Policy

I haven't scanned the docs yet, but all of the policies that went for a first read are going for a second read, and will be voted on, THIS MONDAY. More to follow.

The summer schedule was discussed, and this includes a lot of meetings to discuss the court mandated IT policies.

The records retention, policy 800 will be voted on Monday. Some board members (Melissa) will vote against policy 800.

Curriculum - June 2

Handouts are here.

This includes the calendar overview for next year.

Investigations update, "Being a Writer", SPIES, 4th grade science

Diane diBonaventura

Melissa Gilbert

Linda Doucette-Ashman

Lisa Pliskin (leaves after spies presentation)

Attachments will be posted soon

Before I got here - discussed Math Implementation progress report - Nancy Acconiamessa

Discussion of SPIES program - Wagner Marseille

Trying to figure out why kids aren't participating

Going to do a parent survey

Board is very animated and excited about the survey

Update on Writing program - Lorraine DeRosa

Using "Being a writer" program in 3rd grade

Want to add it to second grade

Right now there is no writing program in this grade

They want to start teaching writing in grade 1 to prep for grade 5 pssa's

1st grade has some materials now, but the materials are too intimidating for a teacher

But the "Being a Writer" program has embedded teacher training

She gives statistics of beginning of the year and the end of the year

[there was data to presented to support the recommendation, but it was not relevant data. They presented improvement from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. They did not compare to kids who did not get the program]

Children learn the PSSA rubric

The teachers are anxious to get this

Melissa: [this was my question too] you mean there is nothing now?

Now everyone is doing their own thing

We piloted this 2 years ago in 3 schools grade 4

Diane: are we going to overload the 1&2 grade teacher with math and writing changes?

Math and writing are working together

Diane: doesn't the PSSA rubric teach a formula, not real writing

She says that isn't really true - there are lots of examples of great essays are not "5 paragraph essays"

$36k in new materials purchase

The board members are excited about the data presented

There is a discussion of how the writing program is "primarily academic" and is focused on writing needed for college

They are concerned about writing that is needed for the PSSAs

There are trying to figure out how to grade together within time constraints

There is a vote to support this recommendation

New Textbooks and course materials

Replacing the elementary science books - urgent to get the 1984 books out

But they are redoing the curriculum later

They looked at the 4th grade PSSA and figured out which materials were closets to the PSSA materials - heavy on scientific inquiry, earth and space science, life science, physical science

"Ecosystems" is the new science materials

"Voyages" is out

Melissa: if you put the PSSA's aside - is this still what you would pick?

Yes

Next year - 4th grade; depending on grants we may of may not do the other grades

It will take 3 years to implement the 3 years of kits

Many teachers have 0 training in science

Cost of kits: $799*30 classrooms - $24,000

Both of these purchases are already in the budget

Classrooms for the Future:

They hand out a memo from Jason Hilt that has the computer class schedule - I don’t get a copy

Post agenda:

Melissa asks about program evaluation in the district - wants to add it to the agenda

Linda: also wants to talk about consistency in grading, assignments, etc. ; are we getting a report on this?

There is a discussion of tutors - so many kids have them that they cant calculate what the SD is doing and what the tutors are doing

Many classes have 100% of the students with tutors A lot of kids are getting a lot of extra help. It isn't all the overzealous parents, it is kids trying to maintain a C. There is a discussion of parents putting kids into classes that they aren't able to handle (called an over-ride)

STEVE: there is a myth he wants to dispel; our current curriculum is not designed to teach for the SAT 2s

[I make an unwelcome comment about them running pilot programs. not collecting data during the pilot, and then implementing the program]