The district is piloting a program that combines traditional academics with play-based learning, building on an approach already used in Sayreville’s preschool classrooms.

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SAYREVILLE, NJ — Kindergarten students in Sayreville are getting a different approach to learning as the school district pilots a curriculum designed to combine reading, writing and math with hands-on activities and play.

The district is testing the Tools of the Mind kindergarten curriculum, an instructional program that emphasizes academic development alongside skills such as attention, self-control and working with classmates.

Superintendent Dr. Richard Labbe confirmed the pilot in his Oct. 12 Talk Sup newsletter, reporting that participating teachers from all four of the district’s elementary schools recently received additional instructional support.

“In Early Childhood, Mr. Luis from Tools of the Mind visited the district to work with our Tools of the Mind Kindergarten Pilot teachers from all four elementary schools,” Labbe wrote.

What Is Tools Of The Mind?

Unlike instructional approaches that rely primarily on teacher-led lessons, Tools of the Mind incorporates structured play, collaborative activities and hands-on learning into classroom instruction.

According to the program’s developer, kindergarten students practice reading, writing and mathematics while also developing skills that help them manage their behavior, maintain attention and work independently.

The curriculum includes daily writing activities, individualized reading instruction and opportunities for students to learn with classmates.

The program is not entirely new to Sayreville.

The district already uses Tools of the Mind in its Project Before preschool program, which serves younger children before they enter kindergarten.

In a January 2026 letter to families, Labbe explained that the preschool curriculum is designed to promote children’s intellectual, language, physical, social and emotional development.

Why Is Sayreville Testing It In Kindergarten?

The kindergarten pilot comes after district administrators previously identified challenges with the transition from preschool to elementary school.

During a January Board of Education budget presentation, administrators discussed an increase in behavioral incidents among students in kindergarten through third grade, particularly at Wilson and Eisenhower schools.

At the time, Labbe noted challenges associated with students moving from the play-based Tools of the Mind preschool curriculum into the more academically structured kindergarten environment.

The current pilot introduces the same curriculum approach into participating kindergarten classrooms.

However, the district has not publicly established in the information reviewed whether the pilot was introduced specifically in response to those behavioral concerns.

What Happens Next?

Labbe’s October 12 update confirms that teachers from all four elementary schools are participating in the pilot, but it does not specify how many classrooms or students are involved.

The update also does not identify the program’s cost, how its effectiveness will be measured or whether the district plans to expand it to additional kindergarten classrooms.

Those details could help parents understand whether the pilot represents a temporary instructional experiment or a potential longer-term change to kindergarten education in Sayreville.

For now, the district is continuing to work with participating teachers as the program gets underway.

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