Curriculum Committee

October 13, 2005

Minutes

Present: Mae Gilbert, Mike Gilbert, Jeff Maher, Linda McSweeney, Nancy Pope

An agenda and handouts were distributed. Mike Gilbert gave an update on the Business and Finance Academy. Things are progressing along the timeline, he developed curriculum documents over the summer for the new courses and is waiting to hear back from members of the Insurance and Banking community. Next week Mike and Jeff will meet with Peter Evans, Montpelier HS Principal to discuss the Satellite program there. The mailing about the Academy is ready to go out, the next step will be review by the P& C Committee, and then on to the full Board in November.

A couple suggestions came out of our discussion about curriculum issues—one about a Marketing Course (right now the plan is to include some marking in the Entrepreneurship Course). The other suggestion was about exploring a Technical Writing course as one that could help serve the needs of several of the Academies—IT, Arts and Communication, Business, and Science, Math, & Engineering. Another discussion point was the impact of scheduling on Academies and the need to be more responsive to accommodate our new educational model. This is a joint issue for Curriculum and Scheduling Committees. Another question about the Business Academy was one of Certification. Mike is exploring this as an option.

The last issue about the Business Academy was how the IT Acceptable Use Policy needs to be examined in light of curriculum topics like ecommerce, and the need for student webpages.

The group reviewed the Academy Work Group Checklist. Jeff said it has already proved useful.

NEXT MEETING DATES: Thursday, Nov. 10 7:30 – 8:15 @ the Library

Tuesday, December 13 2:45 – 4 @ the Library

(this is a joint meeting with the Freshman

Academy Committee)