BETHLEHEM AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

BOARD CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

MEETING MINUTES

MONDAY, MAY 9, 2005

 

 

Members of the Board Curriculum Committee met on Monday, May 9, 2005, at 7:50 p.m. in the Superintendent’s Conference Room at the Education Center. Present were: Curriculum Committee Members Anthony Villani, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and Richard Agretto, director of special education; and Board Members Rosario Amato, Joseph Craig, Dr. Craig Haytmanek, William Heske, Charlene Koch, Loretta Leeson, Diane Rowe, Julie Venanzi, and Margaret Williams. Also in attendance were: Michele Kostem, associate superintendent; Mia Fernandes, coordinator of literacy; Eric Smith, supervisor of science; Julie Victory, supervisor of mathematics; George VanDoren, coordinator of English language arts; and representatives of the press.

 

COURTESY OF THE FLOOR

 

Mrs. Judith Dexter, 1866 Homestead Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 18018

Topic: Math Study

 

OPEN FORUM

 

Mrs. Koch discussed the following:

1.     She thanked the administration for the update on the laptop initiative.

2.     She asked the administration for an audit of all computers requesting dates of purchase, etc.

3.     She requested that the administration provide sufficient inservices so teachers are up-to-date on their computers.

4.     She requested that the administration look into having our teachers and/or technicians develop software programs to be used by our district.

 

UPDATE ON CHANGES TO THE PSSA

 

Mr. Villani noted that he had recently attended a video conference at the Colonial Intermediate Unit-20. He presented a PowerPoint presentation on the changes in PSSA for the current school year.

 

OVERVIEW ON DISTRICT-WIDE ASSESSMENTS

 

Mr. VanDoren spoke about district-wide assessments, particularly in writing, and demonstrated the use of alterNet’s Performance Tracker.

 

UPDATE ON READING CURRICULAR REVISIONS

 

Mrs. Fernandes spoke about the new reading curriculum. She updated the board on the elementary reading curriculum using grade three as an example.

 

 

 

OTHER

 

Mr. Villani presented a request from Mr. Greg MacGill, band director at Liberty High School to change the current Grenadier Band’s trip rotation schedule so that the band will be permitted to take trips to Orlando, Florida in the spring of 2006 and to Hawaii in November of 2006. He noted that the band has received an invitation to represent the battleship USS Pennsylvania in the 65th Anniversary parade/concert at the Pearl Harbor Memorial. The board agreed to consider approving these changes.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.

 

Minutes Prepared By:

 

 

 

Charlotte L. Zimmerman

Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction