Melrose School Improvement Team

Meeting Minutes

January 18, 2007

Present: K. Almanzor, S. Schott, K. Chandler, D. Murphy, N. Santamour, J. Warner, M. Franco, E. Evans

Math Ability Grouping Pilot.
Will be presented at the February Faculty Meeting. SIT members should attend if possible. The plan is for groupings to be based on ability and for groups to be fluid with individuals to be reassessed several times throughout the year and moved to appropriate groups when necessary. It is also meant to be low-key, with parents told that some students will have their classroom teacher for math as well, and others will have a different teacher from that grade. There will be four groups per grade. This can be explained in more detail if necessary at parent-teacher conferences. Parents should know that groups are not necessarily permanent, and it is meant for the benefit of all students so their various needs in math can be met in the best manner possible. None of the levels would be meant to move forward onto further topics in the math curriculum, but to pursue the math areas in more depth, so that all students are still covering the same math areas at the same time.

Service Learning Project
There will be an April Yard Sale in the MMPR for the benefit of Peyton Watson. Possibly 4/28. Date to be firmed up in the near future.

Friday Afternoon Enrichment Program
All teachers, specialists, etc., would have a period at the end of the day on Fridays for a special enrichment program. The teachers could choose a topic of interest to them. It would be community-building in that it would be multi-grade groupings. Some sample topics suggested were: debate, biology, astronomy, travel, cooking , sewing, photography, science, reading, hiking, dance, math, chess, dance, beginngers’ sports clinic. Offered classes would change at intervals through the year. It was suggested that there be a place to go for any child that was not able to handle it and not participating, such as the library with an adult on hand.

Next Meeting: Thursday, February 15th, 4-5:30 p.m.