___Elem ELA___ Content Chair Meeting

AGENDA/MINUTES
2/2/12
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4:15 – 6:15 PM
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Gauger
AUDITORIUM
Facilitator(s) / Kathy Kelly
Buidings Represented / Bancroft, Brader, Downes, Gallaher, Jones, Keene, Leasure, Maclary, Marshall, McVey, Elbert/Palmer, Porter, Pulaski, Stubbs, West Park, Wilson
BuiLdings
Not represented / Smith, Brennen, Douglass, Sterck, Brookside

Agenda topics

Welcome
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Facilitator
Kathy Kelly
Discussion /
  • Sign-in

Conclusions
Person responsible / Action items / Deadline
60 minutes
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Common time—IN THE gAUGER AUDITORIUM
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Facilitator
Alyssa Moore
Discussion /
  • Discovery Education Overview
  • District Office

Conclusions / Alyssa shared the many resources available on DE. There are several ways to search in DE, including the Curriculum Standards Search which helps teachers choose materials aligned to the CCSS in ELA. Contact your building DE team with and questions.
Person responsible / Action items / Deadline
50 MINUTES
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ela dISCUSSIONS---Room 162
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Facilitator
Kathy Kelly
Discussion /
  • Discovery Education—digging deeper in ELA
  • What resources can we find for the ELA classroom?
  • Teacher Center
  • Streaming Plus
  • Curriculum Standards Search
  • Spelling Bee---status update
  • CSD Day of Writing---February 8th
  • Grade level winners to Content Chair by 2/24/11
  • Bring winners to March CC meeting for us to determine overall grade level winners
  • Winners from each grade level recognized at BOE meeting and will be invited to share story at storytelling event in April
  • Spelling Inventory
  • Sharing of ideas---Cara Shelton

Conclusions /
  • Digging Deeper into Discovery Ed. Searched Reading Strategies and compared results given under a broad search vs. searching Curriculum Standards by grade level. Found a multitude of resources available for Teacher to Teacher PD and Student Resources
  • Shared out what teachers have already done with Discovery Ed, (Author Videos/Activities)
  • Spelling Bee Update- Content Chairs had no questions or concerns related to the Bee.
  • District Day of Writing Update- The prompt does not have to be scored. It is completely up to classroom teachers whether they score them or not. They must be read and a decision must be made on grade level winners. The winners are due to Content Chairs by 2/24. Content Chairs will bring the original copies of winning pieces to the March Content Chair Meeting. Building winners will receive a certificate. District Winners will receive trophies.
  • ITracker- There is a new feature on ITracker under the scoring section for Words Their Way. Teachers can now score inventories online. This is not mandatory. All levels of the inventory are available in case you need to bump a student up/down (Primary/Elementary/Upper). Once scores are entered, ITracker will group students by stages. It also will provide a Growth Summary by class and by grade.
  • Social Studies content chairs put together a list of mini-snapshots of famous African Americans for Black History month. This could be used as a springboard for research projects. Research projects are big in the Common Core.
  • Kathy met with a rep from Teacher Created Materials and viewed Take Home Backpacks for the summer. They include workbooks and useful activities for students to complete. The cost per backpack is $45. (Liz Simpson or 302-345-7928)
  • Journeys- Teachers continue to find misprints and other issues with the materials.
  • The Phonics books (blackline masters) are too dark, cannot read the text when copied.
  • The ones Kathy copied came out okay. In some cases it may be adjustments on the copier or the type of copier.
  • The 2nd grade Teacher’s edition Unit 4 is missing text.
  • The 4th grade Unit 3 Benchmark test has mistakes in the editing and revising section. There are typos that are not options, confusing to students.
  • Kathy has submitted these to the editorial department at HMH.
  • Sharing of Ideas- this portion of the meeting will be re-scheduled for April.

Person responsible / Action items / Deadline
Kathy / Send SS list of famous African Americans
Send Help Sheet for WTW online scoring
Latest 4th Edition versions of Spelling inventories have been uploaded to Literacy Links.
10 minutes
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Wrap-Up
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Facilitator
Kathy Kelly
Discussion /
  • Parting quote: “Education is the jewel casting brilliance into the future.” Mari Evans
  • Needs/Questions/Comments

Conclusions
Person responsible / Action items / Deadline
NEXT MEETING DATE: 3/1/12
Place: Gauger
Time: 4:15-6:15 PM