Welcome, everyone.
Thank you for being here for April 8th.
Curriculum Council meeting.
See you being present.
We have lots of things on our agenda.
We do have a review of our summary notes.
Just when you look at these, keep in mind that they're from February
and we did cancel our March meeting because we only had one thing
on the agenda at that time.
So it does say that the next meeting is in March.
That's the meeting that actually ended up canceled.
But at the time it was accurate.
So that's why our minutes say that.
And we are obviously here on April 8th.
So thank you.
And we did not have any informational items for the agenda
for this month, but we do have items for discussion,
and that is our goals for the 1920 school year.
For those of you who are
new to curriculum council, we do develop goals
at the end of each school year, projecting into the following school year.
And I didn't think I should have attached the old ones on here for just a second.
I just met and discussed and we discussed many things
and I did not even think to attach our current set of goals to this.
But we do have three goals.
Our first goal is to bring them with me.
Our first goal is to examine curriculum for areas of need
in order to make recommendations
regarding curricular issues to the A48 Professional Development Committee.
These recommendations, if any, emerge, should be presented
to the Professional Learning Subcommittee by January 1st of each year.
So that's our overall, it's kind of a standing goal
because that is one of the major pieces of oversight for curriculum council.
It's one of our major jobs is to kind of keep an eye on those things.
So as Mrs.
and I were, were talking earlier, some of the things that have come up
this year that we know that we are definitely interested in
charging the district with looking deeper
into our to revise
well, we're looking at revising goal
one to include the sex education curriculum
in the secondary levels in particular,
and to look at collaborating with the community for equity
in diversity, learning opportunities for our staff and students.
Both Mrs.
Seger and I have been attending, she's been attending for quite some time
and they've graciously allowed me to start attending the All Things
Diversity meetings in Hershey.
So we were looking at that collaboration piece
and how we could bring in some more of that learning for our staff also.
So that was one of our thoughts. Her goal Why?
I'm just going kind of I should have precluded it with this.
Also, I'm
going to kind of go through everything and then just open it up for discussion.
It's not really something we vote on,
but certainly we're looking for your thoughts and opinions.
When we created our second goal to maintain full day kindergarten
oversight or to have full day kindergarten oversight, that is a three year goal.
The way that we had written most things take a good three years to get in place
before you know what is working and what is not working for
full fledged.
So we've been having full day kindergarten updates throughout this year.
And the way that the school is written
is that will continue through the 2021 school year.
So we did not suggest any changes or revisions to that goal.
And then our third goal this year was charging the district
to examine grading practices
and reporting at Hershey High School during the school year.
And while that has definitely been happening and some some great things
are going on with conversations and we're looking at the four point scale.
Our thinking was that probably extending this
into another year because it will be a roll out implementation
with the report card in particular and the transcript.
And certainly one had no discussion with Mr.
Smith on this so far.
So I'm very glad that you're here to do
to be a part of this.
But we were thinking to keep and rewrite the school to extend
into the 1920 school year to ensure full freshman implementation
because it will have to roll out that way.
So at this point in time,
we would love to hear your thoughts
on these schools.
If you had any.
You're both kind of on the.
So I understand.
So the four day kindergarten is obviously three years, three year part of the plan.
And the grading obviously takes time.
Just rolled in with the appropriate entering class
And then the change to sex ed, how many years of
the first goal was the term on that one?
This first piece of it is
just to charge the district, to revise it and start taking a look at it.
We didn't actually put a time frame. All right.
So basically what I'm getting at is we have a full plate going forward.
Yes. So, yes, is there bandwidth if we wanted to add
a fourth goal or are we are we full?
We have since I have been in this role
and Mississauga actually, and I just had that conversation also,
I am not sure if that is in your board guidelines or not.
It did not take the time to look that piece up.
As far as the subcommittee goals are concerned,
it is something that I can bring up with Mr.
McFarland. Since I have been in this role.
The subcommittees have been charged with developing three goals
and sticking to three goals
because that's usually about how much you can actually accomplish.
And you know what? Everything is a priority.
Nothing's a priority sort of thing.
But I think it is a very good question because if we are locked into only three
goals, are these the three that we definitely want?
So I don't have a straight answer for you.
I'm sorry.
We are because we just had two in our conversation.
We'll be looking into that.
And I should have said this to the way this process has worked
in the past is in April we've had discussion on these.
We do
a workup that we then present to you in May,
and if you're good with that, we actually do vote on that in
May and June for the goals.
So sorry, that was a bird walk. No.
And it was kind of almost a rhetorical question because obviously
so we got we're offering
I guess I'm wondering if it's possible to
consider augmenting a goal to make it broader.
Like, for example, grading practices.
What was what's the overarching theme of grading practices?
Why do we want to change them?
And a lot of it was equity in our students having
admissions.
Acceptance is similar to areas, schools with different policies, whatever.
So the overarching thing is
what can we do to better our students getting into colleges?
Because there are a couple of things that we could prioritize under that
besides just the grading without leaving the three goal maximum.
Just just want to throw that out there
because there are a couple other things that I think the school could also do
in the under that same bucket that are smaller pieces than the grading
that I would certainly wouldn't throw on the table.
We can we can definitely have discussion about that.
I just think it's really important
for us to remember that our goal is oversight, not
actual implementation and change of practice.
Right? Makes sense.
But we can definitely, if there are a couple of things
that you want us to consider and to throw in there,
we can have conversation about that for sure.
Excellent.
Mr. Steiner, did you have something?
Yeah, well, I was kind of.
And the similar ballpark of Mrs. Dr.
Cronin about adding on to it, if that was a possibility.
I just wanted to share
a little tidbit of information.
I just went to the National School Board Association
meeting in Philadelphia last weekend, and one of the keynote speakers
was the president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management,
and he gave a lot of information about what hard skills are needed
and lacking in the workforce right now and the soft skills that are needed.
And that creativity, agility and adaptability are more important
than degrees
and the hard skills that they need to have from
for people to be an industry are writing, he says.
This is critical. We can't get enough of writing.
And he said that kids are graduating without knowing how to write a two
paragraph memo about a customer complaint.
So so we can't do enough writing in school.
Problem solving kids need to know
how to build their mental muscle, have agility and critical thinking.
In a complex world, technology.
He says that kids need to understand business, not just how to be a consumer,
what technology that iPads and apps are great, but
they need to know how to
use an Excel spreadsheet and what you know,
what programs are being used in offices and industry.
And another big key point with public speaking
presentation skills are a must
in industry right now, and our kids are graduating
without that critical skill, without any of this critical skill.
So those are the hard skills when they're all communication.
And then the soft skills are dependability and reliability
because people are showing up, they're not taking things seriously,
adaptability and training,
because we don't know what the jobs of the future will be.
So to have diverse experiences
and prepare kids for for an unknown
future decision making
so that kids are able to take risks
and not afraid to try new things and have confidence in that.
Have a customer focus the yes or no, ma'am.
Politeness and having a giving spirit
teamwork
says there's too much focus on the eye and individualism
and that we have to teach our kids how to learn
and work within a matrix environment and get along with others, he said.
Basically, the brilliant jerk is not going to get a job,
so you can be as smart as you are and amazing.
But if you can't work with others, you're not going to survive in the workforce.
So I thought those were really key takeaways for us
to go into our curriculum, because he also said, you know, what can educators do?
We can identify strengths sooner, don't focus
on weaknesses, play to kids strengths and build their self-esteem.
Because when they have self esteem, everything else will come after that.
And to build curriculum, to talk to industry, to ensure
these life ready skills that the educators employers
should be building this curriculum together to prepare the kids
and to measure our successes differently, not
to have
quality and numbers and test scores, but to have a job ready diploma
so that kids can actually function in the workforce.
So anyway, I just wanted to share those. Thank you.
Because I thought the communication skills was was crucial.
I'm chuckling because you mentioned at least six things
that we have literally just talked about
in the last couple of months in looking at curricular revisions
and things that we're working on and particularly at the high school.
So those are very much in the realm of things that we are
we're already working on.
So yeah, that's great.
And there might be a way to incorporate that somewhere in here in that way.
So thank you. That's good.
I'd like to second everything she said.
We didn't plan this,
but one of the thing that I was thinking about in terms of that bucket for college,
which really is really work to workplace, was internships.
I know we have a new intern
instructor at the high school,
but I think our numbers are still pretty small, maybe 60 to 70 students.
I would love to see every student who wants to have an internship,
not only have one, but be more of a proactive facilitator,
because right now it's what if you find it interesting?
Okay, great.
And sometimes that's hard for students.
And if we could somehow be more proactive in identifying whether it be corporations
or partnering with the medical center, Hershey Foods, etc.,
because that's where these kids get those soft, soft skills, for sure,
beyond just having their little part time job where they call off
if they have a test or a hockey game or whatever it is.
But going to that internship is critical.
And then I think some of those hard skills become part of it
when they get more given are given responsibility.
So yes, I think that's a big important piece that fits very well.
Thank you.
Thank you both very much.
Other questions or thoughts with
this discussion at this point in time?
Can I just comment on
Of course, that was that's that's well,
and I'll tell you that I will
I can say with a high level of confidence that students that are in Hershey
High School from nine through 12 have an opportunity for just about all of that.
That's not everything.
But we do have a program
that supports a lot of what you were you were just describing there.
And I just want to add on that Victoria Smith is doing a pretty phenomenal job.
She was tasked to expand the program when she got here
and she's using her contacts from a prior district to grow and expand
our offerings here at the high school.
And it's hard because there's all these different
issues when you
want to put a child into a workplace when they're in schools.
And so she's really good at navigating and she understands
that we want these experiences.
I asked her to double the program and obviously we'd like every child
to have that experience, but she is giving it some attention.
But I mean, that that that's speaker that's that's a pretty phenomenal list.
And I can speak toward some of our blend, some of the blended opportunities
for our students.
A lot of what you spoke about there, when our students that are taking blended
courses, they are they are doing that and it's pretty phenomenal.
Amazing to see them out
and about around the school, in the library, wherever it may be,
engaging in some of these skills that you've read a lot about this,
you know, the 21st Century employer.
And the difficulty is a lot of people love to pontificate, but the reality is
we don't know what something's going to look like in ten years.
So we try to do what we think is best now.
So I really appreciate you sharing that.
And if you could email me that, that would that would be phenomenal
because I'd like to share with our department chairs.
Mr. Smith.
When you say that they do the blended, does that mean on the day
they're not in class, they're actually collaborating
with their classmates on like the homework they have or whatever
content they're supposed to be reviewing so that they might not just be sitting
by themselves. That's correct.
Very quite often you can see
a lot of the blended students working collaboratively.
And it's it's pretty interesting to walk around and watch and just listen.
And it's it it's not that every student does that every day,
but so many so many more students now have the opportunity to do that.
Very, very rarely do you see kids like we don't have kids,
you know, wasting time and doing things that they shouldn't be doing.
It just need to walk around and listen to some of their conversations
because they don't even really know we're standing there most of the time
because they're so involved and engaged in their work and giving them the choice
of how they want to spend that time and who they're working with.
Because quite frankly, it might be during an English period
someone's really good at English, but they may need help in calculus.
So that period turns into a calculus period.
And because they're a fabulous writer
and they don't need that, they might not need the assistance with that.
So it's it's been pretty amazing to watch it grow and expand.
And we're probably up over eight, 800 seats and blend in next year.
This started with seven classes last year,
27 this year and probably upwards of 40 next year.
So it's been really it's been a healthy expansion.
I'm glad you mentioned that because I pictured them working
on their own on their off day.
But now I understand what you're saying.
They go to the library because we reorganize our library.
There's the ice cube space.
There's so it's more of a club.
You can work with someone else if you need.
And we've we've, we've taken some other spaces.
We have a place called the Blended Learning Lab.
We have blended teachers in there that supervise.
We have our innovation studio.
We've opened up the cafeteria for all periods of the day.
So I mean, this is you know, we have a teacher here
that's in the innovation center that sees, you know, a blended teacher sees,
and you can see what's going on around the building.
And I'm lucky that, you know, I'm not I don't have to be in a classroom
for four or five periods that that's what I get to see.
And it's pretty special to watch young adults
because
I think a lot of schools we like to you know, you kind of like lock them down
eight periods a day. You have to be here at this time
and they're at this time of year, at this time.
And we have a lot of students that are incredibly responsible
and they've earned it. They've earned that.
I don't want to call it a right, but they have enough responsibility
to handle themselves.
And if for truly preparing them for college,
we have to teach them how to use free time. I mean,
there's I believe so many students
are not successful in college because they don't know how to balance.
And this gives them an opportunity to balance in a safe environment.
You know,
we have all these adults in the building that want to make sure they're successful.
So it's been pretty amazing to watch.
Thank you.
Do they also have the option to go to their classroom with the teacher
on those off days, too? Right.
That's that's that's the option as well.
And a lot of a lot of our teachers will have an almost
a schedule of when they're interacting with smaller groups of students.
Or we also have something in place of an average
every if an average drops below a certain percentage,
they bring them in to make sure like, what's going on?
How can I catch up? What?
What are you not understanding? And so it's
when we talk about differentiation, it's true in in all senses.
So thank you for that.
I appreciate that.
And I think it I think Hershey does offer amazing courses
and rigor and the blended learning is amazing opportunity.
And those aren't the kids that I'm worried about.
Honestly, the kids that I'm worried about are the ones that get like everybody else
that get squeezed out and are trying to compete with all these
really amazing kids that are that already have that motivation and that
that, you know,
to get where they need to be.
And part of the point that the speaker made, too, was that a third
of the college students, once they get into college,
they drop out their first year and then a lot of others don't finish.
So there's only 48%
that are actually graduating college and then the other 32%
are in the workforce without a college degree.
So it's so it's reaching all of our kids with these
these skills needed to survive in the environment
because the ones that are already doing it and having these this exposure
like they're going to make it, it's the other ones
that are struggling that need to make sure we have these skills to give them.
So that's all I want to say,
which then leads us to
the support that the board has given us in the Church and Foundation
with Lynn Crew.
So we talk about the social emotional part of learning and the learning experiences
we had today.
We had our Linklater sort of interviews and it was a group interview
and to watch and see what these students were doing
in interacting with each other, there were about 90 of them
just simply fabulous.
And this is this is a way to truly make sure that we're connecting,
because that's all that's what in high school you want everyone connected,
getting everyone connected.
So they feel like they're part of something.
And that's really the ultimate overall goal. Yes.
And if I could add, sorry, I was like,
okay, I keep an eye on your principal.
We're getting some of those connections right down to the elementary schools.
We have many high school students, many more than ever coming down,
and we're matching them up with students that need connections
based on interest, based on me.
So I feel like this piece of real good pieces all over the district.
We're thrilled with the support that we're.
Getting from high school.
Any further discussion with the goals?
Okay, so thank you.
There's a lot of great ideas and we'll miss the sicker
and I will start the process then of working through this.
And we will bring you a draft
next month for you to actually look at and and vote upon.
And if we need to make revisions or make some revisions
and then we try to have this finalized by June.
Okay.
Any questions?
Great. Thank you. All right.
We do have quite a bit of new business that is textbook season.
And even though the law has changed, we are old habits die hard.
And so we're bringing our textbooks in April.
That's what we're very used to doing.
And we have modern, modern
content here to start with us,
for some novels
for world language in French, up to the microphone.
This is her first time here.
Pardon my dress.
I actually led the crew in this way,
so I was dressed down a little bit for that. So
so I last summer
I was rewriting the French five
and AP and French for curriculum, spending some days doing that.
And we're sort of readjusting some of the
the reading that we are doing.
I feel like it's very important that students are always reading
something to correspond with what we are studying
so they can see literature and action analysis and so forth.
So what I'm asking for
and we have fully budgeted for.
So just so you know that that's a part of our regular budget, we're looking
for our approval for these three titles that I have
decided to work with.
And and of course talked with my colleague about as well,
my other French colleague at the high school.
So in French for we're looking at a
a and a they're all abridged versions of classic
one is a classic film
that has been put into a book text.
I do you have those copies there and if you need them, I don't know.
We will come around them.
So one is a classic task.
It all is on file and it's a classic movie of the World War two period.
One of the privileges
of kind of being French teacher and being able to create some of my own
interests and so forth is a unit that I developed on the Holocaust
and particularly what that's like, how that impacted French history.
So by the time the students get to French, where we have some opportunity
for them to explore topics and learn some actual content versus just,
you know, the typical maybe what would be typically done
with grammar and so forth. So
it is a very popular unit.
I felt like it needed some literature, So that's why I wanted
to add this particular novel to this, this unit.
And then
and then the other two are the five AP.
I wanted to add the genre Fluoride, which is a it's a conference.
It's a classic French novel.
And this is an abridged version, like I said before.
And what's unique about all of these is that they also have corresponding films,
which makes it nice to
if I wanted to do some film study along with it or vice versa,
like one year, I wanted to do the film with one year,
one year out and do the literature or both.
The students really enjoy pairing the literature with and with the film
and seeing how those and the comparing and contrasting is all stuff
that they need to be able to do for the AP exam.
So I don't know what else you need for me other than the this is gene flow
that is a is a classic and great story about the south of France. And
it's kind of a fun, tragic ending the students really like
they're like, what?
That's not, you know, like that kind of thing.
So that's fun.
And then the other one that is Les Miserables,
which I don't think really needs a lot of introduction.
Everyone knows that.
That is a great story, wonderful character development.
I can really talk a lot about characters,
the period of literature, you know, the the romantic period.
There's so much that can be discussed there as well.
And so
is that enough?
Does anybody have any questions
from that?
And so the Jean de Flora that I'm passing around is an older
the text will be the same, but it'll look more modern than that.
I made sure that it had the same text series, so
any questions?
Would you like
to do the motion separately or combine them?
Let's combine them. Okay. Yeah.
May I have a motion to combine the French novels for standard?
Thank you. In a second.
Thank you.
Okay, so just to remind everyone, so I know there are some people here
that this is your first time doing textbook approvals.
The way that this works is that we approve the text for a first read
at this period of time for presentation.
They then go out on the credenza
or credenza in the lobby.
They stay out there for public review for 30 days
and then next month we will do a second read.
Assuming that this council vote to approve the second read,
then I will write up a board memo and we will give a full board
recommendation that the texts are approved for purchase.
If they are approved for purchase, they will then be purchased on July 1st
or slightly thereafter so that Madam Kit will have them
for her students in the fall.
Does anybody have any questions about the process?
Okay.
May I have a motion for a first read for these
three novels for the French text moved
second.
Thank you.
All those in favor say I only opposed same time.
Wonderful. Thank you so much.
Can I send a related question? Maybe.
I don't know. Maybe Mrs. Stuckey can help with this.
When does the.
When do the high school students cover the Holocaust?
The news. They used to read an English book.
Then I'm not sure if was covered in the second grade.
A second?
Well, 10th grade world or 11th
grade A-plus or AP US or any U.S.
district. Sorry.
I was just wondering where it marries, because I think it's a great
way to have something repeat in different subject.
Right.
I can tell you that at the freshman level, we do
take the kids to the Holocaust Museum for English
and then the honors nine read it is the girl in the green sweater
and C.P nine They do read Night by Liesl as well.
So now I know history has changed, so I cannot speak to that
as to when at one point and then they repeat it right.
And unfortunately I wish that we could have those coincide.
But we're on different years now, so for the now,
yeah, I believe the Holocaust is covered in
U.S. history during their time of saving World War Two.
Okay. Okay.
Thank you.
I'm glad the whole trip is back. Yeah.
So that's back.
Thank. Okay.
All right. Our next meeting. Thank you.
Our next presentation is Mrs.
Fitting, and she is here to talk to us about read 180,
which is a reading remediation program for the middle school.
And just to give you, I don't want to steal any of your thunder,
but just to give you some background on it,
we have been investigating this for at least six or seven years,
looking for something that would really accelerate our students
at the rate and level that we are looking for
them to achieve.
And we really want.
Our goal is to get students out of remediate remediation for reading.
You want them to be full readers, ideally by third grade, but
sometimes it goes to middle school.
So this has been quite a bit of work to find something
appropriate for middle school students.
And we had looked at Read 180
somewhere in that process before
they used to having a structure with their program
that just did not fit our students needs
and did not fit our schedule.
They have since moved to a more hybrid model that this is being
can answer questions about because she's been piloting it this year
and I think it's been very successful.
Still a lot of learning to do,
but lots of really great things happening and middle school reading.
So I will stop talking now and let her present.
Do you want me to pull that PowerPoint? I'm sure you can.
So I'm Tracy Bedding.
You might recall that I was here in the fall talking about the pilot
for the middle school.
I did want to give you a little bit of background on how
we kind of ended up here.
We had purchased a program back in 2008.
So when she is talking about how long we've been at this,
we had purchased sort of success that use reciprocal teaching
and then
at the end of 2009, we decided we needed a little bit more.
So we purchased a supplemental program in 2010
and that was Reading Advantage
and that allowed for more critical thinking
and some higher level materials.
And then with that, we are balancing that with some supplemental lives.
Some of you might be familiar with that as well,
which also had comprehension and fluency with it.
And then since that time
we have been searching C She was principal during one of our searches and
we have
been supplementing our instruction with different materials
because we couldn't find anything that really was meeting our needs.
We have done pilots,
we have done site visits, we have done countless
presentations and web meetings and I mean,
it's done the gamut of looking at a multitude of programs.
And that brings us to read
180 Universal, which is their new version.
They did have a version back in 2011 that we had looked
at that we weren't interested in.
And then when they
reworked the program in 2016, we gave it
another look and liked the updates that they had
included in the program.
So what is it?
It is direct instruction still,
which is one of the things that we were definitely looking for.
We were also looking for
targeted small group learning as well.
We liked incorporating the technology,
but we wanted to have an effective balance of having the teachers
and the technology so that everyone could do what they do best.
And that is one of the things that this program
really brings together for the students.
So with the blended learning rotations,
there's four different rotations and with that
the whole group learning, which is like traditional full class instruction
in the skills that they need for reading and writing and responding to text.
And then with that
they have different rotations that they go to their small group.
There's independent reading and their student application.
So in the small group learning,
you can use the data to target, you know, what particular skills
they might need, you know, based on the reports that we're running
and make sure that, you know, they're getting the instruction
in the skills that's going to help them make the most gains
in the independent reading rotation.
They have quality literature, which was one of the things
that we were really looking for while maintaining accountability.
You know, that it's still time well-spent,
you know, and that they have choice.
You know, there's audio books, there's paperbacks, there's
you know, short articles,
there's longer e-books so that we're able to really,
you know, find something that the students are interested in.
And they're really motivated by seeing
the number of words that they're reading and their quick scores and,
you know, really seeing their progress during independent reading rotation.
And then the last rotation is the student application.
So that's where students are working independently for one, an app on the iPad.
And with that, they still have a lot of ownership in their learning.
They start out with one segment that everyone does,
and then once they're finished, that
they are able to
choose, you know, what topics they're working on.
And those topics are all heard at a variety of levels,
you know, covering the essential reading skills.
So the technology is really adapting
to the needs of the students
and the feedback that they are getting from
that was one of the things that we really liked in the update.
You know, it wasn't generic and it was personalized.
And even if you're in the exact same segment on the same level,
depending on how you're doing because it's adapting, you're
you might be doing something different
than someone else because someone else might need more writing,
whereas another student might need, you know, more word work or more fluency.
So it's more of a personalized path within each,
so within the segments that the students are working on. So
they're kind of
rotating between these different options
while taking that ownership.
And then as far as research goes, we you know, you can find
lots of different research to support, you know, different programs.
But we really had a committee,
some of the interns and the school psychologist, everyone was working
with us.
And, you know, what are the best programs out there?
And, you know, this is the most thoroughly researched,
proven program for reading.
And it is touching
1 million students every single day.
And one of the reasons why it dates back to 1998,
and they've been continually updating it, you know, and improving on it.
And while they're doing that,
they continue to support the professional development of the teachers as well,
you know, to make sure that the teachers have everything that they need.
So, you know, anything from a webinar to a video to a phone conference,
Stacy's done something with me like this year.
So they are very supportive.
And then they also have, you know, like your typical
they're on Twitter and Facebook and all of that.
So we have been most appreciative of the support that we've had,
you know, while implementing this and feel fortunate
that we were given the opportunity for like a bonus year
because honestly, we really thought that they were going to say,
Oh, you compiled this, you know, with one of your classes
or maybe even, you know, one grade level.
But this was a full out
pilot for us.
So it has worked out really well.
And then with the cost,
we are looking at perpetual licenses.
Stacy will help if we have any questions at this part
because we're looking at
a fee over time, you know, So
we do have a set number of students that we're kind of looking at.
But, you know, our class is really based on the needs of the students.
So we don't have like a set number.
You know, every year it changes depending on how, you know,
many kids need to be supported by reading at the middle school.
So it makes it difficult to budget, you know, exactly
for how that's going to play out because it's changed every year.
I do want to share the costs.
Looks like a little like when you first look at it, they are perpetual licenses.
This is for 70 students.
And when I said, well, you know, what does perpetual really mean
is, well, it's perpetual.
It's like, okay,
I don't want to be six years down the road.
And you tell me that my perpetual license is up
there.
Maybe a point in time
where a lot of companies are switching to a subscription model.
There may be a point in time where they will want us to examine
switching to a subscription model.
We have been, as a district pretty resisting of that so far
because it sets us up
for something that we're not quite sure what we get in the long run.
And Mr.
Friends has been actually really great
in helping us to negotiate and navigate some of those pieces.
The other pieces that do come with this full teacher library we are looking at.
We have
a couple decisions to make, but it will not change the price.
Tracey is very concerned about her eighth grade students
and making sure that there is enough material to extend them.
So there is what they call A stage B and a stage C
reading library.
So we're looking at
instead of having
initially when we went into this, Tracey and Sarah Smith were our piloting.
We do have to pay for the materials
that they gave us in the pilot for the classroom library piece
that they're not free because it's a full library.
So right now we have to be libraries.
So we're looking at exchanging one of those B's for a C
so that we have further information for the students.
The other piece of this is a hosting fee.
I do not have the technological language to totally explain this to you,
but we have made them explain it to us at least four times.
It makes sense when they do it,
and that is something that the middle school that would be a small
fee that the middle school has to pay each year
to maintain the hosting for the application and for the program.
And one of the things that we did investigate
was whether or not that was sustainable.
We needed to make sure that we're paying this upfront.
Is that smaller?
I think it's about 1500 dollars, but it's all wrapped up into this
initial fee, about 1500 dollars a year for that hosting
fee, depending on the number of students that we have in the program.
So it will vary just a little bit, but it's only in the first year of program
that it comes out of our district curriculum budget.
After that, it has to be sustained and maintained by the building.
So that was one of the pieces that we investigated.
Also, she did do
sales reps are wonderful at trying
to package things for you in a way that makes it palatable.
We were able to cut about $11,000 off of the initial quote
that they gave us by doing this bundle package.
It sounds like Comcast,
but it did bundle like
workbooks, classroom library, online library, the teacher licenses and manuals.
And there's included in this.
Those are also professional learning.
And they wanted to do some face to face professional learning coaching
because this is being is the reading teacher going forward.
We thought that an online presence was enough
so that she can do webinars, so we were able to cut the price
a little bit with that because the webinars have been
super helpful this year and it's like having a person there.
So instead of flying you in here, well, we're good with you being online.
So I think I've hit all of the pieces and if you have questions,
now would be the opportunity to ask those in any aspect of this.
Yeah.
And they've been very flexible with the professional learning.
They said if we need it,
I feel like we really need something different, you know, that
they would absolutely work.
Yes, I think they've been wonderful to work right?
Yes, I have three questions.
Number one, what is our average the average student load
if we're we have 70 Perpetual's what is the range of average students?
I know they're in and out as needed, but will that accommodate it?
Yes. Yes.
So currently there's two reading specialists at the Middle school.
Next year there is going to be one.
I currently have I think about 48 students
and I had five exits.
So I probably started out, you know, around 53 or 54,
you know, at the beginning of the year.
And actually I just got two new students.
So I'm I'm probably at 50 now.
Yeah.
So it keeps changing, but yet we anticipate that
we should be fine with that.
And we haven't gotten to the point where we needed
to get so nitty gritty, like where somebody is moving out,
you know, and what exactly is going to happen to that license.
And, you know, could I recycle it?
You know, if if we got to the point where we are really cutting it
exactly that closely, we'd be comfortable asking that question. Yes.
And I'm sure they work with us on that as well.
Yeah.
Because everything that we've come to them about and kind of
looked at the pricing and, you know, itemizing out versus the bundle,
yeah, it's it's gone very well in our discussions.
And, you know, they followed up with
Yeah, they've been really great right.
Something that seems to be working. Yeah.
And then my second question is is there anything that it lacks
or that you wish it did
or is this pretty much this covers everything you need for your for your
for your reading students without having to go elsewhere to supplement?
At this point, we haven't been supplementing.
What we have been doing is trying to learn more about the program
because, you know,
we just started the pilot in September, you know, and that was where,
you know, not knowing the needs, particularly of the eighth graders,
that was, you know, the concern that I had mentioned to Stacy, You know,
particularly when we're looking at the independent
reading library and the choices, you know, and we do have some students
that are in reading three years, you know,
and starting to look at some of the books that are there.
And they're like, oh, I already saw that one.
You know, as well as, you know,
the readability of the materials for the whole group.
There were
a lot of supplemental things to pull for the small group
instruction for, you know, different skill areas.
But the whole group, they have the recommended path to follow.
And I was concerned about, you know,
the instructional level, you know, in making sure that I was going
to be hitting, you know, the the needs not knowing exactly what they would be.
So, yeah, we're kind of looking at, you know, that as well.
And, you know, we had a phone conversation or a what do we do
a web meeting last week again with them and yeah,
they've been very flexible in meeting what we're not sure our needs are
at this point just to make sure that we're covered.
Yeah.
So we want to make sure that, you know, we're incorporating all of these options.
So it sounds pretty comprehensive.
So even if you don't know, we don't know yet,
they probably are able to sell, right? Exactly.
There's some
there have been a couple of times where we've been on a phone call or a webinar
and the ladies will ask a question and they were like,
Oh, did you go to the blah blah, blah, blah, blah.
I can tell that as one thing.
And they're like, Oh, you know, And then, you know,
there's that piece that that is they're so super supportive.
There's just it's a it is a comprehensive it's a complex system.
And just getting to know it well, we'll probably take a couple of years
to really have it. Like the back of your hand.
Yeah, as long as it's robust. That's that's good.
And my last question was, does it bridge well with the Reading Support
Elementary School and you alluded to the eighth grade
to ninth grade, but it's a and a good flow for those students.
That's something that we're working with the elementary with to make sure
we started some transition meetings and just recently,
maybe like two or three weeks ago, getting ready for fifth grade
and sixth grade and making sure that it's going to be a smooth transition.
So we're the process of making sure that our changes
won't have any impact on, you know, the
adjustment from fifth Dyslexia as well.
Excellent. Thank you.
Have you gotten feedback from your students?
Like, do they like it?
Are they engaged or excited about it?
Yes. The materials and everything. Yeah.
The other reading specialist Sarah Smith is in micro conditioning right now
and she had the instructional coach for some of her students and,
you know, survey them on, you know,
what they like, what to do, all of those things.
And we've gotten very positive feedback.
There was one area that a couple of my students were critical of, and you know,
I had mentioned it in one of the webinars and they and it's small things, you know,
where, you know, they're typing something and then the next line is capital.
And then it was marking it as an error and just little things
and things that they probably weren't aware of in the program,
but it really matters to the kids and we brought it up to them.
They're like, Oh, we'll definitely look into that, you know,
like one of the prompts that the kids were doing on the app.
I had two students, you know, say, you know, I'm
not really sure about this prompt.
You know, when when we were looking at the text
and the video that went along with it and we were looking at the evidence,
you know, I could see exactly what they were saying,
you know, So, I mean, I had emailed support, you know,
email, and they got back to me
like right away with what we should do and how it could be changed. So
it doesn't seem to matter which format we have reached out to.
You know, it's they've been very helpful and
you know, had followed up on everything that were happening.
You know, And I say to the kids, well, I'm going to contact them about this.
You know, is there anything that you want me to mention
just to make sure that I'm not missing anything?
Yeah.
So just those little things, you know, matter.
So I think this is the first year
I've ever heard a student saying, I'm excited to go to reading,
which is really nice, because when when just to be very clear
about what happens with reading remediation is that students
don't get the opportunity to take a world language
if they're in reading support because those are held at the same time.
So a lot of times students are very disappointed
to be placed in in reading yet again in middle school.
And I think this has given them an opportunity to really feel like
they are progressing and learning and this is worth their time in there.
While
yeah, it's very difficult when you're missing out on
something to get something that you know you need.
So it's always been a challenge at the middle school
with the way our schedule has worked. So
the students have been very motivated by,
you know, numbers speak to middle schoolers.
So when you're saying, you know, look at your lifestyle, you know, it's 300
and now it's 900, you know,
and that far exceeds, you know, the typical growth
for middle school students in the program.
You know, like they're they're very motivated, you know, so
they like to see their numbers on everything that we do
because it makes it concrete.
You know, they can feel like they're trying and,
you know, they're making growth.
But seeing that number, you know, I just had Dr.
Shuman do like a smiley face visit with one of my students the other day.
And, you know,
a lot of these kids are struggling learners, you know, and getting positive
feedback from me is one thing, you know, but getting feedback from a principal,
you know, and being called in the office for something that is positive,
you know, I mean, he was he was blown away.
But then the student was and, you know, like she's been trying all year
and she's been up
and worked up a little on this and up a little on that, up a little on this.
And to see, you know, this point in the year, the way her scores are, you know,
all coming together, going into the high school, it's very exciting.
Thank you.
Are there any other questions
that you want to keep us moving along?
But more things. Yes.
Thank you for your time. Thank you so much. Spinning.
May I have a motion for a first read for everyone?
One so moved and second, second.
All those in favor say I all those opposing same.
I do have a little sample pack of information
that I'll put out on the credenza that has to do with Read 180.
But obviously it's a very complex system.
We can't put the whole library out there.
All right. And Mr.
Sirak is here to talk about a physics textbook
in physics.
All right.
So I am Jason Sivak.
I teach physics at the high school and the book that I am proposing
for recommendation is Fundamentals of Physics 10th Edition.
We currently use the eighth edition at the high school,
and they're about 11 years old now, so they're starting to fall apart
and deteriorate.
So we were looking for a new model.
The thing I really like about the book is
it has very nice explanations the amount of problems,
the number of problems, and the variety is perfect in terms of
giving the
students the skills that they need for success.
On the AP exam, the organization is very much in line
with the AP curriculum, so they do a really good job with that.
I'm new to this addition.
It comes with
what's called Wiley Plus, and right now we just have the standard textbook.
Wiley Plus would give us a lot of online resources.
So there's an e-book
that includes the content that kids can access any time they want to.
There are
animations, videos
video explanations for every single one of the sample problems
so somebody can talk them through how to solve the problem.
There are some some different applications,
a copy of concepts to real life presented through animation.
And then they have a diagnostic tool where kids can actually go
and self-assess reading questions
just to kind of see where they're at.
And it gives them a score as to what skills they're good at
and what skills they need more work on.
So it's a great kind of check point along the way for students.
They have icons on in the e-book and also in the textbook
for what areas include online content.
That way they can either click right in the e-book or
look it up on on the site and access that.
And one of the things I really like as well is the program that Wiley created
is fully compatible with Canvas, so we can actually link
assignments, reading assignments, problem assignments
directly through canvas, and kids can go to my canvas site
and access all of the content with Wiley without having to go to a separate website
and log in.
So it works really nice with with the canvas that we already have.
So does anybody have any questions?
Is it a question?
Are the books to the books stay in the classroom
or the kids get them assigned?
Typically, we give the kids some book and then with
with the e-book they kind of have the two options.
So I always tell them, if you want to leave your physical book at home,
that's more helpful to you. There.
You could certainly do that.
So if a student didn't have web access at home, you know,
that would be a nice option.
Or if they tend to do their work at school,
they could keep it in their locker, work on it there.
And then if they need access elsewhere, they can use the e-book.
So it kind of depends student to student, but it does give them the two options.
Some students love the electronic.
Some students still like the flip through the paper version
You mentioned you are using the eighth edition
in that state, ten or 12 years old.
You don't think there's an 11th coming out any time now because it is 2014.
Right now there is an 11th.
And we actually talk with Stacie about this.
The 11th edition was released electronic only,
and we're looking at $133 a year to have the 11th edition.
This is 195 with the Wiley Plus content.
And we get to keep the book.
We have the Wiley Plus for six years, and there's really
no content difference between the 10th and the 11th.
Other than that they switched over to electronic format.
I did talk with Wiley and they said
that they do not know if they will make an 11th edition in print.
It sounds like they're catering to college students
$133 for the year for college students.
Not so bad, but very high school.
Yeah, over six years.
We're talking a ridiculous amount of money for the same book.
Thanks for looking into that. Sure.
Yeah.
I would never recommend $133 a year.
That doesn't make sense.
Any other question?
Thank you so much.
When I hear a motion for a first read for the AP physics text, so moved.
Second,
all those in favor say I.
I opposed same thing.
Great. Thank you.
All right, we have one last set. This is stuck.
You've got 3 minutes.
Use your speech skills.
Okay.
Hi, I'm Sherry Stuckey.
I'm the English department here at the high school.
And the three books I'm going to go ahead and present
today are Monster by Walter Dean Myers
Monster is a Caldecott winner.
It is a National Book Award winner as well.
This book would be part of the contemporary literature curriculum.
Second is, the hit you give that is
by Angie Thomas, and this would be part of the hero's journey.
A college prep English 11 year long course is well.
And then the last book is Tim O'Brien.
The Things that Carried an outstanding book that would be used at the English 11
curriculum level
earlier in the year.
We ended up asking the Curriculum Council to move our CP English 11 classes
from a semester long course to a year long course, and we thought
that this was very, very important because we were having difficulty.
The teachers were having difficulty going very deeply with the literature
that we were studying.
In addition, we found that the writing was very much suffering.
We did not have an opportunity and we didn't feel that we were preparing
our college level kids.
And this is our college prep level kids, not necessarily our honor students
or those who are in AP English, but our kids who are still looking.
They want to go to college.
And we were not preparing them to the best of our ability.
So what we decided was that we would go ahead.
We would definitely do more writing.
We would have a research project as well, and then we would offer
another novel as well that the students would study.
Therefore, the teachers chose these novels because they felt that they ended up
hitting some issues that with students that were not being addressed
within the different curriculum,
the content of that was part of an individual class.
So I'm going to pass these around.
Tim O'Brien The Things They Carried, this is a series of vignettes.
It's about the
Vietnam War, but it's more than the Vietnam War.
Tim O'Brien uses the Vietnam War as a setting, but each individual chapter
focuses on a different gentleman who ends up going through the Vietnam War.
Some are survivors.
Some do not survive.
But it talks about faith.
It talks about personal relationships.
It talks about all the things that they carried into war.
So the focus is not on war.
It is not necessarily glory, anything like that.
It's about the human experience.
The hit you give is about a young woman.
This is very appropriate.
Both of these books, I feel, are very timely for dealing with
race relations and diversity and some issues
that are are occurring within our culture today.
The heat you give is about an African-American young woman.
She is her parents want her to go to get out of the inner city.
They want her to go to a private, all white school.
She really doesn't want to go there, but for educational purposes
and to get into a good college, she decides to do that.
Unfortunately, there is an incident that occurs
and one of her friends is shot and killed.
An African-American young man.
This I, I have read this book.
It does deal with some brutality in it there.
But it's really interesting to watch this young girl.
She's trying to navigate two worlds,
being in a world where she's a minority
and a world that she finds is in where she belongs.
She feels she belongs, and but she really is trying to get the education she needs.
She is also dating a young Caucasian man as well.
So and it really ends up we see two different perspectives.
And to different perspectives
on various issues that are occurring in the world today.
It's an outstanding book.
And the last one is Monster by Walter Dean Myers.
The first I was I was looking at this one.
I was concerned about this one because of the reading level.
I thought the reading level was a little little lower than it's an 11th grade
book.
But as I looked at it, there's so much more to it.
It's written the screenplay version, and this young man is on trial.
He is 16 years old and he's been convicted of a murder.
And it talks about the prison system.
It talks about what he has to go through.
It talks about decision making and the effects of society
on the individual.
Sorry, that was very quick.
Are there any questions that you would have for me
at this time?
I just want to say
thank you for having these topics discussed in the classroom.
I think it's really important.
We in we debated about this, but these are 11th grade students
and we feel that our young people, they're talking about these issues anyway
and it gives them a very safe place to explore these issues
and to explore multiple
perspectives.
Their questions know, Thank you so much.
We like to combine the vote. Sure.
May I have a motion to combine the textbook
recommendations for the English novels?
So most second.
Thank you. Okay.
So may I please have a motion for a first read for the three English novels?
The Hate U Give a Monster and the Things They Carried.
I will just say these are all really phenomenal books and all summer.
Second. Thank you.
All those in favor say I oppose him.
Say it's wonderful.
We have one piece of old business.
It is the textbook recommendation for the American history A.P.
edition
that has been on.
It's actually been on 60 day display because we did cancel our our March meeting.
So I'm looking for here is a
motion for a second read for the AP history US history textbooks.
And that if that is approved, I will send that on to the board
for full board approval.
May I have a motion? So moved.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you very much.
All those in favor say, I.
I as opposed to him saying
okay and not to rush us,
but I know there's another meeting waiting to take our seats.
Our next meeting is May 13, and with that
I will adjourn at 504.
Thank you very much.