Wynantskill Union Free School District is committed to providing a rigorous course of study that is rich and personalized for all students in grades Pre-K-8. As educators, the faculty and administration pursue the best that research offers to guide us in constructing a developmentally appropriate academic program that successfully prepares children with 21st century skills. We strive to provide a thorough foundation for students in all subject areas, including technology, and global literacies such as economics, health, the environment and world cultures.

Throughout the school year, there will be periodic curriculum updates about our academic program which will be sent home and also posted on this site. In addition to curriculum development, the district provides an intense and well-articulated program of professional development for our talented faculty to support them in pursuing new research-based instructional practices and to provide teacher orientation, mentoring and instructional coaching for all teachers across grade levels and disciplines.

Throughout the year, parents and community members often have questions about our program and curriculum. We welcome your questions and comments about our work and will maintain an ongoing dialogue with our parent partners. Please email Superintendent Dr. Mary Yodis if you have a question. We are proud to work with the Wynantskill community in meeting the needs of our students and preparing for the future.

Standardized Testing

To provide schools, teachers and parents with an assessment of student achievement, New York State has developed the New York State Testing Program. The New York State tests are designed to measure how well students have mastered necessary skills and to monitor the effectiveness of instructional programs.

The standardized test:

• Measure a student’s knowledge and overall achievement
• Measure a student’s mastery of specific skills
• Provide information to schools that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional programs
• Monitor the performance of schools and school districts for the purpose of accountability to the public.

What kinds of responses are students asked to provide on these assessments?

For the English Language Arts Test, students are tested on their reading, listening, and writing abilities by reading and listening to passages and answering questions based on those passages.

For the Mathematics Test, students solve problems and demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts and procedures. They must often support their answers by showing the steps they used to solve problems and by explaining the mathematics processes and concepts involved.

The Grade 4 Elementary-Level Science Test and the Grade 8 Intermediate- Level Science Test, is designed to measure the content and skills contained in the Elementary-Level Science Core Curriculum, Grades K–4 and the content and skills contained in the Intermediate-Level Science Core Curriculum, Grades 5–8. Both tests consist of two required components: a Written Test and a Performance Test. The Written Test consists of multiple-choice and open-ended questions. The Performance Test consists of hands-on tasks set up at three stations.

The Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test is designed to measure the content and skills contained in the Intermediate-Level Science Core Curriculum, Grades 5–8. The New York State Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test consists of two required components: a Written Test and a Performance Test. The Written Test consists of multiple-choice and open-ended questions. The Performance Test (Form A) consists of hands-on tasks set up at three different stations.

Complaint Form for Violations of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

As required by the New York State Education Department, here is a sample complaint form for believed violations Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

New York State ESSA-Funded Programs Complaint Procedures

 Please click here to view the NYS ESSA-Funded Programs Complaint Procedures.

Right to Request Teacher Qualifications

Our district receives federal funds for Title I programs that are part of the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. You have the right to request information regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s classroom teacher(s).

If you request this information, the district will provide you with the following as soon as possible:

• If the teacher has met state licensing requirements for the grade level and subjects in which the teacher is providing instruction;
• If the teacher is teaching under an emergency status for which state licensing requirements have been waived;
• The type of college degree major the teacher has and the field of discipline for any graduate degree or certificate; and
• If your child is receiving Title I services from paraprofessionals and, if so, his/her qualifications.