NCC Minutes...
...January 9, 2008
March 10, 2008
The NCC met on Wednesday, January 9, 2008, at the Franklin Community Center at 12:20 PM. Twelve members were present along with Kelly Gentry, Curriculum Leadership Institute (CLI) consultant. Kristi Blair, a practicum student working on her Masters Degree also joined the meeting. Members Cindy Bedene, Ken Cleland, Larry Hill, Alan Roberts, Cheryl Robinson and Craig Stokes were absent.
Each member present received an agenda, Northeast Math SAC report, Grading in Standards-Based Schools (Cliffs notes from, A Repair Kit for Grading, by Ken O’Connor) and minutes from the November 28th NCC meeting. The minutes were read and approved as written.
Decision Making Framework Scores/ Grades/ Reporting was discussed, beginning on page 3, middle section. A copy of the above mentioned Cliff’s notes will be e-mailed to teachers. Three questions on page 3 need to be addressed by staff, after an administrative meeting takes place about how it is to be presented.
Lengthy discussion took place concerning grades, what is considered mastery, what parents need to know and how best to communicate this information to them on the grade card. NCC members recommend keeping grade books open in K-8 open all year and grade books in 9-12 open for the semester. After re-teaching and reassessment, NCC members decided, with concern, to recommend that the grade recorded be changed to a minimum mastery score. For students working on outcomes either above or below grade level, NCC members recommend that grades be recorded for the current grade level with a notation; grades should also be recorded on an altered list of outcomes to match the student’s assigned outcomes.
Parents want to know what a student’s letter grade is while teacher want to show when mastery was achieved. To bridge this gap, a parallel system could be used which included a letter grade along with an accompanying list of outcomes.
Page 5 of the Decision Making Framework Scores/ Grades/ Reporting is the grade card to be completed at building level. Teachers should read Cliff notes. Principals are to bring feedback from staff to the next NCC meeting if possible. An in-service day will be requested of the board before the next NCC on January 30th. Grading agreement will happen much more quickly in grades K-5 than 6-12. Discussions on grading must begin with vocabulary about outcomes and indicators for staff members.
Academic Honesty Policy was discussed. Northeast does not currently have an honesty policy in place, however, Randy Rivers will recommend this to the board. It was also suggested that students have a say in the writing of this policy, especially students involved in National Honor Society, Student Council, Spanish Club, and etc. Matt Harris and Scott Fields, the Junior High Social Studies teachers were selected to lead discussions on honesty with students in grades 6-8. Katy Karhoff will talk to staff at the high school about using seminar to gather feedback from high school students and student representatives by February.
Mandatory summer school was discussed and it was decided that extended day school may be a better option. A district charter school, Virtual Prescriptive Learning (VPL), Pass Key, a teacher to individualize instruction was all ideas presented. High poverty school money is available and could be allocated to alternative school situations. Ideas and feedback are needed to get a plan in place.
SAC Reports: High School Assessment plan (OTL chart)
A sample chart was passed out to members showing an example of how an odd year plan and even year plan needed to be set up so that all students would be enrolled in courses in time to complete them before the assessments were given.
BAIP (Blending Assessment with Instruction Program) web site has been established by the state. Only math is on it now, science will be added next year and reading the year after.
Northeast Math SAC 1st Semester Validation Report was reviewed. Areas in bold type need discussion. Teachers need to give concrete feedback to administration so that remediation can be built into programs such as WIN, Brain Busters, and etc. When the pacing guide is set, teachers need to be on task. There needs to be feedback to get kids on target. Algebra is behind because kids are not ready. Academy of Math may be used at Brain Busters for remediation. Teachers need to communicate what programs they are using so that licenses can be consolidated in a central area to make these programs accessible. All grades need to requisition items needed so that they can be purchased or budgeted for next year.
Math SAC had a great validation report. It is being used; some pressure needs to be applied from different areas to bring things together.
Reading SAC meets January 10, 2008, to begin some big decisions.
Spanish SAC validation: Spanish I and II were written. No supplies were needed; however, pacing may be a concern. Exploratory Spanish being a year long may have an effect on 9th grade curriculum. Some exploratory classes may need to be assigned or required by grade.
The new Business position will double the amount of time at the Jr. High. There will be 18 weeks of Keyboarding for each student. Eventually all keyboarding will be done at the Jr. High level with 8th grade a priority.
The 21st Century Grant: A copy of the state evaluation was passed to members. Concerns addressed were identifying staff members from Project Care staff, lanyards are being ordered. More enrichment, two tutor students were assigned to this project and students were each assigned a night to attend. Twenty students not currently enrolled will be invited to a total enrichment program. 21st Century will soon be involved in a Weather-Bug Station. Space was once a problem for exercise but 21st Century is now using and empty classroom and has began Dance Revolution for exercise. Teachers now have teacher report for each student and can prioritize and receive feedback. Attendance has increased with a high school extension with 10-15 high school students attending. Jr. High is in the process of being added with a teacher to supervise.
School Calendar: Good feedback was received on the school calendar. The board may allow collaboration with late start school days every other week and half-day in-service days throughout the year. The administrative board meeting went well. Discussion took place about changing the times and or days of parent/teacher conferences, however, this may not be necessary if the grade periods change. This will be discussed at the board meeting. Parent/teacher conferences may be cafeteria style for the Jr. High.
Communication: No Site Council, the Board held meetings with classified/ certified/ and administrative staff. The issues were the same from group to group and building to building. Cindy Bedene will be resigning from the NCC and a new board member will be assigned. This will be discussed at the next board meeting.
The next NCC meeting will be held at the Franklin Community Center in Franklin, KS on Wednesday, January 30th at 12:00 P.M.
Meeting adjourned at 3:30 P.M.
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NCC Minutes...
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