Regular Meeting of the
Tuesday, September 25, 2007 7:00 p.m.
High School Library
Present: Elaine Brighty, Chair Jere Hochman, Superintendent
Kathleen Anderson Mark Jackson, High School Principal
Andy Churchill Marta Guevara, HS Assistant Principal
Sonia Correa Pope Annie Leonard, HS Assistant Principal
Michael Hussin (arrived 7:20) Karen Keough-Huff, HS Athletic Director
Michael Katz (arrived 7:22) Fran Ziperstein, Middle School Principal
Mike Hayes, MS Co-Principal
Public Libby Hurley, MS Assistant Principal
Press
Absent: Marianne Jorgensen, Chrystel Romero, Maureen Ecclestone
1. Welcome 7:00
p.m.
A. & B. Call to Order/Agenda Review---- Ms. Brighty called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. without quorum. She then reviewed the agenda and welcomed everyone to the meeting.
C. Minutes---- Approval of the minutes of September 11, 2007 was postponed.
2. Announcements and Public Comment
Mary Fuller, a cook at Marks Meadow, distributed two letters about cafeteria worker pay and the current food service company. Ms. Brighty spoke briefly about the recent very informative meeting between representatives of the cafeteria workers, Mr. Churchill, Dr. Hochman, and herself.
3. Superintendent’s Update
Dr. Hochman explained that the School Committee has made the decision to go with a food service company, but that the options for food service are still being examined and that further information is being gathered from districts with in-house programs. The food service committee is being formed now because whether we decide to write an RFP or not, the working committee needs to send out surveys soon to parents and students. A request for volunteers interested in serving on the Food Service Committee was included in the Learning@arps newsletter and will be included in the school newsletters.
Ms. Anderson suggested appointing a cafeteria worker to the food service committee. Dr. Hochman pointed out that there would be conflict of interest problems. At a future meeting the School Committee will need to meet in executive session to discuss cafeteria workers’ pay scales.
4. Unfinished/Continuing Business
5. New Business
A. School Choice Discussion-----Dr. Hochman provided the committee with a chart showing the number of School Choice students by grade in the Regional District on September 1, 2007 and September 15, 2007. Dr. Hochman explained that the committee should make decisions about two School Choice questions. (1) When during the academic year should the district close the remaining School Choice vacancies? (2) If a School Choice vacancy occurs during the year because a student leaves, should the seat be filled, and what is the latest date that can occur? He said that the answer to the second question may be different for different grades. The administration will bring its recommendations to the Regional School Committee at a later meeting for discussion and decision.
.
6. Reports
Middle School Improvement Plan ----Ms. Ziperstein did a powerpoint presentation of the School Improvement Plan for the Middle School. She began with the school vision statement and the principles from the Turning Points model which guide their work. She then described the four major categories the Middle School is focusing work on this year: High Achievement for Each Child, Communication/Building home-School Partnerships, Professional Collaboration, and School Safety. Goals, examples of accomplishments, and planned next steps were provided for each of the categories.
Mr. Churchill asked whether moving the math teachers off of the Middle School grade-level teams this year had allowed teams to no longer be tied to particular music performance groups. He also asked if this change had made math grouping more flexible. Ms. Ziperstein is true for the seventh grade teams; however, the eighth grade teams looped this year and retain the earlier organizational constraints. Math grouping can be more flexible, the Math Plus Program is more available to students needing double dosing, and class sizes are better with this schedule, too. Ms. Anderson objected to the phrase “students who struggle to learn” and asked if Ms. Ziperstein should instead say that teachers were not teaching a student in the way the student could learn. Ms. Ziperstein agreed that students have different learning styles, but said that some students do have more difficulty learning some skills or abstract thinking and that they do have to struggle more to learn. Ms. Brighty asked how the Middle School benchmarks the level of rigor that they are trying to ensure is appropriate for each student. Mr. Hayes said that summer work addressed consistency of expectations in each department, and that different departments are at different stages of evaluating it.
Ms. Ziperstein described how the Middle School is increasing communication and building relationships with families by recognizing that partnership looks different to different families. For example, Mari Vicente works as a contact/resource person working directly with Latino families in a new pilot program to help them navigate the system and obtain translations. Ms. Anderson asked if homework is translated into the parents’ native language so they can assist their children. Ms. Ziperstein explained that translating homework is against the law now. Dr. Hochman spoke about the other ways the district puts supports in place for children in this and similar situations where parents cannot provide academic help.
Mr. Hayes described each of the seven inquiry groups of teachers that meet on late start Thursday mornings to research and address big questions: Values and Virtues, Exhibition, Numeracy, Structures for Success, Closing the Achievement Gap, Sharing Instructional Practices, and Grading.
Ms. Anderson asked what was being done to teach white students about interrupting racist behavior and about white privilege, racism, and the oppression of people of color by the dominant culture. A discussion between Dr. Hochman and Ms. Anderson ensued. Dr. Hochman returned to the topic later in the meeting citing the numerous programs in the schools and targeted adult intervention.
Mr. Churchill made the motion to accept the Middle School Improvement Plan. Ms. Anderson seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
High School Improvement Plan-----Mr. Jackson gave a powerpoint presentation of the High School’s School Improvement Plan. The majority of the report was focused on working to improve student outcomes and strengthening both instructional and institutional responses to student struggle. At the institutional level, because students need to be in class to be successful, attendance procedures and parental notification continue to be improved with the new software capabilities. To help students connect with the school, transitions into the high school include more orientation meetings for students and families. New programs are being introduced to help students stay safe and make safe choices. Several pro-active programs are in place to support students who may struggle and to anticipate the challenges they may encounter. The Web Grade Book, a new upgrade to the PowerSchool software system is being piloted with the goal of providing real-time information exchange between teachers and families about each student’s progress. Similar strategies will provide better communication within the school between the adults responsible for a student. Work is also being done on alignment of curriculum and expectations among the teachers sharing core courses.
On the Instructional side, Mr. Jackson emphasized the day-to-day meaningful work that involves close attention to smaller, daily academic gaps in order to close the observed larger Academic Gaps. On late start Thursdays at the high school, the teacher groups are defining the work of the high school to ensure improved student outcomes by identifying patterns of struggle and success and by collaboratively developing instructional responses. In-school suspension is changing to be less punitive and more focused on behavioral intervention and problem solving.
Two other areas of the plan involve using technology, such as the new Data Warehouse, to make greater use of data in decision-making and creating other pathways similar to Pro-Start (culinary arts) but emphasizing technology for students who do not plan to attend college.
Mr. Hussin asked whether the high school and middle school are working together to align their curriculum and expectations. Mr. Jackson described how the teachers in each department from both schools had met together during the January curriculum day to identify what students should know and be able to do by the end of a course. But he admitted that it is difficult to find time for this joint work on academic transition and curriculum alignment. Mr. Hochman described this past summer’s work on aligning the curriculum expectations and putting it in written form to define it at all levels. He emphasized that part of accountability involves administrative supervision training as part of assuring that the expected alignment is occurring in the classroom.
Mr. Churchill made the motion to accept the High School Improvement Plan. Mr. Katz seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
7. Subcommittee Reports None
8. School Committee Planning None
9. Adjournment 9:50 p.m.
Mr. Churchill made the motion to adjourn at 9:50 p.m. Mr. Hussin seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Elaine Brighty