Menlo Park Academy Governing Board
Minutes
School Accountability Committee Meeting
Date and Time
Thursday September 18, 2014 at 4:00 PM
OUR MISSION: Menlo Park Academy is a public school that develops the potential of gifted learners through an exemplary program of rewarding experiences that nurtures the whole child.
Committee Members Present
Beverley Veccia, Carol Ryan, Denise Hieronymus, Melanie Monnette, Teri Harrison
Committee Members Absent
None
Guests Present
Brittany Ashley, Cathy Aldrich, Doug Thompson, Eamon O'Donnell, Elizabeth Klipfell, Katie Theiss, Leslie Weber, Rachel Haning, Tammi Belko
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance and Guests
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
Melanie Monnette called a meeting of the Program Excellence Committee of Menlo Park Academy Governing Board to order on Thursday Sep 18, 2014 at 4:00 PM.
II. Program Excellence
A.
Course Offerings
The team reviewed the plans for rotating curriculum in grades 5-8 for science and social studies. SY14-15 is covering the 8th grade curriculum for SS & LA. Mrs. Weber discussed the impact of the schedule. The board has asked that the current schedule be analyzed this year and a research-based plan be presented for the future.
The PARCC assessments should not be a focus of instruction as we are not a school that "teaches to the test". The common core is our base and we build on top of that. Ensuring students are familiar with the new format is the extent to which our faculty should be using class time for test prep. Teachers salaries/raises WILL NOT in any way be based on student test scores.
B.
Student Grouping
All students in grades 5-8 must be assessed and placed in math & LA groupings. Their path through 8th grade should be made clear to families. These placements should be based on out of level assessments (NOT just OAA's) and prior year grades should be a minimal factor. Demonstration of these groupings should be shared by the next meeting with details on assessment results.
B. Veccia to work with K. Theiss on adjusting the math groupings according to the plans. Students are currently not in the right groups.
C.
Next Steps
III. Closing Items
A.
Adjourn Meeting
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 6:00 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Teri Harrison