Academic+Standards

//This team will make recommendations for the academic standard that we want our students to achieve. It will also examine and make recommendations for ways we can help both our struggling and high achieving students.// Jeanne Goranson Joanne Fazell Andrea Estes Allison Fisher Loretta D’Alessandro
 * May 24, 2010**

There should be consistency of academic expectations, on a daily basis, in every classroom, reinforced by all staff Institute summer reading expectations
 * Key Findings**
 * **Findings** || **Recommendations** ||  ||
 * * HMS Student/Parent Handbook - page 16 has very little about academics || Adopt an academic learning standards ||
 * * Inconsistent academic expectations across grade levels || All staff will adhere to agreed expectations ||
 * * Lack of academic standards between grade levels || Schedule vertical meetings between 3-5, 4-6, 6-8 ||
 * * Inconsistent quality of work handed in || Develop basic common rubric for any written response ||
 * * Lack of academic materials to meet student needs || Differentiate instruction with appropriate materials ||
 * * Absence of display of academic achievement || Display academic achievement in high traffic areas as well as recognition through community meetings, whole class assemblies ||
 * * Limited motivation to succeed || Motivational Speakers from the community and outside ||
 * * Prescreening policy of new students dropped || Screen new students for reading, writing, and math ||
 * * Limited after school academic programs || Offer various extra curricular activities-e.g. chess club, Odyssy of the Mind, sponsored by outside services. ||

HMS Student/Parent Handbook should include findings from task force, presently not written in. Page 16 only mentions report cards, honors and special recognition-

Jeanne Goranson Joanne Fazell Andrea Estes Allison Fisher Loretta D’Alessandro
 * April 5, 2010**

There should be consistency of academic expectations, on a daily basis, in every classroom, reinforced by all staff No summer reading program institute summer reading expectations
 * Key Findings**
 * **Findings** || **Recommendations** ||  ||
 * * HMS Student/Parent Handbook - page 16 has very little about academics || Adopt an academic learning standards ||
 * * Inconsistent academic expectations across grade levels || All staff will adhere to agreed expectations ||
 * * Lack of academic standards between grade levels || Schedule vertical meetings between 3-5, 4-6, 6-8 ||
 * * Inconsistent quality of work handed in || Develop basic common rubric for any written response ||
 * * Lack of academic materials to meet student needs || Differentiate instruction with appropriate materials ||
 * * Absence of display of academic achievement || Display academic achievement in high traffic areas as well asrecognition through community meetings, whole class assemblies ||
 * * Limited motivation to succeed || Motivational Speakers from the community and outside ||
 * * Prescreening policy of new students dropped || Screen new students for reading, writing, and math ||
 * * Limited after school academic programs || Offer various extra curricular activities-e.g. chess club, Odyssy of the Mind, sponsored by outside services. ||

HMS Student/Parent Handbook should include findings from task force, presently not written in. Page 16 only mentions report cards, honors and special recognition-

Jeanne Goranson Joanne Fazell Andrea Estes Allison Fisher Loretta D’Alessandro
 * March 31, 2010**
 * Attendance:**

Key Findings Consistency on a day to day basis in every classroom daily

Key Recommendations
 * Propose vertical meetings between 3-5, 4-6, 6-8 for clarity as to what happens at each level
 * Incorporate visual academic products of student achievement in high traffic areas-lobby, halls, computer lab etc. for all classes to see
 * Whole school monthly assemblies to promote participation and highlight certain activities-1 hour of a play, geography bee, hear select choir, Veteran’s Day, MLK, holiday songs in Spanish, to recognize honor roll recipient, Falcon recipients, citizenship awards
 * Revisit screening new students again- reading, written response, and math review data at the end of the year. This was done a couple of years ago and was dropped.

**Academic Task Force Meeting January 15th 2010** Jeanne Goranson Joanne Fazell Andrea Estes Allison Fisher Loretta D’Alessandro

Academic Areas of Concerns: Look at: Additional areas of focus to indicate what we value as a school culture:
 * To improve communication between grade levels thereby
 * Reinstitute common meeting times similar to what we had in the past
 * Developing a common rubric – encourage writing across the curriculum not just in language arts
 * Having appropriate differentiated materials in the classroom
 * Use of extension periods-what is the best use of time?
 * Teaching critical thinking skills for problem solving
 * Incorporating vocabulary instruction in all grade levels
 * Promoting reading and writing courses
 * Consider required summer reading- areas schools require 6 books-3 required, 3 of personal choice
 * Grade level appropriate current event awareness
 * After school enrichment programs for those not in sports-short term activities-leggos, Decordova, book club, chess club, fine arts-talk with PTO
 * Continue with Homework Club, should a MCAS prep course be part of extensions?

Implementation:
 * In the lobby have a scrapbook of pictures for new parents to view –add into on a monthly basis-
 * Stress students to value work-however small the assignment


 * PTO finding a means ( Is there a place other than Doherty to provide buses?) for more educational field trips – a need for the experience, or ‘stay field trips’ with people coming in to do a workshop, motivational speakers for students etc.

**November 30, 2009**

**Attendees:** Andrea Estes, Jeanne Goranson, Loretta D’Alessandro, Joanne Fazell Initial Recommendation… Suggested areas to work on: Have common meeting times Vertical meetings Push students to do best/value work Ex.-rubric to include high end achievers, emphasize writing across curriculum areas Have appropriate materials to differentiate for all students Teaching for problem solving Developing common rubric Encourage vocabulary development in all areas Extensions-what is the best use of time? Reading and Writing block each day for all students? Other towns incorporate it into schedule General support periods-can they be put back into day? Examples: math, science, social studies, Language Arts-daily work, projects Main lobby computer room Hold Honor Role assemblies for all grade levels to recognize excellence in achievement Use of homework club, MCAS Prep Summer Reading requirements-Sudbury requires six books-three required, three free choice, Weston requires summer reading
 * To have consistent expectations across grade levels in the academic areas
 * To have improved communication between grade levels
 * Teachers
 * Scheduling Questions for other task committee members:
 * Visual display of student work in most visible areas of school-Lobby
 * Extended School Opportunities
 * Questions-look into a vocabulary program for grades 3-5, does grade three have one? Look into surrounding towns for summer reading requirements

Identified Areas of Concern: Ex: expectations of work, food, gum, homework Other example: Honor Role assembly Ex.-rubric to include high end, more writing across curriculum
 * November 18, 2009**
 * Attendees:** Andrea Estes, Jeanne Goranson, Loretta D’Alessandro, Allison Fisher
 * To be consistent across grade levels
 * To have improved communication between grade levels
 * Have common meeting times
 * Have appropriate materials
 * Extensions-what is the best use of time?
 * Teaching for problem solving
 * Given time for vertical meetings
 * Developing a common rubric
 * Use of homework club, MCAS Prep
 * To utilize hallways and lobby areas as examples of student accomplishments
 * Push students to do best/value work