MCCPS Board of Trustees
Minutes
Academic Excellence Committee Meeting
Date and Time
Wednesday June 3, 2020 at 8:30 AM
Committee Members Present
Ellen Lodgen (remote), Jessica Xiarhos (remote), Kimberly Sullivan (remote), Matt Cronin (remote), Peter Cohen (remote)
Committee Members Absent
Emily Westhoven, Michael Condon
Guests Present
Molly Wright (remote), Sarah Plymate Ragozin (remote)
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 Jun 3, 2020 at 8:02 AM.
C.
Accept Remote Participation
Jessica Xiarhos made a motion to In light of the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, Governor Baker issued an emergency Order on March 12, 2020, allowing public bodies greater flexibility in utilizing technology in the conduct of meetings under the Open Meeting Law. This committee makes a motion to accept this Executive Order for this meeting of the Academic Excellence Committee, on June 3, 2020.
Ellen Lodgen seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Michael Condon |
Absent
|
| Emily Westhoven |
Absent
|
| Ellen Lodgen |
Aye
|
| Jessica Xiarhos |
Aye
|
| Peter Cohen |
Aye
|
| Kimberly Sullivan |
Aye
|
| Sarah Plymate Ragozin |
Absent
|
| Matt Cronin |
Aye
|
D.
Approve Minutes from 5/6/20
Ellen Lodgen made a motion to approve the minutes from May 6. Academic Excellence Committee Meeting on 05-06-20.
Matt Cronin seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
| Roll Call | |
|---|---|
| Emily Westhoven |
Absent
|
| Kimberly Sullivan |
Abstain
|
| Peter Cohen |
Aye
|
| Sarah Plymate Ragozin |
Aye
|
| Ellen Lodgen |
Aye
|
| Michael Condon |
Absent
|
| Matt Cronin |
Aye
|
| Jessica Xiarhos |
Aye
|
II. Academic Excellence Committee
A.
Role of Academic Excellence Committee in Distance Learning
B.
Review of Draft Math Department "Criteria for Excellence"
How do we replicate what we do in a remote setting?
Considering synchronous classes in the fall - Live Streaming Lessons
- Is this the responsibility of our committee or the Academic reopening commission?
- Narrowing the focus... concrete questions we would like to explore
- Community is an aspect. Different strategies to do that.
- Academics - PBL -
- Criteria for success for math - are we in a position to share this out to the community? - a way to focus us for the fall
- A "backbone" for the curriculum will help guide thinking and provide a framework
- Push to finish ELA Criteria for Success as something to guide
- State identifying power standards - curriculum frameworks to comprehensive
- PD for Staff
- Redesigning curriculum based on criteria
- Then again reworking for remote learning
- Taking different learners into account
- What is our priority?
- Alignment between criteria and what has been being done remotely
- Discourse missing - hallmark of what we do.
Considering synchronous classes in the fall - Live Streaming Lessons
- At the college level (Northeastern) live streaming lectures - not necessarily a good fit for our model
- Week on, week off - students at home would work on remote learning assignments
- 90 days of education vs. 180
- Staffing at lower levels - lessons look different in lower school
- classroom management on Zoom - standards of behavior - guidelines for parents - Zoom behavior etiquette
- 4th vs. 8th grade definitely look different
- Rethinking the start of school - time spent of systems, technology learning, getting to know the students
- First day on the field, gym per grade level to make face-to-face connection
- Strong communication between current teachers and future teachers
- How has the parent seen their child through distance learning?
- Small groups for parents and student to come in and meet with new teacher
C.
Next Steps
For Meeting on W, June 10 @ 8:00 - Review ELA and Math Criteria for Excellence; begin thinking about how we can incorporate these documents to help frame remote learning curriculum.
Meeting on first Wednesday of July, 07/01/2020
Meeting on first Wednesday of July, 07/01/2020
D.
Project Based Learning
III. Closing Items
A.
Action Items
B.
Adjourn Meeting
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 8:56 AM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jessica Xiarhos
Documents used during the meeting
- 2020_05_06_academic_excellence_committee_committee_meeting_minutes-2.pdf
How do we train staff to do some form of remote learning?
- We need a more unified front from grade levels
- alignment necessary for some sort of cohesiveness
State-wide there is a reopening commission