STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE

March 13, 2003

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:           David Gibbs

                                                Dick Wilson

                                                Beth Howard               

                                                Sally Lewis, Facilitator

                                                Rita Polen

                                                Edie Gross

                                                Dabs Hollimon

                                                Ricki Brady, recorder

                                                Karen Bessette, recorder

                                                Rich Bonnell

                                                Martha Rouse

                                                Deb Pannabecker

                                                Kay Magness

                                                Roger Ruder

                                                Bruce Cannon

 

  1. Reviewed and approved minutes of Nov. 19, 2002, SPC meeting
  2. Technology info – the use of technology to revise and collect curriculum revisions.  Rita Polen says additional work, investigation needs to be done before recommendations are made.
  3. Report by the graduate survey subcommittee – Ricki Brady reports this committee will meet April 7 and will report at the May meeting.
  4. Curriculum implementation review – Karen Bessette and Bruce Cannon reported on performance tasks presented to date.  At the elementary, each grade level/subject has completed at least one performance task, and all but one have completed two or more tasks.  Also at the elementary school, the need to develop a scope and sequence was discussed.  A copy of the middle/high school report is attached to these minutes.  Conversations about the performance tasks are a part of the summative conference for each teacher.  SPC discussed the importance of implementing the tasks as they are written OR writing revisions that are approved by the vertical team.  It was also discussed that perhaps tasks may be developed with a degree of flexibility (ex. “such as” that allows teachers to vary the task but maintain the content/critical concepts).                                                                               *Clarification of the number of performance tasks required at this time: two per discipline (integration is strongly encouraged, especially in elementary, although it is noted that some integrated tasks are being piloted at the high school level).  For integrated tasks, the decision about which of the discipline formats to use is an issue, since the formats vary.                                                                                                                    
  5. SPC discussed the difficulty of achieving Goal 2 (found on page 3 of 9 in the Strategic Five-Year Curriculum Plan), “develop an integrated performance task”, at the high school level.  Problems include the fact that students’ schedules do not match.  One possibility would be to have science/social studies teachers integrate language arts within their own classrooms.  Rita Polen suggested that the SPC focus on helping identify ways to address this issue.           
  6. SPC discussed the importance of mentoring new teachers to the district to ensure they understand the implementation of the curriculum, specifically the performance tasks.
  7. Reviewed the 2003-2004 calendar and available dates for curriculum/staff development.   Time in vertical teams during the November days to review the curriculum and to propose changes/revisions/refinements in the performance tasks is needed.  Additional time available to allow for discussions between the disciplines to plan for integrated tasks is also needed.  Committee discussed that teachers need clarification about integrated tasks as well as a reminder/notice that an additional integrated task must be completed in 2003-04.

 

 

AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING, TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2003

                                                Randolph Elementary School

                                                Room 6

                                                4:00 pm           

 

  1. Report by the graduate survey subcommittee (Ricki Brady)
  2. Define integration options for integrated performance task(s) to be done in 2003-04.
  3. Finalize plans for district staff development days for 2003-04.  Develop plan to communicate with teachers about the focus of curriculum development (integrated performance tasks) for 2003-04.
  4. Discuss plan for mentor for new teachers to ensure curriculum and performance tasks are implemented.