In addition to Core Instruction in Math and Language Arts, students at Central School have the opportunity to learn the following Essential Skills from experts in each field.

The Every Student Succeeds Act calls for a “well-rounded education” and further defines it to explicitly include technology, computer science, music, arts, health, physical education… “with the purpose of providing all students access to an enriched curriculum and educational experience.”

Now, we’re accustomed to calling these areas ‘specials.’ So why does Central call them Essentials? Specials is derived from the fact that the teachers are ‘specialists’. Yes, we specialized in our field in college and even graduate school. But specials is a teacher-centered term. Essentials is student-centered. These skills should not be ‘special’ for our kids.