NOTES
OF MARCH 28, 2016 RYE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
Final Revision B – Provided by
the Rye Civic League
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Present: Marion (Chairman), Brandon (Vice Chairman),
Moynahan, Hillman, Honda
Summary
1.
Scott Marion elected Chairman, Kevin Brandon Vice-Chairman and
Kate Hillman Secretary.
2.
Three
models for Middle School structure were presented.
3.
The
public engaged in vigorous discussion of the models.
Summary with time
stamps (HH:MM:SS from beginning of video)
00:00:00
In a break with tradition (normally a member in the
person’s final year of service is Chairman), Dr. Marion was renominated and
approved as Chairman. Other positions negotiated.
00:12:00 NEA
Teacher Sparks represents Rye to Nat. Ed. Assoc. – no mention of topics.
00:13:49
Reference to the film ‘Most Likely to Succeed’ –supports project based learning
(PBL). Editor’s Note: Feature school High Tech High founder John
Shea was a RJH finalist 9 years ago.
00:17:00
RES – one of our girls a good swimmer.
00:18:00 80
pajamas change hands, donated?
00:20:00
RJH 6th grade portfolios, Natl. French Competition – ‘our kids do
well’.
00:21:00 Our kids, PHS, writing skills. Hard to
assess how our kids doing at PHS since they are treated as PHS kids now.
00:24:00
Manifests – bill paying.
00:30:00
School Treasurer.
00:32:00 New article on Wedgewood
00:35:00
Rye Recreation, Committee assignments – later?
00:37:00
Assistant Superintendent Killen.
00:41:00 PTA
00:45:00
Boiler, Budget, Technology Student and Teacher surveys.
00:51:00 Enrollment dropping.
23 Full Time Equivalents (FTE) teachers in 2012, 21ish now.
Kids drop from 220 to 160 in same period. State Cost per
Pupil (CPP) $14,000 vs. Rye $22,000.
00:54:00
Response: Have more babies or affordable housing?
00:58:00
Vision Statement -> after developed turn over to Administration. Goals:
Sustainability, Curriculum integration, deeper learning.
00:59:36 We don’t care/we care if the kids are learning more. (vs. deeper?)
01:01:00 Talk by RJH principal (since announced June 30 resignation).
Core subject time 3 hrs. 20 min. to
4 hrs. 10 min.
01:12:00
Display of three model options and details.
Portability.
01:15:00
Ground rules for comments- stick to facts, evidence.
01:16:00
Minutes across all models ~240 minutes. Vice Chair.
01:36:00
Superintendent: Role of School Board is
Budget Policy Hire/Fire Superintendent. Editor’s note: This is incorrect. Per N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. (“RSA”) 189:1-a, II
“Elected school boards shall be responsible for establishing the structure,
accountability, advocacy, and delivery of instruction in each school operated
and governed in its district. To accomplish
this end, and to support flexibility in implementing diverse educational
approaches, school boards shall establish, in each school operated and governed
in its district, instructional policies that establish instructional goals
based upon available information about the knowledge and skills pupils will
need in the future.”
Time of
essence 4/15 staffing deadline.
Model choice is on
Administration (not SB) decision.
“We listened to teachers,
parents and have responded. Model 3
would possibly require the addition of another staff
Person
possibly.”
01:40:00 Kelli
Killen: started with eight models.
01:43:00 New
SB member, Moynahan: Unified Arts,
Language Arts integrated is fantastic.
01:52:00 Model
1/Model 2 two teachers impacted. Certification issues.
Sadness about a certain good teacher impacted.
01:54:00
RTI “here today gone tomorrow” instability Fifth grade model. “Best possible model” then lasts just two
years.
01:55:00
Social Studies poorly thought of. In RJH, RES. Content
disappears vs. PHS strong support.
01:57:00
Chairman states RTI is not just following fads.
02:01:00 Detailed examples of SS integration into core subjects.
02:04:11 Mike
Schwartz former School Board Chairman:
“Why did staff drop come from all core subjects?”
ELA, writing
concerns. Consider hybrid of
Model 1 and Model 2. Why take away only
from ELA
To teach SS. Schwartz corrects: Per policies School Board makes decision, not
administration.
02:07:00 Chair
responds.
02:10:00
Student likes Model 1. Star Girl? Likes persuasion and
argumentation instruction, practice.
02:13:00
Teacher speaks, cautions about Model 1, outside resources.
02:15:00 Rubric
questions about projects – how is grade allocated across projects.
02:16:00
Chair: If kids learn deeply – they can transfer skills to new environments.
02:20:00
C3, SS framework.
“Not a lot about facts and
figures” Geography,
economics, history, big ideas. I can
make cause/effect connections, I can research.
02:23:00
Teacher/Parent model 3. Always supported schools, but
tonight question the models ELA
Compromises. Loves integration, but doesn’t see emphasis
about reading and writing.
Likes Model
3. ELA is being compromised in
first 2 Model.
02:29:00
Chairman.
Teachers were surveyed Model 3 only 25% support. Model 2 is favorite.
02:35:00
Question about per pupil costs with new model.
02:39:00
Questions about surveying.
02:40:00
Reading/Writing pushed aside. Strongly held view.
02:42:00 Why
choose a model that is opposite PHS.
02:44:00 Vice
Chair ELA is hard if taught well.
02:50:00
SB conversation.
02:54:00 Thank you about this process.
02:55:00 PBL
is the wave of future about thinking.
03:01:00
Impressed
03:02:00
RES principal not hard transition.
03:12:00
Teachers, made a difference (SB)
03:19:00 Public input done. SB and Administration
discussion. “Lot of Model 1 supporters but Model 2 responds to parent
concerns.
03:36:00
Decision about 4/4 (now moved to 4/13 regular mtg.)
03:56:00
Accelerated math preserved (tiering by skill)