Curriculum
Office of Teaching, Learning & Assessment
Welcome to the Darien Public Schools Teaching, Learning and Assessment website. As a Professional Learning Community, we work collaboratively to prepare all students today to thrive in a changing world tomorrow. The office of the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction provides oversight of the written, taught and assessed curriculum to ensure that students have access to curricula that are aligned to standards as well as State and local policies.
Robust and rigorous curricula are a hallmark of the Darien Public Schools. The curriculum leadership team, including directors, department chairs and coordinators, work vertically across the system to provide challenging and dynamic learning opportunities for all students. This leadership team works in tandem with building principals and assistant principals to operationalize the goals, strategies and actions of the District's Strategic Plan and vision of the graduate.
The Darien Public Schools curriculum documents articulate content across all content areas and grade levels. These documents include essential understandings, along with goals and objectives. Beginning in the summer of 2022, curriculum will migrate to a new platform: EduPlanet21.
Units of study are created and aligned to national/state standards or frameworks and are anchored in research-based best practices. Written curricula provide assured opportunities for students to grow their content knowledge and capacities in communication and critical, creative and global thinking. Curricula reflect understanding of students' developmental needs. Darien uniquely approaches curriculum through a responsive approach, allowing for adaptation based on student-performance data and learning needs. Through the district-based curriculum team and Board of Education Curriculum Committee, students are appropriately challenged and prepared for post-secondary success.
Curriculum Leadership Team
Central Services
Asst. Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction
Christopher Tranberg, Ph.D.
(203) 656-7409
ctranberg@darienps.org
Director of Elementary Education
Julie Droller
(203) 656-7479
jdroller@darienps.org
Director of Instructional Technology
Joan McGettigan, Ed.D.
(203) 656-7447
jmcgettigan@darienps.org
Directors, Department Chairs & Coordinators
Director of Athletics & HPE,
K - 12
Christopher Manfredonia
cmanfredonia@darienps.org
Director of Music,
K - 12
Colleen Thompson
cthompson@darienps.org
Director of School
Counseling, 6 - 12
Meghan Emanuelson
memanuelson@darienps.org
English Dept. Chair,
6 - 12
Francis Janosco
fjanosco@darienps.org
Mathematics Dept. Chair,
6 - 12
Felicia Bellows, Ed.D.
fbellows@darienps.org
Science Dept. Chair,
6 - 12
Christian Dockum
cdockum@darienps.org
Social Studies Dept. Chair,
6 - 12
Keith Keeler
kkeeler@darienps.org
World Lang. Dept. Chair,
6 - 12
Christina Mauricio
cmauricio@darienps.org
Art
Coordinator, K - 12
Jaclyn Sammis
jsammis@darienps.org
Elementary Curriculum
Coordinator
Katie Risk
krisk@darienps.org
ESL
Coordinator, K - 12
Patricia Thalassinos
pthalassinos@darienps.org
Career Technology Ed.
Coordinator, 6 - 12
Greg Darin
gdarin@darienps.org
A Closer Look at Our Departments
Parent Workshops
Parent Workshops 2015 - 2016
Kindergarten Resources
Welcome to Kindergarten 2019
Welcome to Kindergarten Workshop
Handout from Welcome to K Workshop
Introduction to Fundations for K Parents
Reading & Writing Resources
Top 5 Ways to Support Your Child in Reading, Writing and Spelling
Handwriting Workshop
Word Study Workshop
Word Study Presentation
Understanding Independent Reading
Handwriting Instruction Presentation
Handout for Introduction to Fundations
Comprehension in the Upper Grades, Workshop
Fun with Math and Literacy in the Summer
Math Resources
K-2 Math in Focus Information Session, 2018
Math Problem Solving Workshop
Differentiated Instruction in Elementary Education Mathematics
Numbers are Primary
CCSS & Practices for Mathematics Presentation K-5
Understanding Math in your Child's Classroom Presentation
Understanding Math in your Child's Classroom Parent Handout