Worcester School Committee meets Thursday, March 7

I know it's confusing, as they just met last week; February does that!
The agenda is here.
There are the usual array of resignations, appointments, and thanks.

The report on the superintendent is on technology (and can we talk about how hard it is to read a scan of a PowerPoint sideways?). Page 21 gets to access, with 2:1 access (planned? I think?) in K-2, 1:1 on carts in 3-6 and in general in 7-12, but the key point there is "funding to be identified." This ties in explicitly with the motion last week to re-examine the cell phone policy; note that with the big push towards technology use in the classrooms but the dearth of actual technology, students are using smartphones in the classroom and for homework. The district absolutely should not be making this push towards use without supplying devices and then punishing students for using the devices they have. Also, it's a relief to see student information staying in house; that gets shockingly expensive quickly, and WPS being able to staff and adapt is a district strength.
I'm a little puzzled by this appearing now, though, as it was one of the goals on which the superintendent was evaluated back in November.

The other item of note is the response of the administration on Advanced Placement courses, and I don't just say this as a parent who has a couple hundred dollars in checks to the high schools here on the desk next to me. While it lists the courses and reports the costs, it doesn't mention two things that are of central import in understanding this in Worcester: the first is how few other options there are at the high schools when it comes to what might otherwise be "honors" or "advanced" courses. Once you get to junior year (and I say this as a parent of kids in two high schools), your options get very, very limited beyond AP (and most students are urged into AP's in any case). The other key part of the contract that has not been mentioned in the backup is this:

The exams--the part that costs money--are not optional; this is a required cost for a course, and the cost of the exams--and the vast majority of the exams, despite the mention, are not covered by grants--is borne by students, in a district in which most of our kids are poor.

There is a response to an item on contractor wages for school construction projects.
There is a request for approval for new courses (these usually go to subcommittee for consideration):

• Acting Character Study Magnet
• Introduction to Networking
• Advanced Acting I Magnet
• Language and Literature Through the Arts
• Advanced Acting II Magnet
• Machine Operations
• Advanced Technical Theater
• Media Arts III
• African American Literature
• Media Arts IV
• American Literature
• Meteorology
• CNA and Health Care Skills
• Musical Theater for Performance Majors
• Comparative Mythology
• Neuropathophysiology and Film
• Construction Techniques and Specifications Course Application
• News and Media Literacy OCPL
• Computer Science Discoveries (For Middle School)
• Personal Financial Literacy OCPL
• Directing I Magnet
• Playwriting Magnet
• Directing II Magnet
• SAT Math Preparation
• Economics
• Shakespeare- Tragedies and Comedies
• Ensemble I Magnet
• Technical Theater II & Design II Magnet
• Ensemble II Magnet
• Theater Lab Acting
• History of Theater Magnet
• Theater Lab technical Theater
• Integrated Dance
• Urban Agriculture and Food Systems
• Introduction to Acting Magnet
• US Government and Politics
• Contemporary World Religions

...which is a lot? Remember that just because it exists, doesn't mean it is offered. 

There is a request that the committee vote to accept:

• a $150K English Learners pathways grant which appears to be for professional development for "bilingual education," if I have waded through the edu-lingo correctly. No word on the link with current programs, including the dual language one.
• a $7540 planning grant for implementation of the updated history and social studies standards 

Mr. O'Connell would like Worcester to participate in Massachusetts State Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (APIB) Fee Subsidy Program  (which...doesn't seem to exist? I can't find this anywhere.).

There is an executive session posted for two grievances, collective bargaining with IAs, bus monitors, plumbers/steamfitters, and tradesmen, and contract negotiations with the superintendent. 

Extremely last minute agenda review

The Worcester School Committee meets tomorrow night and you can find the agenda here (with apologies for the last minute nature of this post; I've been fighting an illness since Sunday).
But first: Back to the budget! We will pick up with the utilities account with the order as found here. We'll run on budget until 6, break for executive session (which, if you look at the end of the agenda, looks sizable), go into our regular meeting at 7 (ish), and then return to budget if it hasn't been completed (sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't).
First up, some recognitions: our nurse of the year, Karen Lajoie, is coming in, as is Donna Lombardi, our school nutrition director. We also have some South High students who did well in the statewide storytelling contest.
We've just this afternoon received the Superintendent's mid-cycle review report (it is not yet linked to on the agenda).
Speaking of budget, we have some responses from administration coming back on budget line items (these will undoubtedly be taken up during the relevant budget account discussion, but they have to come back somewhere).
We have a response from administration about bussing the Reach and Challenge students from Fanning.
I've put an item on, being considered by school committees across the state, about state mandates; if five committees pass it, it will go before the state Delegates' Assembly in November.
We have a proposed amendment to the attendance policy.
We are being asked to file all items that are related to the FY15 budget.
Miss Biancheria is asking about the June 3 incident at Worcester Tech, and also about notifying School Committee members know about emergency incidents.
We're being asked to approve five new courses for next year: Advanced Qualitative Reasoning; Dance Conditioning; American Rhythm Tap; Dance for Fun; and Hip-Hop (course descriptions attached to the agenda).
...plus, as is often the case this time of year, a bunch of proposed recognitions!

Teaching, Learning, and Student Supports meets Thursday

The Standing Committee on Teaching, Learning, and Student Supports (of the Worcester School Committee) meets on Thursday, January 30 at 5:30 pm. You can find the agenda here.
On the agenda this week:

• an early warning system for dropouts
• school debate
• an update on implementation of the Common Core
• the Family Involvement Plan
• new courses for next year! Take a look!

New courses being considered for next year

Three Dimensional Design

 Advanced Three Dimensional Design

 Photography

Digital Media Research

African American Studies

Financial Literacy 

Forensics

Arts Appreciation & Critique

Class Guitar

Community Arts Internship

Dance for Fitness

Introduction of Music Theory

Introduction of Music History

Introduction to Theatre

Percussion Ensemble

Songwriting

These are proposed courses; the schools then can look at their teaching staff to see if they have the expertise and staff to teach that course. 
Rodrigues comments that this is atypically late in the year for the courses to be considered; that to redraft the course description sheet
Biancheria pushing to be sure that the courses are presented to students so they know that it is available
wondering how the course enrollment will look (now a motion)

Classes to be considered for next year

Going off to TLSS for consideration:

• Three Dimensional Design
• Advanced Three Dimensional Design
• Photography
• Digital Media Research
• African American Studies
• Financial Literacy
• Forensics
• Arts Appreciation & Critique
• Class Guitar
• Community Arts Internship
• Dance for Fitness
• Introduction of Music Theory
• Introduction of Music History
• Introduction to Theater
• Percussion Ensemble
• Songwriting

New courses

• -Advanced Topics in Mathematics with Trigonometry
• -Topics in Algebra and Geometry
• -AP Human Geography
• -AP Government and Politics
• -AP Psychology
• -AP Economics (Microeconomics and Macroeconomics)

Mayor moves for a vote...Mr. O'Connell wants a reference to subcommittee first. Question of how time sensitive it is.
The top two need to go onto the course selection for next year; the remainder are already being piloted in schools now. O'Connell wants to pass two courses, then send AP's to subcommittee.
Approved