Marianne Litzman

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
Hicksville UFSD

Marianne Litzman began her career in Hicksville as a middle school science teacher and coordinator, but quickly moved into a leadership position. She has served as assistant principal, director of continuing education, evening high school principal, and principal of Dutch Lane Elementary School. Her knowledge spans all grade levels and academic content areas. During her tenure as assistant superintendent, she has filled a variety of administrative roles across the curriculum, from math and English to world languages and physical education.

Ms. Litzman is the driving force behind several district initiatives including K-5 Go Math!, Reading Street, Response to Intervention, iPads and Chromebooks for all students, the district-funded pre-K program, and the implementation of the New York State Common Core Curriculum. She also launched a multiyear project to develop a comprehensive, coordinated curriculum across all grade levels and departments to fully align instruction with the common core learning standards.

In advance of the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR), Ms. Litzman spearheaded a districtwide movement to bring in Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) testing from the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a leading organization in educational assessment. This gave district educators an effective data tool to guide instructional decisions and to better measure student literacy and numeracy.

Ms. Litzman led the expansion of English as a New Language (ENL) classes for English Language Learners (ELLs). Due to her efforts, the district brought in six additional teachers to support integrated English Language Arts (ELA) and ENL classes in the elementary schools, and two additional teachers to support cross-curricular ENL instruction on the secondary level. She also helped to implement an integrated co-teaching model in various subject areas with ENL. She worked to establish a separate ENL class for ELLs in order to provide instruction at a more appropriate pace for these students, allowing for greater comprehension. Currently, 80% of these students are passing with a B average or better.

“My career as an educator has been a very gratifying experience,” said Ms. Litzman. “I believe in providing opportunities for all children. They deserve a rewarding and challenging education that will prepare them for the world into which they will graduate. Knowledge is freedom. I want all of our students to leave our schools determined to change the world.”