001Good evening everyone. Welcome back to the 2526 school year first curriculum meeting September. We're off to a great start. Thank you everybody for taking the time tonight. I have a room full with all of our supervisors, administrative staff and my board members here. We have a packed agenda. So I am going to kick it off with the first item that we'll be discussing tonight which is the MTMS MTSS behavioral update that Dr. Shaskki is going to take over from me. Thank you. >> I'm going to pass off the middle school because they started with it to work with them. >> Thank you. So, approximately two years ago, we were afforded the opportunity to uh take part in the Rucker's comprehensive mental health grant. This allowed us to have a team of roughly eight uh staff
002members get trained in implementing a measure to assess students social and emotional well-being. Much like our MTSS system of supports for academics and which is a multi-ter system of support sorry that identifies students in need of differing levels of support in the classroom. This program does the same but focuses on the social and emotional needs of the students. As we know middle school speaks to the whole child's social, emotional and academic. The results of this work with the students will guide us in providing specific reports to ensure the social and emotional health. Mr. Lauri I had asked when this came out to take lead in it. So I'll pass it to him to do the presentation. >> Thank you. Uh thank you for having me, Dr. Lman. Lady members, I appreciate you taking the time.
003Uh if you look in the lefth hand side of your packet, I have the active presentation. Welcome. Uh so we're going to start off with what is the MTSS behavioral assess. Over the past three years, the Monroe Township School District has been working diligently on multi-tier systems of support or MTSS uh to provide students with targeted academic interventions based on their identified needs. Approximately two years ago, we were given the opportunity, as Dr. said um to participate in the Rucker's comprehensive um school mental health grant which complements the academic MTSS process and it's allowed have a team trained in implementing a measure to assess the students social and emotional health. Uh the goal is to provide every student with the supports that they need in order to feel safe, confident, and ready to learn within
004the Monroe Township uh school district. So why is this important? It's important because uh by identifying students, we can pair them with appropriate interventions which would reduce anxiety um reduce unwanted behaviors and improve uh attendance. Interventions provide students with the skills necessary to cope with social abilities, emotion regulation, uh and to reduce uh stress and anxiety. As mentioned before, the students again deserve to feel safe and valued in the schools uh and need to understand that the school is here to support them in anything that they need. So last year we were afforded the opportunity to run a pilot study uh where we chose one team from each of the three grade levels uh and we gave them what was called the strength and difficulties questionnaire which is commonly referred to as the SDQ. uh
005approximately 35% of the students who we asked to take these this survey uh took took that given survey. So 31 students out of 317 that were targeted. Uh the students who took the survey of the students took the survey 5.4% were identified as either needing tier 2 or tier three interventions. Uh some interventions when we when we noticed that uh that we offered to the students were these check-in checkouts where counselors would meet with the students briefly in the morning kind of talk about their day, create very small goals for them to set throughout the day uh and then check back in with them at the end of the day before they left to go home to kind of reflect on the goals that they had uh talked about in the morning. We have a
006a slew of counseling groups. We have boys groups, girls groups, mindfulness groups, and lunch bunch for students who kind of it's just a social aspect counselors pull kids from lunch and kind of talk uh to one another, shared interests, hobbies, and shared elements. Also offering individual counseling, uh constant parent contact and communication about their students, uh about their children and how they're uh performing in school, whether it's academic uh and or behavioral. uh and also referral to any outside counseling services or community programs. For example, uh food three uh I know is one that we can refer to and that's really for the tier three students. So moving forward with this for this year, what the plan would be is to give the SDQ to all students in sixth grade with consent. uh and they'll
007take the strengths and difficulties questionnaire and this will give us a baseline data of all sixth grade students and over the next three years we can build upon that data and have a total comprehensive idea uh of any behavioral uh social emotional issues that come up uh with these flagged or tiered students and this will guide us in the decision-m process to provide uh appropriate interventions if any are necessary for each particular student. Um and the SDQ can also be given multiple times even to the same student to to show growth um and just have that data to guide our decisions moving forward. So the process in terms of providing the um SDQ to the students to the to students would first we we send a letter home to the parents explaining the screening process
008and ask for parental consent as we do with any other type of surveys. uh in addition to the parental consent student also has to give their ascent to take the survey. So you also you need it's two layers. You need the the parents to say yes and you need the students to say yes as well. Once you have both of those we can have uh we can administer the screener. The results of the screener are analyzed and we determine who has been flagged which we can go through in just a minute on this flowchart. Uh the counselors and case managers will determine which tier the students, if any, tier uh would be in appropriate placement using the risk inventory rubric, which is also in the uh in the packet. Uh and if they are in
009need of any interventions, they're paired with those. Parents of students who've been identified as tier one uh will have a letter sent home explaining the results that they uh they're within the normal limits and that there's no necessary interventions at this time. And any student who is flagged as tier two or three, the counselors or case managers would actually call the parents and have a conversation with them and explain exactly what the total scores were or the subcores of the SDQ. Um so the the the next slide is the uh flowchart about how to go about it. they take the STQ we look at two scales uh in particular the total scale the total difficulty scale and if that's high or very high or if one of the subscales called emotional uh subscalees high or
010very high then we complete the academic uh I'm sorry the behavioral risk inventory sheet which looks at uh a whole a bunch of different data points and we can determine uh which tier based on the number of points that the students um kind of rack up so to Some of those things are attendance, uh, grades in math and ELA, uh, performance overall conduct records, uh, turn style check-ins, see how often they go to the bathroom and how often they go to the nurse, uh, and any other prior interventions that they may have. Uh, and I do want to add that this uh, inventory chart actually mirrors what our academic MTSS chart looks like. So, it's very simple for somebody to kind of do both. And we may have some crossover between the academic side and
011the behavioral side as well. Uh also in the packet there's a tier one sample letter that was sent home to parents of students who are not flagged. Uh and we also have a tier two sorry tier one letter for students who are flagged but then after determining the um academic inventory or sorry the behavioral risk inventory determined that they are tier one and don't need any interventions as well. So that's pretty much the overview in a nutshell. very quickly. Uh, and what does anybody have any questions about this? >> I have a question. Um, regarding special ed children, some of them have little diagnosis and where do they fall on your chart for counseling, they need >> so if if counseling, you mean if counseling is in like their IEP for example, >> right? And
012if they need something extra regarding this >> Yeah. So, so if students have uh counseling in their IEP and they do flag on this and counseling is one of those interventions that would appropriate for them, we would contact the students counselor or uh school psychologist uh and let them know of these things. We we do have uh I guess Dr. Hagen said we have a large team that's comprised of CST members uh teachers, counselors, and administrators on this. So, it's it's it's a very comprehensive um collaborative style group that we can communicate back and forth. >> Great. Thank you. >> Y >> Mr. Lori, when we did this last year as a pilot, if I understood correctly, there was one team from every grade. So, six, seventh, and eighth. >> Correct. >> And there were
0135.4% students of those that tested that qualified for two or three. >> Correct. >> Do you know what is that? Which grade was the higher percentage? And the reason I'm asking is because your plan now is focusing on all of six, no other, >> right? Do we see a pattern of grade being more impacted? >> So I I believe if I'm not mistaken, >> we had pretty even number. I think maybe eighth grade had more than sixth and seventh, but there were multiple students in each of the grade levels that did as being higher variable. >> Why are we picking for this year's plan? Why are we picking the entire sixth grade and not any other grade? >> Correct. So, so the the idea is if we give it to the sixth grade this year
014and we continue to give it to the sixth grade year after year, we can have a comprehensive um accounting of all the students over the next three years. >> Whereas their progress over the next >> and that's not to say that we can't give the SDQ to specific students in other grades if we uh see that they're having some struggles. In fact, in on the right hand side of your packet, there's a teacher referral form. Uh, and in from the flowchart, if we get the teacher referral form, it's a possibility that we keep the SDQ provided that we get parental and student consent to give it. And then again, we compare those uh interventions with the particular student uh to kind of alleviate any of the concerns that we see on the SDQ. >> Yes,
015please go ahead. Aren't the students thought they're tracked from sixth grade through 8th or it's just for the year? >> It's not necessarily tracking so to speak. It's just it's so it's to give us an idea. So for the academic side, it's easy it's easier to see because they're doing tests, they're doing quizzes, their performance is readily available. When students have behavioral or emotional or social problems, uh it's not always readily apparent. uh and sometimes even with the SDQ they they don't flag but I feel like we can catch more people by taking these uh giving them the SDQ so we can reach them early on and help them with the these interventions and to help you know coping skills and anything that they may need with the stress, anxiety, peer problems, things like that.
016>> Yeah. So my concern is because sometimes kids with they're going through puberty so sometimes in seventh grade tends to be like a hard grade overall. It >> sure is. And then in eighth grade start to see some of those more risk-taking behaviors. So I was just asking that question because in fifth grade they're still kind of you know making that little transition and we've not seen so much of these stressors as we are in the upper middle school grades. >> So I wanted to know if you're also monitoring the older students. >> Well we we monitor through like our counselors. Our counselors know who these who the students are who are habitual risktakers for lack of a better term and we do keep an eye on them as well. And these these are kids
017that are probably already in some of these groups. So it's not necessarily that we don't offer these groups to students who don't take the SDQ. It's just easier to identify maybe the sixth grade students who flag for it to pair them with these types of groups. >> So we do have monthly um call kick meetings that involve counselors, case managers, administrations, >> excuse me. >> Yeah. To um identify at risk students, students who maybe are having with academic social emotional trouble. there's another tool now we can put in our toolbox that if we identified them at the core kids meeting to use to kind of monitor their progress and identify what needs they might have. So >> that was supposed to be my question that the year before the pilot, last year was the pilot,
018we didn't have anything like an SDQ. So we were just watching the behaviors of kids and when trouble arose, we were in like this is just trying to >> You mean before this, right? Is that >> Yeah, before was going on in middle school before this. >> So we we would have our core kids meeting again that was to identify the um higher risk students. Um it could be for various reasons and then we would come up with action plans you know monthto month and then every month would be a check-in how's Johnny doing you know we identified this last month how's he doing this month you can almost see this as being more of a proactive piece too >> whereas other means of you know student gets in trouble or student has some challenges
019in class or you know you hear from um she I mean it could even be from a parent then then then you're reacting this is something that you're being more proactive and finding that you know those students before. It's the same thing that's going on in the academic side with um >> I absolutely love the idea of things like that staying ahead of >> and this this this um model or this this questionnaire actually goes until 17 of age 17. So we we can see after this year to see how it goes and then see if there's other levels of potentially you know because who knows we could do this at other grades, >> right? It reminds me of the questionnaire that my children have to go when we go for animal pediatric visit, right?
020So at a certain date they start asking these kind of questions. Children have to answer themselves. Parents cannot be looking at their answers. I think this is a great preventive um tool and like you said one of a good tool to have in our tool back. I think it's a great idea that we did the pilot last year. >> The financial questions does this cost us something? >> Does it cost us anything? It was grant funed. >> So it was grant funded by Ruckers. They have given us the questions. They've given us the the grading of it. Uh the next step, it's already in a Google form. Google doesn't really score it the way that we need to score it. So I think we're going to try and explore trying to give it through link
021it, but that's a conversation we can have another time, but it could be give it basically we can give it through link. I I'm wondering if we can score it through link it like that as well. >> Yeah. And just and for context, so each so we talk about MTSS as our district uh kind of umbrella >> um in terms of supporting and monitoring student progress. >> We have the math interventions, the ELA interventions. We talked about decision trees and the area focus for last year was to build out the foundation for a behavioral piece because as we've as we know we do a lot of assessments on the on the academic side. everything from formative and summitative assessments, homeworks, state tests or math testing. But having these tangible uh behavior centric data points is
022an area that we always looking for something. Um and you can connect attendance, right? Is it a school avoidance piece? Is it a is it connect? You know, there are other data points we have, but this is a nice piece that would give us um information. Right now it's about great fix. And another reason to think about I know it's slow roll out but a targeted roll out is we also want to build the supports around manageable number of students that need support. So if we start with one grade and they move to seventh and eighth and we have the continual supports. We did them the entire school this year. We have the staff to to probably support that. We would build that out as it grows. Um and again we can take a look
023at the high school. you know, maybe it's a sixth grade and a ninth grade screener by default, but you have that teacher referral piece that could be done at any grade level, right, based on student. So, MTSS as it has been growing, it will continue to evolve with our student body and with the tools that we had that become available, but this is, you know, certainly a tremendous opportunity for us to uh kind of connect on the behavioral side at the middle school specifically. And it's important to note that this is there's a parental consent piece with this and a student consent piece with this. Um, and you know this this questionnaire would be available for any parent that wants to see it as preview just to say, "Hey, before I sign up on this,
024I want to see it." Absolutely. This is, you know, there's no, you know, there's nothing that we're trying to do other than, you know, get good information and support the children. So, >> anybody else have any questions on this? >> This is wonderful. Good luck. I don't see a lot of it within this year when you do it throughout the >> Thank you. >> and continue on. >> Yes. >> All right. Moving on to the next >> item on the agenda and feel free to leave me gentlemen. Um we have document documents on the agenda. I'm going to start with Miss Trust. Um the Holocaust and genocide documents. >> Good evening everyone. um this document um was in need of updating um just as it was a little bit of an older document and um
025we do offer this course as dual enrollment with Kain University. So um students are eligible to receive credit through Kain provided they meet all the requirements um for that. So um this is our second year of that partnership. We did have students that um did receive credit last year. So um this course really is trying to focus on um prejudice reduction, the Holocaust itself, the history of the Holocaust, how could this happen? Um the looking at a um first unit is looking at human behavior. Um what are um some of the things that um we might not even realize um that we as human beings um innately have. Um then it moves into prejudice reduction looking at um the history of anti-semitism. Um, of course, um, Hitler's rise to rise to power, eugenics, um, the
026idea of eugenics, where that stemmed from. Um, it also looks at things like what life was like in the ghetto during the Holocaust, the final solution, um, resistance and how did groups resist, uh, liberation and aftermath, and then the really final um, unit is focusing on genocides that have occurred, not only the Holocaust, but in the past, looking at, for example, the Rwanda genocide, um, and even um some um other genocides that might not be as well known to students. Um this is definitely I always give this disclaimer. This is definitely a course for a mature student who is ready to handle this kind of coursework. Not necessarily because of difficulty, but because of the discussions that you're going to be having about this kind of content. Um, it can be a little bit um
027challenging for some students if um it's it's a depressing topic. I don't know how else to say it. Um so um but it's a really really well-run course. The students do great with it. Um there's a lot of opportunity for students to interact not only with each other but also do a lot of self-reflection um and really learn a lot more about the outside world beyond just the history of it. So um the teacher who teaches at Miss Schwarz did an excellent job. there's not as many um written tests. It's more project based. Um so students are really getting an opportunity to explore um these different topics. >> I've been here four years and I keep learning more and more. It's just amazing. How is there a prerequisite? And what is the youngest grade level
028that our counselors let the students take this course? >> I believe I have to check the program of studies. Um, I believe we say 11th and 12th graders, but I would have to check. I know freshman it just doesn't even really fit into their schedule. >> And no prere? >> No, not really. >> Does this count towards a social studies? >> It would be an elective credit. >> It'll be an elective. >> An elective credit. Um, so because our graduation requirements are a world history and then two US histories um from the state. So this would be an elective. Um again though there is the option that the students can get um credit from Kain for completing this course here with us. So they get three credits and we can't always guarantee that's always our
029pre you know we can't always guarantee that whatever institution the child is going to will automatically take it but a lot of students do find that when they go to college they are given this as a general Is that something? >> No, it is 11th and 12th. >> Thank you. >> 11th. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? Any questions on those boards? >> All right. Seeing none, Miss Russ, thank you very much. Mr. Schneider, you're up next. You have >> some documents. And if you don't mind passing them colorful folders coming our way, >> I like colors. What can I say? I'll wait for a new folder. Yes. Yeah, that's perfect. Good evening everyone. So, I have two documents um to present this evening. The first is a brand new course at Monroe Township High
030School called Honors Piano. This is something that we're very proud of because our piano program has really almost exploded over the past couple years. Um and we've been able to offer three levels of piano. piano 1, piano 2, piano 3. Now, in looking at the structure of our music program, our wind ensemble is honors credit. Our choirs are honors credit, our treble choir and our uh concert choir are both honors waited. And we've had an honors percussion ensemble for about 5 years now. So to make this even for the piano players that are in the district that aren't necessarily in a large performing ensemble, we had the structure in place now to um replace piano 3 with this course which we are calling honors piano. This course is open to students that have a minimum
031of three years of piano study um or or in their third year. the it is um prerequisite would be piano 2 or an audition and teacher recommendation. So um so it can open the the the gamut that if a student has been playing piano on their own for for um for years taking lessons studying outside they would be able to skip over our first couple levels of of piano instruction and audition successfully into this course. Um, this course focuses on very advanced piano literature at the um at the highest level because they will be receiving honors credit for this um this course. I think I said it last month when I presented piano too. The goal of our piano program at Monro Township High School is not necessarily to find the next Liberace per se,
032but to um give students a lifelong skill in learning in learning piano. This course however will um push the technical demands of what's uh required for a high school student as it is the honors weighted as I say um they will be developing advanced technical skills um in preparation to apply for their music. The class will have more of a um um a um music theory is going to be um heavily studied in this class more so than the other levels. and students are going to um get to perform a variety of repertoire uh ranging from classical to jazz in this course. Um it's going to provide students opportunities for inside school performances as well as outside and even in the community, but um we're requiring two solo piano recitals a year just for the
033students that are in that are in this course. The course is um driven by the um New Jersey 2020 visual performing arts um standards and the 2017 social emotional standards. And our highlights are, like I said, music theory, advanced repertoire and technique, all their scales, major and minor, um practice process, and um really this course teaches the students not only that they need to practice, but because of the level of literature, it really dives into how to practice and how to practice correctly so they're gaining the most out of their practice sessions. And then advanced musicality and expression, but um brand new course. We just launched it uh last week. First the first first run of it. >> I think we just took it up to the next level. So when when I first heard
034about the piano elective, I what I noticed was it was an easy elective for kids that had never done music but wanted to like play around with it. So, and a lot of kids enjoyed that elective, piano one, piano 2, but this kind of addresses that demographic of kids that grew up taking piano lessons >> don't necessarily play in our band >> because we don't except for the jazz band, you don't really need piano. >> They're going to get honors credit now. So, >> correct, >> you know, and they can get into it freshman year just by auditioning is what I understand. >> So, this year it was 10 through 12. We opened it up 10 through 12. Next year, given the success that we had the numbers, we're going to open it up to
035n to nth grade as well. It's going to be rare for a ninth grader to um >> take it into giving them honors credit for something that they've put in throughout their life, it's probably going to come easy to them. So, >> correct. So, next year the plan >> great opportunity. >> So, the plan next year is to make this if a freshman does want to audition and come in, we're going to now that we know we we have the class there. To your point, the one last thing I'll say about this is the piano players, which I'm really excited about. They're on an equal playing field now with the rest of our musicians in terms of to be in Tri, which is our music honors society here at at the high school. They had
036to be in an honors level class, whether that's honors concert choir, honors wind ensemble, honors percussion ensemble. In the past, the past couple years since I've been in this role, I had a couple piano players say I'm not in one of those ensembles, but I I'm an exceptional piano player. This now gives the opportunity for them to be in Tri, the music honor society, and to perform at the Tri Recital in addition to the required two recital there. So, I'm very happy. And now all of our music program or our, you know, um choir, band, percussion, piano, they're all on the same playing level. So, >> well, that is the string instrument. just saying >> I'm I'm ready to go. So, >> but this is great at least you've given our you know so many
037outstanding piano players in the district that I know >> this is going to give them an even playing ground and an opportunity at triumph. So, thank you. I'm very happy about this. Anybody have any questions on this? Okay, our next course and my final curriculum documents for the year. Actually, this is this is going to be I know I did a lot last month, but this is my final one is our rhythmic movement course, which is open to students 10 through 12 at Monroe Township High School, which um they may take as their fid requirement for the for the school year. Um, rhythmic movement is for students who have an interest in activities uh that vary such as dance, yoga, personal fitness and that is more of an interest to them more than the um
038the activities that are done in general fizzed at the at at the high school. The hopes of the outcomes of the of this class are that students will gain lifelong skills and activities that they can really enjoy and participate in through their life. Um, and students will be comp they're going to be able to go into as adults and as graduates go into any dance or fitness class um, and have the correct knowledge, know the etiquette and really be able to walk in and know the structure and the procedures and the proper practices there. So, um, this course is open to, like I said, students 10 through 12 and is driven by the 2020 comprehensive physical educational physical education and health standards and the 2017 social emotional learning standards. Some of the highlights of the
039document are they're going to learn um styles of dance such as ballet and jazz and the the correct styles, postures, and how to even choreograph for both in in in that. They're going to learn yoga, which um I'm going to make sure I attend one of those. Something I always wanted to do. Um and the correct poses, etiquette, proper breathing, and have peer-to-peer feedback. and then move on to um contemporary and hip-hop styles and learn proper terminology and grooves in the more contemporary style. Um they're going to learn another unit is Pilates and they learn the six principles of Pilates, concentration, control, centering, flow, precision, and breath. and they do co uh uh cumulative dance challenges where um one person will begin a dance and the and the choreograph then the next person in the
040class will perform what the prior student did and add their own to it and then it's a lot of teamwork in the in and the kids have a great time doing that. So I want to give kudos to uh Stephanie D'Angelo our teacher. does a fantastic job with this course and uh really prepares these students for for um for some lifelong skills which are great. >> It sounds like a really fun class. Does this help me the graduation before coming or whatever? >> For for >> for physics. Oh, for fizz, not for arts, for visit for visit. Yes. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> So, the there's there's a requirement for some sort of an art formula that this would >> this would not for the art. This would be for this is for fizzed. Um
041the piano course I just mentioned that would be art. Um all of our studio art classes, our ceramics and sculpture classes would meet that. Our pop music history, this is considered physical education and health. But it there are a lot of carryovers, but this is um interesting enough this is the fizzed class. So they have this for three semesters and then depending on what grade they're in, they'll have once. >> Anybody else any questions on this class? >> Excellent. Thank you so much, Mrs. >> My pleasure. Thank you. >> Thank you. Moving on. Dr. Roselle, you're up for two topics today. >> Yes. Um so the first document I'm going to present is a new course at the high school um titled ESL math foundations. Um every year I am reviewing the student data the
042testing data um for our multilingual learners and this course was developed to address an increasing population of SLIE students. Slife stands for students with interrupted limited or interrupted formal education. So, we may have a student who comes to us and for whatever reason um may not have been in school for a couple years or may come from a region of the world um where their education would be there's a teacher there when they get to school that day, great. Um but they may go um a period of time without a teacher and that results um in weaker foundational skills. Um, so a student who may not have been in school, let's say since fifth grade, um, is not adequately equipped to take a grade level math course such as algebra 1, geometry, algebra 2. Um,
043so we have targeted students. These are these are slip students or newcomers who we have assessed um are lacking foundational math skills. Um, students are provided elective credit for this course. it does not count toward their math sequence. Um, and the curriculum provides pre-alggebra, early algebra, and in some cases even more remedial skills. Um, using the eighth grade math curriculum as a guide. Um, Mrs. Gasco has been instrumental in um, providing guidance and resources in this as well. Um we have also procured um SABA's success maker foundations of high school map which is a um intervention program that provides um baseline data. So students take a diagnostic and put them on an individualized learning path and the resources in this are translated into over a 100 languages. Um there are many programs where there will
044be a Spanish translation but not necessarily other languages. So that was a key element in selecting this particular tool. Um and it also allows the teacher to progress monitor students um and then to intervene and provide um other instruction. Um, this is taught by an ESL teacher who has um a math background as well and she is able to provide the language scaffolds um because I'm sure to what some people may believe math is very languageri that tier three vocabulary can really impact um students as well. Um, so we're really excited to to get this course off the ground um and to really help students be successful when they get to their statemandated courses um because we don't just want to get them through. We truly want them um to learn and to be able
045to access the grade level standards when they get there. >> Great. So we're this is our first year launching it. >> Y >> and what made us like what how did you see the need for it? I know our ESL population has significantly improved the years, but were we seeing the challenge where they were not meeting graduation requirements? >> Not necessarily not meeting graduation requirements, but students in conversations um with Mrs. Gasco, with the ESL teachers, with the math teachers and students themselves, um their class performance was was not what it needed to be. So despite the um language modification that we were already able to provide, students just really didn't have the foundational skill background to be able to access some of the content because they had that limited or interrupted formal education in
046math. Um we were also able to use for our Spanish speaking students um our universal screener map um math growth. we were able to assess them in Spanish and we would see those weaknesses for students um even when tested in their first language. So that's really indicative of the of us needing to come in and build those skills. Um whereas in other content areas it doesn't build on each other the same way that math does. Um language arts doesn't. Um social studies. Um but it math if we don't have those foundational skills students will continue to struggle. an interesting definition that reveals the right to the limited or interrupted formal education. Do you see the most ramifications of that in maths that while we are yok um we will also see that um in students
047who have do not have literacy in their primary language because the greatest indicator of success in learning a second language is having strong literacy in your first language as well. Um so students who who do not have a strong literacy in their in their first language um will continue with some acquisition of of English as well. >> Yeah. And did we take this from another school or did we develop it from scratch >> from scratch? >> Kudos to you. That's awesome. >> It also aligned with the new program that we brought into the alpha and geometry and algebra 2 through the program. um they had this Pearson success maker and so when we were getting presentations from them we noticed that and we saw that and that was something we were like this could actually
048be something that would be a huge tool for these students as opposed to those students taking algebra 180 for the first time regardless of what grade they come in nine count or 11 and getting a no grade because they're not understanding it and they're also not understanding the language we can give them some math skills while they're learning it at the same time and it's something that's becoming beneficial because when they start to master the language, if they don't have pre-alggebra skills, it's going to be very very difficult to get them through the algebra one at the same time. So, the idea is to make them feel success to want to stay in school to get to the point of graduating. >> And we had had other interventions in place as well. um some push-in
049support um for math classes with an ESL teacher pushing in um and our content area teachers are SCOP trained to be able to support students. Uh we also have an afterchool program. So, we had tried um less intensive interventions um but in conversations um with uh EFL teachers, this this really was necessary to to put students on a path toward success in math. >> I I'm so excited for everybody. Go ahead. >> How many skills are current? >> Um right now we have four students in the class right now. So, we have four students um identified and all of our new students um screening is part of what we do and we're required to do our records review by state. So, as we get new students throughout the year, um students may be enrolled if
050we've identified them as as slice. >> Any other questions? >> Well, I'm grateful to the work that has gone into this. Good luck. I hope you'll see a lot of uh success with this program. >> We're looking forward to it. Um my second document um complete 180 from the first is drama and acting one. Um this is a revised document. Um so curriculum revision um to update to the visual and performing arts standards and the ELA standards as well. Um we also have a newer teacher um teaching the course. So really allowing her to put her stamp on that um as we update it as well. It is a performancedriven course. Um so students are performing every day. They are working um collaboratively in small groups in pairs um doing individual performances as well. Um
051there are six units that really build upon each other um and increase in complexity. Uh this is a an entrylevel course. Um so the first is an introduction to theater spaces and ideas and the concepts of you know the stage. It is not just acting. There are are a lot um of different ideas and practices that go into putting on um a play theater as play. So using games to explore techniques. Students are um engaging in different activities there. uh improvisation, improv, core principles of acting, scene studies. Um and then the culminating unit is a showcase project. Um students really get into what it means to act, how we read a script, how we interpret a script, um how characters find motivation and draw on different um sources of inspiration as well. Um, this is
052a prerequisite to drama and acting too. Um, which was mapped over the summer and will be rewritten um, next year. Love it. Um, it's what I love about this course is students are really building confidence. They're beginning to work. Um, there is interpersonal team building. Um, their organizational skills and their literacy skills as well. So um reading, writing, speaking and listening are still inherent in this course as well. >> What grade levels they're taking? This is one. So there I'm assuming there is more. >> This Yes, this is nine and 10 I believe, but I will confirm the >> Do we have drama and acting too? >> We have drama and acting two um which is is running um now as well. And that course was mapped this summer um it'll be fully rewritten for
053next summer. >> Does that have performing arts credit for graduation in the department? Yes, this is performing arts credit. This is not ELA credit. >> Okay. Excellent. Yeah. You you present the two documents that had both had no ELA credit, right? The other one would also have a doesn't have no credit. >> No. >> All right. Thank you. I have the last two documents tonight. All yours. >> Okay. So, the first one I'm going to do is introduction to computer science, which is the new more modern name for computer programming. So the um the course at one point hadn't changed really but we've updated it um in particular to match the new standards. Um the computer science standards changed in 2020 to be called computer science and design thinking. Um they are incorporated into every
054document there is but this is obviously takes really a hit of the programming perspective of it. Um to give you an idea of the mission of the new standards is to have all students have equitable access to a rigorous computer science and design thinking education which is why we need to have a course that is not such a high level that only the top students can take it but one that students can take it to show an interest because there's all different types of um technology computer science type fields that students could go into. Um we have updated this um because computer science does change a lot um and it's been the last two years that we've been kind of working with it um with the help of actually having the AP computer science principles
055to give a little bit of a foundation that was new to the college board. Um this aligns more closely to that but at a less rigorous level. So um it's more discreet. The programming is going to be you know much more basic going through but it does give them a lot of the basics. Um, it does cover the same concepts that it had in the past and the concepts that were core to it were variables, data types, control structures. Um, this might all be Greek, too. Um, functions, arrays, all the true concepts that were in the original one are in it. Um, but the name itself, again, it just was a more modern name and we thought was more appropriate. Um, because it wasn't just programming, it's really about the understanding of computer science in
056general. Um the topics that are covered include hardware, software, number systems, logic systems, networking, um the impact of computer um just computer and computers and algorithms which is also a very key component of the new standards they have is just um how it affects the real world and going through um the units are written differently. It's a little bit different of an order than beforehand, but again, it aligns now where if the students take this course, they won't be at a disadvantage of going into the AP computer science A um because they can take this, they have to have a very high grade in this or take the AP computer science principles and they both lead in. In the past, there was more of a disconnect because this course has been around longer. Um the
057programming uh language that they now use is either C++ or Java. Again, keep in mind the points of these two programs, the two beginning ones are to prepare students for the AP computer science A, which is the one that is really the college level that the the colleges are really truly looking for. Um, so it does not have the extremely high rigor of the AP computer science principles, but we are supposed to have courses for everybody going through. It's had a very high level of success. Um, some students do move forward and move on with it, and other students take it as something that they think is interesting. um you know maybe it aligns with things that maybe they just they said this is not what I want to do you know for the rest
058of my life type of thing um but that's pretty much you know does have all of the crosscurricular like it does it it's updated in terms of the format having the vocabulary the tier 2 the tier three um but for the most part it was more about changing the language of aligning things um it may not have the exact same order as the computer science principles but it does cover the same topic so they're not me it's not meant to be aging computer science principles But it is, you know, we we we're updating it as time goes on. >> This has how many sections this year? >> So, we have two sections of this this year. >> All grade levels or are we not allowing freshman? >> So, what we've done for the I I
059can only tell you what the program of study says for this particular current year. Okay. Um, just to kind of give you the big picture, the AP computer science principles because these are the two that are the introductory course was saying 10 through 11 and that was because we were trying to give the most advantage to the 11th grade students for the 10th and honestly there weren't enough spaces to give it to the nth graders. So, we didn't want there to be um just an a thought out there that you're going to get it and we know it's going to fill up automatically. The last couple years we've ran a lot of sections of that. So, we've gotten caught up which is kind of nice. um we gave priority to juniors for that over seniors
060because the intent of the AP computer science principle should be that you want to continue with the track um through the next one. The computer programming as it stands right now says doesn't say a grade level. So it could be 9 through 12. So again it I would have to talk to Dr. Higgins, but my guess would be the priority would be given to a a senior that hasn't had computer science, but we don't have students that I don't think anybody has not had it or it might be a scheduling conflict of a couple. Very similar to the province stats that we talked about last month. Um, we are running right now. I wrote it down because I had a feeling the question was going to come up. Um, so this right so we have
061three sections of computer science A which is what we had um actually. Yeah, we three sections of computer science A and I think every one of the students um that didn't have scheduling complex was able to get into it. I'd have to to verify that with Dr. Higgins. Um I do have two sections of honors web design which would be the after we have two pro two courses that are we run every other year and I have two classes of intro computer science >> and how many of coms principles >> the com principles would be it >> right I did I was looking that up and I don't have >> the last one that you said was intro to this one >> computer science is this one >> one that we discussed today right yes
062>> Mr. mentor teaches one and Miss Carrie teaches the other. >> Okay. And AP you're looking at that right now. Okay. >> Keep talking. >> So my question would be um this like you said this is that get a feel of you know computers and give the children the opportunity. A lot of times it's not just that. I think it's a great for kids that are just not technologically inclined to give them a test of the water just so that they are they're literate now. Right. So you said two sections. My question would be that's four sections of >> four sections of AP computer science principles >> and I know that we're running that through a whole different setup. So that's >> and that's open uh 9 to 12 and Miss Gasco has three sections
063of AP computer science pay. >> Hey. Okay. So, >> yes. Yeah. Three of the A and two of the intro to computer science. Right. >> So, the So, my question and I you don't need to answer right away, but I would like to hear back on it. Is we're opening up to all grades? That's great. But are one, how are we prioritizing? And two, did we was there a limitation that we could only do two sections or that was all the interest there was? >> So, my recollection of it is that um there was the right numbers to select. So the right number of sections to have because I have Miss Carrie who can teach it and she has one and so that we also had some math classes that we needed to fill but
064if I had had to we could have run a 17%. Um so when we were looking at the numbers it made the most sense to run these. >> Okay. >> Again there whenever you're doing schedule >> something that we offered for a few years we just changed the name of the >> this course has always been offered. It it was last year and this year we changed the name to be introduction to computer science only because it just a more modern and a more appropriate name for it because there's more than just programming that goes >> why were you putting 2025 there. >> So that has to do with the fact with atlas right now it was becoming confusing apparently looking at an atlas of an old document versus a new document and Mr. Silverman
065when he set them up for me because they carried over what was done in the past so we could then see what was there make adjustments that's how he labeled them. Um, and once these are all done and finished during the year, I'm going to go through and wipe out the old ones and copy the new ones. It was it was more of um >> housekeeping piece. >> Okay. For us, >> right? So that we got the correct document to you. Um, >> so it's introduction to computer science. That's how >> it's 2025 just shows basic >> and uh I'm sorry just so I can just add >> to your inquiry um this we also added additional electives uh relevant to computer science in addition to what MSAS in this this new curriculum. So this
066year we had uh we introduced two additional sections of cyber security. >> Oh yes. which again it creates more opportunities for students to explore cognitive times maybe not necessarily through the AP track and I I can't say this definitively but my guess is that they're probably sharing the same style of students that are going into uh the programming class maybe into the cyber security class at least for now because the more acceptable exploratory computer science classes or I I don't like call computer science classes to everything computer science is but um >> they're they're the courses that are applying those computer science foundations lens a variety of careers and potential course of study beyond high school and it's you know there's going to be an AP computer cyber security course next year that >> there's
067going to be >> so we're looking at that currently to see how that fits with what we currently offer so there's obviously you can see what's happening out there uh and the anticipated graduation requirement. >> Any questions? Any other board members on the introduction to computer science? Thank you, Miss G. You can move on to the job. And then the second one I have is honors geometry. Um if you remember last month, I did dynamics of geometry and the college prep geometry. Um very similar format in terms of the setup. The the big difference again there were new standards, the 2043 standards. So we made sure those were addressed in this in the course going through and the difference between this class is one of the bigger questions and the regular college prep is not
068just more homework which is something sometimes people think about but it is a much more abstract and much more rigorous level. So the problems that they're going to be solving are going to have concepts from all of the past more complicated algebra type applications that get immersed into it and more of the the true application and um critical thinking type skills going through it. This course while there's not as much geometry and algebra 2 when you start getting to the pre-calculus and when you get to the calculus the applications will always go back to these type of of problems. So, while people have sometimes memories that aren't so fond of geometry back when they were back in school in the day and all they do remember is some proofs, the idea of proofs is that
069you're really learning step-by-step procedures. And so, whether you're doing it as a statement and reason or whether you're doing it as just a thinking scenario, going through the steps that really truly is critical for the type of thinking they learn when they get to the high level honors pre-calculus and in the calculus, whether it goes to the college level or the regular level. Um, but the core of the course because they're standards driven and it's dictated by the state is going to be fairly the same concepts. It's just going to dive in much deeper in a much more critical thinking type of a way. Um, so I think this question was asked last month in terms of what the state expects. They have a requirement you have to take a course in geometry. So we
070offer the different levels as with the computer science to meet the levels of different needs and different learners. So we don't want to be so discreet that we're not getting the practice to the students that really want to get to the super high levels and have that ability. So it you because it's just very step by step and spiraling. Um you can't do a unit out of isolation. So it it it's a program that really builds and builds and builds. I think one of the things that I've noticed is that it will be of a huge success of the AP classes and part of it is is well I have amazing AP teachers and I really do. Um, it's the whole program that teaches students to think from such an early level and it just
071builds every year. So, >> so we have kids taking this either in freshman year if they're on a fast track or >> so there are actually students that take geometry in eighth grade as well. Um, >> just by the philosophy of middle school, we don't call it honors, but it's taught very much at an honors level because it is that it's called grade 8. >> They write over >> they would start here. They would they would the state says you have to take it. It doesn't say it has to be a graduation requirement of the three courses they take. >> Okay. >> Math is a little different than the others. >> You have to take at a minimum an algebra one course, a geometry course, and an algebra 2 course. >> Yeah. >> You then
072have to take at a minimum, depending on where you start in nth grade, three traditional years. So, um, again, sometimes it's a misunderstanding, um, from the public that they think, oh, those two courses I took count from middle school. They don't, they just advance you. But hopefully you're of that level and you should be, and we want to advance you as far as we possibly can. Um, and it's it's all proven to be very successful going through. So, geometry can start in ninth grade, it can start in 10th grade, it can start, no, wait, I'm sorry, it can start in eighth grade, ninth grade, or 10th grade. >> Are our computer courses still counting as a third year of math? So the way the state works, the only course that's allowed to take count as
073a traditional math class is AP computer science A. Okay? That's dictated by the state as long as it is taught by a math teacher and that one is taught by a math teacher in our district. So that is one of the reasons for keeping the learning that program and he loves teaching it. Um it can only be one course though. I will say from what I see of students and students things I don't think any students views that as a third year of math and say I don't want to go farther. You know the idea student we have students that are knocking down the walls to take math classes that they're probably not even quite ready for. I they love math. I think it's amazing. Um and that usually the computer science is just an
074additional course that they're taking. Um I I don't really see them replacing. It could though by state by state law >> by state law because >> but only the computer science a and it's very particular you have to have a math teacher so but we do so we're going to go back >> anybody on any questions on honors geometry >> I don't have a question I have a comment was wonderful what you just said I wish I had that or I'd like to go back to when I went to school and had the way you taught or teaching the children but we were just thrown into it I was at a lunchon with eight other class members discussing a not going to tell you the year reunion that's coming up September 24th and every one
075of us when we talked about nuns I went to St. meters in New Brunswick. The biggest thing was didn't you hate geometry and and algebra I like but I just could not well the way you're saying it possibly I could have understood geometry the way they're teaching it now. It was just here it is. Here's this triangle on the whatever that theorem is. I'm find it and and yeah, you know why I my favorite subject was English, but I was like, oh my god. And what you just said and what all you ladies said, I was like, I want to go back because I want to learn it the right way. Um, you know, it was just wrote and thrown at us and u it's been a while. I don't think I would remember if
076you taught me right now and and if I want to, but I just want to congratulate you and what you're giving to our students in this district. It's it's phenomenal. >> Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you. Um the next Anybody else on this? All right, so we can move on to the next item on the agenda. Mr. Verandica, you're up for the athletics update. >> Yes, I have two things I wanted to update you. First, a little quick update on fall sports. Uh they are in full swing. You heard our announcer. They're giants out there announcing the soccer game itself. Uh we have 12 sport programs which represent 27 levels of of teams ranging from middle school to freshman daily and varsity. Uh that includes soccer, cross country, girls tennis, girls volleyball, football, field
077hockey, dance, sideline cheer, unified soccer, and gymnastics. So we are we're pretty pretty busy. Uh we're looking forward to a successful season and hope to update all of you at a later uh board meeting on all the student athlete and uh for uh achievements. Um we also have a couple upcoming events that I wanted to share. We have homecoming and our pep rally next Friday. Uh we do have a car show fundraiser in conjunction with NCHF booster club. Um and we also look forward to college signing day which will be in November later on in November. Um outside of that recap, I did want to also uh bring in the documents for approval. It is our emergency action plan. It is the same document that we approved last year. Best practices for sports medicine does
078uh recommend that we check these on a year-to-year basis. Um I have reviewed it. Our athletic trainers uh director of security as well as Dr. Layman have reviewed it. Um again, no, we're not recommending any changes from last year, but we did want to put it back for for approval. Uh just a quick recap. Um, it really outlines how to respond to injuries, um, be it medical or inclement weather emergencies during any kind of practices or games. Uh, it identifies roles. It identifies roles and responsibilities, um, for coaches, staff, and anyone who's responding to any injury. Uh, includes communication methods, who calls 911, who speaks to the parents, and things of that nature. Um, location of emergency equipment such as AEDs or supplemental oxygen. Um, and really just provides clear directions as well. um if
079any coaches are helping out with bringing in an ambulance onto any of the sites that we have on on campus. Um and really it's just it ensures a quick organized and effective um action to protect not only our athletes but also coaches and spectators. >> So Mr. Vanica I I'm very happy to see it back again within the year and mention no changes. That's great. My only question is um is this part of the docket for training any new staff members, any security personnel and are our coaches being mandated to review it once a year as well? >> Yes. So once approved, I will share with all of our coaches so that they get eyes on it. Uh we I do discuss the emergency action plan um as part of uh my coaches meetings and
080I let them know that the document is there, make sure that they review it. Um, you know, and our athletic trainers are also pretty hands-on with making sure that things are followed. Last year, we actually had we use our um our um what do you call it? Our lightning device that we have the new one. >> Yeah. So, we did use it last year. So, it was a great opportunity for us to also chime in and collaborate with our security um officers as well to make sure that we're all on the same page. So, I think all in all, it's definitely something great for us to have. Um and it definitely promotes safe. >> Lot of improvement on that um on that end. Thank you so much. We appreciate it. Any questions from the board
081members on the emergency act and plans for athletics? >> Well, we wish you a lot of good luck for the fall sport season. May we continue the great work that MHS has been doing uh in the last few seasons. Um good luck. >> Thank you. >> Can't wait to hear the good of them. >> Yes. >> And especially good luck tonight. >> Yes, the boys are out there playing. So, >> yes. >> Who are they playing tonight? >> Yeah, boys soccer playing. The JV just tied. I'm hoping Mercy wins by a lot. Yeah. All right. Thank you, Mr. Berica. We're going to move on to the next item on our agenda, which is uh special education Medicaid initiative update. Roella, are you going to take it over? >> Thank you. Good evening. >> All right.
082Just to review what the special education Medicaid initiative is. Um, it's a New Jersey program which allows the district to receive federal reimbursement for Medicaid eligible services for students with disabilities. And I'm just going to review what those um services are. They are in the students IEP. It's speech, occupational and physical therapy, psychological and social worker services, nursing and transportation that's related to medical services. So those are the areas that we look at to input that information and we begin with an eblast. That's the first day of school. So parents will be getting notice about what this initiative is and and Medicaid. Then we look to receive a consent form from the parent which is required. All right. So and we go through the process that we are quarterly looked at what percentage we meet
083and we do meet 100% usually on the parent you know piece there and then as the child study team goes through these services that information is sent to my office and it's inputed and the child study team also inputs the services depending on transportation or nursing and all of that information is then received to a consulting group which manages semi for the state for New Jersey. So with all of this we do receive a benchmark of reimbursement and we do fairly well but coming now within the 2425 school year the reimbursement is going to be less. ESY is no longer considered re reimburseable. So we lose the service there >> the school year. Okay. >> Right. And what we will be getting services for begins August 19th through June 30th. So they're looking at ESY
084in that time frame from July to August 18th. So we leave services there. Before we were receiving if the child study team does an evaluation plan meeting, an annual review, we're no longer going to receive reimbursement for those services. All right. The rates are going to be changing. And the rates are looked at federally. They take 50% of it. the state takes 26% and we get 17% of whatever that reimbursement is. Now, those are the rates that we were using at this time. They're looking at the change there. So, we'll find out more information because any of the documents that we receive quarterly are from the year before. So, we're starting in noon now as we we go into September. Also, the system's going to Jim. So by that the information that all our districts
085receive in New Jersey is that don't be concerned but your yearly reimbursement will be significantly lower and to expect that and they're going to further give us information >> started with don't be concerned. >> Yeah. Don't be concerned. >> Well and also I think with that concern is if you don't meet what these benchmarks are then you go into an action plan. All of our related service providers have licenses, so we check that yearly to make sure they're updated and that's also sent to the state. Our social workers, our psychologists are certified. So, we also have to make sure on all of those pieces. So, you're looking at that. You're looking at, okay, why might you lose some of the amount? And it could be professional development. It's inputting the information during co everyone lost
086a lot during that time frame. So they at this point we're just looking at these updates. So we do know our reimbursement is going to be less this year as we go through the process. >> So this update came before August. >> Okay. So starting August this is impacting us. >> We don't know how much we're going to lose. We've been given a spent a a baseline of what are the requirements that we need to meet and if we meet them all then you're not going to lose. >> Yeah. And just for a point of clarification, this is something that we include in our budgeting process. We include previous years a larger amount than we included this year. So we have accounted for in this school year already a significantly less or lower number of
087reimbursement. So we were prepared and we're not looking at covering any costs that we weren't expecting to cover. So whatever we get, we're expecting to get um and expect to get less. So we're not we're not expecting 100,000, we're going to get 10,000. We have accounted for a significantly less uh reimbursement in our budget already. >> Yeah. Because our office PPS does work with Miss Laura Allen who also obviously inputs that information. So that's how it works with our budget. That notification we budgeted right we we budgeted correctly for this year. Now, we would love to be pleasantly surprised when the actual reimbursement comes in and that it's higher than what we budgeted for, but we have conservatively accounted for a significantly less reimbursement in last year's budgeting process. So, we're prepared for the reduction
088in reimbursement. >> So, for anything that we get reimbursement, Missella, are we going to be changing any processes as a result of these changes? >> No, because they're based on the services that the students get. The one thing semi does look at that the lower inome families that receive Medicaid still receive the services within their IEPs. And that's explained to the parents too. If you're on Medicaid and you sign the consent, don't fear that you're going to lose from your Medicaid. This is something that is the semi. It's a special ed initiative. So they still receive speech, OT, PT, nursing services. All of that's in the IP. >> Change. >> That would not change. student perspective continuing to provide the service that we were probing. >> Okay. Any questions? Anybody? >> I'm just glad that
089you anticipated it and then planned for because it has been a big change. >> Yeah. And if you if we didn't account for it, we would certainly be looking to fill that gap, but we more than accounted for it from what we believe. And uh I actually would be pleasantly surprised if we get more than what we budget. May I hope we're in >> we may it's the services depending on the services for that year. So we did I I think >> we may be okay. >> Foresight from a budget perspective is is allowing us to breathe easy right now. >> Correct. >> Um but what is important is that our services to our students is not going to get impacted in any which way and for that we are very thankful for everybody's foresight.
090Mr. Merola, you don't have anything on the agenda today and look at the times. We literally have 25 more minutes. Like you just got to do something with you cuz you are always short of time. >> I thought you feel interested in that last >> I am very interested but I have 25 whole minutes and I didn't know you were contributing to it. I'm going to be looking. >> I'm not saying that I am. I think take a chance of us not getting >> Oh, we thank you. I appreciate that. So the last item on our agenda which you're very excited to start talking about full day kindergarten um that has been on everybody's mind and from a curriculum perspective we wanted to start this discussion to see what is it and where do we
091stand and what is it going what is it going to need to curriculum wise just from that aspect. So Dr. Layman all yours. >> Yep. So what we did uh starting last year uh specifically in the late winter and spring is we started to prepare on a staff development side uh to put a structure in place for our teachers to begin uh regardless of the time timeline of the rollout begin to prepare uh for a full day program. Um, and our staff developers were the supervisors, the building principles, and we have a year-long uh PLC that the kindergarten teachers will be working on. Um, we so any staff development day that's districtwide over the course of the entire year. The kindergarten teachers will be working together. Uh, oftentimes it'll be school-based groups, special ed, uh,
092gened, um, when appropriate, the classroom parents would be involved. Um, and they'll have an opportunity to dig into our curriculum. Uh, they'll have an opportunity to dabble potentially in some of the logistics of what a full day schedule may look like, built perspective. Um, anything that it would take to begin to transition what their half-day program is into a full day program. Um, so those are built-in days that we often have staff choose to do what they want to do. And uh all of our kindergarten teachers are super excited about this potential opportunity and uh we're thrilled with the opportunity because I I went around in the spring and met with all the teachers uh all the building principles and got some feedback about you know what's your vision for full day K? What did
093it look like? What supports would you need? Uh what's the ideal structure that you would envision? And uh one of the common themes was we need some time to really figure out what it's going to take for us to look at our half-day program and how to expand that into a full day program. Um we're happy to report from a curriculum lens our core content areas, math, language arts, science, social studies. Those documents would not need to change. They are year-long documents are covering the appropriate standards. um what we would have the opportunity to do is spend more time in each of those content areas. And yeah, granted, adding a full day piece to a kindergarten schedule, there's going to be a lunch piece or the specials piece, but the transition time walking in out
094of the building, the additional time in the building will certainly allow us extra instructional time and that'll be in the areas, all of the content areas. Um, one thing that we have our kindergarten students exposed to now is a media center as a related arts. Well, they'll have an opportunity just like our the rest of our elementary students to engage and I point Snider um some of the related arts that they don't have an opportunity now. Physical education, art class, music class. Um, those classes would need a document to be written. That would be something we would do just like we would do any school year. We would do it in the summer uh in preparation for a roll out. They don't go to gym. >> They do not go to gym. No. So that
095is that music and art is the three things that we might be looking at writing new. >> We would 100% to to transition to a full day program. We would absolutely write those three documents. >> Okay. Um, and additionally, we would work with our related art staff to help them prepare for um what it would be like to teach a kindergartener because unlike our kindergarten teachers, they're used to teaching in a full day, but they would need some preparation to help, you know, a younger learner than they typically interact with, especially the early year. It's a totally different piece. So, um, we did talk today at our supervisor meeting. So, um, if any of the supervisors want to kind of chime in and say, uh, maybe highlight what their program looked like. Yeah. Some of
096we have all the tools we have in place, the documents we have in place, the books, >> um, the resources are in place. We just would need to, uh, work with our staff on stretching the day out a little bit. So, >> what I've been doing on the elementary level with art and music is every grade is having their own curriculum document written. So we would definitely need to start at scratch for those two and um and prepare and and write a document like Dr. L said over the summer and then fizz in um the same thing for for there. So that's going to be three documents as he >> you just told us earlier this evening that you're done. So now we won't start till next summer. Okay. It'll be summer time. Right. Right.
097>> 12 last month. No, >> but um but we will work with the appropriate staff and then plan that uh and plan that next summer to be um to be the final piece of that. >> But just the fact that we all the core subjects like language arts, math, our Kirkland documents are good is is a lot of headway. >> Dave all all of the kindergarten teachers take part in our trainings. So when we bring in training or curricular training or envisions training um any science and social studies those kindergarten teachers are a part of those trainings because they are teaching that it's just a shorter day. So they're prepared for it. It's the structure of those blocks now that's going to just change and be longer which now allows them to bring in differentiation
098and small group. So those subjects, they can really tailor everything to all of the learners that are going to be in their rooms. So when I know Dr. Oman uh spoke with them, they were actually excited. They and they didn't realize they get lunch, they get a prep, and it's a whole different structure to their day. Um so they're they're excited, but it was almost unknown territory, right? So let's examine what that would look like for us. But um everyone's done such a beautiful job with the academic core subjects. >> So with the math, the perfect example is that while you you're teaching the core concepts and they have the concepts down, there will be students that could embellish on that and they can go into much greater detail or there's students that really might
099need some extra support going through and instead of just moving forward like cookie cutter, they this gives them the time. And there is nothing wrong with even doing spiraling activities and retention activities and all things that are just going to benefit them going through. So the content itself is not going to change. It's just the amount of practice, the amount of immersion, the amount of things that they can they can do math with the science class at the same time. There's so many opportunities there. >> You've striking their foundation. Especially with math and language arts, it's all about foundations, right? And we were rushing through that. Elementary is amazing because since the teacher teaches all of the content, they can do a project that incorporates a little bit of everything. But if they were rushed
100and they were doing it in two and a half hours, they may not be able to they may have some great ideas and they might do something here or there, but there's just a lot they can do with that time that would really be incredibly beneficial for the learning of the student. And the more you immerse into real life scenarios, the statistics will show, the better retention they have. And so the retention is the key piece that's going to go through and then that's just going to aid in the success of grade one and two and three. >> So >> and it allows the kids to actually not that's not happening now but they they will be fully part of the building culture as well. >> It it won't be this transient feeling uh which
101but there there there's some intangible benefits but there's going to be tangible benefits as well. the stronger relationship the children will guidance CST some of those those latent benefits of the school day that maybe they're not necessarily getting at least upon it. Um but the impact on school culture and what that's going to do and trickle in down and you know going into first grade and things like that is just um when when they spoke about the teachers excitement I don't even know if we're ready if we fully understand how it's going to benefit those buildings and even just organizational efficiencies when you think about how we now have to work. Uh my sister teaches kindergarten in a half day setting and she talks regularly about how everything can feel like it's it's kind of
102compartmentalized from record building >> and uh that's that's >> going to change. >> Yeah, sure. >> The new full day kindergarten mandate, do they have a mandate on class size? Is there a piece or component to that? >> I haven't seen anything. No. >> So what is our typical kindergarten class size? um >> our half day program. >> I would say our target kindergarten class size would be probably somewhere in the high teens. Um nothing outrageous. Um I think as we look to roll this out, we will look at see what the reality would be. Um and then have a plan on getting to our ideal situation. question >> and and again we all know our facilities is >> is you know has been our hamstring the entire time and uh you know if we're
103looking at high teams as an ideal landing zone but we can get somewhere pretty close to that and have a plan in place to relieve ourselves you know whether it's a few years down the road I think that's a you know a viable option with some supports you know whether it's continuing pair of support that we may or may not you know have in the long run or whatever it is um that you know we will look at the reality now we look at the ideal in the future and pathway to get from here to short term and here to ideal um but yeah I would say you know kindergarten is probably the most sensitive in terms of uh keeping you know a realistic class >> and is it one teacher when is it we
104don't know >> it right now we have uh a mix of paras and teachers >> together. Um, in many cases they're pretty almost almost like a full day piece. >> Um, you know, the vision for that is something that we can kind of parse through as we get into the reality of this. Um, I would see some version of a hybrid of that um, you know, support along throughout the day. >> Yeah. >> Um, but again, we have to see what the numbers shake out and I have numbers and things like that, but we have to see what the reality is. um to make it happen. >> Go ahead. >> I just wanted to know how any of our kindergarten teachers now, have they ever taught full day in another district? >> I don't blow
105that off and um I know a lot of our teachers be like, "Wow, we're going back to something we did." >> How many that I know have all probably started here or been here for 25 years. >> Well, they might not. Several of them live in other towns, so it doesn't mean they haven't experienced it and they wouldn't see it. They I can tell you from the conversations I've had over the last couple years, they would be thrilled for this. This is not something they think is a negative. They think it is totally a positive to the point where I've had when you're doing new textbook adoptions, are we ever going to have full day kindergarten? And so they want this. This is something they truly want. So that recently and were you able to
106say, "Yeah, pretty soon." >> I said, "It's not as if we don't want it because because we do." And they were there were building concerns. So like you know over the years we were very very tight. So there there's this is the perfect opportunity to do >> I think we can start to say though we all want to be cautious and not overly optimistic but we can at least start to see that light at the end of the tunnel >> at this point. >> I was going to say this is the first time because a lot of times when you say oh we're working on we're like yeah sure you are but this is the first time where there's a sense wait this is really happening. >> We're really trying to check off little boxes
107at a time. And I think from the lenses of this committee, uh, my two concerns were where do our curriculum documents stand and where does our stock training stand at PD and staff development. And I feel very reassured in this congregation that we're in good place. There's nothing that cannot be done in a short period of time. You're already working consensiously on the PD portion of it. So very reassured, I don't have any more questions or concerns about the course document tells you the content that needs to be taught. and suggested ways of how to teach it. It doesn't mean that that's the be all end all that you can't go over above that. So that's why that's why the curriculum documents don't have to be rewritten. It doesn't mean when there's a time for
108a revision, we won't add some things that have been tried and true work, but the content itself, which is the purpose of a document, is that we are covering all of the state standards. So we're covering all the state standards. We're giving them suggestions as to how to introduce that concept and how to go through, but they can then take it and take it an extra mile. >> Saying it as a layman who doesn't come from your world, we literally were meeting a compliance issue >> with in an unfair amount of time as compared to our peers, right? So other people were meeting the same standard with a full day full day time frame and our students were just about meeting the standards. The teachers did a phenomenal job. They never rushed, but they did
109a phenomenal job. No doubt. I've got three kids that have gone through this. As much as I wanted it to be full day, >> no, they trained our teachers and acknowledged even um our Savas company wrote a document out saying, "Here's the curriculum, here's the scope, here's everything you have to teach, but we know you're a half day, so let's look at it this way." Um we've done bridge documents, which were beautiful documents, and now we have a new science program. So they've been trained along the way with everyone else. So that piece is just in place and ready to go. >> And our ELA training this year, we're in our third year of the MYU literacy program. Um year one was the the reading portion. Last year was the writing portion. This year is
110small group and how to individualize learning and personalized learning using all the resources. So it's really coming at the perfect time. Um how can they leverage the foundational skill kits? how can they leverage the guided reading tools? How can they leverage um you know read teaching tools and things like that as well? Um so I think it's that's coming at a perfect time for ELA. >> Also the new science textbook series the teachers all have the kindergarten teachers all have it. So what's going to be great is it will give them more time to be able to really expand with that. So it's a really good foundation for when they just have more time. So >> and 100% our teachers are great but they've been doing like G said they've been doing this for so
111long there's probably going to be a factor of unlearning the way they were teaching a something and learn a new way which is what we were talking about the PD and the you know we spent this year >> rewiring our brain that now I'm I have more time I am going to be like you said they might have had great ideas in the past now they can start to plan what's you know actually executing those >> I think it's easier to go from a half day to a full day than taking a who is taught under a full day and saying now you can only do it half day >> that's just my opinion but I I don't I don't think it's going to be as difficult as if we said try >> I was
112here in the time when we switched from a traditional high school schedule to the block schedule and the difference between that and the kindergarten was that while they had double amount of time in a block they had it every other day so you're like you have 90 days. You don't have 180 days. Here, the kindergarten teachers have 180 days. They just have more time and they can really enjoy what they're doing. >> And that year-long PLC is great, too, because now we we circulate anyway and we're in the buildings on those days and we touch base with all the projects that are being done. So, now we'll have the opportunity to sit down and really talk about how how does this look where we're now going from 22 minute periods to 42 minute periods and
113and we'll be able to help. So we have so we have a structure in place through the content trainings to get information on the tools and content and they have a structure in place through their PLC >> to apply that and really dig in deep. So um it's a nice balance between you know the district focused content training and their personalized projects and expanding and applying that to their day. Our job is to ask questions and you guys always have answers and for that I'm very grateful and appreciative. Uh this was a great update on something that is very you know we are all looking forward to so I think that's a great start to the discussion. We'll have plenty more of these. Can't believe that we have five minutes left and we're going to
114say we are at the end of the curriculum meeting. I'm breaking it like this is historical today. That is all for tonight's curricular meeting. Good night everyone. Thank you.