This school year, the Capt. Nathan Hale School (CNH) completed the final phase of its three year implementation of the Eureka Math² curriculum with the addition of the Grade 8 program. This milestone marks full implementation of the program across Grades 6-8 and represents a significant step forward in strengthening mathematics instruction and alignment across the middle school grades.

Our comprehensive district math plan continues to guide improvement efforts and the use of data to refine instruction. Interim Assessment Blocks (IABs) and Functional Interim Assessment Blocks (FIABs) are used regularly to monitor student progress and identify areas where instruction can be adjusted after initial teaching. These data-informed practices are contributing to improved student performance, particularly in Grade 6.

The Grade 6 team has engaged in a detailed review of all assessment questions available in the IAB and FIAB item banks and developed a plan to ensure that these assessment items are incorporated throughout the year. Teachers are also tracking the use of these questions to ensure strong alignment between classroom instruction and assessment expectations.

In addition, Grade 6 has implemented spiraling homework practices grounded in research on retrieval practice, which helps students strengthen long term retention of previously learned concepts. This approach has been successfully established in Grade 6 and is now beginning to be implemented in Grades 7 and 8.

Instructional practices in Grade 6 have also been enhanced through the integration of the Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) approach. All Grade 6 classrooms are incorporating BTC strategies designed to promote deeper mathematical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving. Teachers have received extensive professional development and ongoing in-class support to strengthen these practices. The team also participates in weekly common planning, collaborates regularly with the district’s K-12 mathematics specialist, and engages in workshops led by Peter Liljedahl, the lead researcher behind the Building Thinking Classrooms model.

Another significant factor supporting student learning in Grade 6 is the increased instructional time dedicated to mathematics. Through adjustments in related arts scheduling, students receive additional math learning time equivalent to approximately one quarter of an additional school year of math instruction.

The Grade 8 implementation has been supported through intensive professional development, coaching, and collaborative work among teachers to develop pacing guides and assessment tools aligned with SBAC question stems and IAB artifacts. At the same time, Grades 6 and 7 continue to refine instructional practices through careful analysis of student performance data from the 2024-2025 school year.

Together, these coordinated efforts, including full curriculum implementation, targeted professional development, data informed instruction, and innovative teaching strategies, are strengthening mathematics instruction at the middle school and supporting continued improvements in student achievement.