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MCCPS Board of Trustees

Minutes

Academic Excellence Committee Meeting

Date and Time

Friday August 28, 2020 at 7:30 AM

 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82913159414?pwd=OXcyUlpIeVQxKzd3cGF2dTNhTXpodz09

Committee Members Present

Ellen Lodgen (remote), Jessica Xiarhos (remote), Kimberly Sullivan (remote), Matt Cronin (remote), Meg Upton (remote), Peter Cohen (remote), Sarah Plymate Ragozin (remote)

Committee Members Absent

Molly Wright

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 Friday Aug 28, 2020 at 7:58 AM.

C.

Accept Remote Participation

Kimberly Sullivan 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 August 28, 2020.
Ellen Lodgen seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Molly Wright
Absent
Matt Cronin
Absent
Ellen Lodgen
Aye
Jessica Xiarhos
Aye
Peter Cohen
Aye
Kimberly Sullivan
Aye
Sarah Plymate Ragozin
Aye

D.

Approve Minutes from 8/5/20

Kimberly Sullivan made a motion to approve the minutes from 8/5/20 Academic Excellence Committee Meeting on 08-05-20.
Ellen Lodgen seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
Roll Call
Jessica Xiarhos
Aye
Sarah Plymate Ragozin
Aye
Kimberly Sullivan
Aye
Molly Wright
Absent
Meg Upton
Aye
Matt Cronin
Aye
Ellen Lodgen
Aye
Peter Cohen
Aye

II. Academic Excellence Committee

A.

Review Draft Criteria

Update on Criteria:
  • Yesterday's PD included an update to faculty and discussion of the Criteria, including where the document is heading. 
    • Planning units, Exhibition, incorporation into Schoology, Student Portfolios
  • Humanities met yesterday as a department. For some, first time seeing Global Studies.
    • As a dept., paring down, editing/revising, eliminating some redundancies
    • Art, Music, Health/PE done
    • Foreign Language started
  • Where we left staff: Revised-revised document to put into Schoology, and then share with parents.
  • Lots of information, how do we not let this document get lost in the shuffle?
    • Parents hungry for information to set their students up for success.
    • Yes, the document is a lot of information, however parents need info - parents are nervous; give time to wrap their head around -put parents at ease
    • We do want it as polished as possible
  • Parent involvement is so high this year - by sharing exactly what the goal of an assignment is, more of a partnership between parents and teachers
  • When teachers present projects/assignments, say "We are focusing on this specific strand"
    • The more it's tied in to what a parent sees, the better
    • Living, breathing to demonstrate effectiveness

Roll-Out of Criteria for Excellence
  • Prepared for Community Meeting on 1st day
  • Understanding what child needs on the first day i.e. Schoology, iReady
    • Once comfortable with daily schedule...
      • Push aside hybrid until actuality
      • What's the day to day look like 
  • Roll out of document at Virtual Back to School night? In-person? 
    • Opportunity to ask questions in person versus over Zoom\
    • Parents should have the document in hand before
    • Presenting a video on how to look through it
  • To make it tangible ... we have a piece of it, but not the document in it's entirety 
    • introduce it as attached to a specific assignment/projects
  • Back to School nights by grade level 
    • give specific examples by grade level
  •  

B.

Implementation of Criteria for Excellence Documents in Remote Learning

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 8:32 AM.

Respectfully Submitted,
Jessica Xiarhos