MCCPS Board of Trustees

Minutes

Academic Excellence Committee Meeting

Date and Time

Wednesday June 10, 2020 at 8:00 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 10, 2020 at 8:03 AM.

C.

Accept Remote Participation

Jessica Xiarhos made a motion to Accept Remote Participation 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 10, 2020.
Ellen Lodgen seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Ellen Lodgen
Aye
Jessica Xiarhos
Aye
Peter Cohen
Absent
Meg Upton
Absent
Molly Wright
Absent
Sarah Plymate Ragozin
Aye
Emily Westhoven
Absent
Kimberly Sullivan
Aye
Michael Condon
Absent
Matt Cronin
Aye

D.

Approve Minutes from 6/3/20

Matt Cronin made a motion to approve the minutes from June 3, 2020 Academic Excellence Committee Meeting on 06-03-20.
Ellen Lodgen seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Emily Westhoven
Absent
Peter Cohen
Absent
Matt Cronin
Aye
Ellen Lodgen
Aye
Sarah Plymate Ragozin
Aye
Kimberly Sullivan
Aye
Molly Wright
Absent
Michael Condon
Absent
Jessica Xiarhos
Aye
Meg Upton
Absent

II. Academic Excellence Committee

A.

Role of Academic Excellence Committee in Distance Learning

B.

Implementation of Criteria for Excellence Documents in Remote Learning

Completing the Criteria for Excellence ...
  • Use and Implementation
    • How do we want this to look in the fall, if remote?
    • How do we mold it to fit remote learning
  • Developed to integrate well with remote or hybrid learning, but not developed for Remote Learning specifically
  • Have other departments review math Criteria for example of final form?
  • Really figuring out the purpose of the document
    • Organized by level of thinking?
  • Teachers should go back and look at their curriculums
    • Does every student get an opportunity to use/demonstrate these skills?
    • Refine curriculum units, lesson planning
    • Goal is to eventually lead to improved Exhibition projects/assessments
    • Gives parents a common understanding - ease parents' fears around any misunderstanding of curriculum intentions
    • written for teachers/adults 
      • learning targets with student friendly language
    • reorganizing Curriculum Maps - what's best in person vs. what can be done at home?
    • Extra week of PD at start of next school year?
  • Academics vs. Communitcation
    • "balance for parents - not too much or too little information"
    • Answering the question - "Why are we doing this?"
      • this is how you demonstrate excellence 
      • year after year spiraling 
      • students reflecting
      • previewing for parents - here's the unit and why
    • At Committee level - defining academic excellence and then ensuring HoS, principal are implementing

C.

Next Steps

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 9:00 AM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Jessica Xiarhos
Documents used during the meeting
  • 2020_06_03_academic_excellence_committee_committee_meeting_minutes.pdf
  • Academic Excellence- Language Arts .pdf
  • ELA Criteria for Success.pdf
  • Math Criteria Draft - April 9, 2020-3.pdf