Approval of Records
February 3, 2003
Natick Public Schools
SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
January 15, 2003
The School Committee held a meeting on Wednesday, January 15, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. in the Natick High School Cafeteria. Chair Broekel called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Members Present: Peg Broekel, Michael Cashman, Jonathan Freedman, Henry Haugland,
Diane Packer, Kristine Van Amsterdam, Ted Wynne
Others present: James J. Connolly Superintendent
Patrick Schettini Assistant Superintendent
Audrey Seyffert Assistant Superintendent
Mary Ellen Dunn Director of Fiscal & Management Services
Sharon Reilly Recording Secretary
Kristen St. George Kennedy Middle School Principal
Ruth Evans Wilson Middle School Principal
Community Members, Parents,
Staff & Press
PUBLIC SPEAK
Chair Broekel asked if anyone wished to come forward for Public Speak. No one came forward.
OUT OF STATE TRAVEL
Mr. Hughes discussed a request submitted for the Speech Team to travel to New York City on January 24 & 25 to attend the Regis & Loyola Speech Tournament. Mr. Haugland moved for approval of the trip. Mrs. Van Amsterdam seconded. It was unanimously approved.
PRESENTATION ON PROSPECTIVE CHANGES TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM
Mr. Connolly provided an overview of the presentation on prospective changes to the Middle School program. Mr. Schettini, Mrs. Evans and Mrs. St. George presented the following:
Natick Public Schools
Improving Middle Level Education: Success for All Learners
Agenda
Tonight
Why change?
What are the goals of the middle level program?
What's needed?
What will be new about our special subjects?
What are the expected outcomes?
Gathering questions and comments
January 22, 2003
Teaming
Flexible use of time
Flexible grouping
February 2003
Unification of Reading and Language Arts
Why change?
To enhance the student-centered climate in our middle schools
To improve the academic achievement of all students
To provide consistent educational experiences at both WMS and KMS
To afford teachers regular and sustained opportunities to collaborate on the needs of students
To expand accountability and support structures
What are our major goals?
Increased achievement, high standards and rigorous curriculum for all
Consistent educational experiences for all KMS and WMS students
Responsive environment to meet the developmental needs of middle level students and where individual students are supported by teachers who know them well
Increased Achievement, High Standards and Rigorous Curriculum for All
Curriculum alignment with the Massachusetts Frameworks ongoing
Instruction focusing on important concepts, essential skills and real world applications
Instruction, assessment and support recognizing the increased ability of early adolescents to think in abstract and complex ways
Adults maintaining a rich academic environment by collaborating as team members and with content area colleagues
Consistent Educational Experiences for all KMS and WMS Students
Students at both schools experiencing the same curriculum and learning opportunities
Students at both schools having similarly structured school days
Students at both schools taught by teams of teachers at all grades who know them well as learners
Environment Responsive to the Developmental Needs of Middle Level Students and Where Individual Students are Supported by Teachers Who Know Them Well
That allows each student to be known well as a learner and to make positive connections with trusted school adults
That is safe, structured, flexible and nurturing while maintaining high academic and behavioral expectations
That provides multiple connections between and among content areas
That addresses rapid and sporadic learning spurts common in the middle level learner
What are we guided by?
Research and Best Practices
Turning Points 2000
This We Believe
NEASC standards
NELMS (New England League of Middle Schools)
Recognized local experts
No Child Left Behind Federal Legislation
Natick Comprehensive Youth Health and Mental Health Assessment
Survey of TEC and other communities
Site visits
Reading (Similar demographics and long history of a successful middle school program)
Longmeadow (a Massachusetts Vanguard School)
Andover (Best practices in the delivery of special education services)
Holliston (New building)
What accountability and support structures are needed to achieve our goals?
Department Chairs for ELA and Mathematics
Work to ensure consistent delivery of ELA and Math curriculum
Oversee the delivery of a rigorous curriculum
Analyze MCAS and district assessment data to inform instruction
Supervise and evaluate teachers within their specific content areas in conjunction with building administrators
Work with district counterparts to ensure a well-articulated K-12 curriculum
Team structures implemented in all grades
Students assigned to teams of teachers who will get to know them well as individual learners
Teams providing a safe, structured, flexible, nurturing environment while maintaining high standards
Use of time and student grouping flexible to accommodate needs of students
Team structure strengthening home-school communication
Teachers meeting regularly to discuss their students and plan accordingly
Team teachers to meet (math, science, ELA, SS, SPED)
Grade level content teachers to meet
Entire grade level to meet
Teams of teachers to meet as a whole with parents
School day structured to be more efficient and effective
Team teachers sharing the same students
Core academic time extended by 45 minutes per day
Time allocated among and by team teachers to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of lessons
Grouping of students on the team flexible and dynamic to address the rapid and sporadic learning spurts of the middle level learner
A Sample Student Schedule for Grade 5 was presented.
A Sample Student Schedule for Grades 6, 7 and 8 was presented.
Special Educator as a team member
Benefits to regular and special education students include:
Direct in-class assistance to students
Pull-out services more effective and efficient and not hindering flexible use of team time
Services of special education teacher matched to areas of greatest student need
Expertise of special educator benefiting all students
What will be new about our special subjects?
Specials strengthened by:
Uniting PE, Health and Family & Consumer Science in a Wellness Program
Grade 5 students participating in Wellness daily throughout the year
Grade 5 and 6 students participating in either Band or Chorus
Grade 5 students participating in Keyboarding and Technology Education
Grade 6 students participating in Cultural World Language
Grade 7 and 8 participating in World Language (Spanish or French) daily
What are the predicted results?
Result:
Higher academic achievement
Consistent learning opportunities at both middle schools
Enhanced school climate
Students' learning needs better accommodated
Enhanced teacher collaboration
Stronger home/school communications
As Evidenced By:
MCAS scores, district assessment data, quality of student work
Common assessment data, curriculum maps, classroom observations
Number of disciplinary incidents, parent, student & teacher survey data
Classroom observations, percent of students requiring special education services
Team meetings, team log book, teacher survey data
Team log book, team newsletters, parent and teacher survey data
Professional Development
Visits to middle schools to observe best practices
Dr. Rob Evans on school change
Dr. John Delaney, Middle School Consultant, experienced middle school principal, Past-President NASSP
Team Training
NEASC accreditation team involvement
Professional development in content areas, instructional strategies and student assessment
Supervision/evaluation training for department chairs
Mentoring for newly-hired professionals
Summer Curriculum/Program Work
Team planning and preparation
Complete the writing of the math curriculum
Review and revise middle school common writing prompts and rubrics
Continue the scope and sequence work in middle and high school science
Develop a plan for alignment to the newly-adopted Massachusetts Social Science and History Framework
Topics for Future Discussion
Teaming
Flexible use of time
Flexible grouping
Unification of Reading and Language Arts
Natick Public Schools
Improving Middle Level Education: Success for All Learners
School Committee members and members from the audience were given an opportunity to discuss and ask questions. Several comments/questions came forward which will be reviewed and addressed at subsequent meetings. A summary of the types of questions and comments follows:
· Accountability questions
· Benchmarking - full range observed and analyzed?
· How does Department Chair concept work into the team concept? Will they supervise, evaluate?
· Consistency at both schools - honors programs at both?
· Curriculum questions - What is the wellness curriculum? What about Arts, band, other enrichments? World language? Reading?
· Scheduling questions - minutes don t seem to add up. Sample one month. More explanation of schedule needed.
· Comparison of existing and proposed would be helpful.
· What is the cost of the proposed changes?
· Grouping - what is flexible grouping? What is the difference between “tracking” and “grouping”? Is there enough time for training teachers to deal effectively with multi-grouping and block scheduling
· How will the needs of the high performance students be met? What happens to innovation?
· How are students who need remedial services be addressed?
· What evaluative measures will be used for 8th graders to assist in leveling for 9th grade?
· What about independent study time - will homework requirements be changed?
Discussions on the middle school program will continue at the meeting of January 22.
The meeting adjourned at 10:10 p.m.
James J. Connolly
Superintendent
Secretary to the School Committee
By: Sharon Reilly
Recording Secretary
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