BERKSHIRE HILLS REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
Great Barrington Stockbridge West Stockbridge
SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETING
MONUMENT VALLEY REGIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL
September 3, 2015
Present:
School Committee: S. Bannon, R. Bradway, R. Dohoney, D. Weston, A. Potter,
J. St. Peter, W. Fields, F. Clark, K. Piasecki, C. Shelton
Administration: P. Dillon, S. Harrison
Staff/Public: M. Berle, B. Doren, M. Young, K. Burdsall, S. Soule, D. Long
Absent: None
List of Documents Distributed:
September 3, 2015 School Committee Meeting Agenda
2015-2016 Student Handbooks - MMRHS, MVRMS,MBRES
BHRSD Technology Vision Standards, IT Letter & Overview, Technology Inventory, Tech. Progress Memo (updated 7/23/15)
Personnel Report- BHRSD Sept 3, 2015
RECORDER NOTE: Meeting being transcribed from recorded DVD provided by CTSB after the fact. Length of meeting: 2hr 22min
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CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Steve Bannon called the meeting to order 7:00pm
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PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
The listing of agenda items are those reasonably anticipated by the chair, which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed, and other items not listed may be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law. This meeting is being recorded by CTSB and will be broadcast at a later date. Minutes will be transcribed and made public, as well as added to our website, www.bhrsd.org once approved.
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MINUTES – July 23, 2015 presented by S. Bannon for Committee approval
Motion to approve minutes: F. Clark
Seconded: R. Dohoney # Members Approved: 4 Abstained: W. Field
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TREASURES REPORT - None
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SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT –
GOOD NEWS ITEM(S)
P. Dillon:
· All Committee members received new copy of MA General Law book
· School started w 2 Professional Development (PD) days Monday & Tuesday with breakfast to bring people together where some School Committee members attended; nice start to year.
Muddy Brook Elementary School (MBE)
M. Berle:
· Elizabeth Freeman mosaic- Collaboration between: Artist Danny O’Dell, Project Connection, Multi-Cultural Bridge, Mary Berle. Student made over summer
· Many new students-
· 2 very good PD days: Focus this year is on progress assessments and supporting students in conversations and community conversations.
· 4 New Teachers-Stephanie Kluka: SPED certification in severe disabilities- Aloha Room
Shannon Connolly: moved to SPED position focused on behavioral health and academic support
Megan Warner & Shannon Guerrero- 3rd Grade
Kim Chirichella- .4 music teacher balanced w/ a .6 position at Farmington River
Monument Valley Regional Middle School (MVM)
B. Doren:
· 5th grade: focus on transition – 5th grade team works hard by listening to and providing support what is needed by students while they are learning a new school
· New structure w/ D-Period- extra reading class and math enrichment for 5th & 6th grade
· 6th grade: focus on integration of humanities with 5/6 & 7/8 – social studies and ELA focus. Math is not separate classes but full co-teaching model (all faculty working with all the kids)
· 7th grade: Berkshire County History Unit complementing Solar System and Revolutionary War Projects. 3 integrated projects this year.
· 8th grade: Science- process of innovation, investigation, collecting evidence, reflecting, communicating. Math: 40% of students in advanced math w 12% being high needs.
· Exploratory team: Performance Music (Band, Chorus, Orchestra)- end of day, split up 5/6 & 7/8 with increased enrollment
· PD days- Progress assessments, Social/Emotional Learning, Restorative practices. PD days exceeded his expectations amount of work done.
· Therapeutic Learning Center- program for most-high-needs students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. Collaboration with K. Burdsall and MBRE preparing students and now Tier 1 work is being done.
Monument Mountain Regional High School (MMRHS)
M. Young:
· Freshman Orientation day model worked well for students and teachers to ease transition
· 49 new students registered over summer. 557 students total.
· Staff/faculty used PD time well to prepare- today being first day of school
· 5 new teachers: R. Naughton- 1st year teacher Biology and Anat/Physiology
A. Scecina- long time teacher (41years)- Physics & Honors Chem
H. Freadman- Journalism/English
J. Hartcorn- Woodworking
C. Vlcek- Point 5 Math- Geometry & Algebra II
R. Kelly- (Oct 2014) PE
· Freshmen in X-Tech program: 10 days exploring all vocational and technology programs
· 65 internships 1st semester- put together by Shawn Flynn & Ann Dinello – business partners
TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMMATIC OVERVIEW
Superintendent Note: Collective decision made at conclusion of last budget process about making a shift in how programmatic overviews are done. This meeting represents the start of that new pattern. Technology is one of the most complex and complicated ones; administrative, instructional, integrated between all 3 schools and district office. Share that tonight and going forward there will be an alternation between academic applications k-12 and facilities. Separation will allow the 2.5 months spent on budget will give a greater sense of things. Packet put together thoughtfully and is avail on website but presentation will not be of whole packet with the understanding that it has been read by all School Committee Members and presentation will fill in the details of packet. Ample Q&A after presentation by David Long, Director of IT.
David Long: Letter sent out in packet sets character of agenda and how plan is playing out. Most of things addressed are things that are already in place and the desired direction by admin and students IS the direction things were/are already going. Applications in cloud are flexible, less expensive and allow for users to do what they want to achieve. David noted that teacher users are already helping each other with application problems, which is great, but also important because they felt empowered to make installs and teach each other. Teachers are blogging to bring information and lessons to students. He feels gratification and that progress is already profound. Seeing it work in each of the schools is really the proof of something coming together that was started a long time ago.
SCHOOL APPLICATION: Each school showed video of how technology is being used
M. Berle, Principal: Muddy Brook Elementary:
● LEXIA: adaptive program for reading- figuring out the child’s level
● SCRATCH Jr- MIT Coding program- animation
● STORY KITCHEN- recorded student storytelling
MBE focused on 4 things:
1) making things with technology: animation & recorded stories
2) adaptive use programs to identify a child’s level and support next level growth- Lexia being so important because it can be logged into and used at home
3) digital citizenship at school and working with families to make choices in technology use that enhances life but doesn’t consume us.
4) enhancing experiences- oral storytelling to support writing, connect us and make us stronger. Recorded stories can be shared with anyone, anywhere.
Common Sense Media: curriculum available on the web
Faculty focus on screens being distractions or constructive. Working towards balance
Looking Forward:
Power school still striving- report cards not online yet.
Digital Platform for supervision and evaluation.
QR codes attached to school artwork with student spoken stories about artwork
Smart Talk: PTA - parent talk with kids about responsible technology use
Website available information
B.Doren, Principal - Monument Valley Middle
Technology used ubiquitously by all at MVM. Students bring in devices to use. Lots of technology being used to innovate and practical uses. Grant used to bring together all the resources, technology(IT) and education (Teachers) to address assignments and solve problems instead of having separation of subjects there is a unification in studies to solve common problems reach common goals.
M.Young, Principal- Monument Mountain Regional High
All of the technology investments made at MMRHS have been utilized for services or equipment that is being used directly by students, hands on, to give them the edge they need to compete when they leave MMRHS.
MMRHS Tech Team: Kara Staunton, Tom Roy, Neil Webber, Paul Kakley
Kara: Biggest Library Initiative is a Makers Space: Science/Technology/Engineering/Math Program- Grant for 3-D printer, robotics, equipment. Working on Mt Robotics team to compete with S. County Mt Everett’s robotics team.
Q&A Q: Fred Clark: How is technology integrated into the curriculum rather than special programs? Digital Citizenship? A: Kara- Technology integration model: SAMR Model- Substitution/Augmentation/Modification/Redefinition --- Substituting & Augmentation (typing rather than writing assignments), Modifying- Electronic Forums for teacher/student communications; Teachers presenting video slide shows. Noted that teachers need PD for better/full integration.
Q: Fred: What is place of technology teacher? Has technology been moved into the classroom instead of a specific teacher? Tom: Excel is taught by Technology teacher which is highly used in classes.
Q: Andy. Potter :How is coding used/taught as a vocation: A: Tom: Coding used in Makers Space, python coding class, x-techs offers 3days of python & html coding, computer repair/management. Working on getting a 2nd level of coding for next year in python class by adding Java to it. David Long: On a district level- current trend STEM- taking practical problems and using empirical methods to get a new result. Now using technology that is embedded in that process. Using technology to solve problems. Traditional tech teaching doesn’t go away but it becomes transformed as a supporting learning for larger critical thinking projects for problem solving.
MaryAnn Young: Full integration is still not complete and the schools are in transition in what they can use or what is available. Technology moves faster than it can be learned, so staying current is a challenge.
Rich Bradway: He has seen in the last year that teachers are now showing they are more empowered to to use technology in the classroom to teach and sees how it is evolving. In the past IT was used more to fix problems rather than expand technology use.
Q: Rich Dohoney: How is technology use/capabilities used in the hiring process? Teacher’s use of technology in classroom as part of the teachers evaluation? A: Peter Dillon: Technology evolves: younger hires are “digital natives” where it's embedded in all learning and application. Hire candidates are sharing electronic portfolios of their work rather than 3-ring binders; this shows the technology progress just in the hiring process. As teachers are evaluated, it is noted if technology is used in the classroom in a “meaningful” way as to enhance the lesson and not stall the lesson just for the sake of integration. Evaluation results are not yet being recorded or tracked electronically but that will start rolling out at the elementary level.
Q: R.Dohoney: How are our technologies evaluated for purchase/use? A: D. Long: We use data to support what works and what doesn’t, but some new products don’t have data- so evaluation of a product is very important. Google tools are diverse and free cost, avail to everyone instantly. Sometimes decisions are good and sometimes bad, it's a judgement call. A: Peter: We look at other school’s success with products and cost vs services. Trying to leverage buying power with other schools in district.
A. Potter asked for definition of Power System: Student Information System tracking who is enrolled, student grade level, grades of students, parent contact- given by D. Long.
Q: R.Dohoney: How do we know the technology we are using is best for our kids? Example: Lexia is a required part of homework at MBE. Is that good? A: M. Berle: In this example, Thad Dingman and M. Berle evaluated the student learning in grammar and spelling and where gaps could be detected. Lexia is adaptive technology and fills a gap for a number of families who don’t have the time or ability to assist children at home with homework, so for some families it is very influential on the child’s success. It is adaptive to the childed learning level and progress is trackable by the student’s teacher.
Q. F.Clark: Examples of technology to identify differentiated learning? A:M.Berle: Used by non-verbal students. Ipad apps used to write letters, in science to record observations. Story Kitchen addresses children who were not progressing in writing; gets students telling stories without having to worry about the writing but still encourages students to write and that they do have stories to tell.
Q: W. Fields: Parents see value in the technology but they are scared as to what their children are being exposed to. How is the oversight handled? A: B.Doren: Big resource is “Best Practices” & at MVM is website “Common Sense Media” that puts out best practices for parents, kids, teachers, community members to use technology around digital citizenship. 5th grade curriculum involves a digital citizenship because there is so much information available to students. Parent forums are held to address technology concerns for parents with their children. When children are misusing technology, on or off campus, it's about communicating verbally to teach technology responsibility involving parents, students, teachers.
SCHOOL HANDBOOKS- P.Dillon:
MMRHS: largely similar to what it has been in the past
MVM: big shift towards restorative practices and sent articles sent around
MBE: shifts are markedly different since M.Berle and N.Thompson have come into the school and inherited the previous handbook and have worked through it and made changes.
Motion to accept handbooks: R.Dohoney 2nd: W.Fields In Favor: Unanimous
UPDATES
Berkshire County Education Task force continues to meet. P.Dillon and S. Bannon are still attending meetings and that work continues. County Members getting together talking about education and possibilities. Meeting minutes will be provided to committee and work will continue. This group is broken up into sub-committees and is still in the “informational gathering stage”. County-wide issues.
P.Dillon: Southern Berkshire Shared Services project; Action oriented plan. Focuses largely around professional development, curriculum, technology, interest in additional grant writing to sustain the work. South County Districts meet approx every month, meeting again September 15, 2015. Group that did Memorandum of Agreement / Understanding. Submitted grant proposal to then-governor Deval Patrick, looked upon favorably, and got 9C cut at last minute. Conversations continue with current administration and hope to soon have something positive to share. This group has been meeting for about 1.5 years.