You'll have to get your tickets early next time, the show this Saturday is already sold out.
If you haven't seen Cheryl before, here is a sample of what she does:
Enjoy!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
School Committee Mtg 02/10/09
The following posts summarize the live reporting from the School Committee meeting of 2/10/09.
- Live reporting - Superintendent's report, etc.
- Live reporting - Action items
- Live reporting - Discussion only items
- Live reporting - FHS School Improvement plan
- Live reporting - Advance placement (AP)
- Live reporting - Literacy continued
- Live reporting - Literacy Update
- Live reporting - School Committee 2/10/09
- School Committee - Agenda - 2/10/09
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Live reporting - Superintendent's report, etc.
Feedback on Mr Peri's performance at Remington this year is astounding, such positive accolades. Some who could not stay sent emails.
FEF - March 19th
Already 400 students enrolled for summer school
FEF - March 19th
Already 400 students enrolled for summer school
Live reporting - Action items
4. Action Items
Roy - we'll table this discussion what is in the best interest for the kids, what are the costs for the options
- I recommend action be taken regarding the make up day for the HM/Oak/ECDC Complex.
- The best educational decision would be to come in on Good Friday
- The best economical solution is to add a half day at the end of the year.
- ECDC faculty has to put in 183, the students are not constrained by 180 days.
- Transportation would be additional either way
Roy - we'll table this discussion what is in the best interest for the kids, what are the costs for the options
- I recommend acceptance of Policy GBAB – Acceptable Use moved back to policy committee for review and revision
- I recommend approval of the Franklin High School’s School Improvement Plan as Presented Approved 6-0
- I recommend approval of the request of Parmenter Principal, Judi Bassignani to declare the listed books as surplus. Approved 6-0
- I recommend acceptance of a check for $427.00 from General Mills Box Tops for Education for the Remington Middle School to be used for supplies. Approved 6-0
- I recommend adoption of Policy KCDB School Based Advertising Content. Approved 6-0
- I recommend moving Policy BEDGG/BEDGG-E Sub Committee Minutes & Exhibit to a second Reading Approved 6-0
Live reporting - Discussion only items
3. Discussion Only Items
Rohrbach - If there is anything we are reducing this year, plan on it not coming back, maybe ever.
Armenio - The face of education is going to look very different in Franklin in September.
Cafasso - When we cut something, it can't be just that it got us to the number we needed.
Roy - I don't think anyone should panic, I think we the best minds we have, we can work out a good solution. No one is blind to what is happening. The news about Boston and Winthrop is out there. Franklin is not alone.
Cafasso - We should get a plan together to ensure that the information is out there and listen to the parents to get their feedback. It will be less speechifying and more listening.
Roy - These meetings are public, they are being broadcast
Ogden - health insurance numbers came in at 5% instead of 10%, so that number can help overall. Instead of 5.2 million short, we would only be 5 million short. We are looking to reduce our budget request by about 3.3 million dollars.
All our district employees are coming together Thursday afternoon at Horace Mann Auditorium to present what it is known and look for ideas on how to make ends meet.
- Second Reading – Acceptable Use Policy GBAB
- First Reading – Sub Committee Minutes Policy & Exhibit BEDGG/GEDGG-E
- Review District’s Vision and Goals that will guide budget reduction decisions
Rohrbach - If there is anything we are reducing this year, plan on it not coming back, maybe ever.
Armenio - The face of education is going to look very different in Franklin in September.
Cafasso - When we cut something, it can't be just that it got us to the number we needed.
Roy - I don't think anyone should panic, I think we the best minds we have, we can work out a good solution. No one is blind to what is happening. The news about Boston and Winthrop is out there. Franklin is not alone.
Cafasso - We should get a plan together to ensure that the information is out there and listen to the parents to get their feedback. It will be less speechifying and more listening.
Roy - These meetings are public, they are being broadcast
Ogden - health insurance numbers came in at 5% instead of 10%, so that number can help overall. Instead of 5.2 million short, we would only be 5 million short. We are looking to reduce our budget request by about 3.3 million dollars.
All our district employees are coming together Thursday afternoon at Horace Mann Auditorium to present what it is known and look for ideas on how to make ends meet.
- FY10 Budget
Live reporting - FHS School Improvement plan
Franklin High School Principal - Peter Light
Literacy
AP Access
Have not come up with a formal process to analyze the MCAS scores across the high school. Each department has done great work within their areas and then shared with the school as a whole.
Communication
Notices to home have been coming via email rather than printed note.
Working on electronic report card distribution, he is not confident with the technology yet. He is trying with the third term reports.
Peter has started a blog
School Safety
Working on updating the fire drill procedures
Working with the Police to do a lock down during a "passing time" that is when the students are in motion changing classrooms. Prior lock downs were done with students in the classrooms which is easier.
Light - the system automatically recognizes when there is a valid email address. When there isn't, it automatically prints a hard copy which would be mailed to the home. We try to use technology as much as possible.
Literacy
AP Access
Have not come up with a formal process to analyze the MCAS scores across the high school. Each department has done great work within their areas and then shared with the school as a whole.
Communication
Notices to home have been coming via email rather than printed note.
Working on electronic report card distribution, he is not confident with the technology yet. He is trying with the third term reports.
Peter has started a blog
School Safety
Working on updating the fire drill procedures
Working with the Police to do a lock down during a "passing time" that is when the students are in motion changing classrooms. Prior lock downs were done with students in the classrooms which is easier.
Light - the system automatically recognizes when there is a valid email address. When there isn't, it automatically prints a hard copy which would be mailed to the home. We try to use technology as much as possible.
Live reporting - Advance placement (AP)
AP Access – Peter Light, John Koch, Wayne Ogden, Michele Kingsland-Smith
per Wayne Ogden, Mass Insight invited Franklin to participate in a grant based initiative to give wider access to a larger number of students. We are very excited to be part of this.
The AP program is the most challenging level of curriculum offered to high school student. The AP courses are aligned to entry level college courses.
Concept driven as opposed to text book driven
This does not redesign curriculum, this supplements what is already in place.
5 approaches
- algebraic
- graphical
- numeric
- verbal
- physical
Identifying students based upon College Board PSAT results to predict likelihood of scoring a 3 or better on an AP test
John Koch provided handout with sample lessons
Why are we investigating these issues?
Teachers know that there are no perfect systems, there is always something we can build upon.
What are they doing down there?
What are the grade levels below sending to the next level? Knowing what is being done makes a difference. Similar to the literacy program, there is a consistency of language amongst the grade level teachers.
Skills are revisited from week to week, and year to year.
I went to training last week and came back all excited. There is not much more than I can do to promote this than to say that I am excited about this especially in the dog days of February.
Peter Light - Currently, 10-15 students in AP English, according to the College Board indicator, there are 115 students that have a 70% chance of scoring the 3 or better. That really expands the concept of what the student is that is an AP class.
Wayne Ogden - I am going to a meeting to explore with Mass Insight how we can sustain this going forward. There is a local contribution (approx. $10,000) that under the circumstances will be questioned. We want to add to the levels of training. The challenge to Mass Insight is how they can keep this going and keep it affordable. In the short term, finding the 10K might be the easy part, changing the mind set from the B+ student to the expansion Peter has talked about is going to be the hard part.
Roy - We don't have to go out and invest in other people to bring them in to do this.
Ogden - We have the people here, we would need to take advantage of the professional development from Mass Insight. One of the things these teachers did last summer was to spend a week doing this intensive training.
Laying the Foundation dot org
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