HS has proposed a 4th course, âCivil Engineering & Architecture,â which will only cost ... prepared for college
High School Curriculum Minutes 11/1/17 1. NYS Regents Exams -‐ The High School team has considered changing how much the Regents exams count in the final average, however, math is the only one that typically hurts our students (chemistry conversion is also bad, but test itself is not problematic). -‐ In general, the exams overwhelmingly help the averages of students in the district, therefore, curriculum coordinators are reluctant to have them weigh less into overall averages. -‐ What do we do in the meantime? District encourages kids with lower scores to sit for retakes to help improve scores, the state may be offering to include a statement explaining math situation for those students affected by faulty exams and scoring scales that students can include in college applications, and other options are being explored as well. (Class of 2019 is the one that has been affected every year since 8th grade, although each year has its issues.) 2. PLTW -‐ Plan was always to offer a 4th year course, as district likes to commit to 4 year sequence. Last year, 3rd course was announced as “the last” at a meeting and it wasn’t addressed immediately, therefore on everyone’s minds this year. -‐ HS has proposed a 4th course, “Civil Engineering & Architecture,” which will only cost an additional $3000 (District + HS have spent $80,000 for 1st 3 courses), so Mrs. McLaughlin is hopeful it will be looked at favorably in discussions. HS will cover this cost. -‐ Awaiting BOE approval Dec./Jan. -‐ Design and Drawing for Production (DDP) and Principles of Engineering (POE) are prerequisites for the 4th course. These first two are foundation courses, while CIM (level 3) is more of a student driven course. -‐ PLTW pairing with Studio Art & Life Skills to design and create Masonite gingerbread houses to sell for charity. 3. Add/Drops -‐ Creating a master schedule is a tricky situation because the district has a policy that classes with enrollment under 15 do not run without special permission. -‐ Careful consideration is given to how many kids are in each section of every class, so add/drops can create a logistical nightmare. -‐ Students/parents are given 3 opportunities to change schedule before the master is set – after that, it becomes an issue due to careful balancing, so all requests must be weighed. (Process: 1. Students pick courses, 2. Verification is sent in May -‐ best guess based on 3rd quarter grades, 3. Verification is sent again after final grades are entered, 4. Master schedule is built, 5. Portal opens, 6. Add/Drop begins. -‐ “Correction of Error” form has vastly simplified and streamlined course changes, but issues still arise. If there is an unforeseen absence on the part of staff, parents need to understand that someone (department head, guidance, office) must still investigate request before authorizing any switch.
4. Social & Emotional Wellbeing -‐ #Compassioniscontagious is the high school’s tagline this year. -‐ We have a new program called Upstander Ambassador (10 students), where students were trained to help with bullying. These students will eventually be visiting other buildings, because peer-‐to-‐ peer works. -‐ 21 students participated in “Safe Talk Training” to learn to identify someone in crisis. We will do this again in the spring. -‐ Anonymous students pushing in to lunch periods to sit with kids who are alone. -‐ Peer Educators program: Mental Health unit is now called Brain Health to include more and lose any stigma. -‐ HS has suggested anonymous 2-‐way reporting to superintendent. -‐ Looking into options for devices to be installed in bathrooms that could pick up elevated sounds (yelling) or vape. -‐ HS requesting more cameras for hallways. -‐ Homework should serve a purpose, not just be more work. Students should talk to teachers if they feel they have too much to handle. -‐ Painting the bathroom with empowering sayings – girls’ are done. Working on a plan for the boys. -‐ Empowering students to advocate for themselves. (See student-‐led conferences below.) -‐ HS Staff Development : team building games, google classroom, flipped classroom, 3D printers, teaching strategies to calm down (through #compassion is contagious) 5. Next Generation Learning Standards -‐ Not terribly earth shattering for the HS -‐ Changes are minimal in terms of Math and English. Often standards are simply being moved to a different area, not eliminated or changed. -‐ State claims they will fix the tests. -‐ Next Gen Science changes presented on 11/8 -‐ a few slides in presentation to BOE 11/8 pertain to HS -‐ Arts standards have changed to contain a media arts component. 6. Student-‐Led Conferences -‐ Mrs. McLaughlin added this to agenda, because she said that while kids report being academically prepared for college out of GC, data indicates that they are not prepared to advocate for themselves. -‐ 12 students were chosen by guidance (each counselor chose 1 senior and 1 junior) to lead their own conference this year. (Parents observe but don’t speak until the last minute.) -‐ Students were prepped on what to do and will be asked afterwards for feedback. -‐ District hopes to move towards this type of thing going forward to help students become more independent.