Currently, incoming Portsmouth High School 9th graders will have an unleveled approach to their English 9 class for the 2023-2024 school year. 

Mrs. Shelagh St. Laurent, PHS Director of Curriculum and Instruction, says that this shift in leveling will give incoming 9th-graders the “same opportunities to be challenged” in an unleveled course, as they would in an “advanced” or “honors” course.

PHS began rolling out this change a few years ago to develop a “baseline of understanding,” says PHS Principal Stephen Chinosi. This understanding will help PHS administrators and teachers determine how best to support students.

Principal Chinosi says that as a regional high school, this baseline approach to students’ 9th-grade year will give the teachers visibility into how students work and thrive in different learning environments, which will help prepare students for increasing challenge and rigor as they progress through and beyond high school.

“I strongly believe that all students who come to PHS should be in unleveled English classes as a way for the professionals in the English department to guide each student to the best level for each student as they move through PHS,” says English teacher Kyle Harrison.

 One thing students might be confused about is what is curriculum. “Curriculum is often defined as the materials, resources, activities, and the scope and sequence of those activities that faculty and students engage in over time,” describes Chinosi. “Curriculum includes things like learning standards, objectives, competencies, and assessments, in addition to all of the assignments and projects given to students; the materials, videos, and presentations used in a course.” 

“I think curriculum and instructional methods need to change all the time,” continued Chinosi. “Professionals in any industry must constantly grow and improve. It would be hard to tell any industry professional to not grow and adapt to changing market forces and see if they would keep their job for too long. Even factories that pride themselves on consistent efficiencies are in constant growth mode to do what they do even better every cycle.”

Contact your guidance counselor, Principal Chinosi or St. Laurent for any questions about course changes and the curriculum.