|
Board President's Report
Board President Reese Marcusson reflected on the strategic plan update presented last month. He believed the accomplishments Dr. Holland presented were worth repeating: new school day schedule, new teacher evaluation model, new student growth model, new support staff evaluation model, expanded food service and coffee bar, 20 new courses, new Theater Department, expanded student support and resource centers, revised homebound student tutoring, and a new program for students transitioning back to school from home, hospitals, or outplacement.
Reese stated that there is a lot more to do and a lot more on the table, focusing on teaching skills for life success. Self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, responsible decision-making and relationship skills are all important for college, career and life.
He commented that these are not fads or flavors of the day. They are not about a political agenda. They are about hitting our milestones. We are developing passionate, respectful and courageous young adults that will make a difference in their world.
Superintendent's Report
Dr. Holland stated that Wednesday, April 5 is assessment day at LFHS. We will administer the SAT suite of assessments: PSAT 9 for freshmen, PSAT 10 for sophomores, and the SAT for juniors. There is no school for seniors. With the adoption of a school-wide growth model, our school-based Joint Committee adopted a model that makes us all (faculty and administrators) accountable for student growth. Significant review and consideration went into the decision to adopt the SAT suite of assessments.
The state's decision to adopt the SAT opened up a school-wide conversation regarding assessments that can tell us more about who our students are as learners, how they are growing, and the alignment of our academic program with college and career readiness standards. In our discussions, we did not feel obligated to adopt the SAT suite, because it is the state assessment. Our students have taken the ACT and have done very well. Although we have continued to provide opportunities onsite for our students to take the ACT, the ACT, alone, does not tell us about student growth from the time students enter LFHS until the time they graduate. In our growth model, this is important for us.
A few years ago, the ACT moved away from offering a suite of assessments. Districts interested in understanding and assessing student learning in a longitudinal manner found it difficult to align and correlate various assessments with the ACT. In previous times, students were able to take the EXPLORE, PLAN and PSAE-which were a part of the ACT suite. Those assessments are no longer available. Schools used that information to assess readiness and to evaluate a school's academic program in relation to the standards/learning objectives outlined in the ACT.
After much review and consideration, the Joint Committee influenced the adoption of the SAT suite. The new suite of assessments has been revised and captures many of the learning values at LFHS. It assesses learning, rather than memorization, reasoning and application, and is directly aligned with college and career readiness outcomes and the best practices we are engaged in as a district. It also offers a valuable opportunity (one of many) to measure student growth while under the district's care in grades 9-12.
The assessments will provide valuable information to the district regarding student learning and will be used as one data point, in assessing longitudinal growth, something that is embedded in our growth model.
View video for complete report.
Security Report
Safety Director Scott Krajniak and School Resource Officer Ben Grum presented a safety and security update highlighting the changes to the building and security processes that enhance school security.
Education Committee
Lise Eliot shared information from a Board Evaluation with the committee. She discussed the 8 characteristics of an effective school board and highlighted important information that related to the Education Committee. She reported that the committee heard a presentation from the Education Technology Team about learning management systems (course materials, assignments, etc.) and the goal to provide consistency for students. Teachers are piloting three platforms and anticipate a recommendation for implementation next year. The committee heard a report from ECRA, an educational data assessment group, regarding data dashboards that will present a consolidated view of key performance indicators. ECRA also discussed on-line personalized learning profiles, which are designed to present an individual picture of each student's academic growth, social emotional learning, and career interests. View video for complete report.
ED-RED (Education/Research/Development)
Sally Davis noted that there have been a couple of attempts to reach a Grand Bargain at the state level but once again it did not come to fruition. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) recently filed a lawsuit against the state of Illinois alleging that the state-funding mechanism is unfair on the basis of underfunding minority populations. Nothing has happened regarding this lawsuit. Similar lawsuits have also been filed in Kansas and Michigan. Sally will continue to monitor and report on the progress of the legislative efforts.
View video for complete report.
North Shore Special Education District (NSSED)
Ted Moorman reported that one of the founders of Special Education, Madeleine Wills, gave a broad-based presentation describing how special education was first recognized and funded. Ted described the lack of funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act (IDEA). The federal government stated they would fund 40% of the act, currently the federal government funds only about 16%. Ted discussed inclusion and the importance of keeping our students at their local school when possible. The NSSED Foundation is hosting a 5K Run/ Walk on May 21 and proceeds go to support students in external work experiences. He announced that Suzanne Sands, District 67 School
For more detailed information:
The Board Highlights are not the official minutes of the Board of Education. Minutes, once approved, all board agendas, packets, and videos can be found here.
Next Meeting
Monday, April 4, 2017, 7:00pm, LFHS West Campus Board Room.
|
