in making sure their teaching addresses the curricula, the district has a professional development program that includes full graduate courses, workshops, and support from instructional coaches in English language arts, mathematics, and the teaching of English language learners.

Assessment of student achievement has been a major focus for the district. Professional development—in the form of workshops and a graduate course—helps teachers to design classroom assessments that are standards-based. Through the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), students are assessed annually in English language arts and mathematics in grades 3 through 8 and grade 10. MCAS assessments in science are also given in grades 5, 8, and 10. At both the district and school levels, MCAS data are analyzed to help us determine areas for curriculum revision and to assist teachers in meeting their students’ learning needs. Students transitioned to taking the MCAS online in the spring of 2019.

Students also take interim or benchmark assessments to help teachers, students and parents understand the progress they are making towards our standards. These include DIBELS (K-3 literacy), the Dreambox Reading Plus Insight assessment (4-8 literacy), IXL and module assessments (K-8 math), and quarterly/periodic assessments in high school subject areas. Data from these assessments along with MCAS, are reviewed and analyzed by school staff. Some of that data will be available in Infinite Campus under the assessment tab, allowing every teacher will be able to see at a glance how his/her individual students and the class as a whole are progressing toward mastery of specific standards.

Our faculty and administrators are working hard to provide the highest quality education to Methuen’s students. Please contact me if you have any questions or suggestions regarding curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the Methuen Public Schools.

Lisa Golobski Twomey, Ed.D.

Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning
lagolobski@methuen.k12.ma.us
(978) 722-6007

Curriculum

core Curriculum

The Methuen Public Schools are committed to a curriculum that has consistent expectations for all students, is manageable for all teachers, and is clearly shared with parents and the community. Below is an overview of each core curriculum area by grade.

Methuen Public Schools Core Curriculum Overview
	Kindergarten	English Language Arts	Math: Eureka Math		Science	Social Studies
	Grade 1	English Language Arts	Math: Eureka Math		Science	Social Studies
	Grade 2	English Language Arts	Math: Eureka Math		Science	Social Studies
	Grade 3	English Language Arts	Math: Eureka Math		Science	Social Studies
	Grade 4	English Language Arts	Math: Eureka Math		Science	Social Studies
	Grade 5	ELA: EL Education Curriculum	Math: Eureka Math		Science	Social Studies
	Grade 6	ELA: EL Education Curriculum	Math	Advanced Math	Science	Social Studies
	Grade 7	ELA: EL Education Curriculum	Math	Advanced Math	Science	Social Studies
	Grade 8	ELA: EL Education Curriculum	Math	Advanced Math	Science	Social Studies
	Methuen High	2024-2025 Program of Studies 2024-2025 Programa de Estudios

K-8 MATH INFORMATION and RESOURCES

Literacy Newsletters

October, 2024: WIN and Reading Success, Resources and Tools to Access in School and at Home

Instruction

-Inclusive Practices-

According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, inclusive practices are the instructional and behavioral strategies that improve academic and social-emotional outcomes for all students, with and without disabilities, in general education settings. Inclusive practices are based on the frameworks of Universal Design for Learning, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Please see information below for DESE descriptions of each framework or click on the links above for more detailed information.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MPS COMMON LESSON COMPONENTS

GUIDING FRAMEWORKS IN METHUEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an approach to designing learning experiences so that they meet the needs of the widest range of learners. UDL grew out of the universal design movement in architecture in which accommodations such as wheelchair ramps and curb cuts began to be included in the original design of buildings and structures, rather than added on as an afterthought. Likewise, barriers to instruction can be removed from the initial design of lessons rather than addressed after the fact through accommodations. UDL increases flexibility and adaptation to student needs so that all students can learn from instructional practices and materials that are accessible to them, including the ways in which they take in information, process as they learn, show what they have learned, and engage with instruction and materials. The UDL framework addresses learner variability by providing multiple approaches to the representation of information, to student action and expression, and to student engagement.
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) & Social and Emotional Learning: As with UDL, the principles of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) establish a proactive approach to modeling, developing, and supporting positive behaviors and social-emotional development in all students as a preventative approach, rather than reacting to negative behaviors after they occur. PBIS emphasizes educationally and behaviorally important student outcomes through the systematic consideration of data, evidence-based practices, and effective implementation systems supports across a multi-tiered logic. SEL emphasizes the process of developing students' and adults' social and emotional competencies-the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors that individuals need to make successful choices.
The documents above provide more information on UDL, PBIS, and SEL. These contain the full UDL Guidelines, school-wide and classroom-based approaches to PBIS, and the competencies and practices of SEL.
- Behavior Expectations Matrices: Comprehensive Grammar School, Marsh Grammar School, Tenney Grammar School, Timony Grammar School; Methuen High School

Assessment

Staff Resources

Summer Assignments

Enrichment Opportunities

Academic Bowl (Grades 7 and 8)

Our district-wide academic bowl competitions promote innovation, collaboration, and academics. Each match spans two hours: one hour for students to complete a team challenge by creating, building, or solving a problem and one hour for students to field Jeopardy-style questions in the categories of STEM, humanities, arts, and potpourri. While one grade level competes in the team challenge, the other competes in the Jeopardy round, then they switch. Families of academic bowl participants are invited to attend and observe the Jeopardy rounds of all academic bowl matches. 2024-2025 Academic Bowl Schedule

Play Ball Intramural Sports (Upper School)

Through a grant from the Play Ball Foundation, MPS offers hundreds of upper school students free access to intramural sports during the fall and spring seasons. Two sports are offered each season and participating students are coached by a staff or faculty member in one or two practices on weekdays and games on weekends. MPS is grateful for the partnership with the Play Ball Foundation.

Sports offered, Fall 2024: Flag Football, Volleyball Sports offered, Spring 2024: Basketball, Soccer

Essay Contests

Please visit this folder for essay contests made available to students throughout the school year.

Homeschool

District Plans

Career Technical Education (CTE)

Career technical education (CTE) at methuen high school

Chapter 74 CTE programs provide students with opportunities to explore career options through a course of study that includes both academic and technical or vocational courses, career planning, and work-based learning (DESE). Methuen High School offers four Chapter 74 certified program pathways: Biotechnology, Marketing, Early Education and Care, and Programming and Web Development. Each pathway provides opportunities for students to earn industry-recognized credentials (IRCs). Students enrolled in Chapter 74 CTE courses, who meet minimum grade requirements and college admissions expectations, may also be awarded dual enrollment credits through established articulation agreements.

CTE Admissions Policy (English)

Politica de Admisiones del CTE (Spanish)

Click the links below to learn more about chapter 74 programs Offered at MHS

"I just wanted to update you on the biotechnology program at URI and thank you for all the knowledge you gave me going into this program. The program is truly amazing, we have been able to do cell cultures and sub-culturing as well as freezing chinese ovarian hamster cells in a completely aseptic room, do gel electrophoresis on larger scales, making plates, and this upcoming week we are doing bioreactors. Thankfully going into this program I have substantial knowledge on how to use many of the tools in the lab such as the micropipettes and how to run a gel. This upcoming semester I am doing an 8-hour lab and get to go to AMGEN. I feel truly much more prepared because of your classes and I am generally so excited and overjoyed to be in this program. This summer I am able to do an internship. I miss your biotechnology class so much and I am so very thankful for taking your class." - MHS Graduate, Class of 2024

THE AFter Dark PROGRAM

Methuen High School partners with Greater Lawrence Technical School (GLTS) to offer the After Dark program which provides students access to vocational education opportunities at GLTS, while earning their diploma from MHS. During the regular school day, students attend MHS for their academic requirements and in the afternoon they participate in vocational programming at GLTS. After Dark is a two year commitment with students enrolling at the beginning of their junior year. Interested sophomores should speak with their school counselor.

Methuen High School students in the After Dark are currently enrolled in the following programs:

Heating-Ventilation-Air Conditioning-Refrigeration
Automotive Technology
Metal Fabrication & Joining Technologies
Heath Assisting