Release Notes 3.8.2023

Waterford.org will release an automatic software update on March 8, 2023. See the list below for details.

If you have any questions or feedback, our Support Team is always happy to help.

New Resource — Windows and Mirrors: Curriculum that Honors Black Children and Families

Affects: Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, Waterford Mentor

Learn how the Windows and Mirror framework informs how Waterford curriculum supports and honors Black students and families.

This new resource is available in English and Spanish in the Resources & Activities tab of Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, and Waterford Mentor.

Now Available in Spanish — Windows and Mirrors: Curriculum that Honors All Learners

Affects: Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, Waterford Mentor

Discover the Windows and Mirrors framework, an approach that states that children need a combination of stories that reflect their own experiences and stories that introduce them to perspectives different from their own, and how it informs Waterford curriculum development.

Previously released in English, this six-page resource sheet is now available in Spanish within the Resources & Activities tab of Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, and Waterford Mentor: Ventanas y Espejos: Un currículo que honra a todos los estudiantes.

New Educator and Family Activity Sheets for Defying Gravity

Affects: Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, Waterford Mentor

Enhance home and classroom learning with guided activity sheets! 

An educator activity sheet to accompany the Waterford book Defying Gravity: The Story of Mae Jemison is now available within the Resources & Activities tab of Waterford Reading Academy.

Plus, educators and families can access a Defying Gravity home learning activity sheet in the Resources & Activities tab in Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, and Waterford Mentor. This is the first family-focused activity sheet based on a Waterford book, with more to come! 

You can access both English and Spanish versions of the family activity sheet.

Updated Book: I Want to be a Scientist Like George Washington Carver

Affects: Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, Waterford Mentor

The Waterford curriculum team revised the book I Want to Be a Scientist Like George Washington Carver, with changes to selected text and illustrations.

The text now provides age-appropriate context to explain why George Washington Carver was not able to attend the school near his home as a child. The illustrations have been revised to depict him more accurately, wearing professional attire in his laboratory and as an instructor. 

You can review the revised book in the Resources & Activities tab of Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, and Waterford Mentor. It is also available in Spanish: Quiero ser un científico como George Washington Carver. 

Number Chart Activity Moved to Waterford Academy Framework

Affects: Waterford Reading Academy, Waterford Upstart, Waterford Mentor

To address issues with load times and improve the student learning experience, EMS Number Chart activities have been moved to the Waterford Activity Framework (WAF). The updated versions of these activities will undergo the final stages of testing and will be live for all students shortly after March 8, 2023.

Waterford activities that have not yet been moved to this framework will be addressed in upcoming releases.