 Middle School PTA Curriculum Committee News
Middle School PTA Curriculum Reps:
Sue Williams Furey and Dina Muldoon
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Middle School Curriculum Committee Summary - May 2010
Topics Discussed:
1. The Eighth Grade Moving Up Day-
This is a celebration for the eighth grade students for having successfully completed the middle school experience. It is not, however, considered to be anything like a graduation ceremony. The Day consists of many activities and only one small portion (less than an hour) consists of students receiving any type of individual recognition and, actually, the highlight of that particular event consists of viewing a DVD prepared especially for this particular eighth grade students. The DVD shows pictures of these eighth grade students and their years at the middle school.
The GCMS has weighed everyone’s concerns, including, but not limited to, the feelings of the students receiving some individual recognition, the students not receiving individual recognition as well as the parents of all of the students. There are a wide range of awards which have been determined by many different GCMS teachers. This particular portion of the Moving Up Day should not be confused with, or compared to, the Service Award Ceremony which is held on a separate evening. That ceremony is a much more formal event. The eighth grade Moving Up Day is a day consisting of a variety of activities where all of the students can recognize and celebrate each other’s accomplishments.
2. Music-
There have been some recent significant discussions in regard to a few matters unique to the music department. The music department coordinator, Dr. Prasso, will be reviewing and taking responsibility for all music chosen for any and all music concerts. She is currently reviewing all the musical pieces to confirm that the music is appropriate for each grade in both tone and measure of difficulty. After all the musical selections receive her approval, they will be forwarded to the individual school. Some of the considerations will be the difficulty of any piece as well as whether the piece will be enjoyable for the students to perform, the parents to hear and the teachers to teach. This is not to suggest that these things have not been considered in the past, it is only now that the process will have an even stronger presence from the appropriate administrators to make sure that the decisions in regard to musical selections continue to be enjoyable for the students to perform in order to have a successful concert.
There will be some changes in the attire required for the performing students at the musical concerts. One possibility is that will be more uniformity in what the choral students wear like there is in band and orchestra. The band students currently all wear the same shirt with either a black skirt or slacks. The aim is for a more uniform and consistent look for the band as well as the chorus without any possibility of the clothing creating a distraction from the music which is being performed. Any changes would be disseminated to the parents as soon as possible so that there will be no time pressure in obtaining the requisite clothes before any concert. (Many parents would prefer khaki to black since it is easier to find khaki pants which properly fit the boys and girls at any time of the year.)
3. The middle school will not have a paper progress report. From now on, it will be online. (Of course parents who would like a copy of these reports mailed to them will be provided with same.)
4. ELA, Math and foreign language summer packets will be online and they will all be due on September 17th and count as one test grade.
Garden City Middle School Curriculum Update, March 2010
Here is a brief summary of the newly implemented Physical Education Homework Policy. Dr. Osroff and Mr. Tullo, along with the Physical Education Department have been very open to suggestions and improvements which the parents have raised. Please keep in mind that this is a work in progress to enrich our students’ knowledge on issues such as injury, sports, health, nutrition, as well as physical and mental well being.
· There are ten written homework assignments for the entire quarter – they are not due weekly and can be handed in at any time before the end of the quarter.
· Each homework assignment should take at most 10-15 minutes and there are many “fun” formats for these writing assignments which can be found on the GCMS homepage.
· The readings/topics are meaningfully designed for middle school children and are also meant to be used as “conversation starters” for parents to discuss such topics with their children.
· The students are NOT required to attend before/after-school intramurals.
· Students can make-up missed homework by attending an intramural OR just do the short homework assignment. (There may be any combination of written assignments and intramural activities, i.e. five written assignments and five intramural events.)
· Parents now have an additional reason to encourage their children who might otherwise be hesitant to take advantage of the intramural opportunities to join in on the fun and physical activity. (Or just do the homework)
· Our intramural participation has increased even though the students may only get credit for one intramural activity per week (as opposed to the written assignments which can be handed at anytime during the quarter.)
· The PE teachers have explained the homework to the students, the information has been placed on the web, and a written explanation was given to every student at the end of period nine to bring home.
· The homework assignment was created by the PE Department, with the PE Director’s supervision to support the district’s initiative for critical reading and writing across all curriculum subjects. The makeup activity was designed to be of assistance to parents (if they choose to) and to meet the new federal and state recommendations for physical activity for young adolescents.
· The PE grade is not included in a student’s GPA and there is no current plan to ever include it in the GPA.
· These changes are expected to make the PE grade more meaningful and valid, although the expectation is that the PE grades will continue to remain high.
· Even if a student never does a written homework assignment or attend an intramural, he/she can still earn a grade of 90.
There have been some concerns about the homework assignments being on the teachers’ website in a timely fashion. If a teacher’s homework assignments are not on their homework calendars by 3:00pm on any given school day, please let the teacher know this. For example, right after the December break, it appeared as if many teachers were not updating their homework calendars even though teachers had entered the assignments on to their computers. This is frustrating for parents, students and teachers.
The parents and students are not able to see the assignments and the teachers have no idea there is a problem since they have entered all the information on to their computers. This was not the fault of any teacher but was apparently a rather big glitch in the entire computer system which will hopefully be improved by the district next year. Please continue to look at your child’s homework on the web and let us or the teacher know if there are any further concerns.
The curriculum coordinators do review grades to ensure that the grade distribution is consistent between different teams. In fact, the teachers also strive for consistency in their departments and teams. For example, some teachers will pull a high, medium and low graded test or essay from their class, and have another teacher of that same subject, grade it in an attempt to maintain consistency in grades across the various teams. All benchmark tests are created and graded collaboratively by the entire department of any given subject.
There were also concerns about the differences among teachers in their grading policies and practices. Some teachers drop the lowest grade, some give extra credit, and some allow for editing and rewriting of essays or assignments. (Some teachers may do none and/or do something similar for their students.) Each teacher is allowed to make these decisions in determining the grades of their students. In the final analysis, each team usually winds up with a similar grade distribution.
The science software, which was purchased a couple of years ago when the new computer room was being updated, has been approved by the science curriculum coordinator. In fact, it has already been installed and is currently being used by all the science teachers to enhance the classroom experience.
As always, please feel free to contact us with any curriculum issues. Please also remember that the middle school staff is very accommodating in assisting us answer these questions as well as effectively address your curriculum questions and concerns.
SUMMARY OF GCMS CURRICULUM MEETING OF 11/23/09
The New York State Education Department provisions having to do with reading in grades six to twelve are found in the general education regulations. Reading is not considered a “special education service” which could warrant inclusion on the student’s IEP. For additional information and definitions please refer to the GCUFSD AIS PLAN which can be found on the GCMS homepage as well as the State’s website at www.emsc.nysed.gov.
Reading as a service, is not supposed to be discussed at CSE meetings. However, a parent can request that a “reading” teacher be present at CSE meetings. Reading can be taught by elementary certified teachers and ELA teachers. However, the Middle School does have Reading Specialists for students who are identified as before expected standards. Both our Reading Specialists Ms. Kimberly Greenwald and Mr. Carmine Filosa have very impressive credentials and training in regard to teaching reading and writing.
Some of the reading programs used at the GCMS include the Lindamood Bell’s Visualizing and Verbalizing method for reading comprehension, some strategies from Orton-Gilligham for sight word practice as well as the Scope and Sequence of the Wilson program which is adapted to the group classroom environment for decoding and encoding groups. The specialists address a minimum of 12 strategies a year and currently utilize the WRITE TRAITS program to teach writing. The District is currently looking for a new program to add to the reading and writing curriculums.
In response to the inquiry regarding providing book lists which may or may not include the classics as opposed to free choice in Independent Reading Projects (IRPs), the English Curriculum Coordinator, Bernadette Arnone, offered some enlightenment. The basic premise is that at this age the students should be encouraged to read whatever interests them so they develop a love for reading which will lead to reading even more books, including the classics.
If a child wants to read a classic, parents should be aware that there are many subjects in many of the classic books which might not be appropriate for middle school aged children. Another reason for free choice is because not all families have the same values and beliefs. This system allows students and their parents to make certain that any book chosen is appropriate for their child’s age and maturity and, also, in keeping with their family values.
During the meeting, the teacher representatives to the curriculum committee, Mrs. Dumar and Mrs. Tavernise (both English teachers), offered some suggestions to assist in the book selection process of IRPs for all readers, including reluctant readers. If a student needs assistance with choosing a book, they should approach their teacher or the librarians. The teachers and librarians would also be of great assistance in choosing the appropriate classic book for the student.
Students often get recommendations for books from their friends and this is fine since parents and teachers still have to approve any book selection. Students as well as parents who may be assisting in this process should check their English teacher’s website for helpful links as well as the GCMS Library websites. Parents can also access the School Library Database through the GCUFSD website.
In this day and age of standardized multiple choice exams (SAT, GRE, ACT, GMAT, etc), scan-tron use is a vital skill which all students must learn about and understand. No one would argue that if errors are to be made in the use of scan-trons, it is better they are made in middle school rather than on the SAT exam! All of the GCMS teachers are aware of all the possible errors that can occur with scan-trons. This includes all technical errors made by students as well as mechanical errors by the machines that grade these sheets.
Part of the learning process in the use of scan-trons, however, includes teaching the students how they can determine if there are indeed problems with their scan-tron answers sheet and/or results. This is precisely why so many of these tests are reviewed in class and why, if possible, the actual answers may also be included on the graded sheets. All the students are told that if they feel an error has occurred with their answer sheet during the exam or after it is graded, they must simply let the teacher know so the appropriate action can be taken to remedy these situations.
The GCMS has excellent homework assistance programs available for students. Twice a week an after school homework center is available for all GCMS students. Students are recommended to participate in this program by individual teachers and/or guidance counselors. If extenuating circumstances exist and, as a result, a parent feels their child needs homework assistance, they should speak with their child’s guidance counselor and explain the situation.
As always the GCMS recognizes there are many situations when participation in this program is warranted and parents should not assume that their child will not be allowed to participate. Even if it is determined that this after school homework program is not the best solution for a student, the Guidance Counselors may be able to offer other possible solutions, i.e. contacting the GCHS National Honor Society to obtain student tutors for a very modest fee.
For a limited number of very high needs children, and with the recommendation of the Child Study Team, there is a homework room with teacher-aides providing supervision for two other afternoons. This group meets twice a week after school on the alternate days of the week from the other homework program. Therefore, there is actually a homework assistance program everyday except Fridays. Both of these centers can be used for as long or as little as needed by the students.
Parents and students should be reminded that all students may go to other teachers---including the special education teachers---for extra help. In fact, any student may attend any teacher’s extra help sessions even if they are not in that particular teacher’s class as long as there is an academic (as opposed to social) reason to attend. This is not an uncommon event since students are often so busy and can only attend extra help at the time it is given by another teacher.
The curriculums in Home and Careers and Technology follow the NYSED mandates. The State did a modest update of the Home and Careers curriculum in 2003 and the very next year the GCMS Home and Careers curriculum was revised. It was agreed that at some point an update and reconfiguration of the H&C classrooms (expensive) would be helpful in improving the program. (These curriculums will be available on the GCMS website for review by 12/15/09.)
The new Technology classrooms were completed last year so this is the first full year when the updated technology curriculum is being utilized. All of the material found on the last page of this curriculum under the heading of SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS (STEM) LAB (investigating the five modules of physics) has been added to the technology curriculum. Until the completion of these new classrooms, those topics could not be as effectively taught at the middle school. Although there is a State Assessment for this subject, it is a voluntary rather than a mandated assessment and the Middle School—as well as nearly all other area schools--does not participate.
Garden City Middle School October 2009 Update
Garden City Middle School was asked by New York State to apply as a Model Special Education Program. The application was sent to Albany the third week of August for review. If chosen, other school districts will come to look at our special education program. This is a very impressive invitation, proving once again the success of our Middle School programs.
Last year the seventh and eighth grades were assigned a Social Studies research paper. The students had to meet periodic checkpoints in order to move onto the next phase. Teachers were very pleased with the results of the papers. We discussed the possibility of sixth grade being assigned a research paper. We were told that the curriculum for study skills was revised over the summer and now there is greater emphasis on teaching the fundamentals of writing and research. The revised curriculum also includes additional computer skills, including more excel.
The new science curriculum coordinator is in the process of reviewing all the software Dr. Osroff purchased several years ago so it can be installed on all the smart boards in the science classrooms to enhance the learning experience for the students.
Back to school night ran smoothly. An additional minute was added between classes to give the parents more time to navigate the building. All sports teams ended early that evening which made it much easier for parents to get to school and hear their entire teachers’ presentations.
The WRAP/ERB test was given to last year’s seventh graders. This test is a writing exam that diagnoses the students writing ability into very specific categories. The results were sent out in July, with much need of clarification. Dr. Osroff will include the clarification in the MIDDLE VIEW. The main purpose of this test is to provide information to the curriculum coordinator, the district, and the schools on how they can improve the writing program. As a result of this information, the teachers can see exactly where a child needs help, and address the individual need. This is a district wide initiative.
The support classes continue to be a favorite among the teachers. The teachers feel that they are making a direct impact on the child possibly making them love a subject they once did poorly at. Support classes are offered in English, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Spanish.
World language has not seen a change in number of students choosing one language over another. The concern was that the influx into Spanish would be great considering the students started Spanish in second grade. This was not the case. The teachers have seen that the students who have taken Spanish in elementary school are stronger in accepting any foreign language.
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