Secondary Summit March 15 Meeting Minutes
April 19, 2006
Andover Public Schools
Secondary Summit
4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
March 15, 2006
Attendees:
Dr. Andrew Koenigs
Mark A. Evans
Craig Gray
Brent Haynes
Peter DeVries
Keturah Austin
Doug Snyder
Bob Baier
Amber Ingram
Bob Reed
Clare Wilkins
Mike Calvert
Dale Graham
Wade Martin
Lois Rahal
Jody Huxman
Heidi Wills
Melinda Easterwood
Beth Betthauser
Brett White
Dr. Jon Engelhardt
Monica Aspegren
Mark Templin
Doug Baber
Absent: Mary Ann Maupin, Connie Zuiss, Dee Moxley, John Calabro, Ryan Ewy, Reed Harrison, Drew Armagost, Emily Calabro
Meeting Notes:
Dr. Koenigs called the meeting to order at 4:40 p.m. and asked attendees to again introduce themselves. If there's an article that peaks a member's interest but wasn't assigned to them, they may pick up a copy. Dr. Koenigs has an assessments summary sheet to share and several other pieces of data that have been gathered per members' request that he will share later on in the meeting.
Mr. Evans reiterated the committee's purpose: where are we today, what else is happening in reform across the country, and finally, where do we want to go? He noted that a lot of the initial work of the committee is in information gathering and sharing.
Mr. Evans asked that members split into groups based on which article they read, then answer the two reflective questions immediately following the agenda.
Making Changes
1. Main Points
a. High Impacts Schools
b. Early Warning System
c. Mandatory Summer School
d. Substantial Reading Interaction
e. Teacher Placement based on student needs
f. Students who needed help received "parallel" support classes
2. Implications
a. Summer School +
b. Evaluate Early Warning and remedial offerings
c. Data analysis - timely
Reforming Education Reform
1.Major Points
a.Education Reform
b.What is reality?
c.Revitalize the vision
d.Resources - $
e.Appropriate management (not top down)
f. Prepare all students for college (preK-16)
g.Reform is long term
h.Be willing to take a chance
2.Implications
a.Look outside the box
Intelligent Redesign
1.Major Points
a.Reforms for 20 years
b.What are high schools supposed to be?
c.Increased rigor = increased boredom
d.AP has skyrocketed
e.If you want reform you have to have resources
2. Impact
a. We need resources. We need to make school interesting and engaging.
High Challenge, High Support
1. Major Points
a. Redesigning our secondary schools to meet future needs ot students. Prepare and challenge students for the "real" world.
b. Utilize community, district and parents to realize and embrace innovative approaches to help students succeed.
2. Implications
a. Opportunity to have community actively involved in student education.
Middle School Virtual Tour
1. Major Points
a. Integration of curriculum
b. Hands on instruction
c. Data based education decisions
d. Shared decision making
e. Team teaching
2. Implications
a. Continue to build professional learning community.
Gifted Education: Deceived, Denied and In Crisis
1. Major Points
a. Debate on best approach, acceleration or enrichment
b. Funding. $175 million allotted for Special Ed, $1.2 million for gifted.
2. Implications
a. Regular Ed. Teachers need more training in how to teach gifted kids.
b. Courses geared to gifted other than AP alone.
c. Increase focus on instruction of gifted kids an/or above average kids -- not focusing solely on lower end.
College Readiness for All
1. Major Points
a. Public education needs to move from "universal access" to "universal proficiency"
b. Many reasons readiness for college education is critical
i. Productive lives
ii. Economic success
iii. Preparation for multiple careers
iv. Educated citizen
v. Achieve dreams
2. Implications
a. Shift focus from college admission to college completion.
b. 3rd grade reading level predicts ability to become college ready.
c. Link senior year to college readiness.
d. Build connections to post-secondary education.
e. Shift from earning credits to learning.
Subject to Change
1. Major Points
a. Testing exams
i. Exit exams are here to stay -- geared to 9th, 10th grade competency. Drives curriculum at the cost of electives.
ii. Debate on how to measure graduation rates.
iii. Indicators of dropping out -- 25 absences, 2 failed courses
iv. What does a diploma mean?
v. Tracking (
vi. Small schools
2. Implications
a. Tracking
b. Is the district/are patrons willing to continue small school idea?
c. What is a realistic goal? (100% to college)
d. Possibly use indicators for intervention
The Trouble with High School
1. Major Points
a. New model is needed for high school education to maintain intellectual curiosity i.e. early college
b. High school students have more adult characteristics than children in the past -- they have mobility, disposable income, connection with world
2. Implications
a. Butler allows for easy access to college classes. Accelerated option to complete high school at age 16 and graduate with an associate degree.
Ready for College and Career
1. Major Points
a. Role of vocational education in school reform
b. Design of today's vocational programs
c. Purpose of school -- to prepare for work
2. Implications
a. Opportunity to offer advanced studies
b. Opportunity to reach at-risk students
There was a brief discussion about "The Trouble with High School" article and about whether high schoolers are mature enough to face the "real" world. 35% drop out of regent universities in freshman year. Dr. Engelhardt says this mirrors national statistics. For whatever reason, they don't meet their goal, though they may go to other colleges, come back at a later time, etc. It's difficult to track.
After the groups explained the major points and implications from the articles they discussed (see notes from each article), the committee took a short break.
When the group reconvened, Dr. Koenigs handed out a document titled "Freshman Science Course, AHS and ACHS, 2003-2004" with course descriptions, etc. He also handed out a "Procedures for Meeting Required Competencies in Freshman Science" document, in part to answer a question from the last meeting regarding the Freshman Science Class.
Students are taking more years of advanced science to meet the new Board of Regents standards. This is reflected in the increased enrollment statistics provided in the handout. Currently, we have the ninth grade science class offered in eighth grade for advanced students. Dale Graham feels that more of our students should be enrolled in biology, chemistry and physics instead of the freshman science. Also, he suggested one test shouldn't ascertain their selection of coursework (referring to the test-out option). Since the eighth grade course has been an option, few try to test out of freshman science, but the option is still there. At Andover Central Middle School 61 take advanced science (freshman science). Mark Templin believes students can cover more in Chemistry and Physics because of Freshmen Science. In the past, college students from Andover Public Schools struggled in Chemistry because they did not cover enough of the basics.
Dr. Koenigs noted the science reasoning score (which had declined two years in a row) on the ACT slide from the last meeting. At the meeting, members wondered if this was because of Freshmen Science Class. Mr. Templin reminded him that those students haven't taken the ACT yet. They are juniors this year.
Mr. Reed explained the "explore" test for freshmen as Dr. Koenigs handed out the "explore" presentation packet (results) for both Andover High School and Andover Central High School. Mr. Baier noted that this test was given at the 8th grade level last year, so some of these students took the same test two years in a row. Dr. Koenigs also handed out the PLAN 10th grade test presentation packet (results) for both AHS and ACHS.
Dr. Koenigs noted that on the results he handed out, students are scoring highest in science and math, but not doing as well in English and reading. They're still doing above the national average, so they're not doing poorly, but those are the areas in which they aren't doing quite as well.
Taking ninth grade science as eighth graders eliminates the need for a test out. It's suggested we drop that test out option. It was noted by Mr. Snyder that some of this course may be too difficult for all eighth grade students. He said kids who are taking 9th grade science and biology at the same time this year are doing great.
Mr. Baber noted that his reluctance to have advanced courses in middle school because he fears that advanced kids will have rigorous standards in their class, and "regular" students may not have as rigorous of standards in their on level class. Mr. Baber said that students who take advanced courses usually end up going through nearly every hour of the day together because of the way the schedule works out. Mr. Graham noted that we need to see if we're covering the state's guidelines in developing our curriculum.
Dr. Engelhardt noted that he perceives the issue as a vertical alignment vs. horizontal alignment problem. There's not likely an either/or answer.
Dr. Koenigs handed out the article "Breaking Ranks: Strategies for Leading High School Reform" and asked that members review it prior to the next meeting. He also handed out a document titled "Essential Characteristics of an Ideal Career Pathway" for members to review.
Mr.Evans noted that the "Breaking Ranks" article may be a good primer for this group and that he would like for us to have a guest facilitator regarding this article.
Dr. Koenigs noted that the next meeting is 4:30 p.m. April 19. He adjourned the meeting at 6:55 p.m.
