Revised Curriculum & Philosophy Committee

Minutes

Tuesday, May 25, 2005

 

Meeting was held in the SAU 16 Conference Room at 7:00 PM and adjourned at 9:00 PM.

 

Present:
Central Office:           Superintendent Arthur Hanson

 

Administrators:          Principal Tom O’Malley, Assistant Principals Lesage and Perkins, Curriculum Coordinator Peter Stackhouse

 

Staff Members:          CMS 6^th Grade Teachers Paul Whitmore, Chip Nelson, Karen Whitmore, Patti Glennon, Heather Hyveri

 

Curriculum Comm:  Roy Morrisette, Lucy Cushman, Robin Scott

Other SB Members: Patty Lovejoy, Kim Casey, Kris Magnusson

 

Visitors:                      John and Carol Hazekamp, Bob Greene, and Kathleen Bailey Seacoast Newspapers

 

Agenda Items:

 

• Discussion with 6^th Grade Pod Teachers from CMS
• Survey results from CMS/EHS Students and Staff
• From the Floor

 

Mr. O’Malley opened the program speaking about the 6^th grade transition and the flex grouping model being phased in except for the Math.  He reminded the committee that the math curriculum had not changed just the delivery of the curriculum via the mathscape program.  It was reported that the learning curve on both levels has been mixed.  Staff is grouping by learning abilities, style, learning curve and interests.  Mr. Nelson related that the experience has been trying but rewarding and shared his experiences and what he has used as tools for grouping his students.  The question was asked about how long it takes to determine each child’s learning style and Mr. Nelson explained the process he uses.  Mr. Whitmore spoke to how he uses individual conferences with students, inventories and testing results.  Mrs. Hyveri a reading specialist spoke about the reading abilities of students and how that is determined and used to group students.  The conversation from the staff was very positive about the process and the training being provided.

 

Mr. Stackhouse addressed the continued process of training being provided for the staff relative to differentiate instruction and that staff is completing an on-line course certificate of 20 hours some attended last summer’s two-three day institutes which will be offered again this summer.  He also spoke about the Math training that continues to go on relative to mathscape modules and that the staff has completed four and part of a 5^th and hope to have 6 units completed by next year.  The training is done off-site at the SAU office for this on four different days.

 

Mr. O’Malley and Stackhouse also spoke about the continued work being done to meet a school in need of improvement in relationship to our Literacy/Reading issues. We did meet “safe-harbor” but we still have remedial readers at 2 grade levels below where they should be and they continue to look for ways to meet these students needs which will require intense services to overcome this shortfall.  The addition of an additional reading teacher on the 7^th grade team  will mean that reading will be taught across the curriculum at all grade levels next year and this will help improve the scores.

 

Intervention is the key to solving this issue and Mrs. Glennon our reading coordinator spoke about a 6 week (40 hour course) pilot program that she has been developing with others and offered as a pilot this past summer.  The course will be offered through Plymouth State University as a 3 credit course.  Staff will be able to take this through the SPDC (Seacoast Professional Development Center). 

 

Summer reading was suggested and it was agreed that this is a good idea but does require parental support in order for it to work.

 

It was greatly appreciated that the staff took time out of their busy schedules to come and share their experiences and thought with the committee.    High commendations were given for the CMS Librarian Mrs. DeRoo and the important role she has played in making reading important to students and her personal knowledge of each student and helping staff integrate reading into their curriculum.

 

The staff is anxiously awaiting the results of the last round of NWEA testing they can view their individual students and it appears that growth is happening but we will not have the official reports until our open window period has closed. NWEA testing results for parents will be ready and sent home with report cards on the last day of school. It is hoped that staff as they review their students test scores will contact parents, before the end of the school year of any concerns they have on students who did not show improvement. Make-ups will continue to be scheduled and should be completed in the coming weeks.

The discussion on how serious the students take these test was discussed and it was agreed that it needs to be monitored which appears to be the case by staff and that the system its self can also recognize trends while the test is being given and can shut down on the student.

 

Item two on the agenda regards the survey results was not ready for presentation and it was agreed that the presentation could be done at the next regular school board meeting and be one of the major topics of the night.

 

From the Floor, discussion relative to time for staff and students to work together as a whole came up and lead to some interesting thoughts and will be looked at by administration and that the Board would be supportive of efforts to allow this to happen.

 

Respectfully submitted

Roy Morrisette, Chair

Curriculum and Philosophy Committee

 

Post meeting information:

 

Mr. Stackhouse reports that they are working on ways in which to both 1) inform parents as soon as the date is available and yet 2) have teachers present as the first receivers of communication.  It is hoped to be able to do a pre-report card mailing in order to get this information out as soon as possible.  The idea being that a parent calling an Administrator early in the summer will not do anyone in the “student-parent-teacher learning loop” any good.