MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2007

Members of the Board Curriculum Committee met on Monday, November 5, 2007, at 6:30 p.m. in the Education Center’s Superintendent’s Conference Room. Present were Curriculum Committee Members Mary M. Katona, assistant to the superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and Richard Agretto, director of special education; and Board Members: Michele Cann, Joseph Craig, Judith Dexter, Dr. Craig Haytmanek, William Heske, Charlene Koch, Loretta Leeson, Diane Rowe, and student representative Robert Sawyer. Also in attendance were: Dr. Joseph A. Lewis, superintendent of schools; Robert Gross, associate superintendent; Robin Lutcher, director of information technologies; Thomas Washington, director of student services; Frank Arbushites, coordinator of academic computing; Kathleen Bast, coordinator of Literacy/ELA, 6-12; Dr. Dean M. Donaher, director of special programs and athletics; Dr. Joanne LoFaso, coordinator of Literacy/ELA, K-8; Eric Smith, supervisor of science; Julie Victory, supervisor of mathematics; and representatives of the press.

Mrs. Rowe called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS

Mrs. Katona provided a general summary of the action plans for Donegan Elementary School, Freedom High School, Liberty High School, and the Bethlehem Area School District, which need to be reviewed, finalized, and sent to the Department of Education by November 16, 2007.

Mrs. Katona noted that, across all action plans, there is a heavy emphasis on using strategies related to literacy and differentiated instruction in order to serve the needs of all of our students. She noted that, first we need to have an understanding of what the strengths and deficits of our students are, and in what ways the district will be serving them. While as a district we look at an overview of sub group populations, each school breaks out these populations so that teachers and building administrators are aware of what needs there are. Once the needs of the students are known, they must then be addressed. Mrs. Katona stated that task force committees at each school have developed questions relating back to building and classroom practices. As reflected in the district’s plan, answering these questions in a way that will move students forward will mean a major shift in thinking and in practice. The administration is not looking for ways to put more responsibilities on district or building administrators, or classroom teachers; rather, they are recommending practices that will at times look different from those in which we are currently engaged.

Mrs. Katona asked the board to keep in mind that these action plans are not in their final format. Based on revisiting them at least once more before they go to the state and based on the questions and feed back from the board, the administration will continue to make the necessary revisions.

The board asked that the administration look into the possibility of making deliveries to board members twice weekly whenever necessary, so they would have more time to review all information.

Mrs. Leeson asked what the administration is doing for minority students to bridge the gap.

Dr. Lewis responded that minorities are not addressed specifically, but are included in the sub groups. He also noted that IEP students are being included in the regular education classroom environment more frequently. These classes are incorporating a team teaching concept. Teachers are receiving professional development on differentiated instructional and assessment strategies that provide more opportunities for these students to succeed in standard-based mathematics and English/Literacy courses.

Mrs. Leeson asked what are we doing to make sure students take more rigorous classes.

Mrs. Katona responded that we should not only be looking at what classes we place students into, but we should expect more rigor in all our classes.

Mr. Gross noted that this is an exciting time for the district. “Getting Results” narrows down by child what the district needs to accomplish. Teachers have more information now than they ever had.

Rocky Sawyer stated that, in his opinion, students in the elementary schools love to learn. He noted that students who are strong in elementary school will do well in high school. He asked that the district not only focus on high school students, but also consider starting mentoring programs at the elementary and middle school levels.

Mr. Craig noted that college bound students are already motivated, the district needs to look at those students whose only goal is to just get by until they graduate, with no specific plans for their future.

LAPTOP REPORT

Mrs. Lutcher reported that the Bethlehem Area School District’s laptop initiative began as a pilot program in the Regional Academic Standards Academy in the 2002-2003 school year. Positive outcomes with the pilot resulted in expansion to the middle schools and then the high schools. The initiative was phased in over a period of four years, with the addition of one grade level each year receiving laptops. The middle school grades deployed a true one-on-one program, while the high schools chose to use carts of computers assigned to departments.

Mrs. Lutcher’s report also included an executive summary of the SKILL 21 Initiative, the Penn State University Report, the Maine Report, the MCREL Report, laptops in the K-12 classroom, a New York Times article, and a review of the laptop programs.

Mrs. Lutcher noted that Broughal Middle School is piloting a new system where the laptops remain in each classroom instead of being assigned to individual students.

Mrs. Koch asked what new plans the administration has put in place to ensure that the district does not lose any more laptops.

Mrs. Lutcher replied that there have been changes to the database, passwords are being changed, procedures are being put in place for the verification of laptops, and storage crates are being secured with locking stations.

Mrs. Dexter asked what it would take to get laptops into the hands of all students at the beginning of the school year.

Mrs. Lutcher replied that she would need more staff development, more technology integration specialists, temporary people for rollout, and floaters for support technology at the four middle schools.

COURSE WEIGHTING UPDATE

Mrs. Katona explained that the committee that was formed to discuss issues related to honor classes and course weighting met on October 25, 2007. The committee was comprised of administrators, teachers, and parents. She noted that another meeting date will be set shortly, and the group will add representation from the middle schools and from the recently formed Gifted/Talented Task Force. The group will also be seeking input from college and university representatives.

Mrs. Katona noted that the following recommendations emerged from the meeting:

n The entry exam used for incoming ninth grade students should continue to be used; however, the purpose of the exam should be different. We should provide a “ramp up” class in the summer for students who do not score at the threshold that has been set.

n The “academic” designation for courses other than AP or honors has come to have negative connotations, as many feel the rigor has decreased in these classes. We will drop the label “academic” from classes.

n Honors and AP courses should be calculated using different weights.

n At this time, ninth grade honors will continue to be weighted, as the committee could not reach consensus on this point

Mrs. Katona noted that all final recommendations of the committee will be brought to the board for approval.

COURTESY OF THE FLOOR

Mr. Eugene McKeon, 5045 Harvey Road, Bethlehem, PA, spoke regarding SAT’s, Class Rank, and percent of class ranking, and how they apply to college entrances. He also spoke regarding the process the BASD uses for ordering laptops, stating that they are not ordered until after the final budget is approved and thus are delivered too late to be ready for the beginning of the new school year.

Mr. Stephen Antalics, 737 Ridge Street, Bethlehem, spoke regarding minorities and also asked if there is a sensitivity guidance program for teachers.

Mrs. Mary Pongracz, West Fourth Street, Bethlehem, PA, thanked the board for being civilized this evening. She also noted that it is not what college you attend, but what you get out of that college. She also stated that every child should be welcomed into our schools.

OPEN FORUM

Mrs. Leeson thanked Mrs. Katona for the summary of the Bethlehem Area School District’s “AP Student Counts by Building and Course” for Freedom and Liberty High Schools that she had requested. Mrs. Leeson noted that some students are taking multiple courses, so she requested the total number of students taking AP classes be compiled and reported.

Mr. Craig commented on the fact that when some students are disfranchised from schools, the problem is not always the teacher.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

Minutes Prepared By:

Charlotte L. Zimmerman

Administrative Assistant to the Assistant to the Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction