Admin.+Team+Minutes

Administrative Team Minutes: Please click on the link to read Summary Notes from ELA Assessment Discussion on May 5, 2008 Colleagues, Thanks for sharing your thoughts concerning ELA assessments at today’s administrative team meeting. Below please find the questions remaining for our discussion regarding a standardized ELA assessment: Next Monday’s administrative team meeting (Monday, May 12) will focus on math assessments.
 * 1) What are the logistics of scoring the GRADE?
 * 2) Is it possible to have consistency between the ELA and Math standardized assessments (i.e. the same publisher)?
 * 3) If we pick the Terra Nova, what other assessments might be discontinued? If we pick the GRADE, what other assessments might be discontinued?
 * 4) Are other districts using the GRADE for ELA? For Math?
 * 5) What can we learn from the vcurrent grade 8 pilot of the GRADE (ELA)?

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MINUTES OF ADMINISTRATIVE MEETING = __ April 14, 2008 __ = __ PRESENT __ : M. McNeill, E. Fuhrman, V. Carella, R. Guccione, B. Smith, S. Schlanger, J. Enright, R. Addarich, B. Auriemma, D. Lennane, U. Carbone __ ASSESSMENTS __ The discussion on our district assessment plan continued with the administrative team (K-8 schools) and guests G. DeFeo, J. Levin, M. Palumbo, A. Sexton, and M. Fox. The following outcomes were determined:  ·  DRA will be used and level scores will go into the data warehouse. QRI use will be discontinued. DRA will be used 2x/year for all 1-4. A third (winter) administration may be done with at-risk students.  ·  ELP will be used K-2 for writing, listening, and speaking only. Results will not go into the data warehouse.  ·  A template for data collection by teachers was suggested.  ·  DEBELS will continue to be administered 3x/year for all students K-6. It will also be used to monitor progress with at-risk students. Results do not need to go into the data warehouse, but should go into permanent record folders.  ·  More research needs to be done to compare TerraNova and GRADE. What do we learn from each? What grade levels and calendar of administration might be appropriate? How are tests translated into classroom practice? This needs to be explored further.  ·  TUNGSTEN was discussed. The preference was to keep this assessment in grades 2-4 for math and ELA. Results will not go into the data warehouse. Achieve 3000 will be used (vs. Tungsten) for ELA in 5th grade and 6th grade (all) and with at-risk 7-12. Math consideration requires further analysis and discussion. = __ April 28, 2008 __ = __ PRESENT __ : M. McNeill, E. Fuhrman, V. Carella, R. Guccione, B. Smith, S. Schlanger, J. Enright, R. Addarich, B. Auriemma, D. Lennane, U. Carbone __ WELLNESS COMMITTEE __ Each principal will complete a template (from Ed) regarding this year’s accomplishments. This information will then be shared with the whole committee at its meeting later this spring. __ EVALUATION PRO __ Feedback was sought on this product. It has benefits in terms of consistency, efficiency, and a method for tracking areas of needed growth/staff development. We will continue to explore this option. __ OLLWEUS ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAM __ The middle school is interested in considering implementation in grades 5 and 6. Streamlining the program, so as not to overly infringe on instructional time, was discussed. There is flexibility in how the program is carried out. The Ollweus representative will be asked to contact each principal K-8. A desirable outcome with this program is that a common language evolves for all students. The program is research-based. __ SUMMER PROFESSIONAL GRANTS/CURRICULUM __ Changes are being made in response to feedback from administrators and teacher leaders. Ed will be meeting with instructional facilitators and department chairpersons in early May to discuss curriculum work. Expectations regarding converting products to electronic formats need to be made clear to staff. __ HOMEWORK PROCEDURES __ Teachers need to electronically communicate homework and assignments on a daily basis. There are many options for this (e-school, e-mail, wikispaces, websites, etc.). School vs. home e-mails should be used. Ursula will prepare a menu of choices with parameters and resources for staff to use. __ CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION __ June 1st is the celebration day. Outdoor education options should be explored for the site as well, via curriculum projects. Highview’s Landscape for Learning folds into this also. __ SUPPORT SERVICES UPDATES __  ·  New regs (4/08) re: RTI Implementation were shared by Donna.  ·  An overview of a new Centris Group program, RTIdirect, was shared. Ed, Donna, Ursula and Steve will attend.