Secondary Schools Task Force

April 12, 2006

USM - Glickman Library

4:00 - 7:00

 

I.                    Review of and input on District Class Rank Policy as compared to Secondary Vision

            ·  Overview of group

                        -  recommendations: 

üeliminating weighting and top ten awards

ü  weight but not rank

ü  Weighted grades – rank pushes more

ü      #8 and #10 of the secondary vision may have some alignment,

      but is incompatible with systems-based thinking

-  questions: 

ü  What would happen without class rank? 

ü  What about honors courses being weighted?

ü  What and how does class rank affect weighting?

ü  What about weighted grades aligning – there is nothing now

ü  What is the overall importance of class rank?

ü  Why do we retain rank in class?

ü  Is there any other purpose for weighting?

                        -  other comments:

ü  Colleges pay no attention to our ranking - they have their own

     ranking system

 

II.         Review of and input on Graduation Requirements and University of Maine

System Recommendations for College Readiness

·  Increase math requirements.

·  USM mainly looks at length of time, not knowledge and skills.

            -  Current requirements should be base requirements

            -  UMS tries to articulate skills where Portland Public Schools doesn’t

·  Physical Education should be increased to 4 years Health & Physical Education

·  Students who want to take courses at PATHS.  It’s difficult now for students to

    take courses at PATHS and still maintain requirements

·  Some recognition of those students who are already fluent in a second language

    coming into high school – Portland Public Schools should be actively moving

    to have the State accept English as a foreign language

·  Discrepancy is in foreign language

·  Science:  USM biology, chemistry and physics.  USM doesn’t count lab

    science.  Would like to look at the freshman year of science differently.  Would

    it be possible to obtain credit not only through direct science?

·  Look at other areas outside the box, (i.e, someone taking sport can count as a

    physical Ed. credit)

·  Do we want to look at a community service requirement?

·  Other school districts have increased either English or math beyond 4 (Sanford,

    Noble).  Some have increased four years of science with a lab.

·  What about doubling literacy by having a reading component added to English.

·  Because health is for one quarter only, it leaves a vacant spot on the schedule

    where students have to take a study hall.  can we fill this with another course

    (i.e., research course, community service)

· How about awarding different types of diplomas to students.

 

III.       Presentation and Discussion on Casco Bay High School

Questions

            ·  (to the students) Do you participate in co-curricular activities in either Portland

    High or Deering High?  If not, do you have friends that do?  Reactions?  Is the

    transition to Deering or Portland smooth or a problem? 

Student:  We do not nor have not heard any concerns so assume it’s ok.

            ·  (to the students) Has there been any rivalry for students choosing one school or

    another? 

            Student:  Not that we know of.

            ·  Exciting to have a lot of voice in what’s going on now and what’s to happen in

    the future?  Do you feel you have more of a voice at CBHS than one of the

    other high schools? 

Student:   Yes. At middle school you had no voice.  If it’s

something like a dislike in course we can express it.  Example is

CREW. 

Teacher:  There is also a lot of parent participation and involvement.

            ·  How does the tight connection with parents play out with students and

    teachers? 

Teacher:  We do get to know families much better.  During

conferences, it’s not just a meeting with the teacher.   It’s student,

teacher and family.  Families are very involved in the school. 

Derek:  There is a good and bad.  Kids know that staff can

become very involved.  However, we have had students struggle

meeting standards and parents are very reactive in helping with

these students.

            ·  Are the parent groups at the high school level as involved as they are at the

    elementary school level. 

Teacher:  There is not always the opportunity to volunteer at the

high school level.  However, because Casco Bay is small there is

great opportunity for parents to volunteer.

            ·  What are your concerns - what is not working? 

Derek:  As a faculty it’s been a struggle to meet standards; to

create so much at one time.  Want to be sure we are continually

funded.  We do not want to take away from other high schools.  Where will our location be?  Need to continue with aggressive communication and recruiting. 

Teacher:  We have after school activities and because we have a

small faculty, it requires majority of staff to be involved.

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            ·  Will you stay and continue as 10th graders at CBHS?  Heard anything from

    classmates?

Student:  We want to stay.  Most students want to stay, some

already have plans to move on.

            ·  If students plan to move into a field of student involving math, how is Casco

    Bay dealing with the level of rigor found at Deering and Portland? 

Derek:  For those involved in four years of math, we are introducing, in

addition to integrated math, a new program.  Casco Bay will never

be able to offer the math courses that are offered at the other high

schools, so we have to have more individualized courses for their

junior and senior years.

Teacher:  Because we are standards-based, a student who meets

the standards means they are on the honor roll.  Students have a

choice to do honors class in each course.                  

            ·  Grading is done in numeric ratios instead of alphabetical.  Why? 

Derek:  If student receives grades between 1 and 3, it means

they understand this subject are ready to move on.  Grades

between 3 and 4 means students needs to do better.  There is a

rubric showing what grades 3 and 4 looks like. 

Student:  I  like the numeric system better.  Clear understanding

- you have to get a 3 to pass.  Alpha system, you can get anywhere

between “a” and “d’ and you are still passing.  Process on

grading numerically is clearly understood. 

Teacher:  Originally I was not for this system, but now I like this

standards based grading system.  A student has to do their work or

they are not going to pass.  Teachers can tell if their student’s

work is not meeting standards.  When students are told this, they

clearly understand. 

            ·  Tell us about expeditions. 

Teacher:  Teachers meet and decide what’s important.   Will it

take most of the year and what can we do to get students to meet

the standards.  We don’t want to be working on similar goals, but

the work needs to integrate into all subjects.  The hands-on is

experiential work – this may involve bringing people into the

school.  

            ·  Integrating math, did you use math in expeditions or teach separately? 

Derek:  Both.  You cannot force integration. 

Student:  We did work on the waterfront – this involved graphing using

research on fish.  Greek mythology we did not integrate. 


Secondary Schools Task Force                     Page Three                             April 12, 2006

 

            ·  In year two, what plans do you have in mind to welcome current staff and

    welcome new staff? 

Derek:  Family night, orientation for new and orientation for old.  Will

match 10th graders with 9th graders (mentoring); preparing

current students for not being the only ones anymore.  Training for

current staff will occur this summer.

 

IV.       Presentation and Discussion on Portland Arts and Technology High School

Graduation Requirements:

            -  portfolio

            -  service learning requirement

            Scheduling

            -  change to 2 hour sessions

            -  three sessions per day

            -  PHS and DHS pre-career

            New Programs

            -  personal service specialist

            -  health academy

            -  communication technology

            Arts Academy

            -  Academy model

            -  Vista volunteer

            -  visual performing arts wing

            MYTHS

            -  is for underachievers

            -  is a special education school only

            -  is for troublemakers

            -  curriculum is not rigorous

            -  curriculum contains no academic components - hand on only

            -  graduates do not go to school

 

            Questions:

            ·  Service learning - are you going to work in collaboration with other schools to

    make sure students do not get burned out? 

Response:  Ideally there would be a component at their school and one at

PATHS.

            ·  Is there an intern program at PATHS rather than service learning? 

Response:  That takes place naturally in part of their normal classes.

            ·  Semester course idea good.  What about after school offerings? 

Response:  We discussed this with later starts coming into it.

Secondary Schools Task Force                     Page Four                              April 12, 2006

 

            · How does travel time impact students time at PATHS? 

Response:  This is a big problem.  Some schools, especially in the

morning, have issues.  Bonney Eagle for one.  The afternoon

session is not so bad because it is at the end of  the day and

distance is not so bad.

            ·  How much of a part does research play in terms of projections for jobs in

    future?  What part did this play in determining what to offer?

Response:  We have done some research.  It’s Governor Baldacci’s

initiative to increase jobs in the state.  Portland economy is a

growing economy.  We will look at businesses within a 35 mile

radius. 

            ·  With respect to transportation, has it been considered to run only every other

    day? 

Response:   The 3rd period is one way to work with this.  There is

Also talk about teachers going to the schools. 

            ·  Has there been talk about the PATHS experience being a requirement for

    graduation in Portland? 

Response:  We feel it would help to cover all areas.  This would

take flexible scheduling.

            ·  What about kids going to PATHS all day. 

Response:  We would like to have students attend all day especially

if we go into service learning model.

            ·  (parent) I have two students and have received no information on paths.  How

    do we get the word out?

Response:  We are working on public relations and are in the

process of redesigning the front entrance and having

a community open house.  Will take a lot of work because

myths have been around for a long time.  Some changes

have happened over the years like the sign in the front. 

Working with TV 3, producing videos. 

            ·  Used to offer a course for teachers (one week) to learn about the offerings at

    PATHS.  Could this be used for students to get exposure to PATHS?  Maybe

    this will increase interest. 

Response: There is already an exploratory program at middle

schools has been happening past two years and is very

successful.

            ·  The key is going to be parents and community.  If PATHS could get high

    powered advertising agencies to get the message out would be beneficial.

 

V.        Year Reflection and Next Steps for the Secondary Schools Task Force

            ·  SSTF has had 8 meetings.

            ·  Looking at the charge, what is the work that has been done?

            ·  Should the task force continue?  If yes, what would be some topics?

                        -  Restructuring two comprehensive large high schools that currently exist

Secondary Schools Task Force                     Page Five                               April 12, 2006

 

                        -  See members of this group work with action team members at PATHS

                        -  Marketing secondary options that exist for Portland residents to get the

    word out

                        -  Need to include school committee members in this group

                        -  Include middle school person and other secondary persons

                        -  Can we get city council involved somehow?

                        -  Work with non-profit

 

            ·  Warm feedback from work of taskforce

                        -  Communication among schools.

                        -  Good having students, community members, school staff meeting on

    a consistent basis.

                        -  People treated each other well.

                        -  Giving honest feedback has been safe.

                        -  Created a good opportunity to talk about ideas that have been generated.

                        -  Articles gave knowledge about best practice and change.

                        -  Forced us to communicate ideas and plans - very positive.

-  Have all in same room promotes the idea that there IS a collaborative

    secondary vision and support.

                        -  Community and parents, learning and knowing more about what’s going

    on in schools.

 

            ·  Cold feedback from work of taskforce

                        -  Would like more background reading.

-  Thought task force would help in meeting the needs of schools, but did

    not happen.

                        -  Even though charge was understood, unclear about influence

    would/could/should have and on whom.

                        -  “Task force” implies there will be action - more talking, less action.

-   Frustrated at lack of action.  Lots of ideas generating and discussion but 

    seems to be no action.

                        -  Would have liked to have communication function part of this group’s

    charge. 

-  Suggestion to have broader spectrum of students.