001Good evening. This is the uh Graten Board of Education Curriculum Committee um committee meeting. It's Wednesday, September September 3rd at 6:02 and present is Mike Whitney, myself, Adrienne Johnson, and the assistant superintendent and Marini and Marine Mancini. I'm sorry. Um so um so the first order of business is to review the May 5th, 2025 um review the May 25th May 5th, 2025 meeting minutes. Um are there any I'm just adjusting my screen here. Are there any um questions or are there any comments on the minutes? >> None for me. >> All right. And I don't have any either. Um, so I will um You want to make a motion, Mike, to accept them? >> I move we accept the minutes. >> All right. I will second that and to accept them. Um um All right.
002Um the next thing on our agenda is um to review the proposed revisions to the curriculum handbook. Um I think our curriculum handbook is relatively old. Well, not too old, six years old. Um but the district felt like it's time to review and streamline some things, make the curriculum development go a little bit quicker. So, I will turn it over to Ann Marie um and uh let us know what you've what you've got planned. >> Thank you. Uh first of all, I want to say welcome back to the curriculum committee because we did not meet this summer and um you know that was at my request. I want to again thank you to the members of the committee. We had a lot of projects that we were working on this summer. There were several I
003think like 22 projects in terms of curriculum projects that were revised this summer. No new curriculum was was written, but there were several projects that were updated or revised. Most of them were like high school courses or um middle school courses. Most of them were high school courses. We also had several uh committees that met at the um at the central office. There was like a committee that met to review the attendance policy. There was this uh committee that met to look at the uh curriculum handbook. We had a committee that met to um firm up our MTSS processes. And there was one other committee that met that at the top off the top of my head I can't remember uh what it was but we had a committee that met just about every week
004and we usually met like for several hours during the day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. So that gave me an opportunity to really kind of um first listen to our principles and our teachers and um usually the some representatives came forward and said, "Hey, we really need to kind of look at certain projects and then to kind of gather people together and then get those projects done." So thank you for giving me that time. Um and now really I'm coming forward and you know bringing some of these projects forward for approval really review and approval. So this is the first one and um you know anxious to kind of get your thoughts and your input on them. The next one that's going forward by the way is the attendance policy and that doesn't really impact
005this committee but you'll see that eventually if it goes forward to the full board. Um so the curriculum handbook from what I understand was originally written in 2011. So, um, while it was updated, I think the last update was made in 2018 or 19, that's still a significant amount of time when you think about, you know, things that are reviewed. Um, you'd like to generally think that things are reviewed pretty regularly. So, 2019 is pre- pandemic. I like to think that, you know, something um is reviewed at least once a year, once every other year. Um, and so 2019 is a significant amount of time. We got together with um several members of our ad uh ad admin team. No teachers were a part of this committee. It's um if we bring teachers on the
006committee, it is because uh and we have to pay them in the summertime. But I did was able to collect feedback from teachers that are members of the what we call the GTLC or the Graten Teaching and Learning Committee. during the year. I was able to record that um feedback and then use that feedback um when I met with the administrators who were on this um who worked with me on this project during the summer. So I did have some notes. Uh the biggest piece of feedback is um our teachers and our administrators are frustrated I think you know um chairman Johnson you had mentioned this with the length of the process um that it takes when we have courses that are new or need to be updated. Um it just right now the the
007full process takes approximately 18 months. And so, um, while you might argue that, um, you want the process to be thorough, I know I want the process to be very thorough. We don't want just, you know, courses to go out there and not have them to be reviewed. Um, sometimes there's a case where, for example, a new course is mandated by the state department of ed or we just need a a course um for graduation and um, in the case of high school for specifically and to wait 18 months, you know, it just really is too long. So, um, I'm going to review, um, a couple of changes. I want I have some notes here that I want to review. And so, just give me a second to pull those up. All right. And I'm
008going to go through the curriculum handbook. Now, I know all of um both you and and Mr. Whitney, I sent a an email that has a chart, and I'm going to kind of go through the chart that um that identifies the major changes. And um you know I want you to you know kind of I'll I'll go through them slowly but I want you to stop me if you have any questions about the changes. So the first major change and and the document actually is is marked up because I wanted you to see the changes um in the handbook as I kind of propose them. Um the first change that I that I would u kind of that's identified here is and I think this is a real minor one. Uh on page four, I
009substituted out there was a a specific document that was listed um by the original I would say the original authors of this document um by the state department of ed. that link is no longer um it's no longer active and the current link that is used by the state department of ed or the current document that is referenced for curriculum writing is now called the K12 universal curriculum design principles from design to classroom a complete guide to curriculum for educators in fact that was just sent out by the state department of ed and so I updated that link on the bottom of that page I didn't even actually I I gave you guys a highlevel summary about a week ago So, I didn't make note of it because I really didn't think that um this
010was going to be something that you really questioned, but um the old uh link that was in this original document from 2011 is no longer a working link. It's no longer a relevant document, but I did want to point that out to you. >> Do you have any questions about that, either of you? >> No. >> Okay. Okay. Okay. Um moving on to page five, we see some more um minor changes here. You know, I I make a note of state and national standards because there are state standards that um are relevant. For example, the um the C3 frameworks for social studies. That's a state framework that we use for social studies. And so I I did make that change by adding that. That's a minor change. Um there is one thing that I make
011um note of in the next paragraph and it says under the uh direction of the assistant superintendent and the administrative counsel and that's just because I lead that committee um I want to make sure that my eyes are on every document that comes out um that every curriculum document that is updated and revised and since starting here in Rotten um that's what I have done no uh curriculum document is finalized until my eyes are on that. I have done that in every um in every district that I've been in as the director of CRE, uh the curriculum for CRE, I've done that. Um as the deputy superintendent for East Harford, I've done that. And now here, any document that has been updated, revised, um any document that is written, I make sure that I um
012that my eyes are on it and I have final approval. Um a as you know I have a um ed in curriculum and even though I may not have an expertise in content um I do feel um competent enough to look at a curriculum document know if it's well written if it follows our uh district template and so um you know again since especially since we do not have department supervisors I just want to make sure that the that the curriculum is well done and so um that's that's been included here. I do feel like someone should have final final uh review of a curriculum document. >> Yeah. Um, I added a bullet here about collaborating with district and school uh data teams to uh review uh uh for student outcomes because I feel like
013that is an important step um that was not included originally because you I do feel like you need to review student uh data to um when you're looking at developing curriculum. Again, I feel like that's a minor piece. And then when we get into pages five and six, this is really where the meat of the changes come. And so this is where I'm going to slow down um because um the first couple of things again I felt like were minor changes and that's why I kind of went through them quickly. So here I'm going to really kind of slow down. I don't want anyone to feel like I'm kind of um going through things quickly to to push through a change. And this is where the changes that I articulated for you are um outlined
014on the chart that I sent you on email. So I'm I know obviously people um watching um if anyone else is watching um do not have the benefit of this chart, but I'm going to read them so that um from my notes so that uh so that I don't miss anything. Okay, the first change is on page five and it's in number two which is listed as curriculum input. And again, this is just something that um I had mentioned earlier and that's uh mentions me having my eyes as the assistant superintendent on every document before it's finalized and goes to the board of education for approval. And this does not require a policy change. It just is an added layer uh before it goes to um the board subcommittee um for that review. >> So
015where are we on page five? >> Um it is in in section two, current curriculum input. >> Oh, all right. Yeah, that's page six in the printed page that I >> Oh, I'm sorry. Now it's on It was on page five. Can we go back a little bit to um the curriculum development process just because I see >> um >> I see you know under curriculum analysis it says the existing curriculum will be reviewed regularly um to the change from annually. >> Oh yes >> and I realize that annually um that word is probably a little bit tough to review every curriculum. >> Yeah. And the reason why I changed that is because you can't it's not possible to review every single curriculum document every single year. And I just felt like that is um
016setting us up for failure to look to say that we are going to review preK through 12 every content area every single year is just not it it's just not feasible. And for I would I feel like I'm misleading um everybody if if it's written in that way. >> Yeah. Um I I I mean I don't know. I agree that um annually is unrealistic and and would be asking too much especially for curriculums that we know are relatively new or were just looked at regularly. Um, I've heard this come up in policy meetings that um, some aren't necessarily um, a fan and maybe this, you know, maybe there's some nuances to this, but the word regularly could mean, you know, every year or it could mean, you know, five years. Um, so yes, but that
017being said, I don't know of a better word. So I will tell you any ideas but >> yeah I will tell you um Adrian that there is a there is a curriculum review document that exists right now that um has um I think the document area on a five-year cycle and I will tell you that um none of the documents I looked at it very closely none of the documents are currently um in terms of none of the documents are following that cycle not a single All right. >> And so to for me to um to keep that in there and to um say that that's like that first of all that it's happening annually and then to keep the what's what's like what's currently like one of the reasons why we have 22 projects
018that happen this summer and for me to like actually go out there and try to find money is because teachers came to me and they said our curriculum needs to be updated. We have courses that have not been updated in years. We have any ESNC that um you know uh in our last review I think they were reviewed in 2020. One of the areas they said is most in need of improvement is curriculum because it was it um it was either like we didn't have courses that were written or needed desperately needed to be updated. So that was why most of my attention went to high school courses this summer. Um, so I really wanted to be transparent in this document in terms of being reflective of actually what was happening and what I needed
019to maybe in a couple of years I can go back to um to having a something on uh an annual basis or even um a five-year review or a 10-year review. Um but what is actually in place right now uh I don't believe is an accurate reflection of that. >> All right. But you're saying there is a um yeah like I said I don't think annually is a fair word or realistic. Um but you're saying there is there is a document um that that basically kind of outlines a schedule for the different curriculums. >> Yeah. Um it actually um has it by I think content area like so maybe it's like English in like let's just say hypothetically it might be 2020 2025 2030 but it is so incredibly inaccurate in terms of I I
020had to start my own document with the with reach out to the departments and say okay um like because they were all they had reached out to me and said like oh we need this curriculum updated we this and and when I compared it to the document that was given to me, it was completely inaccurate. >> Yeah. All right. So, that's something that you're working on in that. >> Yeah. It's going to take me a while. >> So, I mean, I'm I'm comfortable with with regularly and just leaving it to you to >> I will tell you um and I you see your hand, Mike. I will tell you in my personal belief in my personal philosophy of curriculum and how I handle things, you know, as a as a former department chair, as a
021former director of curriculum, I believe that teachers at the end, first of all, at the end of a unit should be taking notes about like this went well. I would change this next year. And then at the end of the school year, I believe that teachers should be given time to make those updates um before the school year even ends. And then if if if we have um if we have funding then give them time at the end like uh after school ends immediately to make those changes, pay them to do it and then be done. Unfortunately that it doesn't always work that way and it um obviously here they haven't had the opportunity to do that. So in an ideal world that's the that's the um model I'd like to move toward and then
022it would be annually but um again that's unfortunately not the model that was um being followed here and it's going to take me some time to get um to get the schools caught up especially um at the high school level or even the middle school level where you know um courses are have to be regularly reviewed. Mike, you have a question? >> Yeah. Um, I was thinking you could put that regularly and um, and this document you're building and maybe the old one uh, presumably has a name. You could kind of refer to that according to the schedule of um, you know, curriculum review um, devised by the administration just so that we can point to something. Um it's not it doesn't have to be included here but so that people know that there's sort
023of a plan. >> Yeah. I basically have to recreate it. So based on the courses that were revised this summer I think I want to kind of start there and knowing that they have been those courses have been revised then put them on the new schedule if that makes sense. >> Oh so that's perfect. So you can um just call it according to regularly according to the curriculum review schedule or something like that. >> Yeah. Something like that. put that and the my other part in this paragraph is I noticed um data was struck on two or three occurrences in in a sentence. Um and I just suggest that maybe instead of having data data data just say data of or about those three things. >> Can um can you show me where that is
024Mike? Just so I u I want to make sure that I make the correction. It's in the it's in the paragraph that's um oh you know uh it's it's right at the bottom of page five. Um data struck like two or three times. I think it's like student needs data. Um uh there's like student achievement data that still is there. Then it's student needs >> I'd say >> that's the that's the English teacher in me. I don't like to see words repeated in a sentence. But if you want to see it in there I'm I'm happy to put it back in. Oh, I just suggest put data about or data on and then just list those three things. >> Oh, okay. Yes, I'll make that change. >> All right. >> Yeah. And I I would
025support Mike's uh comment on, you know, just making a re, you know, making a a comment that we're referring to the schedule and we'll all understand that that schedule is um you know, incomplete at this point, but at some point um maybe it can be something that's, you know, followed after um after we get kind of caught up on it. >> Yeah, absolutely. I am currently, you know, actively working on that. But what a mess that was. And certainly no one's fault. Um, but I think a lot of it probably had to do at some point with funding and maybe lack of funding. And then once, you know, once the schedule gets off, you know, everything there's a domino effect. And if you can't update one year, then the next year's um, you know, kind
026of gets off schedule and then the next year's gets off, you know, now you're two years behind and now you're three years behind. And so they're unfortunately many years behind. So, do the um do the department leaders um review their curriculum like in the high school regularly or anything? >> So, here is the and I think I've spoken to you about this before, Adrian, and and I don't remember if Mike has been a part of these um of these conversations, but uh two years ago, I believe it was before I was right before I started as a part of the budget process, the department leaders um and I don't remember if they were called curriculum coordinators. I don't know know the official titles but th those um positions were cut and >> yeah they were
027coordinators. >> Yeah. And so uh normally in a in a district where you have those they would have um final eyes on they would kind of coordinate the curriculum writing projects and they would have kind of you know final eyes on the uh a final review of a of a curriculum writing project. Say for example that you were writing like an English nine curriculum. they would work with the um with the team that was writing and then they would make sure they had final review before it would go to someone like me as the you know um as the assistant superintendent of teaching and learning. But now there, you know, we have actually there's one of them. It's a part-time first person who oversees math and science and that person works like two days a
028week. Not that she's not competent, but she's supposed to oversee high school math, middle school math, high school science, middle school science, and only works two days a week. Um, and so, as you might imagine, her time is really she's really really stretched thin. >> Yeah. Well, I uh I know we've talked about this and we've talked about um like the vertical alignment through the subjects and not having that coordinator p person. um there might be a a loss in um certainly in knowledge, you know, for teachers to know what happened the years before, especially when you switch from middle school to high school. >> Yeah. I mean, there's so much that's lost. It's uh instructional leadership, it's coordination, it's alignment. There's so many things um that I think are lost when you don't have
029positions like that. >> Yeah. So, I I would be interested if that if that is a strong need for the district. I would be interested in hearing about that specifically, although that's getting off topic. So, I should >> That's getting off topic. >> I shouldn't do that. I'm sorry. Um >> No, that's okay. >> But that that can be for another meeting. Um if those positions are needed. >> Um Okay. >> All right. And then and then Mike, just because there's only three of us, feel free to just speak if you have questions. >> Yeah, absolutely. No hands needed. >> It's gonna get chaotic. Um so all right well all right now we can get on to number two curriculum input. >> Yeah curriculum input. Okay so uh again that that first one was really
030again I want my eyes on on all of those um all of those documents. So on page moving on to page six and this is where we kind of uh you'll see I start to um outline here the moving into A and B. Um here I uh talk about the curriculum subcommittee plans for uh reviews plans for new courses and approves them uh to move to the drafting process. Now again this isn't really um too much of this but I I'm I'm going to go into so the first proposed change reduces the length of of the process which is currently 18 months. Um in in the current process, teachers must first bring new or updated courses to the um board subcommittee and then it's approved by the cow, right? Um and then once these um
031are once these approvals are secured, teachers can begin the writing process. And then once the writing process is completed, the curriculum must be approved by the curriculum and instruction council. And then um then it goes to the full board again. Right? So again, that's why the the process is 18 months. But as you can see uh what I've outlined here in parts A and A, B, and C, I've revised just slightly. What I'm asking is that um let's see, I'm sorry. In the in the proposed plan, new or revised curriculum would first be approved. it would go to me instead of the curriculum and instruction council. Um uh would first be approved by the assistant superintendent and then move to the board curriculum committee, you know. So um it would still go to the board
032curriculum committee. A third step in as the third and step final step of the process, new and revised curriculum would be approved by the full board. So the full board would still um be a part of the approval process. Um so in the uh these proposed changes would only require a change to step number three of the of the policy which is approval of the draft curriculum by the cow. Since this uh is being secured by the curriculum subcommittee um uh secured from the curriculum subcommittee and final approval is ultimately given by the board. this seems um like an additional step and and that's kind of like you know um I feel like it's it's saving one step and and part of the time that is currently um I think creating additional um some of
033the length of the process if that makes sense. >> Yeah. the only um I mean that specifically obviously that would require a policy change that go to policy and then they would probably just review the whole policy and not just um you know to see if there's other things in the policy that that aren't up to date. Um but um my question with that is wondering if the curriculum committee um so so basically you're saying like a new course would come to the committee if the committee said yes that sounds great run with it then we'd spend money developing the curriculum. Um, if that's kind of the the target, my concern would be, um, I would hate to kind of make that commitment as just a committee for the board to approve a new curriculum
034and then it get to the board. Um, and then it turns out the board is not interested, you know, in in we'll say just like a new course for high school or something like that. Um, >> okay. >> So, I mean I mean that's I you know, I wouldn't speak for the whole board in saying that, but I would be interested. Um, obviously it would require the board to weigh in on that. Um, sure anyway. Um, and I can't say that I would, you know, at this point I don't know that I would disagree or agree with it. I would just like to hear, >> you know, what other board members have to say about that. >> Um, but I would um I wonder if there's another way because yeah, I see what what's happening
035here. It basically just adds a meeting. it it adds a month to the, you know, to the original, you know, new curriculum process. >> Yeah. And maybe um I mean, maybe there's some middle ground where like uh if we get into major revisions um because that's just a revision and not a new curriculum. Um you know, maybe maybe that that that seems like um it's probably realistic. Um I shouldn't even say that the other way is not. I just would rather hear from the board. And >> yeah. No, and I and you know, I'm willing to I think, you know, um I'm certainly willing to uh uh compromise on anything. I I understand that right now there's currently six process uh six steps in the in the policy um and in the obviously and that's
036what's reflected in the handbook. And I'm really just um I'm I'm trying to to really listen to the feedback that I that I'm receiving from the all the stakeholders which was which was the same from everybody whether it be teachers from um from our leaders. They're really frustrated with the process. And so um I was just trying to look at different ways that we could kind of reduce the amount of time. And I don't think they were looking to cut corners um and and make it so that they can push things through. I really felt like genuinely it it is a frustrating process in in that they weren't trying to say that they don't want people to have eyes on the curriculum. They felt like okay well if there is a board subcommittee and they
037have their eyes on the on um you know and looking at you know is there a is there a budget for this? is someone looking at to make the sure that the um curriculum is, you know, legitimate, you know, do we have the funding? You know, why so many steps in the in the approval process? And, you know, I think that's those are legitimate questions. >> Yeah. I mean, maybe we could um you know, I'm just kind of thinking of this right now, but maybe maybe actually eliminating the curriculum committee step out of it, so it just goes to the full board. Um the more difficult spot is is finding time with the full board. >> Yeah. And that's that's sometimes what the issue is too like um maybe we don't you know they have
038to wait for a cow to come up and sometimes that only happens you know one meeting a month where they have to they have to wait for like you know when it when they're waiting for it to come up they have to wait for the regular meeting and the cow is you know a certain meet a certain date of the month and you know it's it's a little bit of a process. >> Yeah. I mean, I guess that's something that um that I could um request with the chair that we just talk about this as a board um you know, and see what the board's you know, what the board's, you know, take on it is >> because it would have it would ultimately require the board anyway. Um so maybe we could um kind
039of answer that question >> um at least for this one part of the document um you know from the board like in a in a board meeting hopefully. >> Yeah. and and I am I'm I'm not committed to you know I this is a proposal I'm bringing forward. I'm certainly not committed to a policy change but anything that we could do to help you know to help our staff feel um like you know we could shorten this a little bit and make them feel a little bit more comfortable um you know that would I think make everybody feel like you know we are u making an effort to meet them in the in the middle a little bit and make a compromise. Um I I think they would be happy with that. >> Yeah. Um
040yeah, I agree. I agree. I just especially if we're talking about um if there's a financial implication, then it's definitely >> of course they with a new with a new class. Now um a major revision I could um I could envision um that being, you know, easier because we're not adding a new class. We're just kind of changing the way we talk about it. But that you know both of those would have to go to the full board. So um you know for this I'll just um I'll make a referral to the chair to um you know just to talk about this one this one policy change because ultimately it's going to take a few months if we have to get through policy. Um >> of course that revision >> Adrian is it actually in
041policy in a policy somewhere? I didn't go back and check that. >> So it is >> yes actually. Yeah, I actually look I wanted to look at it. It's something uh that um Adrian suggested that I look at and it is um outlined in the policy um all six steps. >> Yeah. I I'll go over these really quick because it'll be quick to read the policy. It goes present to the superintendent or assistant of superintendent for approval. >> What what number is that? >> Oh, it's 6141. >> Okay. >> Um present to the board of education curriculum sub subcommittee for review and recommendations. present to the committee as a whole for approval of drafting the curriculum. Upon approval, the curriculum is written. Step five is board board of ed curriculum subcommittee will review. And then
042six is curriculum is then presented to the full board for final approval. Um and and I had reached out um I had reached out um to Cabe on this. Um, and that final approval is um, pretty important because I was I was thinking that maybe the board um, would care about kind of the the broad strokes in approving it in the beginning and then the subcommittee um, maybe could just do the final approval. Um, but it sounds like that the standard is that that the full board would um, do the final approval. >> Yeah. And go ahead. I'm sorry, Mike. >> So, I I have some thoughts on this. I think in the steps um well one I I'll say like unless it's something huge I think it's it is reasonable to expect um that
043if someone submits uh u you know a new course um recommendation like and I've got to develop it and then then get it approved that I could get it if I were doing this I could get it up and running for the next academic year un unless it's something huge and you know if everything goes smoothly it should be able to track and 18 months won't do that. Obviously, that means it's two years. >> Um so I think that's I think that's a definitely a worthy goal uh to drive towards. Um and then um the cow step to me um in I mean we're not on policy but like that step seems like that one could go and and um unless certain circumstances you could even put this caveat in the the chair decides to
044send it the cow first because that one seems unnecessary to me. Um and then as you say like at all along the way it's got there could be financial implications like first it's the the um if a teacher is developing a course they're going to get some course development uh funds uh maybe a stipen to do that. Um, and I think that part of it we I think it's in the teaching and learning budget already. Maybe like as long as we're we're clearly articulating that in every year's budget, we might like the superintendent and uh and the administration might be able to say, you know, go ahead and start developing this course. We've got the funds for you to to do it. Um that that's why I was sort of wondering if if we've got
045a budget line that that covers this. It seems like we do, but I wasn't sure because that that already is board approval to to do that activity >> budget in. Yeah. >> Yeah. And I think that we can add something to the course proposal if it's not already on there where they like they actually create a budget like here's how much it's going to cost to develop the course. here's how much we anticipate the course materials are whether it's textbooks or um sometimes it's other resources you know um textbooks or um you know workbooks or online materials etc. um so they can come up with a you know sometimes things cost a little bit more but it's easy enough to price out this is what the teacher needs you know to um out almost like
046outfit the course sometimes or if it's like a you know say for example it's an EMT course well then you know it's you need more than textbooks right you need you need um like sometimes they need u tables or uh you know dummies or or like if it's a science course they need um flasks they need you know like it you know depending on the course if it's an English course you know then we need books but you it always depends on the type of course that it is but they can put together a budget and then when they bring forward the course you you know how much something like that is going to cost and then um they work you could work with the principal or the assistant superintendent to say well we know
047we can fund this through title one or we have a we have a um a grant or we're going to need board funds. So like the the curriculum subcommittee would have all that information in advance. >> Yeah. And I I think that's all very important. I was just separating out the course development funds part. I feel like if that's and it might be in the annual budget overall schools budget um that the superintendent or or you could sort of someone comes with an idea and appro approve the development part of it. um without board involvement. uh and and you know as um sort of like a funding a startup uh a little bit and then then that might be a way to uh shorten that first approval because it like basically for this coming year
048if we make sure that we have >> well it sounds like we need a lot of curriculum development right and so so we should we should have that I'm I'm just saying it for myself in in the budget uh clearly articulated probably in teaching and learning that function code and just have it there. And then that's sort of this is my ju just like we have professional development where um it's not like the board has to approve every specific professional development opportunity. Um um we same thing with curriculum development. We wouldn't have to approve it. The money's there and and those teachers can go ahead and work with whoever to to do the rest of it. And then it gets rid of that front part a little bit. I don't know if that's doable, but
049that's what I was thinking about when I because I agree like finding a way to streamline this while still getting meaningful input along and approvals along the way is uh important. >> Yeah, absolutely. >> And I I do have a a minor thing. Well, one minor very minor thing. Um so the curriculum committee is just a committee. It's not a subcommittee. Um, and I don't know if that I don't know if that's in the handbook or anywhere. I think it might just be in your table, which is fine. Um, and then and then the the broader part is if you read the the the policy that Adrian read, um, I don't believe the curriculum committee um or any other committee can actually approve like actually in quotes approve anything. um they can only um you
050know review uh discuss and then recommend for approval. Um and and that that's just I mean that is a a true I I believe that's how it operates and u we just want the the wording to be consistent. It doesn't really affect your steps but it it just means that like the the curriculum committee in my interpretation can never be the end of the road uh for anything that actually needs approval. If it just needs discussion, we can do that. >> Thank you. >> All right. So, so at this point, I will make a um uh I'll make a recommendation to discuss this at the at the board level um just so we can kind of get that started if we need to. Um but yeah, I think there's definitely um some ways we can
051work down to work it out to get you know what what do you think about um uh just removing step two, Mike? um like just take the curriculum committee uh and it's actually called subcommittee and the policy that we have right now but um but having the uh the curriculum committee um you know kind of taking them out of the step of the initial presentation >> I wouldn't support that because they're always going to look to us >> and and we're able to spend more time on something because sometimes it just comes through um gez I I can't remember uh where were we approving a new textbook maybe for a language class. I can't remember but it was it was pretty it it was it's pretty cut and dry and so we spent some time
052on it and it didn't take long in the board but they they did they did ask questions but you know I wouldn't have wanted to see that take uh 20 minutes of the board's time or something. I can't remember what class it was but it's >> Yeah. No. Yeah. It's just well researched. Everything was there and you know it took our time which is what it should I guess. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, I Yeah. No, I agree. I I would um what we what I wouldn't want to see happen is is um even though that the financial considerations aren't huge just to write the curriculum from the district standpoint. Um I know that a teacher puts a lot of their, you know, heart and soul into writing a curriculum and it's obviously going to be
053upsetting if they do all that work and then the board just says we're not interested. Um but again, we can we can just have that conversation and see what the rest of the board what the rest of the board feels on that that question. Yeah, absolutely. I wouldn't want to skip the the step of the curriculum subcommittee. I feel like um this committee is actually really important and um you know, you want to have this committee have value and so you know I I felt like um you know almost like almost giving like I don't want to say more power like the power is the wrong word but like more value to um the work of this committee. Um so I would not want to take away the you know the like the approval of
054or the review process the that step of this particular committee. >> Yeah. And and I think the um I think it's probably unlikely in general that we would make it that far and have it you know >> generally um we know that um that the administration and staff you know have an idea of what to do and and a good idea. So >> yeah, there's two other changes that I want to make note of um that I uh noted in in this handbook that um I want to kind of you know reference here. The first one is there are two references to old old committees that have not met in years and so I want to update the language. The first one is the district data team and the curriculum instruction council. Um the district
055data team again has not met in years. I'm updating um like basically since I've come on I've made new committees this year I'm um because of the extreme need for like a focus on attention an attendance sorry I've uh created like an a district attendance team. So we're looking at district data but there's a specific focus on attendance. Um so I'm converting the district data team to a district attendance team. there's no reason that a district attendance team would look at curriculum. So, I'm eliminating that reference um in this uh kind of curriculum handbook. Um and I'm also uh there was there used to be something called a curriculum and instruction team. Again, from what I understand that um committee has not met. Um there is a committee called a rotten teaching and learning committee.
056That committee was formed in 2013 as a result of a state mandate. Basically, the state mandate is that every district has to have like a professional learning committee. Uh, every district calls it a something a little bit different. Um, but back in 2013, this Graten Teaching and Learning Committee should have merged with the curriculum and instruction committee. They did not merge that, but it's it kind of stopped meeting. I don't know when it stopped meeting here in Grten. Um and so um I changed the reference in the handbook to the Grten Teaching and Learning Committee. The Graten Teaching and Learning Committee will take on the responsibilities of the curriculum and instruction council by reviewing new course proposals. Um and so um I'm asking or requesting that that change be made. Um do you have any
057questions about either one of these proposed changes or any reservations? Uh, you know, I don't It sounds like a um It sounds like a more updated way of doing it. So, >> Mike, do you >> No. And thank you for updating it. I will tell you that um last year I took both of those committees because I heard they hadn't met and I used I asked I reached out to um staff members who I heard were on those uh those committees and said, "Hey, I heard you haven't met. I heard you're on these committees. If you want to be on the um I'm updating the strategic or I'm creating a new um strategic plan and if you'd like to be a part of that committee um please join that committee." And a number of um
058staff of our staff did. So, I enjoyed being uh meeting those people. It gave me an opportunity to meet a number of teachers that I wouldn't have met otherwise. And um you know, they were great. So, um I I've since asked a number of them to now be a part of the district attendance team and some other uh some other committees. >> I've got a quick question on committees just broadly. Um is there so they didn't meet for a while, but is there time provided to meet? I mean, a teacher schedule is very busy. Obviously, they're not meeting during the Well, maybe not. Obviously, they're I'm guessing they're not meeting during the the summer, but uh when do they when could they even >> they're volunteer committees that meet after school. >> All right. That
059that shows the dedication for sure. >> Yeah, it really does. And in fact, I thought when I first put it out there like, hey, I'm doing a strategic task force. I know that you used to be on either the district data team or the um what was it other thing called? Curriculum instruction. um you know it's gonna meet after school. It's completely voluntary. You don't have to do this. Um a number of people came forward and said, "No, I'd love to do it." So, I was really impressed. >> Yeah, that's fantastic. >> Yeah, really is. Um and then the rest of the document um do you want to kind of go over it looks like the curriculum format was um fully so what I the curriculum format is actually shows up on page 10 in
060in the actual like how we lay it out but they had it on pages eight and nine in like an outline form so I just eliminated it because I felt like it would be confusing to users. >> Yeah, I saw that too. That's good. >> So, when we send, for example, when someone reaches out to me and says, "I would like to um update like I I'm or someone, you know, we approve a curriculum revision process." What we do is we take the old or or the um the curriculum that currently exists and I send them the document and they get what's on page 10 through 10 through I guess it's page 14 and they update that document. We don't ever send them pages eight and nine. So because they don't get that I just
061took it out. I want I uh recognize that Andrea is here. So, our gravitas just went up in a big way. >> Welcome. >> How are you, Dr. Ari? >> I'm good. Thank you very very very much. How are you? >> Very well. It's good to see you. >> Yeah. Um Yeah. So, Andrea, did you I I don't know if if you spent a ton of time reviewing this, um but did you have any questions um you know, coming in on the changes? >> No, >> I don't mean to throw you on the spot. Um >> yeah, >> it it seems like um like they're mostly uh smaller kind of process changes or, you know, not significant, but will certainly help the process a lot um from the district. the the I I wouldn't mind
062I' I'd be interested in getting your um your um the the big thing that came up is that um maybe having the CO not approve the curriculum writing and having just the committee approve the initial writing of the curriculum. So basically taking out that step where the um where the full board has to approve the curriculum twice and now and and the change would be that just committee says yes that sounds great or whatever that sounds great with some changes go write the the curriculum. Um and then it would still come to the full board at the end for approval, but we would basically at this level um be saying, "Yeah, that you've done enough. We feel comfortable with it. Go go go with it and write the curriculum." Um so that would require a
063policy change. Um because right now there's a policy that says it it initially goes to the committee, you know, from the superintendent or assistant superintendent to the committee, then to a committee of the whole for approval, which actually can the committee of the whole approve it? Um actually, that's probably more of a question for Mike that might know, but says present to the committee of a whole for approval of drafting the curriculum. So that might not even be right anyway because the cow can't vote on it, right? Yeah, that's what I >> So, so maybe that needs to be um adjusted a little bit anyway, the way it's written. Um but but >> I've always I've always felt that way that we didn't need to the whole board, you know, we have a curriculum committee
064who's you know intents on making sure that the curriculum is acceptable and we're all board members. If it goes through us and we say yes, this is a good thing. It doesn't need to go any further than that. >> All right. And then just the full board for final. All right. Well, um I I was a half before and now that we have two plus a half of me, well, I'll um I I think I agree with that. So let's just send it to the um to the full board for a recommendation to uh review the policy and then if and if because we would have to change the policy. So if other board members um are not interested in that obviously we can talk about that when we talk about the policy. >> I've
065heard this in the past though you know board members would say other previous boards would say like why are we doing this? you know, it's a if if the committee said it's good, let's move on. What what is it? What are we sitting here again? So, >> yeah, >> you're probably right. It would likely be the same conversation twice with the whole board. Um so um so yeah I I I think uh I think I agree that um you know we we'll just send it to the board um for a policy change you know or make a recommendation to policy to to um to take a look at it and andrea would um would if policy was going to look at um at the curriculum design development policy would they look at the whole thing
066or would they um you know as as the policy committee or would they just make has a small change to it. I mean, as a committee, would you normally look at a policy? Like, if you're looking to update a policy, would you look to update the like the whole policy or would you just do a small change? >> In my view, I just do the change. >> All right. >> You know, unless there was some blatant thing about this policy that really demanded our attention. I mean, no. >> Yeah. I'm looking Let me look and see when that All right. That policy was last revised in 2019, too. So, that's um you know that it's been a few years. All right. Um All right. I think that was the the big question to get your
067input on and I appreciate your input on that. >> I know. I'm glad my meeting ended early. >> Yeah. >> I'm sorry that I I had to be there. There was a Martin Luther King meeting with the parents and uh it was scheduled for Tuesday, but then just out of the blue it got scheduled, rescheduled without telling at least not telling me. I don't think he told anybody. He just did it. >> Yeah. >> It was >> all right. Well, I'm glad you joined us now. Um you know, so >> perfect timing. >> Yeah. Yep. Um, all right. So, is there um is there anything else that you want to review on this Amry or any other big changes? >> No, I think I think we addressed all the changes unless there's something that I
068that um you or uh Mike or Dr. Well, Dr. Actman just joined us now, but that you noticed that I I didn't address. Oh, no. Oh, there is one other thing. I'm so sorry. Um toward the end of the document there is there were two um two consecutive pages of textbook requests or review forms and when I looked at them closely I couldn't figure out why um there were two versions and so when I met with committee we looked at which version we thought were would be the um was really the most clear for would be the was clear for our teachers to use and we settled on the one on page 18 versus the one on page 17. And so we eliminated the one on page 18. >> Um >> All right. Or on
069page Yeah. Eliminate the one on page 17. >> There was one on I'm sorry. There was pages >> and then I'm sorry. There was It was page 19 and 20. Request for textbook review. Yeah. The one 19 and 20. And so, um, we eliminated the one on page 20 because we couldn't figure out why is there why were there two. >> Yeah. All right. Well, that's great. Um, so I guess for the so for this document, it requires the policy change and then would the the updating of the document would be just the curriculum committee. Is that correct? Like Andrea, does that sound correct to your understanding? Yes. Oh. Uh oh. What? What happened? I lost >> I lost everybody. Oh, dear God. >> H I don't know where I am here. >> Oh, all
070right. Well, I'll just restate my question. So, the curriculum handbook um you know was last revised in 2021 and it would be a new revision in 2025 hopefully. So, would it just be the curriculum committee that approves um the revised handbook? Yes. >> All right. >> Oh, here we go. >> Is that your understanding an Amry that it would be just the committee that approves the handbook? >> Yes. I because it's not a policy. So, it would just be my understanding it would just be this committee. >> Yeah. All right. >> And I I would say we don't even need to approve it. like the the wording in there is it says like revised by or you could say revised in consultation with uh uh curriculum committee something like that because we don't we don't
071really approve it and we probably shouldn't approve a handbook ever. >> Yeah. Yeah. I guess it is kind of more on the on the regulation side or um >> Right. Well, then as good practice, I'm bringing it forward and uh you know for your review and consultation. >> Yeah. And you can write that right on that like front page because I I liked how it said revise, revise, revised and one of them said boarde curriculum committee revised. We could just have a BOE curriculum committee revised line added with maybe this date or whatever. I guess may maybe we have to get that policy through. um first. >> Oh, yeah. We can definitely do that. >> Um >> well, it does say approved by the Graten Board of Education, but we could say approved by the
072Graten I don't know if we would say the Graten Curriculum Committee. >> I I just skipped the approved part. Leave the approved by because that's 2019 presumably. That was like a major change board >> and and and this one I mean you're you're just updating it and and make at this point making it run smoother and work better. Um and then the policy change will go through the whole board. Right. >> So I'll put today's date in terms of the revision. >> Yeah. And that way that we know it went the review went through the the committee. Yeah. >> Yeah. And unfortunately, if we put today's date, we probably have to leave that sixstep process, which is too sounds too long, but until that policy goes, we we should leave the six-step process. >> Oh,
073okay. So, I we can wait then until that that goes through until >> Yeah. Unfortunately. Yes. >> Well, presumably this would if we had to talk about it again in a meeting, we could just tack it into one and it would hopefully only take a few minutes. So, um, so we could always just talk about it again in this meeting after all of the done. >> That's that's true. We can add it to a if we when we circle back around to it, we could add it to another agenda item. >> Yeah. Um, but I think as soon as the I think sounds like everybody's comfortable with changing the actual um the the way the district actually operates as soon as the policyy's changed. And and to me like that that policy change in so
074many other instances has come straight from uh the administration first, right? So like Emory, you and Susan could put together what what you want to see this the that not you don't want a six-step process anymore presumably. You know, streamline it based on what we discussed and what your ideas are. Um you know, so the policy is not committee is not working from from scratch. Yeah. >> Yeah. And well, and we do have the the cape cave model policy, so we can um um you know, we can include that in um and certainly talk to Jody because he he knows a lot about this. >> Definitely. Um, so do you want to make do you want to um write up what the changes in the policy are and then uh let me know and I'll
075or or do you want to just make the Yeah, if you want to do that, Amory, let me know what the policy changes requested and then I'll just make the um the referral to the policy committee. >> Okay. >> All right. Um, oh, and uh um uh Adrien, one thing um since uh the chair wants referrals in writing, you could actually in writing include what you think the changes could be in light of this discussion. I'm just trying to move things along. >> Yeah. Um yeah. Well, I would I would assume that it'll just be once um once uh Amarie comes up with the revised policy. Should we do it that way? >> Well, yeah, we'll just let that I'll I'll let that percolate a little bit and talk to you about that later on
076how the best >> we'll get to the same place. Is it just how it how it goes to the uh to the chair in writing? In what format with it if it's with the actual policy revisions or um or just the intent at this point? >> It it'd be nice to see it go through before um say the end of the calendar year before we really started on budget. >> Yeah. And then um and then somewhere there was a timeline. Is that was that in the regulations there? a time. >> I've got the um Oh, yeah. So, that's in the regulations, which is where it goes um basically the the timeline goes from the 1st of April to the 1st of September. So, it basically says you need a year and a half. >> Yeah.
077And so I'd like to once we if we are able to revise the policy then I would like to work on the regulations because you don't need to you don't need to obviously go through the policy committee to change the regulations. >> Yeah. All right. Um All right. Actually, it says when I'm now that I'm looking at this, it basically says start writing the curriculum September 1st. Um and that needs to be approved to end up in the course selection. So that's still there that that long timeline is still um based on having it done, you know, a half a year ahead of time for course selection. So but yeah, um yeah, just let me know that the policy changes and we'll make that referral. >> Yeah, I'll work on that tomorrow. >> And then
078uh I know that uh regulations are not in our purview, but it's nice to be able to at least see them and you know, not to be ignorant of them. for me. So, >> Yeah. Well, that that timeline I think will help um like a modified timeline will help everybody understand why we need to do this, >> you know, to just the timeline part of the the regulation anyway. >> Absolutely. >> So, um All right. So, is there any more discussion on the handbook? All right, we will move on. Uh future meeting topics. Um, does anyone have any meeting topics that aren't on the agenda for right now? Um, so I think we're going to be talking about, you know, just I'll I'll just give a couple of them. Um, but our general thing is
079that, um, hopefully later this month in two weeks, we'll be talking about the, um, middle year's personal project will be the next one. Um, and then we're going to talk about graduation requirements. Um, so th those are the two in the next, you know, within the next month that we'll be getting to. Um, but if anybody has any other things they'd like to add, I guess now would be the time >> when when we talk about the middle year's personal project, we'll wrap in that that um class, the halfyear class, global citizenship, I assume. >> Yes, that'll be that'll be part of the discussion. Um, we have u I believe two teachers that will be coming to talk a little bit about that. Um neither of the teachers I don't think this year are currently
080teaching the course but I um at least one of them have taught the course in the past. One of them has um uh was a big architect of the um of of the course curriculum for that um class and so she can her name is Jessica Dunin. She can speak you know um with a lot of uh confidence about that class. The other uh teacher that is going to be speaking about uh the personal project is Chris Mor um who is uh one of our you know I would say our IB experts. I don't know his official IB title but I guess you would say he's our IB leader at the high school and um Kathy Wilson who uh leads our IB work at the middle school will be also coming um that day. I
081believe our next meeting is like September the 17th uh or 16th somewhere in midepptember. Um so all three of them will be kind of coming to speak about the IB personal project but they um but Chris and Jessica will be able to speak about the um global citizenship class. Yes. >> Any other comments about meeting topics questions? All right. Um, Andrea, do you have something for us? You have a motion. >> Oh my goodness. Motion to adjourn. >> Second. >> All right. All right. Well, thank you. Thank you everybody.