Shining Rock Classical Academy
Minutes
Academic Excellence Committee Meeting
Date and Time
Thursday February 8, 2024 at 3:30 PM
Committee Members Present
A. Weimar, C. White, J. Schleifer, K. White, L. Long, S. Jenkins, T. Inman, T. Sessoms (remote)
Committee Members Absent
A. Wilkins
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Approve Minutes
II. Academic Excellence
A.
Standards Based Grading
B.
Weather Policy
S. Jenkins -Discussion of remote learning vs excused absence differences in policies. Considerations: How do we handle remote learning.
C. White, K. White - Remote learning for K-5 avoid busy work and packets. Difficult in this population
T. Inman, T. Sessoms - High School – remote learning is a feasible option for high school credit courses. Would require a separate policy statement for high school courses (high school credit courses) vs elementary and middle school courses.
Motion for policy review (policies 4410 and 4405) with consideration of applicable revisions.
C.
Graduation Requirements
J. Morgan, T. Inman – currently 26 credits minimum required for diploma at SRCA. Explanation and illustration of SRCAs current 26 credit pathways.
J. Morgan NCDPI requires we offer a 22-credit pathway as the minimum state graduation requirements, also new requirements for Computer Science courses in MS and HS.
J. Morgan, T. Inman – additional consideration’s for building high school pathways include courses obtained in the 8th grade as high school credit.
Currently Eng 1, Math 1, and Spanish 1 optional 8th grade high school credits
Consider moving Earth Environmental (HS credit) to 8th grade high school credits
NC Board of Education update in 2023 - requires Computer Science in the standard courses of study for middle and high school students. High school – required credit for graduation pathways. Middle School – elective course changes.
J. Morgan – A pathway for credit hour updates will be drafted by the academic committee by April for dissemination to the Board of Directors.
S. Jenkins presented standards-based grading considerations. Interest has been expressed from teachers.
T. Sessoms – training is important; consider choosing 1 subject to departmentalize the standards-based grading approach (i.e., math). Helps identify specific areas of need – rather than general areas of need.
C. White – would help track if students were meeting specific standards.
S. Jenkins- would require implementation of standards rubrics across all grade levels.
T. Inman- would assist in differentiating between standards in Eng 1, 2 and 3,4
C. White – conversion scale of standards to percentages – for GPA
J. Morgan- would need to form a research, action steps, roll out considerations committee with a diverse representation of teachers across grade levels and departments as well as parents.