PTO Meeting Minutes
1/15/15
Call to order at
9:35 am by Kassi Eckert
Pledge of the
Allegiance lead by Kassi Eckert
GUEST SPEAKERS: Topic- Why New Assessments
Karen Naber,
Director of Academic Affairs & Anne Marie Reinke, Assistant Director of
Academic Affairs *Please refer to PTO Power Point Presentation on New Assessments
There has been a significant transformation how teachers
teach and how kids learn. Spurred by the adoption of the Common Core by the State
of Ohio, Sycamore has been preparing teachers with tools for the past few years. Math & English standards are new along
with Science, Social Studies, Arts, PE, Music. There are now new assessments. Sycamore has been revising curriculum maps,
creating new structural patterns and resources to maintain excellence within
our district.
Why is there testing? We have to measure what we are expecting classroom teachers to teach. In past covered a lot of information but not deep. Common Core is more rigorous. Less topics but more focused. Common Core is a minimum set of guidelines, not a curriculum. District forms the curriculum. Fundamental skills: know, apply, communicate. Today the skills that businesses are looking for include problem solving, collaboration, communication, creativity, more reasoning. Businesses are saying kids are lacking critical thinking skills.
Now students are required to have a higher level of
thinking. Assessment tests today are not
just remembering facts. Teachers are preparing students with a variety of content
resources including MAP, Compass Learning, Math Trail Blazers, etc.
Next generation assessments have new technology that
teachers are rapidly learning. Not only the hardware (iPads, ChromeBooks,
Interwrite boards) but also new software.
PARCC (Partnership Assessment Readiness of College
&Career) will replace OAA (Ohio Achievement Assessment). These are achievement tests at 1 point in
time. PARCC is a problem- based assessment that will be given the end of
February. This year the district chose
not to do all the assessments in one day.
With the new PARCC tests students must read deeply and show what they know. The questions are deeper and take longer to answer, often with several parts. (see document for examples) Students can receive partial credit. Students will need to develop perseverance. Students also need practice pacing. Knowing how much information is enough The new tests have less questions. Teachers feel good about the content but are worried about the technology skills needed such as drag&drop. Students can utilize practice tests (unscored) or tools online at http://www.parcconline.org http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/
EYO (End of Year) tests are not as deep. Automatic
scoring.
Guided Struggle- teachers/parents wait, listen, watch
then give corrective instruction.
3rd
grade: just PARCC in Math this year.
* Due to the 3rd grade Reading Guarantee, they took the OAA in Fall
2015. Ohio decided to use the OAA also this Spring 2015 to compare. Next school
year will take PARCC in LA.
4th grade: both PARCC in Math and English/LA. Also the AIR in Social Studies which mirrors PARCC in format. Testing over 10 days each testing session about 75 minutes total (average finish in 50 minutes).
4th grade: both PARCC in Math and English/LA. Also the AIR in Social Studies which mirrors PARCC in format. Testing over 10 days each testing session about 75 minutes total (average finish in 50 minutes).
MAP (Measures of
Academic Progress) Testing is a predictor. It desegregates data. Given over
the course of a year to see growth. Currently MAP is given 3X/ year but
considering changing. The district has to measure how we are doing but realizes
need time for instruction. It’s all about balance. Mrs Reinke expects a
reduction in testing.
PARCC & AIR, both computer based assessments, are mandated by the state of Ohio.
Richard Ross is the State Superintendent.
There is a new teacher evaluation system. They are held
accountable in a different way. Now based on a Performance Rubric (how they
teach) and data from assessments.
Reminder if your child is anxious, stressed with HW or
tests please let teachers know.
PRINCIPAL’S REPORT-
Ron Brooks
Cold Weather: Err on the side of safety. Dress kids
warmly.
Snow Days: OH
converted to hours of instruction, not days of instruction. Sycamore is way
over so Blizzard Bags no longer necessary to make up extra snow days. Instead
teachers will send home helpful activities not graded or pressured. Also we
don’t have to make up lost days at end of school year.
ASST. PRINCIPAL’S
REPORT- Shawn Rosekrans
One Book, One School: Thank you PTO for providing the books to families
One Book, One School: Thank you PTO for providing the books to families
Library: Mrs.
Smith purchased 445 new books with $7,000 raised from Walk-a-Thon. The library
catalogue is a work in progress to support our now 550 students. With her
budget from the school, she purchased additional bookshelves.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT-
Kassi Eckert
Operation Give
Back: Thank you for your donations! Maple Dale collected $2,
Carnival: Kickoff
meeting for all sub- chairs January 29th at 9:30am either at Maple
Dale or Kassi’s home.
February Guest
Speaker: William Fritz, Director of
Technology
Recycling Program: Sycamore’s recycling program success was
highlighted in the Green Umbrella’s monthly newsletter. Green Umbrella is a
tri-state alliance of sustainability projects.
FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT’S
REPORT PROGRAMS- Pam McCallen
Green Team: Chair
Anne Berg. Earth Week is April 20-24 with a 1 day fair on the playground on
Tuesday April 21st. Volunteers needed. Volunteers also needed once a
week during lunch to remind students about the recycling & composting
procedure. (from 10 bags to only 3 bags of trash now! ). Juice boxes (not pouches)
were recycled after the Winter parties. Due to a problem with Rumpke, Organics
is now picking up our composting. Maple Dale won the Hamilton County Board of
Health Clean Kitchen award!
* Note Miss Georgia will be out from January 26th
for 6 weeks recovering from knee surgery.
After School
Enrichment: ASE packets will be send home Tuesday Jan 21. Turn in next day
as limited spots. Also provide 2nd choice.
Book Swap: Friday April 24th, final day of
Earth Week. Save you old children’s books!
Discover Art: Volunteers
needed to come in on a Fridays from 9:30-9:45am to share famous artwork during
morning meeting. Descriptions provided.
Family Skate Night:
Flyer sent home. Sunday February 8th from 4:30- 6:30pm
Nominations: Looking forward to next school year. Check the Directory for Chair and PTO program opportunities. Share your passion! Can contact Chair or PTO board with questions.
Nominations: Looking forward to next school year. Check the Directory for Chair and PTO program opportunities. Share your passion! Can contact Chair or PTO board with questions.
SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT’S
REPORT FUNDRAISING- Jean Phillips
Book Fair: Volunteers Needed. Week of February 23-27 to coincide with Literacy Night. Sneak Peek Friday Feb 20th with One Book,
One School assembly. All profits will go directly to classroom teachers to buy more books.
TREASURER’S REPORT-
Kari Crusius
Vote to earn Scholastic cash
instead of money from Book Fair: Scholastic Book $'s are worth twice as much as taking cash
profit. Proposal was made by the PTO Board to take scholastic dollars in
lieu of cash. The scholastic dollars will be used to purchase books for
teachers' classrooms. The 2014-2015 budget has the Scholastic Book
Fair generating $1,000 of cash profits. From an overall budget
perspective it is OK if we do not get this cash as planned from the Book
Fair because we began the school year with additional funds in the PTO
account. 1st motion- Anjali Mathur 2nd motion-
Preeti Parikh. Approved
Vote
to Approve November & December Financials: 1st motion- Brian
Gath, 2nd motion- Ann Scranton. Approved
SECRETARY’S
REPORT- Diane VanderBrink
Maple Dale PTO
Facebook page: Reminder to request to join the private page where PTO will
share information.
Wellness Committee:
Offering a Marathon in a Month Employee Wellness Challenge Jan 20-February
20th. Intra and Inter school.
Meeting adjourned
at 11:20am by Kassi Eckert
