02-26-13 curriculum - Ansonia Public Schools

ANSONIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
BOARD OF EDUCATION
MINUTES
PLACE: ROBERT E. ZURAW ADM. BUILDING DATE: 26 FEBRUARY 2013 TIME: 6:30 P.M.
COMMITTEE: CURRICULUM
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER BY COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON: Edward Sharkey
I. OPENING
A. Pledge of Allegiance
B. Roll Call
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT ABSENT LATE (time)
MR. GEORGE BOATH
6:31 P.M.
MS. FRANCES DIGIORGI
X
MR. WILLIAM NIMONS
X
MR. EDWARD SHARKEY, Chairperson
X
TOTAL 3 0 1
STAFF PRESENT:
Superintendent of Schools, Carol Merlone
Assistant Superintendent of Schools, Tony Gasper
A.H.S. Principal, Joe Dobbins
A.H.S. Assistant Principal, Mike Wilson
II. Discussion and Possible Action on New PLTW Course at A.H.S.
NOTE: Mr. Boath entered the meeting at 6:31 p.m.
ATTACHMENT #1
DISCUSSION: Dr. Gasper said that they are proposing two new and exciting courses at the high school. Mr.
Wilson then explained that through the Board’s generosity of allowing them to use the Pine Trust Grant Funds they have been
able to fund the current two courses in Project Lead the Way (PLTW). In the sequence, next year they will be offering a new
course Digital Electronics. Mr. Wilson recapped that Ansonia was one of 50 districts nationally to be recognized and to
partake in the Computer Science and Software Engineering (CSE) course. He then explained the four units to the course (see
attachment). The PLTW curriculum is a nationally approved curriculum. Mr. Fred Borne, math teacher, is part of the PLTW
Curriculum Committee. Mr. Wilson went on to say that next year we will have four courses, which was our original agreement
with PLTW to become accredited; however, we still have to do the other course two years prior, which is a senior internship
course. The CSE will not count as the fourth course yet until it has two years under its belt. That is a PLTW requirement. The
national exam will be created by PLTW and our students will take that as their final exam, as well. Dr. Gasper asked if this is
articulated through the University of New Haven (UNH) just like the others. Mr. Wilson said it will be through UNH as it is in the
development stage because it has to do their two year trial. Once the two year trial comes up it will be offered and the training
from now on will go through UNH. Since we were the first to be invited, we don’t have to pay for that training. Mr. Boath asked
if the students participating in PLTW will be receiving college credits. Mr. Wilson said once we have our four year sequence
the students will be entitled to credits for all of the PLTW courses. Technically, not next year but the year after, our students
will be eligible for 12 UHN engineering credits. Mr. Boath said that is amazing.
MOTION: To allow the PLTW course to proceed
as presented.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS MOTION YES NO ABSTAIN
MR. GEORGE BOATH
X
MS. FRANCES DIGIORGI 2 X
MR. WILLIAM NIMONS 1 X
MR. EDWARD SHARKEY, Chairperson
X
TOTAL 4 0 0
III. Discussion and Possible Action on New Freshman Seminar Course
ATTACHMENT #2
DISCUSSION: Mr. Dobbins explained that they have been working on designing the Freshman Seminar Transition
course. They have pulled together eight teachers and will have four core courses, English, math, social studies and science
along with that the freshman seminar transition class. The last two classes of the day will be electives. They have designated
a freshmen hallway at the high school. Mr. Dobbins added that freshmen make up 60-65% of their discipline referrals. About
40 freshmen are retained each year. Through this course we will try to help the students transition to the high school level. Mr.
Dobbins then explained the course (see attachment). Mr. Sharkey added that #3, Time Management/Stress Management part
of the course is excellent because he did not have anything like this when he was in school and he was inadequately
prepared. Mr. Boath said that he had a similar course offered in his first couple of weeks of law school and it made the
transition easier. Ms. DiGiorgi asked if this is similar to the 10 days in August for the Freshmen Academy. Mr. Dobbins said
within each one of these areas we are going to design a curriculum and create a pacing guide that goes through these
sections thoroughly. It will take about 20% of the year to complete the Capstone Project. Ms. DiGiorgi asked if this is for all
freshmen. Superintendent Merlone said yes. Dr. Gasper said the majority of those 10 days is in class, academics. It is not 10
days of getting to know the high school. We want the students to hit the ground running with their academics so they feel a
little more confident and comfortable when the other three grades come in. It is not just 10 days of orientation. Mr. Dobbins
explained that our discussion so far has been that we run a regular day schedule, meaning that they will have the four core
courses in the morning. After the fourth course they will follow the regular schedule. They will go to lunch and after lunch they
would go home. That will give planning time for the teachers after lunch. Superintendent Merlone asked when the students
would have the freshman seminar. Mr. Dobbins said they don’t have that planned during that period of time. What we have
planned is that the first two days they would give a quick overview of what this looks like and then move in to the four core
classes. Mr. Sharkey asked if students not coming to Ansonia as freshmen would be attending these first 10 days. Mr.
Dobbins said this is not the students you are talking about but our thought right now is for those students who are not passing
their freshmen year to return to Freshmen Academy. Some catch up and some are referred to the Alternative Program. Mr.
Nimons said this is a start and we have to start somewhere.
MOTION: To go ahead with the Freshman
Seminar Course as presented.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS MOTION YES NO ABSTAIN
MR. GEORGE BOATH
X
MS. FRANCES DIGIORGI 2 X
MR. WILLIAM NIMONS 1 X
MR. EDWARD SHARKEY, Chairperson
X
TOTAL 4 0 0
IV.
ADJOURNMENT

MOTION: To adjourn the meeting at 6:53 p.m.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS MOTION YES NO ABSTAIN
MR. GEORGE BOATH 1 X
MS. FRANCES DIGIORGI 2 X
MR. WILLIAM NIMONS
X
MR. EDWARD SHARKEY, Chairperson
X
TOTAL 4 0 0
Respectfully submitted,
Fran Perrotti
Recording Secretary
March 4, 2013