Manasquan Schools Address Curriculum Improvements and AI Challenges for 2024-2025

MANASQUAN, NJ – This week's Board of Education meeting centered on the continuous improvement goals of the Manasquan School District's curriculum. The administration presented results against the goals that were set going into the 2023-2024 school year.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Program:
Mr. Goodall announced, "One of our goals was to introduce an International Baccalaureate (IB) program. It's a rigorous process involving a lengthy application, site visits, and the implementation of best practices. All teachers and counselors underwent training throughout the year, and we recently received confirmation that we are eligible to implement the diploma program." However, as we mentioned at the July Board of Education meeting,  the district has opted to defer the program until the 2025-2026 school year to increase awareness among parents and students during the upcoming year. Currently, only 19 public schools in New Jersey offer the IB program, according to K12 Academics.

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Professional Development and Project-Based Learning:
Throughout the 2023-2024 school year, staff received professional development focused on project-based learning. The unified vision of high-quality instruction is expected to benefit all high school students. Students will learn about the program in the spring as they prepare their schedules for the next school year. Goodall noted, "We achieved that goal."

MES Curriculum Improvement:
Principal Puleio discussed the efforts to enhance the MES curriculum, emphasizing the focus on data review and professional development within professional learning communities. "We identified areas for improvement, which helped set our goals for the upcoming school year. Our staff is now more proficient in reading data to drive instruction," she said. Principal Manetta added, "We focused on instructional strategies and best practices, tailoring our approach to meet the varied needs of different grade levels."

Practical Skill Learners:
The third goal targeted curriculum improvements for practical skill learners, many of whom are not college-bound. Goodall explained, "We engaged students early, starting in elementary school, to help them understand career opportunities in industries like healthcare and technology." The district integrated Roadtrip Nation, a non-profit offering whose core idea behind Roadtrip Nation is that by hearing firsthand accounts of how others have navigated their career journeys, individuals can gain inspiration, insights, and confidence to pursue their own paths. Goodall continued, "we brought about 50 students up recently to a career day for trade opportunities, so we feel like we have achieved that practical skills' goal."

Bond Referendum Projects:
The fourth goal shifted to Finance, and that was reviewed by Business Administrator Peter Crawley. Mr. Crowley provided an update on the projects funded by the $13.77 million bond referendum approved in 2023. "As you are aware, we are deep into this project, with the overall project more than 60% complete. Work at MES is nearing completion, and overall, things are progressing well," Crawley reported. Click HERE for a deeper review of the bond project.

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Technology Integration and AI Challenges:
The final goal was to better integrate technology into the curriculum. Assistant Superintendent Jesse Place noted that the district began reviewing the 1-to-1 program during the 2023-2024 school year, marking ten years since its last evaluation. This review aims to ensure the program's effectiveness, considering the significant investments made. Mr. Place added "starting this fall a key issue in schools today is the use of AI by students in their work, as well as by teachers and administrators to monitor its proper use. We've begun a discussion about implementing a plagiarism detection tool that balances academic integrity with student privacy and minimizes false AI positives.

A growing concern in U.S. schools is the use of AI tools by students to complete assignments. Recent studies indicate that up to 30% of high school students have used AI to assist with homework or projects, often without proper guidance or oversight. This has raised issues of academic integrity and the potential for students to become overly reliant on technology, potentially stunting their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

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