Dec.+2011


 * Curriculum Council Minutes **
 * Dec. 7, 2011 **

Nancy Alibrandi, Val Aubry, Jacquey Blanchette, Bill Carozza, Steve Chamberlin, Sally Codd, Mark Dickson, Eileen Reinacher, Dave Tilley, Trish Walton
 * Members Present:**
 * Place and Time**: MSS 3:15 - 4:15
 * Minutes submitted by:** Nancy Alibrandi

> previous district practice of "when it's needed")
 * Items discussed: **
 * Welcome to Jacquey Blanchette, our new Curriculum Council Representative from Maple Street.
 * Textbook Adoption Process**
 * The textbook adoption process is tied to the curriculum review process (as opposed to a "cycle of textbook adoption" or
 * It's the next stage after we review our curriculum
 * High school is buying math textbooks (for Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II) to support the move away from the Integrated Math program; cost of the books have actually come down in the past year making it possible to purchase three years of textbooks in two years of the budget cycle
 * Vendors will be coming to the Math Task Force; the task force wants to pilot some materials
 * Amherst, NH will be using Singapore Math. Everyday Math is more widely used, but is not the book of choice to meet Common Core Standards because of its spiraling curriculum
 * Money is budgeted at the elementary level for consumables; so there's a little flexibility there if a new resource is needed
 * There was some discussion of the various formats that new textbooks were taking (e.g. iPad Math, Renzuilli online learning; nontext book science, etc.)
 * At what point does the adoption of a text need to come before Curriculum Council? What if the request for a new resource occurs when that subject is not under Curriculum Revision?
 * There's been a few instances where there has been some confusion, so guidelines would be helpful - don't want the guidelines to be so micro that teachers are unable to select the resources they need for their classroom; but changes in resources should be discussed if they impact other courses and grade levels
 * Val suggested that one requirement for textbook adoption be that the publishers agree to put a copy in NIMAC (National Instructional Materials Access Center) for students that are print disabled
 * Action: Leadership Team will draft a Flow Chart for the Textbook/Program Adoption Process for our next meeting.**


 * Curriculum Related Budget Items**
 * As of this meeting, the budget proposal for 2012-2013 school year represents a 2.6% increase - but it is still early in the budget process
 * Included in the budget is money for math and science textbooks for the high school; and books to support the curriculum in our school libraries
 * Summer curriculum was level funded
 * Also included in the budget proposal is a full time Numeracy Specialist for K-6 (similar to Reading Specialist but for math)
 * Steve would like to change the job title of the Reading Specialist to Literacy Specialist (which would reflect that the job includes writing as well as reading)
 * Steve would like the job responsibilities of the Literacy and Numeracy Specialist to include the following areas (still in the discussion stage, at this point):
 * Enrichment
 * Remediation
 * Professional Development and Support for Teachers (provide quarterly? training for teachers)
 * Accountability for Program
 * The ideal candidate for the Numeracy Specialist position would have a passion for math, be an experienced elementary teacher (at least 10 years experience), have a math degree or significant course work in math; district may need to fund professional development for that teacher because there is no specialization for math at the elementary level
 * Steve talked about some of the difficulties and challenges of the budgeting process (state funding, tax rate, low enrollment in the middle school, kindergarten numbers, etc.)

> [|The Parents' Guide to Student Success] breaks the information down by grade levels.
 * What are our next steps for Common Core?**
 * The HSD Audit of the Math Common Core Standards is on the Math Task Force Wiki
 * The HSD Audit of the English Language Arts Common Core Standards is on the English Language Arts Wiki
 * There was other work done on the October 7th PD day that still needs to be shared (Woodworking, Social Studies, Art-High School, Art-Elementary, Guidance, Unified Art, and the links to the Science Dept. Google docs)
 * Priority for Summer Curriculum will be to align our curriculum with the Common Core Standards; Task Forces will work on this
 * At some point, it would make sense for teachers to look at the Common Core areas highlighted in pink to see if they currently have a unit or lesson where the standard could be taught, or if they need to create a new one. Later, they should look at the blue highlighted standards to consider how they can "tweak" what they are currently doing to match the rigor of the Common Core Standards (need to redesign assessments/skill statements/instructional strategies?)
 * Steve talked about the possibility of having the PTA sponsoring a Common Core Night for parents (the PTA has wonderful resources about the Common Core at their website: []
 * Steve may ask the School Board to have the Common Core Standards as the 6th topic for their meetings (they have already selected five topics to examine)
 * There may be several consecutive days for Professional Development included in next years' calendar which could provide opportunities for work on Common Core


 * Task Force Updates**
 * Reading**
 * Nancy Alibrandi created an English Language Arts Wiki for the Reading Task Force
 * Next Reading Task Force meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 24th at 3:00 pm at MSS - to develop the Reading Power Standards/Exit Skills
 * Task Force will need to write White Papers on:
 * Essential Components of Reading Program (What does a Literacy Block Look Like?)
 * Use of Assessments in Reading Instruction
 * Minimum Time for Literacy Instruction
 * Recommended Professional Development
 * Collaboration between schools


 * Next Curriculum Council meeting is January 4, 2012 at 3:15 in the MSS Conference Room.**

__Proposed Agenda Items:__
 * Plans for Assessment PD Day
 * Role of Data in Task Force
 * Textbook/Program Adoption Flow Chart
 * A Look at Where We Are in the Curriculum Review Process
 * Wellness