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Summary Report: March 10, 2010
Mar. 10 Agenda
Opening: Reading: Becoming an advocate for school change; Pair/share what feels
important in the context of our study group’s charge
Agenda Review
Issues raised between sessions: (study group’s mission, clarifications about selection
of readings, data packet from case study schools, data “look for’s” related to study
group recommendations)
Discussion: The process of consensus within the study group and the faculty (%
needed to move forward)
Further discussion, clarifications, testing, and checking for consensus:
Priority 2: Course offerings, career clusters, etc.
Priority 3: 9th grade initiatives
Priority 1: Culture of belonging, community, and connection
Next steps for next session:
Accomplishments
Clarifications:
• Houses/neighborhoods serve as a structure for saturated academic,
postsecondary, and social support (this creates the opportunity to systematically
track, monitor, and coach every students’ progress).
• Increasing acknowledgement that there is a collective and individual
accountability to all students
• Greater understanding of the difference between the decision in principle and
decision in detail
• Better understanding of the study group’s charge and the faculty’s participation
in the planning process next year
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Summary Report: March 10, 2010
Opportunities
The opportunity to have a dialogue about how we are going to case manage every kid.
The opportunity to define consensus for making study group decision and faculty
decisions
The opportunity to think about being an advocate when we make these
recommendations to the faculty
The opportunity to think about the larger faculty roles and responsibilities in building
out the details for the recommendations
Consider having the whole faculty decide on the most effective structures and
practices that support saturated case management and a sense of belong and
community
Next Steps
• Meet with study group members who were absent
• Reach a decision about the most effective structure for providing saturated
social, academic, and postsecondary support (case management for all students)
• Examine the multiple options related to school-wide systems of case
management
• Research and discuss the final two core elements: 4. Academic learning
supports/ interventions; and 5. Core curriculum and instructional strategies that
close the gap and ramp up engagement
• Meet with Principal Calzada to review draft recommendations and how they
align with the A/B schedule
• Prepare for conference hour presentations to the faculty
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Summary Report: March 10, 2010
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Summary Report: March 10, 2010
curriculum
(c) 9th grade teams
of 150 students
and four or five
teachers
Decisions in Detail that can involve any interested faculty during 2010-11 planning
year:
The details of all initiatives and innovations recommended in the first four columns can be
generated by faculty during the planning year.
Data collection, measurements of success, benchmarks, etc.
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Summary Report: March 10, 2010
Academic learning
Faculty Priority(4)
supports/ interventions
Key Issues:
• What is a teacher’s responsibility as the first responder when a student fails
at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks?
• What school-wide learning supports should be in place for every student who
is struggling?
• Are there special interventions that should be in place for students who fail
multiple courses?
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• What will it take to ensure that all faculty expect, insist, and support all
students to complete quality work in every course every semester?
• What are the benefits and costs of regular and pre-AP courses in 9th through
11th grades?
• Should there be one universal core academic curriculum for all students in 9th
grade? 9th and 10th grade? In all four core academic subjects? In some core
academic subjects?
• Should all students take the same rigorous course work in world geography
and English in Freshman year?
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In addition, it is easier to feel committed and hopeful when your efforts in the
classroom are supported by systemic reforms within the larger school culture.
Being prepared to defend practices and structures that serve all students well
is a big deal. Know why you believe what you believe and do what you do.
Keep asking these questions as you imagine your school as a place where all
kids can succeed academically and graduate ready to pursue their future
aspirations:
“Do our current practices benefit some kids more than others?”
“Will a new structure or program serve all kids, some kids, or a few kids?”
“Do all kids have access to the kind of quality teaching and personalized
support and encouragement that generates our greatest professional
pride?”
Great ideas aren’t enough when large faculties hesitate to vote yes on
anything that shakes up the status quo. High school faculty, in particular, are
often uncomfortable taking on an advocacy position. High school teachers
pride themselves on playing the role of the informed skeptic, a role honed by
training in the liberal arts and sciences that encourages sorting for
differences, looking for what’s missing or wrong, and doubting any idea that
promises too much. After all, these are the same higher-order thinking skills
we want our students to practice and master.
Perry Jr., William. G. (1981). Cognitive and ethical growth: The making of meaning. In A. W.
Chickering & Associates, Ed. The Modern American College (pp. 76-116). San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.