Curriculum Committee Meeting

September 26, 2005

Minutes

 

Present:  Danielle Bourbeau, Felicia Smithers, Mae Gilbert, Scott Griggs, Steven Grindle, John Lewis, Becky Mackin, Jeff Maher, Linda, McSweeney, Tom McSweeney, Nancy Pope, Lu Turmel, Felicia Smithers

 

An agenda and handouts were distributed.  A sign-in sheet requesting email addresses was circulated.  Introductions were made.  Linda McSweeney is replacing Mike Gilbert as facilitator this year.

 

Jeff Maher reviewed the committee’s charges this year (listed in the agenda)

 

Jeff also reviewed last year’s progress.  We took a look at Mike Gilbert’s Staff Survey Priority List. There are 6 items on it:

 

·        Integration of specialized academics and tech

·        Focus on freshmen success through the freshman academy

·        Development of a communications and arts academy

·        Broaden elective and general course offerings

·        Make the curriculum relevant to students

·        Better coordinate integration of curriculum content across departments

·        Better coordinate sharing of information about student performance

 

A discussion took place about what we as the Curriculum Committee could do to assist the work groups who will be developing Academies this year.  We relied on Mae Gilbert and Scott Griggs who have done a lot of this work for their advice.   Broad areas were identified that can provide guidance for all academies.  Linda will develop a checklist of the broad areas the committee discussed and make it available to academy work groups to assist them with their planning.

 

Some questions came up about the academy model.  How will what the Scheduling Committee is doing affect the Academies?  How will we know if our students are better off than they were before.  Are graduation requirements changed?  What about students who start out in one academy and switch to another.  How does the capstone project fit in?  Lots of good questions—some our committee will be dealing with some that others will. 

 

Meeting schedule:  We will aim for the 2nd Thursday of the month possibly alternating between a.m. meetings and after school meetings.

 

                        Mark your Calendars!

 

·        Thursday, Oct 13 7:30 am – 8:15 am

 Mike Gilbert will report on the Business & Finance

 Academy

·        Thursday, Nov. 10 7:30 –8:15

·        Tuesday, December 13 2:45 – 4

Joint meeting with Freshman Academy Committee

·        Staff Development Day:  Monday, January 16 9:30 – 11

Report from Arts & Communication Workgroup