Essex Elementary School
School Council Minutes
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
In Attendance: Liz Guerin, Ruth Price, Holly O’Leary, Beth Kelley, Eric Gordon
1. The Council took up a proposal that students receive math work to do over the summer much like they receive a summer reading assignment. The purpose of the math work would be prevent regression of math skills over the summer such that students enter school better prepared for grade level math. While the exact format is yet to be worked out, teachers envision one problem set per week to take 20-30 minutes per week. Students who complete the work will be recognized in the same way as they are for summer reading. There would be no penalty for not completing the work.
Issues remaining include:
• what grade levels – right now the proposal comes from 5th and 6th grade teachers
• format for the work
• support – the teachers proposed e-mail support. The Council discussed a parent sign off that indicates the student tried but had difficulty with a given problem set.
The Council also discussed a software program format to be explored further.
2. The Council discussed the transition of the 5th and 6th grade to the new middle school. This transition will take place in September 2009, but planning for it becomes an issue for next year. The transition will affect next year’s 5th and 6th grades (the current 4th and 5th graders) as well as staff. There are ramifications for the configuration of building space as well. Discussion focused mostly on next year’s fifth grade and included the following:
- the need for team building/special activities such as Project Adventure and ballroom dancing
- the need for leadership activities such as jobs
- the need for culminating activities (closing ceremony, combined with 6th grade; trip, though not an overnight trip)
- the need for orientation to middle school activities similar to what the 6th grade experiences
3. Next month the Council will look at progress on the current school improvement plan as a jumping-off point to next year’s plan.
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