Nov. 13, 2013 School Committee Meeting

Agenda

Regular Meeting of the Quincy School Committee
Wednesday, November 13, 2013, 7:00 pm
NAGE Building, 2nd Floor Conference Room

I. Approval of Minutes: Regular Meeting Minutes for October 23, 2013.

II. Open Forum: An opportunity for community input regarding the Quincy Public Schools. After giving his or her name and address, each speaker may make a presentation of no more than four minutes to the School Committee. An individual may not exchange their time or yield to others.

III. Superintendent’s Report:

A. Inspiring Quincy

B. Fall Gathering, November 21

C. Aspen Publication #8

D. Junior Hero Event

E. Mini-Grant Reception, October 29

F. Parent Academy Event

G. ‘Tis the Season…Symphony and Song, December 5

H. MIAA Fall Athletics Tournament

I. Middle School Competitive Swimming Skills Program

J. Home-School Connections: Atherton Hough and Wollaston Elementary Schools Monthly Newsletters

IV. Old Business:

A. MASC Conference Resolutions Mrs. Hubley

V. New Business:

A. Literacy Program Presentation - Mrs. Perkins

B. Former Central Middle School Site - Dr. DeCristofaro

C. Out of State Travel: Sterling Middle School Grade 6 students to Providence College on December 18, 2013.

VI. Additional Business:

VII. Communications:

VIII. Reports of Subcommittees: None

A. Teaching and Learning Subcommittee: Mrs. Lebo to report on the October 28, 2013 meeting

IX. Executive Session: None

X. Adjournment:


Subcommittees of the School Committee

Budget & Finance
Isola/Bregoli/Hubley/Koch/Lebo/Mahoney/McCarthy

School Facilities & Security
McCarthy/Bregoli/Hubley

  1. Sterling Building Plans Referred to Subcommittee by the School Building Task Force in 1998.

  2. Coddington Hall Referred to Subcommittee at the May 18, 2011 School Committee Meeting. The City of Quincy has appropriated funds to refurbish Coddington Hall to serve as the Quincy Public Schools administrative offices. Wessling Architects has completed the design phase of the project and construction is underway as of June 2013.

  3. Houses on Saville Avenue Referred to Subcommittee at the May 18, 2011 School Committee Meeting. Currently home to the City’s Public Building department, the School Committee and Superintendent see no future educational uses for these properties.

  4. President’s City Inn Referred to Subcommittee at the October 10, 2012 School Committee Meeting. Safety concerns have been expressed about this property that abuts the new Central Middle School.

  5. School Lobby Security Controls Referred to Subcommittee at the January 23, 2013 School Committee Meeting. Review of existing visitor protocols, with special consideration of current high school policies and discussion of enhancements moving forward for all schools.

  6. Solar Array Installation on School Roofs Referred to Subcommittee at the June 12, 2013 School Committee Meeting for further review and discussion.

Health, Transportation & Safety
Hubley/Lebo/McCarthy

  1. School Meal Charges Referred to Subcommittee at the March 21, 2012 School Committee Meeting. New state and federal regulations require formalization of the school meal charges policy.

  2. Science Lab Safety: Referred from the Teaching and Learning Subcommittee at the April 2, 2012 meeting. High School and High School Science labs have been reviewed and needed updates for compliance completed as of September 24, 2012 Special School Committee Meeting. Monitoring of supplies will be handled by High School Safety Team; need similar plan for Middle Schools.

  3. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Referred to Subcommittee at the September 24, 2012 Special School Committee Meeting. Student Support Services working with Lincoln Hancock, Clifford Marshall, and Parker Elementary Schools on piloting this initiative.

School Policy
Bregoli/Isola/Mahoney

  1. Graduation Requirements Referred to Subcommittee at the September 7, 2011 School Committee Meeting and discussed at the October 11, 2011 School Policy Subcommittee. The discussion centered around adding a fourth year of Math as a graduation requirement; the issue is tabled until more is known about the impact of the new Common Core Standards on the Massachusetts frameworks.

  2. New Educator Evaluations Referred at the September 7, 2011 School Committee Meeting and shared with the Teaching and Learning Subcommittee. Further discussion will be held in joint Subcommittee Meetings and Executive Session as it pertains to collective bargaining.

  3. High School Community Service Referred to Subcommittee at the December 14, 2011 School Committee Meeting. A resolution was introduced proposing a Community Service requirement; pilot program for Grades 10 and 11 is underway for 2012-2013 school year. The pilot program was extended to the 2013-2014 school year for grades 11 and 12.

  4. Adding CPR as a Graduation Requirement Referred to Subcommittee at the March 21, 2012 School Committee Meeting. Review and discussion of existing policy requested.

  5. Advertising/Sponsorship Opportunities Referred at the June 13, 2012 School Committee Meeting. Review and discussion of amending the existing policy requested to explore the possibility of raising revenue by accepting advertising sponsorships.

  6. Extracurricular Eligibility Referred at the March 25, 2013 Ad Hoc Athletics Rules Subcommittee. Review and discussion of the existing policy and consideration of increasing the requirements.

  7. Residency Referred at the September 18, 2013 Special School Committee Meeting. Review of existing policy and expansion to include additional information on verification process.

Special Education
Mahoney/Bregoli/McCarthy

  1. Substitute Teachers for SPED Originally referred to Subcommittee at the January 17, 2007 School Committee Meeting. At the Special School Committee Meeting on January 28, 2012 and the Special Education Subcommittee meeting on February 1, 2012, it was agreed that some progress has been made in the way that substitute teachers are informed and educated about accommodations for special needs issues. A form has been developed for classroom teachers to share information and the goal for implementation is the 2012-2013 school year.

  2. Special Education Program Assessment Referred to Subcommittee at the January 28, 2012 Special School Committee Meeting. This will be an ongoing discussion of the curriculum initiatives for Special Education.

Rules, Post Audit & Oversight
Lebo/Bregoli/Hubley

Teaching and Learning
Lebo/Hubley/Isola

  1. New Educator Evaluations Referred at the September 7, 2011 School Committee Meeting and shared with the School Policy Subcommittee. Two meetings have already been held to begin exploring the requirements of the new regulations (9/21/11 Ad Hoc Subcommittee meeting and February 13, 2012 Teaching and Learning Subcommittee meeting) and further discussion will be held in joint Subcommittee meetings and Executive Session as it pertains to collective bargaining.

  2. Media Specialists in Elementary and Middle Schools Referred at the January 23, 2012 School Committee Meeting. The Citywide Parents’ Council presented a signed petition representing the request to restore these positions in the FY2014 budget and seek additional funding to address the positions for the remainder of the 2012-2013 school year.

Ad Hoc Committees:

Channel 22
Mahoney/McCarthy

Created at the October 27, 2007 School Committee meeting to encourage the greater use of Channel 22 across Quincy Public Schools.

Central Building Committee
Mahoney

Athletic Rules
McCarthy/Hubley/Lebo

Created at the October 24, 2012 School Committee meeting to continue discussion on Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association rules.

Minutes

Quincy, Massachusetts - November 13, 2013
Regular Meeting of the Quincy School Committee

Regular Meeting

A regular meeting of the Quincy School Committee was held on Wednesday, November 13, 2013 in the NAGE Building, 2nd Floor Conference Room. Present were Mr. Paul Bregoli, Mrs. Kathryn Hubley, Mrs. Emily Lebo, Mrs. Anne Mahoney, Mr. David McCarthy, and Ms. Barbara Isola, Vice Chair.

Vice-Chair Presiding

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The Superintendent called the roll and Mayor Koch was absent. Also present were: Dr. Richard DeCristofaro, Secretary; Ms. Laura Owens, Clerk; Mrs. Janet Baglione, Mr. Michael Draicchio, Ms. Colleen Dufresne, Mrs. Mary Fredrickson, Ms. Beth Hallett, Mr. James Mullaney, Deputy Superintendent Kevin Mulvey, Mrs. Maura Papile, Mrs. Erin Perkins, Ms. Madeline Roy, Mr. Keith Segalla, Mr. Kevin Segalla, Mr. Lawrence Taglieri, Ms. Judy Todd; Ms. Lindsay Schrier, Quincy High School Representative to the School Committee; Ms. Paula Reynolds, Citywide Parents Council Co-President and Ms. Allison Cox, President, Quincy Education Association.

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There was a moment of silence in honor of Thomas (T.O.) Orseno, custodian in the Quincy Public Schools for twenty-five years.

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Regular Meeting Minutes Approved 10/23/2013

Mr. McCarthy made a motion, seconded by Mr. Bregoli to approve the Regular Meeting minutes for October 23, 2013. On a voice vote, the ayes have it.

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Open Forum

As no one wished to speak at Open Forum, the School Committee moved on to the next item on the agenda.

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Superintendent's Report

Superintendent DeCristofaro opened the meeting with a short Inspiring Quincy video featuring recent Quincy Public Schools events including Snug Harbor Community School Kindergarten Parent-Child Day, the Educator Mini-Grant Reception, Rachel's Challenge, John and Abigail Adams Scholarships at North Quincy High School, and the Lincoln Hancock Community and Sterling Middle School Veterans Day Assemblies.

Upcoming Quincy Public Schools events include the Fall Gathering on November 21 at the Tirrell Room and 'Tis the Season on December 5 at Quincy High School. Twelve high school students will attend the MIAA Sports Summit at Gillette Stadium on November 22, accompanied by the Athletics Directors. North Quincy High School Art & Photography students will host an art show on Thursday, December 12 with the proceeds to benefit Children's Hospital.

The Curriculum Office, in partnership with the Citywide Parent Council and the Quincy Parent Advisory Council to Special Education, will be hosting two Parent Academies to introduce the new elementary school Journeys Reading Program. Both evenings will be held at the new Central Middle School; Grades K-2 will be the focus on Tuesday, December 3 and Grades 3-5 on Tuesday, January 7.

Dr. DeCristofaro announced the newly opened Aspen Student Portal for Middle and High School students and families. At the recent Mini-Grants Reception, sixty Quincy Public School professional staff members received mini-grants totaling $20,000 for classroom technology; science laboratory equipment; library books and classroom literature sets; music composition software; recess equipment; electronic maps; guest lecturer; and interactive literacy materials. The mini-grants were funded by Street-Works Development, Boston University, the Ezickson Family, and the Quincy School-Community Partnership and over one hundred creative proposals were submitted from which these recipients were selected.

The North Quincy High School Girls Soccer team qualified for the preliminary round of the MIAA Fall Athletics Tournament as did the Girls Volleyball teams from both high schools. Quincy High school progressed to the quarterfinals, while North Quincy High School competed in the Division 1 East Finals. The North Quincy High School Girls Cross-Country Track team won the Patriot League Fisher Division Championship and North Quincy High School student Emily Bryson won the Patriot League Individual Championship in the 3.3 mile.

The Middle School Competitive Swimming Skills Program is underway with over fifty students from all five middle schools participating at the Lincoln Hancock Community School pool in the month of November

American Education Week Essays are completed and the panel of retired teachers will be meeting this week to select the finalists to be presented at the December 11 School Committee Meeting.

The North Quincy High School ROTC was recognized by the Air Force's regional director for exceeding standards in their program.

Monthly Newsletters from the Della Chiesa Early Childhood Center; Bernazzani, Wollaston, Montclair, and Atherton Hough Elementary and Sterling Middle School were shared with the School Committee, along with the Squantum Elementary School Curriculum newsletter focused on Library Support. Dr. DeCristofaro thanked these principals for taking the time to highlight important school events and communicate with parents.

Mr. Kevin Segalla spoke in memory of Thomas (T.O.) Orseno, who passed away on November 3. Mr. Orseno was a custodial staff member for twenty years at Quincy High School. Members of the Quincy High School custodial staff, with the support of Principal Lawrence Taglieri, are requesting that the Quincy High School Custodial Office be dedicated to Mr. Orseno. Mr. Bregoli made a motion to consider the dedication of the Custodial Office to Mr. Orseno in the Policy Subcommittee. Mr. McCarthy seconded the motion, and on the motion, spoke of the honor of dedicating this room at Mr. Orseno’s second home with his second family. Ms. Isola noted that the custodial staff are the unsung heroes of Quincy Public Schools. On a voice vote, the ayes have it.

Dr. DeCristofaro concluded the Superintendent's Report by asking the Custodial staff present to stand and be recognized.

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Old Business

MASC Resolutions

After a brief recess, Mrs. Hubley reviewed the Massachusetts Association of School Committees' Resolutions, which all passed at the recent General Session without amendment, with the exception of the second resolution where wording was added to strengthen the resolution.

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New Business

Literacy Program

Curriculum Coordinator Erin Perkins and Literacy Teachers Janet Baglione and Colleen Dufresne presented the Elementary School Literacy program. The Literacy Program mission is to promote comprehensive reading development, provide intervention as early as possible to ensure student success, provide targeted instruction to meet individual student needs, and frequent monitoring of progress. 18.5 Literacy teachers provide full and part-time services in all eleven elementary schools. Students in Tier I receive core classroom instruction, Tier II students receive supplemental interventions within their classroom, and Tier III students receive instruction for intensive Intervention from Literacy Specialists. Currently, 651 students in Grades K through 4 are receiving Literacy services.

Professional Development includes training for literacy and classroom teachers. Measures of student achievement include DIBELS Next, a diagnostic tool to assess word recognition and oral reading fluency; GRADE to assess reading comprehension; and the DRA to assess accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. All Tier III students are progress-monitored on average once a month to track growth and use the data to guide instruction. Collaboration with the Integrated Learning Teams at each elementary school are key to student success: the Principal, Assistant Principal, ELL teacher(s), Guidance, Special Education teacher(s), Gradelevel teachers, and Literacy teacher(s) meet three times per year. The Literacy team is grateful for School Committee's continued funding for text and learning materials: Scott Foresman Early Reading Intervention program focuses on phonemic awareness and phonology; Project Read for comprehension of fiction and nonfiction; Great Leaps and Quick Reads, both focused on Fluency; Read Naturally, focused on Fluency and Comprehension; and Journeys Leveled Readers.

Mr. McCarthy thanked the presenters and noted that the last several years have seen a rebuilding of the Literacy program. He asked whether additional support was needed for Atherton Hough, Beechwood Knoll, and Bernazzani where there are currently .5 positions. Mrs. Perkins said that at this time, the staff are able to reach all Tier III students. Mr. McCarthy said we should look at this again in the spring when the budget process for FY2015 begins.

Mrs. Lebo complimented the collaborative work between the Literacy staff and the Special Education Resource Room teachers and the fluidity where students move between reading groups as they progress. Mrs. Mahoney asked how the Literacy team manages a student plateau; Mrs. Perkins said the team shares best practices and strategizes. Mrs. Perkins said that multiple assessments help with evaluating each student; they allow for analyzing whether data is consistent across multiple assessments. Mrs. Perkins said that students also cycle in and out of Literacy support. Students sometimes return in higher grades as texts get more complex.

Mrs. Mahoney asked about the consultant group that works with the Literacy Team. Mrs. Perkins explained that the Hill for Literacy group was a multi-year Literacy Partnership grant originally developed by Mrs. Hughes. Mr. Bregoli asked if the Literacy Support teachers are available for report card conferences; Mrs. Baglione said they are available to meet individually or in tandem with the classroom teacher. Ms. Isola spoke of the compassion of catching students before they fall behind and asked about the effect of Common Core standards. Mrs. Perkins said that Common Core's basis in foundational skills reaffirms the Literacy Support model.

Dr. DeCristofaro thanked the team for their work and the difference they make in the lives of so many students. The data supports the value of this muchappreciated program.

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Former Central Middle School site

Ms. Isola presented a resolve:

WHEREAS the City of Quincy has recently opened the newly constructed Central Middle School building, and in doing so, discontinued the use of the Building and grounds connected therewith that formerly served as home to Central Middle School; and

WHEREAS, the School Committee has reviewed options for the use of the old middle school building and the costs for same, and thereupon concluded that the building does not allow for financially-feasible reuse options,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF QUINCY that, in accordance with the provisions of Section 33 of the Charter of the City of Quincy and G.L. c. 43, § 33, the School Committee discontinue the use of the building that formerly served as Central Middle School, and return the building and the land on which the building now sits, together with the grounds connected therewith, to the control of the municipal corporation, City of Quincy, hereby forever releasing all right of control over said premises.

Mr. McCarthy made a motion to return the former Central Middle School building, the land, and the grounds connected to the City of Quincy as specified in the resolution. The motion was seconded by Mrs. Lebo and on a roll call vote, the ayes have it 6-0. Mayor Koch was absent.

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Out of State Travel

Mr. McCarthy made a motion to approve the Out of State Travel of Sterling Middle School, Grade 6 to Providence College on December 18, 2013. Mrs. Hubley seconded the motion. On the motion, Mrs. Hubley asked for clarification on who was attending the trip and it is for all Grade 6 students. On a voice vote, the ayes have it.

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Additional Business

Mr. McCarthy introduced the proposed construction schedule for the President's City Inn and announced that he would be scheduling a Facilities and Security Subcommittee meeting and inviting the property owner to attend.

Mr. McCarthy commended Mr. Bregoli for his work on the Non-Binding Referendum on combining the two high schools that appeared on the ballot. The referendum did not pass, but it gave the public the opportunity to express their opinion on the issue. Mr. Bregoli made a motion to move a comparison of the high schools' academic and extracurricular programs into the Policy Subcommittee. He would like the review to ensure that there are parallel opportunities for all students, including for Chapter 74 programs. Mrs. Mahoney seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

Mr. McCarthy made a motion to request a heating audit for the Facilities and Security Subcommittee. Mr. Bregoli seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it. Mrs. Mahoney asked for baseline information on energy efficiency. Mr. McCarthy said that Mr. Murphy and Mr. Scott would be invited to attend this meeting.

Mr. McCarthy suggested discussing the high school band with Mr. Kenneally and the Band Boosters at an upcoming meeting. Mrs. Mahoney asked for clarification on the band uniforms. Dr. DeCristofaro reviewed that at the October 23 School Committee meeting, it was discussed that khaki pants, black shoes, and red or blue polo shirts were purchased for each band member with funds allocated from the movie rental several years ago. The band members purchased black pullover sweatshirts personalized with their name. Outfitting the marching band with traditional dress uniforms and hats would cost in the range of $25,000-$30,000.

Mrs. Lebo made a motion to move to the Policy Subcommittee consideration to dedicate the green space being planned for the former Quincy High School site to Bruce MacDonald, a 40 year veteran of Quincy High School in recognition of his extraordinary career as an English teacher and department chair. Mr. McCarthy seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

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Reports of Subcommittees

Teaching and Learning Subcommitttee

Mrs. Lebo reviewed the October 28, 2013 Teaching and Learning Subcommittee, noting that the full meeting minutes are posted on the Quincy Public Schools website.

In the first of three Program Improvement Plan presentations, Curriculum Coordinator Erin Perkins shared the Literacy Program Improvement Plan. The Literacy Program Goals for 2013-14 are: (1) The Literacy Team will support the district goal of developing proficient students, through the building of foundational skills in grades K-3 so that students read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. This will be evident by an increase in the number of Tier I student by 3%. Professional Development will include PreKindergarten and classroom teachers; all teachers will be able to access the DIBELS Next Data System in order to monitor progress. (2) In order to address recommendation 1 and 3 of the May 2013 Literacy Need Assessment, by June 2014, the Literacy Team will support the elementary school teaching staff through the identification, alignment, and assessment of reading interventions. This will be evident through the development of an alignment guide, which identifies interventions and assessments that align with all core literacy components as well as the 2011 Massachusetts ELA and Literacy Framework.

Curriculum Coordinator Beth Hallett then presented the English Language Learners Program Improvement Plan. This year, Quincy Public Schools English Language Learner students have more access than ever to mainstream curriculum. At the high schools, both schools now have full services at all grades, with nine ELL teachers and a part-time department head across the two schools. Additional positions were added for Elementary and Middle Schools in the FY2014 budget to meet the need for ELL services. For RETELL, 65 teachers completed the SEI Endorsement Course last spring and there are currently 8 courses, plus an Administrator Course running this fall. In reviewing MCAS Assessment data, Quincy Public Schools is above state levels all grade levels for all curriculum areas tested. 98% of ELL students were proficient or above on the Grade 10 ELA MCAS. In Math, Grade 3 has 95% at proficient or above and Grade 4 has 92%. For Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives, Progress and Attainment were both exceeded, but the Cumulative PPI target was not achieved.

Goals for 2013-14: (1) Vertical Teams will focus specifically on improving ELL students' writing about increasingly complex texts. This will be measured by 80% of all ELLs increasing by their individual writing proficiency level on the 2014 ACCESS for ELLs assessment by 0.5. This goal will be supported through utilizing the Cornerstone and Keystone programs, collaborating on a crosswalk Curriculum Map between Journeys and Cornerstones. (2) ELL teachers will collaborate with each other to continue building, revising, and implementing full ELL curriculum maps for Grades K-5 by grade and English Language Proficiency Levels that align curricula to all aspects of the WIDA framework and the 2011 MA Curriculum Frameworks for ELA/Literacy. For the Middle and High School levels, the goal is essentially the same, but focused on Speaking proficiency.

The ELL Team Goals: (1) The ELL Team will fully support ELL program teachers in grades K-12 as they focus on their goal of improving ELL students Productive Language proficiency levels (Writing and Speaking) as measured by the January 2014 ACCESS for ELLs Assessment. (2) The ELL Team will work together to encourage each other and QPS Academic Teachers of ELLs to enroll in and complete the appropriate SEI Endorsement courses as part of the Massachusetts RETELL Initiative in order to properly support and evaluate teachers of ELLs at each school in the district.

Executive Director Keith Segalla and Principal Stephen Sylvia, Education Technology team co-chairs then presented the Education Technology Program Improvement Plan. Education Technology is playing a significant role in teaching and learning at every school. From the elementary to the high school level, providing this technology is a collaborative effort including parents, teachers, administrators, the School Committee and Mayor. The Education Technology team is made up of principals, assistant principals, and administrators representing all grade levels.

Goals for 2013-14: (1) The Educational Technology Team will continue to support and promote education technology resources that will work to enhance the teaching and learning experiences for both the staff and students in the Quincy Public Schools. We will provide focused outreach to our staff, students, and parents on using these technological resources to support and strengthen the home-school relationship as it relates to student learning, virtual learning, library resources, and communication. Mr. Sylvia highlighted particular action steps: At the elementary level, the new reading and math curriculums have technical components used in classrooms and at home. In collaboration with principals, the Education Technology Team will share information about classroom technology integration and online curriculum resources at system-wide events, PTO meetings, and school-based curriculum events.

(2) During the 2013-2014 school year, the Educational Technology Team members will assist with the design, development, and implementation of training or professional development opportunities to support classroom use of the educational technology, currently in place in the Quincy Public Schools. For example, ThinkCentral, Reading Eggs, Study Island, and Destiny Library Manager are all enhanced by data integration with the Aspen X2 Student Information System. For principals, teachers, and administrators, the Education Technology team will be assisting to support the Baseline Edge transition for educator evaluation.

Mrs. Lebo made a motion to approve the Literacy Program Improvement Plan. Mrs. Hubley seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

Mrs. Lebo made a motion to approve the English Language Learners Program Improvement Plan. Mrs. Hubley seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

Mrs. Lebo made a motion to approve the Educational Technology Program Improvement Plan. Mrs. Hubley seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

Mrs. Lebo made a motion to approve the minutes from the October 28, 2013 Teaching and Learning Subcommittee Meeting. Mr. McCarthy seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

Mrs. Lebo then reviewed the November 12, 2013 Teaching and Learning Subcommittee meeting which featured presentations of the Quincy and North Quincy High School Improvement Plans and Career & Technical Education Program Improvement Plan.

Principal Robert Shaw presented the North Quincy High School Improvement Plan, student achievement and participation are at the forefront of the school’s mission. North Quincy High School’s spring 2013 MCAS scores were excellent with the school showing gains for students with disabilities, including a 40% increase in students who scored proficient or advanced on the ELA MCAS and 34% increase in Math. Former English Language Learner students demonstrated a 94% proficiency or advanced score on the ELA MCAS and 82% for Math. The average student growth rate showed rapid growth with ELA at 68 and Math at 71. North Quincy High School is rated as a Level 1 School by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. 2013-2014 Goals: (1) During the 2013- 2014 school year, students will demonstrate an increased ability to read and comprehend literary and informational texts independently and efficiently, as measured by a 2% increase on the Reading Anchor Standard on the spring 2014 ELA MCAS (from a base of 78% in 2013) and demonstrated by related departments achieving their aligned improvement goals. (2) By June 2014, all students will demonstrate an increased ability to persevere and use abstract reasoning to solve complex problems as well as construct a detailed argument with precise and accurate mathematical language, as measured by a 2% increase on each of the Open Response and Short Answer portions of the 2014 Math MCAS (from a base of 70% in 2013) and the development and implementation of content aligned midyear and final assessments. (3) During the 2013-2014 school year, ELL students will demonstrate a proficiency-level appropriate ability to listen and speak academic English while developing perseverance for sustained listening and speaking at the WIDA appropriate discourse level. This will be evident by an average 0.5 increase on the student 2014 ACCESS Speaking test (from a 3.0 baseline in 2013). (4) During the 2013-2014 school year, the school will continue to provide educational activities and opportunities that enhance development of lifelong wellness practices. This will be evident by the school’s wellness team, guidance department and special education department achieving their aligned Individual Improvement Goals, as shown by successful completion of Access Steps, detailed agendas and notes from regular Team meetings, related Professional Development and consistent reflection of ongoing goal assessment.

The Foreign Language, Science, and Social Studies department goals align to the ELA/Reading Anchor goal. The goals are also focused on textual analysis exercises which will be the base for District-Determined Measures. The Math goal emphasizes reasoning and problem solving. Professional Development is focused on Educator Evaluation, debriefing from NEASC, and moving into the work of action steps and goal achievement.

Principal Larry Taglieri and Assistant Principal Ellen Murray presented the Quincy High School Improvement Plan. In reviewing the MCAS scores from 2013, Quincy High School is a Level 2 school based on the participation rate of one subgroup. 93% of Grade 10 students were proficient or advanced in ELA, a significant improvement and 80% of students performed at proficient or advanced for the Math MCAS. Mr. Taglieri spoke of the collaboration between the two high schools in developing the common goals and the concept of the content area departments supporting the ELA goal. 2013-2014 Goals: (1) During the 2013-2014 school year, students will demonstrate an increased ability to read and comprehend literary and informational texts independently and efficiently, as measured by a 2% increase on the Reading Anchor Standard on the spring 2014 ELA MCAS (from a base of 77% in 2013) and demonstrated by related departments achieving their aligned improvement goals. (2) By June 2014, all students will demonstrate an increased ability to persevere and use abstract reasoning to solve complex problems as well as construct a detailed argument with precise and accurate mathematical language, as measured by a 2% increase on each of the Open Response and Short Answer portions of the 2014 Math MCAS (from a base of 63% in 2013) and the development and implementation of content aligned midyear and final assessments. (3) During the 2013-2014 school year, the school will continue to provide educational activities and opportunities that enhance development of lifelong wellness practices. This will be evident by the school’s wellness team, guidance department and special education department achieving their aligned Individual Improvement Goals, as shown by successful completion of Access Steps, detailed agendas and notes from regular Team meetings, related Professional Development and consistent reflection of ongoing goal assessment.

Executive Director Keith Segalla and Department Chair Gina Scanlan then presented the Career and Technical Education Program Improvement Plan. Quincy High School has 15 career and technical programs and North Quincy High School has 2, plus a number of electives. Goals for 2013-2014: (1) During the 2013-14 school year, all first year CTE students will demonstrate Speaking and Listening by showing an ability to read, comprehend, and present, using informational texts or periodicals. (2) The CTE staff will pilot, format, and begin to assess student competence on the new VTEF (Vocational Technical Education Frameworks) standards in their respective technical majors by June 2014. Mrs. Lebo suggested the first goal should be SMART, and incorporate an 80% benchmark. On the progress towards meeting CVTE Core Indicators, the areas needing improvement is Nontraditional Participation; Perkins funding is based on meeting these and increased funding will follow success on these Core Indicators.

Mrs. Lebo made a motion to approve the North Quincy High School Improvement Plan. Mr. McCarthy seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

Mrs. Lebo made a motion to approve the Quincy High School Improvement Plan. Mr. McCarthy seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

Mrs. Lebo made a motion to approve the Career & Technical Education Program Improvement Plan. Mrs. Hubley seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

Mrs. Lebo made a motion to approve the minutes of the November 12, 2013 Teaching and Learning Subcommittee Meeting. Mr. McCarthy seconded the motion and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.

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Adjournment

Mrs. Mahoney made a motion to adjourn at 8:30 p.m. The motion was seconded by Mr. McCarthy and on a voice vote, the ayes have it.