A committed team of Irvington Union Free School District administrators and teachers participated in a professional learning session on Oct 1, focused on the district’s Portrait of a Graduate, with special attention to fostering critical thinking across K-12 classrooms.
Led by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mara Ratesic and Assistant Superintendent for Instruction and Human Resources Dr. Gail Duffy, the instructional leaders explored a range of resources aimed at deepening their understanding of critical thinking skills. Together, they reviewed student work to identify how critical thinking is demonstrated and discussed the essential skills necessary to explicitly teach these skills. Their collaboration also highlighted which parts of the curriculum align with critical thinking and identified areas where more opportunities could be integrated.
The session was part of the district’s preparation for an upcoming Tri-State visit in February, where they will showcase their progress on the Portrait of a Graduate, which aims to create courageous learners, effective communicators, engaged citizens and self-aware individuals. In addition to reviewing critical thinking, participants address key questions regarding the Portrait of a Graduate, including how it has influenced the work of district administrators, what recommendations they have for advancing the work and what structures are needed to support the continued development of the Portrait of a Graduate.
