Monroe Twp BOE Curriculum, Cocurricular, Athletics, Pupil Personnel Committee 08.19.25

001The top of the list is language arts 2 and honors language arts 2. Dr. Roselle. >> Okay, I will be quick. Uh, we revised language arts 2 and honors language arts 2 to align with the 2023 New Jersey student learning standards. Those were updated. Um, our goal was also to incorporate additional perspectives and text types. This is um an American literature class. Um so we added additional um indigenous voices, voices of women, voices from different minoritized groups. Um so students can really explore the different themes and the different time periods um through multiple perspectives. Uh the units are a blend of thematic and chronological. Um, we begin with creation myths and indigenous voices moving through colonial times, the birth of our nation, um, up through some more contemporary texts. Uh, students explore the American dream,

002um, American values such as individuality, um, and we establish the historical context for different works, um, primary source documents such as, um, the Declaration of Independence, um, and our Bill of Rights and and texts like that as well. um additional um other notable works of Men, The Great Gatsby, Toilla Mockingbird, Just Mercy, The Crucible, The Catcher and the Rye. Um and then there are several other um book club titles and independent reading titles um that students also work with as they explore these themes. Um the primary difference between the honors level course and the standard level course, there are additional texts in the honors level course. um some additional writing, some deeper analysis um and there is less scaffolding of the content by the teacher for the students um in the honors level class. Um

003so those are the new documents. Um any questions about those? >> This is starting sophomore year. >> Yes. Um language arts 2 is a grade 10 sophomore course. Correct. >> And uh what when was this last updated? this had been update. I am not positive. I want to say 2016 which was when our last um standards were done. But I can get back to you if you want to know the specific year >> and just what standard is it aligned to now? >> The 2023 >> um are the most updated. So that's the one that this is um aligned to. >> Is it aligned to the most updated standard? Yes. >> I don't have any other questions. Uh Mr. Zitner, would you have any questions? >> No, I do not. >> Okay. >> I looked

004at it and it's rather comprehensive to say the least. >> They did an amazing job. >> Thank you. They did >> agree. >> Thank you. >> You can continue. Dr. Roselle, >> those are my only two. So next up uh we have Miss Drust for with honors biology. >> Good evening everyone. Um we uh much like Dr. Roselle um needed to align this document to the most recent science standards that came up in our rotation of documents. Um, honors biology covers the same core content as biology does. Um, they are the same standards. However, the main difference is the level of depth that the students um explore in each topic. And in honors biology, there is a little bit less scaffolding. students are expected to be um more critical thinkers and um do some more

005independent work. Um the topics that we cover are science as a process in general where science where students will design their own lab experiments. Um molecules of life which focuses on um the parts of uh living things as well as cells. um energy which is photosynthesis cellular respiration um cell reproduction DNA genetics biotechnology which they always love to learn about especially because that's really the more cutting edge stuff dealing with stem cells and um the newer technologies that are coming out evolution and finishing up with ecology. Um, one of the really nice parts about um, the honors biology curriculum is that yes, there are what we would consider more traditional assessments. However, embedded within there are labs for every unit. There are also projects where students get to um, really be more creative and show

006mastery of the content beyond just a simple um, multiple choice or open-ended question. Um, also there are debates uh put in. Um, so the authors have really done a really great job in trying to make sure that um the topics are covered in an interesting way and giving the students to really demonstrate their mastery and build their study skills. Um, we really are trying in honors to try to get students prepared for AP if that is their goal in the future. Mr. Russ, I only had one question. So, um, typically bio is a freshman subject and either they can take lab bio or honors bio. I feel like these days even AP bio, right? Can they take that? Right. >> Um, does a student have the option of going for honors bio in higher grades

007if they did lab bio and felt like they want to pursue more in bio? Typically what we recommend for those students is if they um really feel that they're ready to explore biology further, there's a couple avenues they could take. Number one, we really have a large volume of electives that students can take. So for example, if a student finds, hey, I really like that biotechnology unit we did, they can do a whole course on that. The other option is something like anatomy and physiology. or we do have students who really um beyond their freshman year have um they mature more as a student and they actually take on the challenge of taking AP Bio um as they move into their junior or senior year. So, we do have several students that take that path

008as well. >> Excellent. Yeah, cuz I I felt like there are so many kids that come in as freshman not knowing if they're capable of it. And there's a lot of, you know, perception and the perception of honors bio is that, oh my god, it's really hard, you know, unless you're really ready for a ticket, but then once they've taken lab bio and found it too easy, but they do want to pursue the medical path, we have options for them. And I hope our counselors are talking them into the path that you just uh shared. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Any other questions? Uh, Charlie, I know Miss Alvarez is here too, Mr. Payne. Anybody else? All right, you can. >> So, Miss Bora, I believe uh I know Miss Main can hear us, but

009I'm not sure if she's added as a panelist just yet, but I am able to confirm that she can hear us. >> Okay. Um, >> so I don't know if Mr. Cordderero I don't know if that's if if you could add her as a panelist. Um, >> I think I already did add her as a panelist. >> Okay, Mr. P, are you able to mute your unmute yourself? If not, just text me if uh and then I'll let them know. Okay. All right, let's keep keep moving forward. Um, >> yep. Uh, Miss Gasco is next on our uh list and she has uh a few documents in whatever order you want to go in, Miss Gasco. Looks like you have five documents. >> Hey, five documents and I'm kind of grouping them because they they

010kind of pair together. Um just to give you kind of an overarching idea of all of them. Um we did um as like language arts, we had new standards in terms of 2023. So last year we were updating the algebra ones and the ge and the algebra 2s. This year I'm updating the geometries and then some of the elective type courses. Um they all are aligned to the 2020 career readiness and life literacy standards. the 2023 language arts would be in the crosscurricular you in the document you won't actually see standard numbers I talked to Dr. Dr. Roselle and that back and forth. They are their standards. Just when you list them as crosscurricular, they list them as domains, but it's exactly the same idea. Um there's also the 2020 computer science and design. You'll

011see here and there. Um science engineering is usually practices we use as crosscurricular which um the state has agreed that's a good idea because they're more overarching. Um and then we have the um the WIDA language arts development standards as well. Um, so some of the things that are new in addition to doing the standards, um, is that we've been adding the tier 2 and the tier three vocabulary words, which actually tells the difference between vocabulary that's specific to that subject or vocabulary that is just kind of overarching that are used just kind of in general. Um, I'm going to start with the geometries. Um, I have two of the three documents. I have the dynamics of geometry and the regular level college prep geometry right now. Um, honors is still on its way to

012being developed. Um, so the outline of the courses typically stays the same. We do have a new textbook series that we're adopting. So they use that as a resource in addition to the old one. Um, which was kind of nice because you'll see some of the new references um to the new one going through. Um, so you'll have right transformations and symmetry, tools of geometry, logical arguments, um, triangles and congruence, relationships and triangles, proportion and similarity. Um, a big portion of it is right triangles and trigonometry. Not the level of trigonometry that you're thinking though in a pre-calculus course. It's really the idea of a triangle and using the angles of s, cosine, and tangent. Uh, circles, quadrilaterals, and then extensions of areas and volumes that they would have learned from the middle school years

013of seventh and eighth, but obviously in much more greater detail. Um some things that they've changed in the standards are there are three things in particular in terms of geometry that were considered standards in the past that are now considered um supplemental standards and so they're in addition to um that you'll see more of if you can fit them into the regular a little bit and to the honors definitely but the dynamics they're not needed and they were things that were actually threw them off. um it's deriving so not not the equation of a circle in terms of given a center and a radius but this would actually be deriving it was something they've said you no longer have to do um again deriving the equation of a parabola we would obviously do that in

014an honors level class but you here you give it to them you explain it to them you show them in a discrete model what it looks like but they don't have to necessarily know the mathematical reasoning about what actually created that um and then finding the point on a directed line segment between two given points that partitions a segment into a given ratio. That may be Greek to you. Um, but again, that was something that was kind of done an extra and it doesn't really get used later on down the road in classes. So, it they weren't necessary. So, they didn't they didn't take things away and say you could never see them again. They made them as what they called a plus standard and just something that was extra. Uh so one of the

015big differences between the documents from the past and from now is I've had them really put a lot of detail into the learning activities and in the past sometimes because we were creating these as time goes on they were adding what topics should be covered but now I've said give suggested activities of what can be done. It's the ideas that if somebody is new to the course to teaching it that they can take a look at and get suggested ideas. It doesn't mean they're non-negotiables. the concepts would be non-negotiable non-negotiables, but these are ideas as to how to actually um implement it into the class. The dynamics will have a lot more time in terms of spending hands-on time with the teacher working and practicing problems, less deriving of the the theories behind it. Um

016there will be a little bit of that, not so much where they're deriving it themselves, but they get an explanation of why something happened and where a theorem came about. Um, but they don't necessarily have to do that on their own. Um, they don't have to be the true mathematician that actually came up with this at some point in time. The regular level is going to have practice problems that are going to be more abstract than the dynamics. Um, in both cases, they have to cover the same concepts because that's what's dictated by the state. Um, and it is a course that's considered a graduation requirement. So, it's just the level of rigor, the level of critical thinking that's going to be involved. That's where the difference evolves. Um, and it really depends on what

017level you're getting ready for them down the road. Um, are there any questions on the two geometry documents? >> I have two questions. So, one is the textbook. You mentioned the textbooks are new. >> Yes. >> Are they new starting this school year or have we already starting this school year? >> Yes. I was just finishing unboxing the hard cover of the teachers edition. So, um, when you come to algebra 1 geometry and algebra 2, they're pretty standard progressions. It's a pretty traditional progression. Um, but what this we went through when we adopted the textbook, one of the reasons why we looked at different options. Um, the one they currently have was an option, but there were no additional type of resources that the company is putting forth into it. This one has a lot

018more technology resources. They have um I don't have the book in front of me right now because I'm at home, but they but they do have activities of like starting anticipatory sets and just things to kind of like get them really involved and get them understanding. Um, we've got the electronic book, which is nice, and there's a lot of electronic resources that go with it. Um, the middle school will have the electronic as well as the hard copy. Um, but there it's it goes along with the Envisions. It's an extension of the K8 program that we have, but they are it's called Envisions AGA, Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra 2. Um, but it it's a fairly new book that's out, not brand new this year, um, but it's been wellreceived by other districts going through. >>

019Good. Okay. >> Another question I had was the aspects that you mentioned that are no longer standards but supplement to standards. How did we handle them in these documents? Did we do we let go of them or did we just put them in there kept them in there as as things that the teachers could still cover but not in depth. >> So the concept of like to give you an example of deriving the equation of a circle and given the center and radius it's using the Pythagorean theorem. Okay, that's the whole idea of the Pythagorean theorem is what evolves that particular um equation. >> So if you'd had a dynamics class in the past, the students wouldn't have derived it on their own. The teacher would have derived it for them and that will still

020happen. And that's where the state basically said, look, this is something that should not be a requirement for everybody. Um and there was no testing on assessments that ever had it. They knew that that was kind of a miss on theirs. So the concept of having an equation of a circle is definitely still within the curriculum. How you handle that is what's different going through and the parabola is the same idea. Parab like what I would do with the teachers and we would talk about is the teacher themsself as part of the lesson might derive it so that they understand this wasn't just pulled out of the sky. This is why this equation is but they will never be expected to redo that on their own. Um, and at this day and age with technology,

021you know, even with the honors level classes, do they have to rederive it on their own later on down the road? They won't. They'll be able to Google what it is. They should know where it came from. They should know it came from the Pythagorean theorem, but not have to actually recreate that on their own. Um, as you get to higher level classes, especially the honors working towards the AP, there will be a lot of time where they will be deriving certain formulas. So that will come back just not necessarily in that 10th grade curriculum going through. >> But our our teachers will continue to teach that in their dynamics and the regular geometry classes. You're not expecting the students to recreate or read exactly reading >> they'll teach the topic. They'll teach the equation

022and they'll even show them where it came from so they have an understanding. But the students themselves don't have to come up with it in the past. And even had we done that in the past and especially in a classic of dynamics, the teacher would have been doing that along with them and we might still do it that way. That might be a discovery activity, but without the stress of you're going to have to do this on your own on a test. We would never have done that even in the past going through. But like I said, it's the equation of a circle, equation of a parabola. Those are um parabas are still in there. That's even something that's an algebra one. But what it says is derive the equation of a parabola given the

023focus and a directric which are two specific um parts of that. Um so they should know what a parabola is. They should know how to use it. That portion that you're talking about would be done actually in an algebra 2 class. So it didn't disappear. It just kind of changed where it gets done for that one. Um and then finding the point on a directed line segment between two given points. Um that is just it'll still come up in it. Yeah, that's kind of a little less one. Did I answer your question? I think I did. >> You did. You did. No, I that I think what what I was getting at is this that do we continue to impart that information to the students even though we don't expect the students and it's not

024required of the students to be able to reproduce that. So, I think you answered my question. Um, >> so it could be an activity in class but not something they're graded on. Does that make sense? not something that they're graded on, but we're doing our part of giving that information out. We're still teaching you enough. Uh, anybody else any questions? I think you're good to go, Miss Gasco. Okay, so the next two are going to be, and this is going to be grouped as well, probability and statistics and AP Statistics. They are similar courses, but very, very different in the amount of rigor and critical thinking that goes into them. Um so the AP statistics that curriculum is obviously driven by the college board. Um they are making some changes kind of is going through

025but we adapt to that going through. Um one of the key things in that is about students really being able to analyze do investigations problem solving very much on their own to a very high level. Um again that whole entire curriculum is literally dictated by how College Board wants it going through. Um it's not an easy course. It's a very valuable course because when you go into college and even you know the businesses and the sciences or medical fields all the different fields um it's a big part of life in terms of being able to understand it. So the regular probability in statistics is kind of dappling. Um it is nowhere near to the level of rigor but it does cover it. You'll if you look at the curriculum you'll see several of the same

026topics but at a much easier level that they're going through. So um another thing that the state did just so that you know they took out a lot of the probability and statistics standards and saying you have to do them at every level made them as again they actually made them um optional or things that could be done at higher level classes. This would be the perfect time where most of those standards have all been really embedded in and true where they're like truly engaged and going through. So, the regular province stats that is meant for students that could be in both cases they should have at least completed algebra 2, not enrolled in it because they do need algebra 2 concepts to be able to solve a lot of the problems. Um, it's meant

027for a student that really just kind of wants to see what it's like, get a feel for it. They will not be getting college credit for it with that, but it actually is a very, very good course. Many, many students will take either one of these concurrently with another math class. However, it does count as a math class if they wanted it to count as it and the state recognized it as well. Um, so generally students will take whenever they start whether it's seventh grade or nth grade, algebra 1, a geometry and algebra 2. Then from that point on they have choices of a precalculus course, dynamics of trig, probability and statistic, I can't talk, probability and statistics, AP statistics or they could go on and take this as well as calculus. Um, all you

028need is the algebra 2 background at that point to take these. Um, so like I said, very very common. Um, right now we're running two probability and statistics classes and we're running three of the AP. Um, so that's what we've got into the schedule right now. So um, couple concepts that are going through to give you an idea. The regular province stats has intro to statistics, descriptive statistics where students would be comparing and contrasting data utilizing visual representations from the real world. Um their probability would be using combinations, permutations, uh multiplication rules, addition rules. They've got some discrete probability distributions, normal distributions, um confidence intervals, but again they're doing it kind of at a very very basic level of going through. um they do hypothesis testing as well. The AP, again dictated by the College

029Board, is exploring one variable data, exploring two variable data, where they're using graphical and numerical methods to investigate an association between different events, much more complex, much more where they're actually creating the things going through um collecting the data. Same idea. They're actually getting generalizations from their findings. um the probability of random variables and distribution sampling as well but again where they're calculating the probability given certain circumstances that would be much more complicated events and that's just to give you a couple of ideas once the AP exam is over both classes come together and it's if you ever get a chance towards the springtime it's a phenomenal event um we have the AP carnival and depending on the level of the class they're in um the students are grouped and they come up with different

030games and different probabilities And it's a it's a whole little friendly competition. I don't want to say not friendly. It's not super competitive, but a tiny bit, but the great thing about it is that the kids in both classes can actually come up with their own things and they have um they have a whole set of criteria that goes through with that. So that's what they do actually from the AP exam on and they really start working on that and it it's just a very fun event for them. All right, so that is kind of the rundown of the two of them. Does anybody have any questions on those two? Did I hear you right? There are two sections of the probability in statistics and three of AP stats. >> AP stats. Yes, that's currently.

031>> Is that how it is almost every year where there's more in AP stats and fewer in probability and statistics? >> So though the um the demand to take the class has increased drastically um as with a lot of classes going through. So, we've added in where we could for several years. There were two and two. Um, and they were kind of closed out, but not really where students um were not able to take it. This year, we were able to run a third one. I think I honestly don't remember, but I think we ran three last year as well. I think it's only been the couple years. Um, I would love to be able to run even more of that, and as as time goes on, I think we'll be able to have more

032room in the schedule to be able to do that. Do we have do we have students that are not able to take it because we filled our sections with either of these classes? >> So I don't have the final numbers of that because what happens is sometimes you let's just say you have 96 spots, right? You have 32 per class for the three classes. You might have 110 that ask for it, but they may not necessarily be their first choice or their schedules may have conflicts going through. So I know that they've still been working on that towards the end. I can tell you this, most students are able to take it. I don't know if every single student that wants it can take it. I don't know how that, you know, again, they've you've

033got 2600 different schedules that sometimes there's conflicts that work with that. >> Right. >> And Dr. Layman, it would be nice to get an idea because you're right, um, Miss Gasco, I think there's been a significant shift towards the business classes. We've been offering a whole, uh, gamut of them, really good ones, and we've been seeing a lot of students wanting to take it. And I want to speak to that carnival um personal experience. Uh my son took AP stat last year and I think that was the thing he was most excited about. >> Yeah, it it was just a lot of fun. a whole lot of fun to hear him talking animatedly about it was uh definitely a a parent, you know, joyful moment for me because, you know, when it's difficult classes, they

034don't want to talk too much about it, but when it comes to fun fun parts of the difficult classes, it's good to hear them talk about it. Um I do want to, you know, know if if uh if we're having any issues in being able to offer it to all students interested. So, that that could be a um >> I can tell you most. Like I said, we don't it wouldn't be that many, but I don't again until until the schedules are actually finalized and locked in of how they work things out. I wouldn't have that. Um, but but we do, like I said, I'm sure as time goes on and, you know, the rooms open up, if the if the enrollment goes down a little bit, they'll there'll be more rooms. That would definitely

035something that I would encourage being able to have more of. Um, >> but with the computer science, like sometimes they want the computer science, sometimes they want the province stats. um they have to fit all their other content areas in as well. So, it's not that everybody wants to take it, but it they are fairly popular courses. >> Anybody else have any questions um on the >> I do classes? >> I just have a quick question um regarding the number of students in those classes and the probability in statistics. >> Yes. So, we um we typically cap them out at 32. I know when they're doing the schedule to balance they I think they start with I don't do the scheduling but I think they start with like 28 29 or 30 and then they

036level them out and then they open up seats but I typically will have 32 to a class in each of those. Sometimes once the school year starts they might have one or two open seats because again somebody's schedule has changed where they wanted something else and that was more important to them. Um, but we we typically run about 64 students in the province stats and about 96 in the AP stats over the last couple years. >> Thank you. >> And it's typically only juniors, mostly seniors that would want to take it. So, it is quite a few students that you think about five classes of probability and statistics or AP stats. Um, it's a lot of students that could take one or the other and they like math which is nice for a change. So,

037>> any other questions on the AP stats or the um the province stats? >> I'm good. Thank you. >> Okay. Do and I have one last document and that is AP Computer Science A. And I just need to find my Okay. AP Computer Science A. Um while they didn't have they obviously any math in there was updated to the math 2023 standards, AP has actually changed their um course description. So, we it was a perfect year to line it up. Um, it actually is almost all of the exact same content. Um, but they've grouped things. So, if you were to compare the two different documents, um, the old one to this one, all of a sudden you would be like, why does all of a sudden he only have I think it's like five different

038units where in the past there were probably 10 or more. Um, and what AP did as a college board is they actually group things together and within that they have several things. So, when Mr. Menchure wrote it. He actually wrote it to line up with that which would be the perfect way. So it is totally aligned with how they want to do things. Um to give you an idea what has changed in the course revisions in terms of college board. Um they did add a topic on text files and data sets which is in there. Um they've removed inheritance. Um but I know you're going to see that in the document but if you look at the timing of that document, inheritance is in there but it is there after the AP exam. So Mr.

039Mentor is still going to have it where it's going to be taught. but there's no longer the need to stress that before they take the AP exam and it gives them a nice a nice concept to cover before that. Um so basically those are the main concepts. They did some changes in terms of how the exam is which would obviously be covered. Uh but it's not that's kind of minor. That's more of how they're assessing it. Um to give you an idea. So he's got objects and methods. He's got selecting selection and iteration class creation. Um the data collection. Those are actually the four main concepts from the college board in terms of the units and then inheritance is last. Um less typical of our documents you will see a lot of transfer statements because

040those are the overarching ideas of what they should have but that's because that's what's been grouped in them. Just to give you kind of a quick idea um if you took let's just say the one on objects and methods it will be students will be able to independently determine an appropriate program designed to solve a problem write problem coding and implementing um designing the results and output and there there's a number of things um one of the key key things with the AP computer science a is that absolutely has to be done in the language of Java where if you take the um computer science principles the purpose of the principles is to be more overarching where it's a broader approach covering more foundational concepts. Um, but this is this one actually is very specific,

041has to be taught in terms of Java, at least up until this point going through. Um, and again, that's just kind of the philosophical difference the College Board has between the two, which is why we have it where they take the one first and then they kind of work their way up to a more um critical thinking, abstract thinking with this one. So, any questions on the AP computer science A? I don't have a lot of say in what's in that because that's more of a college board decision. >> So, one of the things that I did was surprised to see was that it's still Java despite the fact that it's been updated to the latest standards. College Board is not pushing towards any other programming language. I know it's got to be object-oriented, but

042I I feel like there's so much more use of Python and R out there. Um how and AP compsside principle is one of our best programming compsite programming classes right are we on the side any anyhow incorporating Python in our in our curriculum so Mr. Malda has some in his but not in the AP computer science a they are very specific they want it to be Java and it's a very complicated course and as it is it's very hard very very difficult to get fours and fives I mean even if you look at the the state and the global um results going through it is a very very difficult course so if you were to start adding in other languages that they had to learn as well you would be taking away again we're talking

043about this one course in particular we would be taking away what they could be learning. Um, languages are going to change over time. So, any one that they have, you know, by the time they graduate college in four years, you're right, there's going to be probably three other different languages. AI is going to create their own language probably. But in this particular class, we do not do any other language because we need them to be able to get ready for this exam. >> No. Right. And I and my question wasn't how are we changing this because you're right. We don't want to make it any more difficult than it already is for the students, but we have other opportunities and you you you're saying there are opportunities through other courses that Mr. Moralda might be

044really >> Mr. Alder knows more of his than I do. I mean the web design and the app development do stick with using the Java because they want them to really again focus on being able to create webs web designs which is something that is very very useful for them to know is this a career path that I might want to take um and app development is a similar type of thing a very very popular um Mr. M I'm going to let you speak to the Python because I know there it comes up in some of your courses I just don't know which ones. >> Sure. Yeah. So, Python. So, a lot of the times with with regard miss what Miss Gasco said is absolutely correct with the with regards to the two different AP

045courses um through the the the Python tends to appear a lot in the technical applications and the more of the uh what we would call CTE CTE courses, career technical education courses. And one of the reasons we find that the more uh the languages that seem to be evolving very rapidly appear in those technical areas because they often mirrored what's happening in the job market. Um which is why it's nice to see the two AP paths um or really not not even just the AP paths because even you spoke to it uh before about how the nature of probability and statistics can kind of diverge depending on what students individual goals are. Um, but what I think is nice about what the College Board does is is it provides the framework for students to learn

046uh in a rigorous collegiate atmosphere. Um, you know, various languages. Um, and like Miss Gasco said, it'll very likely look a little bit differently in a few years. Um, but you can access for for those of you that are curious, you can access instruction in Python through any of the um engineering elect or the we don't nearly the STEM electives, the capstone electives that we have at the high school um and even in many of the co-curricular clubs. Um, it will appear on the AP computer science principles uh exam. Um, and but I suggest I I would suppose that that might look quite different uh in a few years, which is why it's important for us to continuously train our staff and why it's great that Miss Gasco was able to get Mr. Menter to

047to update the curriculum uh for for this class so regularly uh because it does evolve uh quickly and and we're constantly looking at through stakeholder groups uh through what post-secondary groups are telling us and the College Board makes it easy for us too whenever they make tweaks to what they're expecting as well. But yeah, no, you can get you can get all the languages um that you'd like. And a lot of times there may be two students in the same class that may be learning different languages simultaneously, but what we focus on is the applications, the procedures for understanding it, most importantly the troubleshooting and the code. >> Thank you. I don't have any other questions. Anybody else? Any questions on the APOMI principles? >> APOMs A. >> APOCA. Sorry, >> he talked about principles

048right now and so that stayed at the top of my mind. >> We just don't have that document up yet. That that one will in a year or two. >> Well, you can continue. >> That's my last that's all five of mine. >> All right. Excellent. >> So, just principles is coming up next in the in the >> I don't know if it's going to be next year or the year after. We'll have to talk about it. Also helps to know when College Board might be wanting to revise it. It's almost best to try to do it around that time if you can. Yeah. And and what I understand from Mr. Moralda's statement was that we do through other avenues through our clubs, we are being able to provide the opportunity for interested learners to

049and mentorship for Python or or whatever else it is that they need for application development program. Just being able to get them ready for what's out there. But what the College Board needs, the College Board needs. And I'm a Java programmer myself. In our district, you could get, you know, our students can get Python as early as fourth grade if, you know, through through the through the I mean, not that that's it's let me let me just make something clear that's not necessarily happening, but they could. So like we do have situations in the middle school where some of our students whether it be through the club code or the code zero program or even just some of the electives or TSA or just what kids are doing on their own they find themselves evol

050uh learning the content at a at a very you know many of them are doing it at home as a hobby as well. um they're they're learning the content at a very rapid pace. But that's why you'll notice that even not necessarily just in the computer science or the math areas, we try to layer our more complex curricular areas with co-curricular extensions for that for that reason. Uh the best example would be in fifth grade in our code zero program we will have students doing block coding but on any given year uh there will be two or three kids uh on Python and that's usually because they have an older sibling um that's gone through something and and in many instances that just happens to be one of the classes where some of our high

051school volunteers may be showing up but you know if they enter the middle school or the high school even just being remotely aware of what it looks like and kind of the differences of it that gives them a tremendous leg up and that you know that's that explains why uh the students in the math and sciences do do quite well um particularly when they score on the standard assessments. >> Excellent. I love to hear that. And I I was aware that we have students that are doing that outside of school, but to come into the school environment in a competitive, you know, setting where they want to do something. It's it it's imperative to know that our staff is ready to hold their hands even though this may not be part of their regular curriculum

052and and mentor them or guide them forward. And I mean as we've seen in you know results of the TSA or any other comp robotic competitions these kids do have the mentorship they need um which I'm obviously very proud of. So all good things >> and and to summarize it's not just clubs and electives clubs that they can do that in. There's electives as well. They're just more technology career you know from from Mr. Moralda's department. So the computer science with the computer science is very specific to a be be about coding and writing codes and of that level. It's not fun for some students and it's some for others. Um, but some of the other electives we have are using them and they're engaging them and it's it's just a different type of a

053course. So just because a student goes through and said they never got Python doesn't mean that it wasn't there and it weren't in curriculums that could have been picked. It's the path that they might have taken. >> And and I can give another a perfect example uh that that will be re very relevant. So next month um we'll be presenting um the vehicular um fabrication vehicular systems fabrication course at the monotentric high school. It's a new automation course uh and we're finalizing that curriculum and it it you know in 21st century automotive repair there are you know pretty regularly applications of computer science principles um whether it's diagn diagnostic or diagnosing an engine or an simple as plugging in an engine light and trying to figure out how to get to it and troubleshoot it.

054And one of the challenges that we're having uh as as a department is how how do we how do we authentically install these fundamentals of computer science um for students that maybe aren't looking to take it as far as Python but still need to have it uh those fundamentals in place. So what you've seen is and and you've seen it throughout our program of study is is ways that we can now branch off of what has already been kind of the spine of our computer science program through the AP program. And now what we're trying what we're what we're doing is splintering into the technical areas and applying it to things like um uh wood shop materials and methods. Um even our graphic design now is is very driven by applications of of fundamental computer

055science. um in our video production courses and and we're not naive to the fact that this is not limited to just the electives and and it's very it's it's overwhelming to a certain degree to try to keep up with the pace and that's why you're also seeing different ways and in which we govern the curriculum and then and that we work with students to guide them into the lanes that are best going to equip them with their goals. So, um, you know, you'll see, uh, regular evolutions to these programs. Uh, my my guess would be over the next really 10 to 20 years and probably beyond. Um, and you'll see them leak into other content areas continuously. >> Thank you for sharing that. That does it's very reassuring because that's exactly what I wanted to

056hear that are we are we being holistic in our approach of technology and I know it was started stemmed off from the computer AP computer science a course discussion but I it it helps for people who are listening to understand that there's a whole lot of what we are able to offer for whatever the student needs. Anybody else have any questions? We can move on to the next document. Sure. Um, and just a quick update. So, 112 students requested AP Stats, 96 were scheduled. All seniors and juniors who requested it are in the class. So, um, you know, we we talked about that before, you know, making sure students, especially junior senior year when they're running out of time, are getting getting those opportunities. So, >> that's good numbers. That's good numbers. >> Thank you.

057>> Um, Mr. Snder, you're up. You have a bunch. and uh feel free to start with whatever document you want and just start working your way through them. Okay. >> All right. Thank you, Dr. Layman. Um yes, we have uh the department of fine and performing arts and physical education. We've been very busy writing curriculum this summer. I think I have 12 documents to present. So um so if it's not a record, I hope to break it next time. John, we're going to start with the first four documents. I'm going to group them um by there are our elementary school documents. So, the first um one is our first grade elementary art. Um and and I should say all of the next four documents um are driven by um the 2020 um SLS visual and

058performing arts standards as well as the 2017 SLS social and emotional learning standards. Um each document may have a cross some crosscurricular um but those are in every single document. So, elementary art in grade 1 is taught at our lower elementary schools and it students have this once a week and students are instructed on the core fundamentals of arts education, the elements of art and principles of design. Um, and at this age we're really teaching students to like and appreciate um art. of the highlights. Um students uh uh um are working on 2D studio art, 3D studio art um and learning the language of art. Uh such as um many different definitions such as um what is artwork? Um how does artwork express yourself? Um learning about lines, shapes, colors, um and many different areas.

059So, this uh is uh one of the first steps in their arts education and they're learning the skills that they need to uh get through the lower elementaries into the upper elementary part. So, any questions on that one? Trying to move as quickly as possible. >> Yeah. How can you when I'm here to ask questions? Sorry, Mr. Snider. Really quick. Is this being taught by an art teacher in all the grade ones in all the schools? And yes, >> are they is the instructions given in the classrooms or is there a different art room? >> So we do have art room art rooms. Sometimes depending on schedules the teachers will travel to the classrooms but um at the lower elementaryaries a majority are um have a designated art room. For instance, Oak Tree for I

060was I was just over there. Oak Tree has a designated art room which is there. Woodland has a designate even though it's an upper elementary designated art room. um just the only time that they would be on a um on a cart teaching in the classrooms would be just if a if it was a scheduling um issue for for there but um the elementarymentaries are primarily taught in an art room and it is by an art teacher. Uh the art teachers at the elementary schools do travel between buildings. So um yep. >> Anybody else has any questions on art grade one? You can go ahead. >> All right. Next, general music, grade two, second grade. Um, general music is, um, what this course does, this also is once a week, uh, students will have this

061class and they, um, this class is reviewing skills that were taught in first grade. Um, and really emphasizes vocal confidence. So students are comfortable with their uh with their current voice where it is um singing um the melodies, harmonies, um rhythmic and meter development um and really an appreciation for music over overall. Um so they will learn um rhythms, pitch, dynamics, um tempo and different styles of music and the cultural background in world music in this class. The teachers do a phenomenal job with um with that. One of the nice parts about this is we were able to add some cross-curricular standards in math in this document because um when learning about rhythms, it is math and the value of the rhythms and what's a quarter note uh added to a dotted half note for

062instance. And um students and along with time signatures, students are able to relate their math skills um to general music which I thought was uh great. I added that just for Miss Gasco because uh I knew she would like that. So no, I'm just kidding. So um so yeah, the teacher I've observed a lot of these classes and I am always uh joyed to see the students um um learning and really starting their journeys in music because in this is second grade. In two years uh they'll be able to do uh band and chorus in fourth grade. So any questions about general music? >> It starts in grade two. No, general music starts. Um, they've already had a year of general music. Uh, so this is this >> we're just updating grade two curriculum. >>

063We're we're we're uh we're doing grade two. Yes. >> Okay. Anybody else have any questions? >> You could go ahead. >> Cool. We're going to go over to instrumental music. This is specifically for fifth grade instrumental music. Um so fifth grade band will um students uh have played um a major students may start in fifth grade but a majority of our students that are upper elementary start in fourth grade and this is their second year of band instruction. This will have a tw a 30 minute pullout lesson each week in addition to two zero periods a week, which is the first time that they're being introduced to uh zero period and uh the first time they get to experience the alarm clock to wake up early and have mom and dad drive them to zero

064period. Um but uh but they love it and get used to it very quickly. This uh full I know I've talked about it before with other documents, but this fully embraces the um MTSD vertical teaching program where students um will have a different band director in every grade. So the students will have a band director for zero period, but they will be studying their instrument in lessons with a specialist on that instrument specifically and that will continue all the way through high school. the the the teacher that starts them will just stay with them through their education all the way through high school which is just a uh wonderful rewarding thing to see and uh I think I've mentioned it before I really believe is the gold standard of of music education and our results

065have uh have shown that um through the year the students will um they will learn um grade level music appropriate to fifth grade um they will enhance their practice skills learn more scales ensemble skills and perform in the spring and winter concert. The winter and spring concert series uh which is always a lot of fun at the elementary schools. There is also opportunities for in fifth grade that students may start getting adjudicated as a band. We have brought groups to the uh CJMA elementary um band festival where for the first time students get to go with their band and be adjudicated um um for where they are in fifth grade. And in fifth grade students are also they're uh they're not quite at middle school level yet but they are eligible for um CJMEA elementary

066honors band which is by teacher nomination only. It is non auditioned um and then students get accepted by teacher nomination and then they get to do a one-day event where they perform with students from 40 other schools and put on a concert the same day. Actually, Miss Bora, I think two of your students when fifth grade uh I think participated in that back in the back in the day now. So, um it's a great um wonderful program. Um and our numbers are uh are just rising from fourth grade to fifth grade. Our retention is better and better every year. Any questions about fifth grade band? >> I have none. Anybody else? This is always always good to hear about the music programs. You can continue. Uh M >> we're gonna go to fourth and fifth

067grade elementary chorus on the other side which is um open to to all students. This is solely a zero period course. Um and they have a chorus three times per week. Um fourth grade, fifth grade and then a combined day where they can do um combined pieces. Um the students in chorus in ele in upper elementary um study a broad range of musical um literature um and different styles in various meters and even different languages which is which is wonderful. Um they perform at the winter and spring concerts as well by grade level fourth grade course, fifth grade course and then like I said combined um at the end. Some of the things that they study in chorus is um score study and um theory behind music site reading um soulfetg um and then preparation

068uh for their for their concert on this. This chorus is open to all learners and uh all students find success and we have um very healthy sized choruses in the elementary schools and they um and they sound great. Similar to band, students also in fourth and fifth grade have the opportunity to be nominated for CJMEA honors chorus for the elementary school, which is the same thing by teacher nomination. They get to participate in a day uh in May every year uh which last year we were fortunate enough to have it at our own middle school. So we had a we had home turf for that um and perform with students from many other school districts and put on just a beautiful concert at the end of the day. So that is fourth and fifth grade

069chorus. Any questions? >> All three uh upper elementary schools have their own chorus teachers. Mrs. >> Yes. >> And and this is only zero period. So these >> only zero period. Yes. The difference between chorus and band is courses only zero period. Band has the less the lesson component during the school day. >> Anybody else? Any questions? >> Okay, we can continue. >> All right, we're going to take a uh left turn here. We're going to go to uh physical education at the high school now. And our first course is strength and conditioning 2. This course is open now to juniors and seniors. Previously it was only open to seniors. Now with the advent of alternate pathways or option two. Because of that we were able to last year launch strength and conditioning one to

070include sophomores. Because of that, through natural progression, strength 2 can now be open to juniors and seniors. Next year, we are going to launch strength and conditioning three for students who have wanted to stay with the program sophomore, junior, and senior year. So, I'm very excited about the program expan expansion and that came directly out of the success of um of option two. Let us open that. Um this course is now um at the intermediate level of uh of of strength. Um it reinforces key concepts. Um it promotes accountability, um goal setting, um safety, consistency, and really um a structured workout regimen that the that the students um do in in class where everyone has um take what they did in in strength one and then really refineses it to make it very personalized um

071in in strength two. And the students are able to go at their own what's comfortable for them and what works for them and their physical things. The teachers um work very individually um individualized with students and are um are I'm in seeing this class. I've I've learned a lot going into this class just about the different techniques and um and and and all the machinery that the kids are doing which is um which is fantastic. I jokingly asked one of the students if they wanted to spot me and I said, "No, don't do that. That's okay." Um, but um really what we're teaching here is lifelong personal fitness and um and the students do a great job. I should say these this course is driven by the 2020 SLS um comprehensive health and physical education

072as well as the um also the 2017 social and emotional learning standards in this course. Um any questions about this? I'm very excited about the expansion of this program >> and I I second you on that enthusiasm. I think this is great that we were able to offer a progression from sophomore into junior into second. Did you say that most recent standard for social and emotional learning was 2017? >> Yes. Yes. Yes. >> Okay. All right. I don't have any other questions. Anybody else any questions? >> You can move on. >> All right. So the next two documents I'm going to do um I'm going to do them separately but they are together. It's we have rewritten physical education for 9th grade and 10th grade um because the documents we had were um it's been

073quite a long time since uh prior to my time since they've been um updated. So they were definitely due for a rewrite here. Um next year we're doing 9th and 10th right now. Next year we're going to do 11th and 12th. Um so physical education uh for 9th grade students are exposed to a wide variety freshman year of sports games and physical activities. Some examples of these are soccer, floor hockey, nitro ball, pickle ball. Um they get to do project adventure uh which is which is always fun. Track and field um health related fitness and the f fitness gram testing um and wall climbing which is which is excellent. There is a CPR unit in freshman year which is uh important for everyone. And in their um in the health unit which for 9th grade

074they have three semesters of regular fizzed, one semester of health. Um this is uh very important topics um where students in health um will talk about their overall um overall health um units on mental health, the human life cycle um sexually transmitted diseases and drugs and dangers of alcohol and drugs in there which is um which are very important. and students start to dig deeply into um uh having a better understanding of mental health uh during freshman year. So um this is um the teachers have done a fabulous job uh writing this and this course also now the standards are now updated from um from previously. So this has the 2020 um health and fizzed standards and also the social emotional standards as the as the other. Any questions on freshman health? or freshman health

075and visit I should say. >> None. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Is there I just do you use any kind of a re what kind of resource do you use or do you need any with this? >> No, we have um we have um resources um that teachers hand out um in the in the classroom. A lot of it is um compilation resources through there are health books but it's compilation resources where um teachers will take um a unit from here a unit from here make their own handouts and then give to the students uh that way and um schooly has been great especially in health um because everything is uploaded right there for them um to uh log into and and um and see. >> Great. Thanks. >> Great. >> Yeah. Soph sophomore year

076um is a very exciting time in the physi physical education and health. Sophomore year um students are exposed to a a um more variety of sports and games and activities. Some examples, football, tennis, handball, volleyball, floor hockey, basketball, and bad mitten through three marking periods. and students are very excited about sophomore year health because that is driver's ed. Now, I want to start out by saying our teachers do a above and beyond job of making sure that students have the proper tools to go out there and become safe drivers. And I've watched them and they really get into detailoriented things where these students leave and they go out there and they know how to and they feel confident and how to be safe drivers. This course meets the mandate, the state mandate of 30 hours

077of classroom instruction of driver's ed. Includes all the aspects of different driving techniques and safety, but also things like how to care for your vehicle, um h financial responsibility with your vehicle, defense of driving, and the study of traffic laws, and even how to register your car and register for your driver's license. So, there's a lot of really um important life skills that happen in um in in in driver's ed. Um we do offer the written test for students which they take at the end of this um at the end of this marking period. And um like I said, it's uh they really come out very very very well-rounded on this. And I wish it was well this well-rounded. When I was uh when I was taking driver's ed um as as uh Dr. layman

078could probably tell you I I would not be able to change a tire if uh if my life depended on it, but these students will. So um so it's very comprehensive in that um in that realm. So um any questions on that and we are um all of the state mandates are thoroughly in this document as far as driver's ed. So we're following them all. >> The driver's ed is sophomore year and not freshman. I thought we some time ago. No. And this is the first marking period or it gets spread out. >> So typ historically we have done this first marking period. This year we're making a slight change. In conversations that I've had with Dr. um with Dr. Higgins and Mr. Collins, we felt it was better to move this to second marking

079period. The reason uh one of the main reasons for that, there's actually a lot of reasons, but one of the main reasons is it it's nice that all seniors can we move senior health to marking period one. So all seniors will start the first day of school in the building. So there would be no and then second marking period those option two students can start um doing their option two thing. The other thing is because health is a graduation requirement senior year we felt it was better that they do it first marking period in case there was any issues they have the rest of the year to um make sure that they meet the requirement for graduation um um with that there. So it's going to go first marking period is going to be senior

080health, second marking period is going to be sophomore health. So they will be starting this marking period too. >> From from a senior perspective, that makes sense. But from a sophomore perspective, I'm just thinking from the age group, they they want to take the the learner's permit as soon as they turn 16. And we have a lot of sophomores that are probably turning 16. >> We did we did discuss that um in uh so they will be done with this um by by January. So it will be a couple of the a couple of the months that was something that um that got brought up. We felt that overall because there are many reason that the positives um of having seniors start outweighed the negatives with um with this. So that is going to be

081there but they're going to start right second marking period with um with that. >> Anybody else any questions on sophomore fet? You're good to go Mr. Schneider. >> Cool. Jumping around more to the high school. The next two documents that I have are the music theory. So it's music theory um one and AP music theory. So this is music theory 1 is open to students in 9 through 12 and any student may take this whether they have a musical background or not. They act they do not need to be in band or chorus to take music theory uh one. It is open to to everyone. These courses, by the way, are driven by the visual and performing arts um standards. Uh also the 2020 uh SLS career readiness, life literacy and uh key skills standards

082and the 2017 social emotional standards. Um, this is an introductory course that offers really a foundation of essential elements of music theory where students understand music notation, cliffs, rhythmic values, note names, and it really emphasizes um applying those skills um um to pieces of music um of all kinds, classical all the way to um all the way to um jazz and and and any um and many other styles. of music, but it starts out by taking the skills they learn and actually applying it to music and being able to analyze um music and even do their own writing of um of of music. So, um students that are um in this course are we hope will stay through the AP course which I'm going to talk about um a little bit, but this is what

083we call the training wheels um course as far as things goes. Some of the highlights um uh we like I said symbols and terminology um major and chromatic scale construction key signature identification and construction um rhythm notation um chord analysis and uh also preparation for post-secary readiness in this um in this course. Um we've had um uh students really enjoy this course and they uh they learn a lot just about um musical skills and how to apply them to like I said any type of music that they may listen to or enjoy. Um so that's music theory one. Any questions on that? Going along to AP music theory. This is open to students 10 through 12. Um and these this is um music theory expanded to the most advanced level. This is a college um

084a college course really um for this is a course that uh freshman would take when they enter college as a music major. Um and this is very in-depth um where students strengthen their skills in uh reading, writing, listening and analyzing um music. Um the this also um we start using uh MIDI and musical technology in this course for students to explore with with the skills they've learned um um as far as doing their own writing of of music. And we do an excellent job of preparing students um to take the AP uh exam in music theory which um which many of our students decide to do. and those that are studying music of any kind in college um if they score high enough can use this course uh to to um to replace their freshman

085theory course in in college. Um I will say we um the past two years we have had this course dual accredited with Middle Sex County which has been which has been wonderful. Um and uh students each year from theory um from the beginning levels of theory like I we hope that uh we will see them all in this in this AP course and they will want to continue. Any questions about AP music theory? >> Do you have two documents remaining Mr. Schneider? >> I have one two three four documents remaining. >> I only have four more minutes because I >> I'm gonna go I'm gonna go really fast. really really really fast. >> The next one is Piano 2, which is another course at Monroe Township High School. Piano 2 is for the intermediate level

086piano um student who can they recommend some a change in piano 2 this year is that it used to be piano one you needed as a prerequisite. Now it's piano one, but we felt that by audition if students play or teacher recommendation from studying from outside or knowing how to play, we would let them in in this course. So this is um for students grades 9 through 12. Um this is again for the intermediate piano player. The purpose of this course is for students to learn piano as a lifelong skill. We are not necessarily looking for all students to become the next Liberace, but if they do, that's wonderful. if they do have but it's really to teach them the skill of piano. They will um study a variety of music here and they will

087also um in this class uh be have the opportunity to perform piano 2 um two recitals through the year. So this is next month there's a surprise coming. We will be presenting the curriculum in September for honors piano which is a brand new course that comes right out of piano 2 um which is replacing piano 3. So that is that is that one. Any questions on that on piano too? you tell us about >> the next one is AP art history which is a wonderful course um that that's that's there at Monroe Township High School um which is based on the study of visual arts which is uh um painting sculpture and in this course students are going to understand the role of all the arts in the development of civilization. Um, students are going

088to be able to analyze art and study these pieces from global prehistory all the way to present and contemporary pieces of art throughout the year. It fully will prepare them for the AP um for the AP exam. This course uh has a great crosscurricular in 2020 SLS social studies. Um um a a lot of correlation of what they're learning in history can be related to many of these units. Um there are two to three field trips per year which I did want to highlight in here where students will go to um the Museum of Modern Art or the Metropolitan Museum of Art or even the Philadelphia Museum of Art depending on on the year. So they'll go either to Manhattan or or Philly um which is I know a very exciting thing for for many

089of these students. Um, one of the things that I like about this course, um, um, it's really students get to, um, know how art reflects the cultural, um, exchange and power and beliefs and identity of the artist and and and what's being represented in the in in the um, in the piece. So, um, really popular course at Monroe Monroe Township High School and um, yes, very very exciting. Any questions about this one? And I'm going as quick as I can. >> 2020 is the latest standard for the SLS for social studies. Okay. >> Yes. >> Okay. You can move on to the next one. >> If I got that wrong, Miss Russ will yell at me later. I'm sure it was 25. >> She's smiling. >> All right, then. I got it right. Yay. Next

090one is a brand new course at Monroe Township High School, which I'm very proud of. We um are have been able to finally expand our digital photography program at Monroe Township High School to digital photography three um which is being launched in September. This is um the third level. What is great about this is we made this course because of the demand out there. the students that took digital photo one, digital photo 2, and we had enough to make more than enough for a class for digital photo 3. So, we are launching this um in in September um this year. The students here are this is going to be at the most advanced level where students are going to use the techniques learned in digital photography 1 and two and um give them really um

091professional level opportunities um in editing and from everything to um commercial and product photos to studio portraits and lighting. And they are going to be developing continuing their portfolio that they started right in digital photo one all the way to digital 3 now which is that expansion is going to be three years worth of um worth of work and some of them that go into the field will be using that as their college portfolio which is um which is awesome. We up update uh annually to reflect the uh latest software and I should say this is now this is open to both juniors and seniors at Monroe Township High School. Congratulations. This is great news. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Any questions? Last one coming up. All right. Our last one, last but

092not least is uh studio art 2, which is simply the second level of our studio art program at Monroe Township High School. Um and it's open to grades uh 10 through 12. Um this is an intermediate level course. The prerequisite is studio art one. Um uh there it's intermediate course. It focuses on drawing, painting and design techniques. Um the nice part about this it this course is this actually digs into art history a little bit as well. Um so many students that take studio art too actually really enjoy it and end up end up in art history probably senior year where it's there. So, um the um some of the highlights of this is um the art history, media exploration, uh painting, drawing, uh human figure, art, um design solutions, and getting to use uh

093to expand the um the different um tools that they use such as uh watercolors, acrylic paint, um charcoal, graphite. they really start digging into that. And students that um still want to continue in studio art, which we hope they all do, um there's still two more levels at the high school, which is great. So, if a student knows they want to, they're really passionate about art. They want to go into freshman year they can take studio art, sophomore year, studio art 2, studio art 3, and then AP when they're when they're seniors. So, um it's very very exciting um that we have this. And if you ever look in the hallway, uh not to toot our own horn, but if you ever look in the hallways of the uh near the pack and you see

094in the um in the display cases and what's hanging on the walls, all of that was done by students um in in our studio um or our graphic design classes. So that is not professional work done by professionals. It's done by our students at the high school. So >> thank you for sharing that because that is is always a pride to walk through those um class cases and see inside. Thank you so much, Mr. Schneider. >> Any any questions? >> Anybody else? Any questions? We're good. >> And I'll still have two or three more next month. Isn't that exciting? >> All good. All good. But I have 12 minutes left. And uh as we try always to give the least amount of time to Mr. Moralda. Mr. Moralda, you have 12 minutes. And I I

095there I know you have two agenda items under you. Uh and they're both that I'm really eager to hear about. So I hope you can make the most of the 12 minutes. be talking. >> Uh um so uh Miss Bora, what which would you like me to address first? >> Um the esports. >> Okay, sure. So, I'm actually going to share my screen then because I did have um handouts for you guys. Oh, I don't know if I'm allowed to in this setting. Um I do I did have a handout, but what I what I could do is I could ask Miss Tagly Faroh to upload it to executive content. >> If you share share with me, I'll put it up there. Um, all right. I'll have to email it to you. >> Yeah, later.

096You can do that. I'll put it up so everybody can refer to it after the meeting. >> So, um, really quickly, uh, we are, uh, we have positioned ourselves to, uh, pilot an esports program, uh, this upcoming school year. Uh, Miss Bor, as you know, uh, this is something that we've discussed kind of on the peripheral uh, for the last few years. We've even attended some seminars down at the NJSBA conference looking at ways to to not just do it because we knew it would be popular uh but to do it with fidelity and in a way that lines up with some of the other objectives and from for a historical context is that esports is is not really necessarily a new program. Um it would be new to Monroe. It's been around for for

097some time now here especially in central New Jersey. um our district has just had priorities in in some of the areas that have aligned specifically with some of the overarching initiatives whether it be STEM um uh whether it be you know literacy some of those other things uh but we feel pretty good about the way that our enrichment program has offered a framework and a model for us to try out new things. So what we u are proposing for the upcoming school year uh and we're we're looking at a December uh winter start time in a small uh focused manner is to launch the MTSD esports program um which is going to be targeted between in students initially from grades 6 to 12 with possible expansion into grades four. Um New Jersey is one of

098the stronger esports uh at least from the public education standpoint. New Jersey actually has an organization called the Garden State Esports um which is nonprofit Scholastic Lead which runs in partnership with the NJDOE which is why you've seen them down at school boards and things like that. Um what they do is they offer a governing body to districts and organizations that want to host esports. And for those of you that are unfamiliar with esports, I'll give you the formal definition. Uh and this is I apologize for the word salad, but that's why I wanted to give you the handout. uh esports uh which is stands for electronic sports is organized competitive digital gaming in New Jersey. Scholastic esports has grown quickly and developed into a fully inclusive educational platform that aligns with NJE student land

099student learning standard 9 which is our favorite clicks career readiness life literacy and key skills. Additionally, esports in New Jersey emphasizes equity, digital citizenship, and career readiness. Programs are designed to engage students who may not otherwise participate in traditional athletics or clubs and connecting with pathways in technology, media, and critical 21st century fields. Uh, the Garden State esports organization um has established itself uh and embedded itself right New Jersey and actually happens to have its foothold here in central New Jersey. Um, so it was a natural fit for us. So what our uh goal would be is to offer three to five teams this winter in the grades I just mentioned. Um and we hope to have at minimal like I said two to three teams of consisting three to five players each but like

100all of our programs we we we have created a mechanism for scalability if if it takes off. We've had preliminary discussions with interested staff members that would be interested in taking on this this challenge. And uh like I said, uh Garden Garden State esports makes it pretty easy for us to to potentially roll this out with uh absolutely no uh cost impact to the district. Uh the proposed games for those of you that I'm sure are the children that are listening at home on their summer evening to the curriculum committee. Um, but some of you that may have children of your own or or uh that like to play video games um yourselves, you may recognize some of the titles, but these are the titles that are featured um throughout the Garden State esports league.

101We have Rocket League, some Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. I can't say this with a straight face. I'm sorry. I can't believe I'm talking about this at committee. Uh Mario Kart Deluxe, Splatoon 3, and of course, League of Legends. uh the uh so these are the games and and there's a reason why all these games are are selected um for Scholastic uh esports particularly because of how they would would line up with with children and things like that. We could unpack each game and why it's selected by the state. There's resources on the Garden State esports website. Um but these games are very purposeful in why they are selected in their adaptability to the various uh areas I just mentioned. Uh the way that the league works is that there's three seasons, a fall, winter sports,

102uh and they they they run throughout the year and each season plays a weekly match uh for about 8 to 10 weeks and then they they keep scores, have tournaments, there's prizes and and and madness and fun as you might imagine. If we were to do this here like we anticipate doing, we would we would we would uh frame it out with a curricular purpose obviously and and make those connections as appropriate. uh on the handout you'll see I included a brief metric for success which uh discusses everything from student participation to the academic impact particularly in the area of of technological applications team building and some of those softer skills that we're looking to develop in our clicks initiative and of course community feedback. Um, uh, another exciting component of this, I'm jumping all

103over the place, is that, uh, Garden State Esports and the state, uh, recognize the importance of inclusion and there is a unified division within Garden State esports. And as I mentioned to Miss Ralden earlier, and I've already had preliminary discussions with our New Jersey, I'm sorry, our Monroe Township CPAG organization about how this would slide right into our unified program which already exists in the district. So, we think that this would be a seamless transition that would answer a call from the community. So, we're very excited about uh the potential of launching this as soon as this winter. And there will be more information forthcoming in the next couple weeks. And what we would do is we would package this in with our current enrichment services uh which feature our club code and our med

104lab and some of the other things that we do after school. And it is our uh we this would be a feebased program in the pilot structure. Uh it is my intent to go out and find private funding to help support this. But we believe that we have the infrastructure at the high school uh and the resources already in place to be able to deliver this the uh we already meet the minimum standards uh and we already have a meeting on the on the books with Garden State Esports this Thursday uh if we were to move forward. My recommendation would also be and I've discussed this with Dr. layman uh when establishing a staffing model uh that we would employ a certified instructional staff member alongside a technical support staff uh assuming they would be

105available uh just to ensure that we could deliver this this program without any technical issues. Uh the other thing is it would be uh in my opinion the best interest of the district to centrally house this program out of the Monro township high school simply because of its centralized location and the technological infrastructure that it offers. um pretty much five days a week, sometimes six of what's going on. So, we really like where we're at uh and we think that uh this would be a very popular program here in Monroe Township. just for other contextual purposes because this question might be asked in a moment. Uh some other schools that currently run this program uh that are locally High-Tech High School which is right down the street well at least from depending on where you

106are in Monro Township at Brookdale uh which is generally regarded as a top public STEM program in the country uh depending on who you read. And Manisquan is is a more uh smaller public school that does it. Many of the schools in Hamilton uh uh use it and some other schools throughout the state. I thought >> so this would be our desire to to launch what has been long marinating in our back burners uh for the right opportunity and we think the right opportunity is now >> how many spots are available >> uh that so that really so we don't know we it it so horrible answer right so the um like when I mentioned before it's it's scalable so we know at minimum we would need two to three teams of three to five

107players Um however uh depending on how that would how on the response what we would do is we'd maintain a staff to student ratio that we've maintained in all of our other robotics and computer science programs which is about 1 to 15 1 to 18. So if we do get the response uh we do feel comfortable that we have the interested staff to be able to scale this program quite large. what would be our what would really kind of be the cap on the program would be the technology available to us in a given moment. So like for the same the same the same challenges we have with robotics uh we have 90 inquiries but we can only service maybe 25 kids. It's not because we can't staff it but we need kits and these

108kits can become very expensive much like we would need uh gaming consoles and and and stations for these kids. However, uh we we we've gotten quite good at being creative and finding ways to get everybody in that wants to get in. to what we'd probably do with stagger scheduling have multiple sessions much like we've done with club code and some of our summer programs. >> So this is not going to need to be set up like a club first. We are going to launch this as a feebased program in December. >> Yes. What I what uh what my recommendation would be is to embed this initiative within the monet uh district enrichment services program which we've piloted in the past our club code. uh we most recently just piloted our uh medical lab program and

109then uh as Dr. Layman and I have discussed and and Mr. Barangika as well. You know, if you read the tea leaves in the way that this this type of initiative has evolved nationwide, it's very likely that we could see this as an official NJ just, you know, depending on how you feel. The truth is what it is. We could see this as a as an official recognized sport uh within the state of New Jersey through the NJISA. In fact, the recommended best practice from from Garden State esports is to award varsity letters is to treat this as an athletic. And and like we've seen with our performing arts programs and our robotics programs is when you take on that that mindset of of a competitive program and you treat it as such, usually the

110results follow. But when you approach it like a club or just as a come as you go uh fun little thing, then that's the product you get. And so, uh, I it would be our intention to treat this as as a competitive, um, you know, go all in 110% because I would imagine this is going to end up as an official sport in the state of New Jersey. Um, probably within the next five or six years, maybe even sooner. >> I I'm so happy that we are so close to launching it. I know in essence of time when you share that attachment maybe the board members present right now and the others who see it can bring their questions or concerns if any to the main board meeting next week. Um I I just feel

111like this is a it you know that I've been advocating this this is my third year saying ever since I saw it at NJSBA. It's it's an opportunity for students um a whole other demographic of students and not just in continuing to play video games but in leadership and team building and all of that. So if you can just take two minutes for your next agenda item because I know the next meeting is we're already at the end of this meeting. So if just for the summer update if you >> Sure. And and and I'll offer a uh an afteraction report much like I've done in years past later in later in the fall. Um, but I I just want to report out specifically to the high school while uh Miss Gasco is here especially

112that and and Sue, tell me if I'm wrong, today was the final day of the of the final exams for geometry the the second day. So, as of today, we wrapped up uh our summer initiative uh our summer advancement initiative which was brand new to the district. Uh which is something that we were really excited that uh Miss Gasco's department has been designing really since back in February. And uh you know, we'll we'll we'll share it out more detail later on in the year, but uh I think it's safe to say that Miss Gasco and and and the high school are very thrilled with the outcome. Um if our objective was to be able to offer, you know, programming to to all students that want it with within the, you know, our expectations here in

113Monroe and then and to ascend them to a point where they can pass our own design final with our own expectations, um is something that I think is is is tremendously good for a math department. that's already been succeeding uh at a high level. And when we report out on our math data later in the year as well at the high school, you'll see why this is even more exciting because this just is like cooking with gas at this point. So the summer we had geometry and honors geometry, just a tick under 40 students that we serviced here in addition to any of the students that went out of district, but the majority in those content in in that subject area stayed with us and that was the way that we had hoped. Um, and

114then like I said, we'll talk more about the the nuances on where and I know Miss Gasco's already got a list of ways we can really shine this thing up for next year too and make it even more efficient and more uh and and stronger that that she's willing to share with us. Um, with regards to summer remediation um, uh, which was the virtual plus summer school with the embedded support that wrapped last week uh, we had nine students last year. This year we had 77. So it was a significant incre increase but more importantly we reclaimed an overwhelming majority of students that were receiving summer school out of district. Um it was delivered through the uh egeneuity program that Dr. Riselle piloted last year through our ESL program and we we believed it was

115going to apply seamlessly to our remediation efforts and we were very thrilled with the way it applied despite some some of the challenges that we were able to overcome. I think what's most exciting is not only did uh we pass a significant uh majority of our students but we have identified already out of the gate ways where once again we can shine this program and customize it really almost down to the daily lesson for how it can support our students. So as far as the high school is concerned with our two new initiatives um 77 students in the virtual plus that's that's up from nine the previous year and then about and 47 total students in our summer advancement and that's up from zero from last year because the program didn't exist. So um I

116just want to say congratulations to the math department specifically Miss Sheer Miss Tracy Shear and Miss Katarina Pace who uh just and I'll leave you with this. Keep in mind this was five hours a day five days a week. I don't know if there's anyone on this meeting that ever except for maybe Sue that had to teach in that model. Um that is not easy to do in the summertime is to teach high level math five hours a day. And these teachers did it and and I'm pretty sure neither of them have ever done anything like that before. So I just want to give credit where credit's due and then go ahead Sue. I'll let you close it out. >> And they were also they were very very happy with the results as well. Like

117they they just the students kind of because you see students that often and that you become you become attached to them. And so they were they were rooting for them as well. And I have to say that they did a phenomenal phenomenal job. >> This is so heartwarming to hear years that we've been wanting to put, you know, bring this to Monroe and to see such phenomenal results in the first year and and not to overshadow the results of the remediation where we, you know, went online. Congratulations to everybody involved. It's just it's um it's an incredible thing to hear >> as a board member. Um um you know I I wish you all the luck. Congratulations on a great summer wrap-up. I have to uh end the meeting now so that the next meeting

118can start especially because we're remote. They don't know they're waiting. Thank you everybody for your time today. I'll see you all next week. Thank you.