Council for Continuous Improvement

Minutes

Updates:

Appointments: Time Keeper- Vicky Burns

                        Note Keeper- Jane McKinney

                        Process Observer-Geoff Robbins

Workshop dates: Winter Symposium Jan 20., 21 & 22 (HS &MS)

                        K-5 Initial RISC training Jan 22nd

                        Standards Based Design Course Updates

Other:

WIKI has been established.

Standards-based course ongoing. Planning a second audio conference in Jan. with Arlie & Rick.

School Updates:

Dunn – Copied & provided tool box to staff with discussion. Assigned to use activities in classroom...

Sue Staples, Gitana Beriau, Deb Vermillion went to Dec. Beacon training.

Middle School – Continue using RISC tools. Distributed tools sheet to staff and plan to have peer observations using tools. Teachers sent to Beacon training: Barbie Weed, Kristi Fecteau

High School – Still decompressing from all the info learned from training. Student survey will be sent to students via online concerning what skills are needed for 21^st century. Received 60 responses from parents. 15 kids willing to go to Jan. symposium! Setting up a series of courses for teachers to practice/use concepts in classroom. Possibly run a monthly book talk.

Russell School – Melissa Frost & Kelly Thornhill attended Beacon teacher training. Many interested in attending Jan. symposium. Need to plan how to survey students.

Memorial School – Teachers have been shown toolkit. Donna purchased book for teachers to read. Each grade level will share chapters each month through June. Need to plan to survey students. Three or four teachers plan to attend Beacon training in March.

Other: Beacon Teacher Training in Lewiston:

Everyone came back excited and energized but now attempting to process. We appear to be further along than the rest of the State. Discovered how each grade can impact others. Shared Vision must be on a burning platform...show data that explains what we need to do to make things better. Entire community meeting for K-12 model. (Possibly highjack half-time -one example).

Comments being made from some veteran staff appear to be negative... “We've done this before”

Frenchboro has already broken down Maine standards and have it on WIKI.

Most effective training so far. We need to be talking RISC to everyone we see whenever we see them.

An affirmation of our reasons to be in the classroom...kids learning. Teacher needs to become the facilitator of the standards.

Parent Informative Meeting Ideas:

Possible one big meeting for entire district...break into subgroups by grade levels.

Site based meetings may be easier for parents/community

Keynote on RISC Model by Rick at Messalonski Performing Arts.

Possible entertainer to perform (ie., Tim Sample) as a kick-off event followed with an informative session about RISC model.

Meetings need to actually create a district shared vision.

Need to communicate info to parents through Infinite Campus, newsletters, district website, etc.