MCCPS Board of Trustees
Minutes
Academic Excellence Committee Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday January 8, 2020 at 7:30 AM
Location
17 Lime Street- Treehouse
Committee Members Present
Ellen Lodgen, Jessica Xiarhos, Kimberly Sullivan, Matt Cronin, Michael Condon, Peter Cohen, William Sullivan
Committee Members Absent
Emily Westhoven
Guests Present
Meg Upton
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance and Guests
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
Jessica Xiarhos called a meeting of the Academic Excellence Committee Committee of MCCPS Board of Trustees to order on Wednesday Jan 8, 2020 at 7:35 AM.
C.
Approve Minutes from 12/11/19
Kimberly Sullivan made a motion to approve the minutes from 12/11/19 Academic Excellence Committee Meeting on 12-11-19.
Matt Cronin seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
II. Academic Excellence Committee
A.
Summary and Key Takeaways from visit to Francis Parker Essential Charter School
B.
Dissemination of Academic Excellence to Staff
C.
Parent Recruitment to Committee
D.
Update on December's Action Items
III. Closing Items
A.
Action Items
Next Meeting- January 15th @7:30
B.
Adjourn Meeting
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 8:36 AM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jessica Xiarhos
- grade 7-12, 400 students, reformed military base
- one of the first Charter schools, Essential school
- on location Teacher Prep program partnered with Fitchburg State
- "the Parker Way" - Common Principles of Essential Schools
- combination of classroom visits, Parker 101, meeting with students to discuss portfolios, met with Dean of Academics
- 3 Divisions, start and end day in Advisory, 4 blocks - Arts and Humanities; Math, Science and Technology; Spanish; and Wellness
- Wednesday early dismissal, end the day with extended Advisory, then teacher meetings: faculty meetings, Division meetings, Critical Friends Group
- Gateway (promotion) to the next division. If students show mastery in a domain, they can advance early, if they need more time, they can stay up to an extra year
Consider:
No grades - "report card narratives"
Common Practices (of Essential Charter Schools)
Criteria for Excellence
Habits of Learning
Divisions (4+5, 6+7, 8)
Not for Us:
Limited Art/Music
Lenient rules on gum/eating/hats/phones in class
Student use of teachers' first names