Curriculum
Kelly Pauling, Assistant Superintendent
Salisbury Township School District is small in comparison to many other school districts in the Lehigh Valley. The small size makes it possible for the schools to offer specialized and/or individualized services to students within a personal environment. The educational program is delivered through the district's three schools: Salisbury Elementary School, Salisbury Middle School, and Salisbury High School. Salisbury Township School District maintains a diverse, challenging curriculum which allows students to take advantage of opportunities which might not be available in larger, less intimate educational settings.
The district curriculum supports student learning by providing opportunities for integration, application, individualization, co-teaching, and cross-curriculum project-based inquiry. The curriculum provided to every student at each level is as follows:
Kindergarten through Fifth Grades
Planned instruction in the following areas is provided to each student every year: language arts, mathematics, science and technology, environment and ecology, social studies, health, safety, physical education, the arts, and understanding the use of the library. By the end of the elementary schools, each student is provided a course in history of the United States, history of Pennsylvania, geography, and civics.
Sixth through Eighth Grades
Planned instruction in the following areas is provided to each student every year: language arts, mathematics, science and technology, environment and ecology, social studies, information skills, health, safety, physical education, the arts, career education, technology education, and family and consumer science.
Ninth through Twelfth Grades
Planned instruction in the following areas is provided to every student in the high school program: language arts, mathematics, science and technology, social studies, environment and ecology, the arts, health, safety, physical education, and LifeSmarts (an integrated course based on family and consumer science, technology, and business standards). The following planned instruction is available to every student in the high school program: vocational-technical education, business education, world languages, technology education, and college level advanced placement courses.
A wide range of elective courses offer student learning opportunities competitive with offerings in other Lehigh Valley school districts. In doing so, many classes operate with fewer students than the state uses in its formula to determine building capacity. It is not uncommon to have elective classes with the number of students ranging from 10-28 students, often averaging in the teens.
Courses are designed to prepare students for entrance into college and/or employment and to provide a general education. Despite a student's career pathway, academic literacy and technology integration shape students toward success in their post-secondary choices. Students enrolled in vocational and technical courses generally pursue their academic work at Salisbury High School and their laboratory work at Lehigh Career and Technical Institute. Honors courses are offered in English, social studies, mathematics, and science. Advanced Placement courses are offered in biology, Calculus AB, English composition and literature, European history, and United States history. In partnership with Lehigh Carbon Community College, Salisbury High School offers dual enrollment courses in anatomy and physiology, chemistry, business, and art. Distance learning courses are offered to fill specialized needs of students.
To access specific curriculum documents, click on the link on the left.