Board Meeting Dates

I.

Call to Order

A.

Adoption of the September 10, 2014, Policy and Instruction Committee Agenda and Approval of the July 23, 2014, and August 13, 2014, Policy and Instruction Committee Meeting Minutes (Discussion/Action)

II.

Presentation on Parent Vue a New Synergy Application for Parents and Students (Discussion)
Presenters: Rose-Ann McKernan - Executive Director Instructional Accountability, Shayne Kendall - Director Student Information Systems (SIS),  Frank Garcia - Coordinator Technology/Project Manager (SIS) and Aaron Jaramillo - Web Manager, Communications. 

III.

Presentation of School Improvement Grant (SIG) for Emerson and Eubank Elementary Schools (Discussion)
Presenters:  Diane Kerschen - Associate Superintendent for Elementary Schools, Raquel Reedy - Associate Superintendent for Elementary Schools, Christy Sigmon - Principal Eubank Elementary and Denise Brigman - Principal Emerson Elementary

IV.

Teacher Evaluation Plan update (Discussion)
Presenters: Shelly Green - Chief Academic Officer and Carla Greene - Director of Special Projects

V.

Consideration for Approval of Topics for Resolutions and Directions for NMSBA 2014 Resolutions (Discussion/Action)
Presenter: Carrie Robin Brunder - Director of Government Affairs and Policy

VI.

Discussion of Student Dress Procedural Directive (Discussion)
Presenters: Carrie Robin Brunder - Director of Government Affairs and Policy and Julie Sanchez - Associate Director of Athletics

VII.

Next Policy and Instruction Committee Meeting

A.

The Next Policy and Instruction Committee Meeting will be held Tuesday, October 7, 2014, at 5:00 p.m., in the Delayo Martin Community Room of the Alice and Bruce King Educational Complex, 6400 Uptown Blvd NE.

VIII.

Adjournment

I.

Call to Order - The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m.

Present: Dr. David Peercy, Lorenzo Garcia, Dr. Analee Maestas, Kathy Korte (by telephone) Steven Michael Quezada (by telephone).

Absent:  Dr. Don Duran, Martin Esquivel

A.

Adoption of the September 10, 2014, Policy and Instruction Committee Agenda and Approval of the July 23, 2014, and August 13, 2014, Policy and Instruction Committee Meeting Minutes (Discussion/Action)

Lorenzo Garcia motioned to adopt the agenda and the July 23, 2014 Policy and Instruction Committee meeting minutes, and Kathy Korte seconded the motion.  All were in favor.  The August 13, 2014 Policy and Instruction Committee minutes were not available for approval.

II.

Presentation on ParentVue a New Synergy Application for Parents and Students (Discussion) Presenters: Rose-Ann McKernan - executive director Instructional Accountability, Shayne Kendall - director Student Information Systems (SIS),  Frank Garcia – coordinator technology/project manager (SIS) and Aaron Jaramillo – web manager, Communications 

Mr. Kendall presented the new ParentVue/StudentVue program, which is part of the new student information system, Synergy, which replaced SchoolMax at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year.  ParentVue/StudentVue is similar to the program iParent, which has been available to secondary-level parents during previous years.  The new ParentVue/StudentVue is available to all levels including elementary.  ParentVue/StudentVue was made available on September 2, 2014, for parents and students to create new accounts; currently 13,500 new accounts have been created.  Frank Garcia was not present at the meeting, but he was instrumental in creating the web-based application.  Prior to this application all communications regarding student data was through the USPS mail.

The APS Communications Department has done a great job of marketing the new ParentVue/StudentVue application on the APS website, and the schools also have been promoting the new system at open houses.

There are three easy steps to creating a new ParentVue or StudentVue account and one of the greatest benefits of having an account is that one parent can set up an account for one of their children, and the system automatically gives them access to all of their children’s education records.  The system automatically filters whether or not the parent has education rights for individual students.

ParentVue/StudentVue access includes:

• Recent events
• Messages
• Calendar showing student assignments, tests, quizzes, homework, and grading
• Attendance/absences, including types of absences
• Class schedule
• Parent can email teacher directly
• Fees for overdue library books and summer school fees
• Grade book shows current grades and explains scores
• Student Info includes contact information that parents can update

Additional features will be available in the future:

• Student photo
• Graduation status
• Course history
• Teacher webpages
• On-line course requests
• On-line student enrollment  

Items discussed by committee members:

• Having access to all students under one account is a great addition.
• The system will continue to track absences and truancy for students and generate alerts in School Messenger. 
• An alert so that parents know when there are messages regarding absences was suggested
• There is a module within ParentVue to request conferences and schedule events; SIS will review if this can be adapted to include appointments with teachers and counselors.
• Committee members expressed concern that some families do not have internet access or computers.  Mr. Kendall reassured the committee that access to ParentVue is only a supplement to what is already available to parents.  Information will continue to be distributed to parents in paper format if required.  Schools also will be providing access to computer labs for parents.
• Committee members expressed a need for information to be available in other languages in addition to English, and SIS will investigate with the ParentVue vendor if this is a possibility.
• There is a special education module inside ParentVue/StudentVue; currently, SIS is developing specifics with a team from Special Education.

III.

Presentation of School Improvement Grant (SIG) for Emerson and Eubank Elementary Schools (Discussion)
Presenters:  Diane Kerschen - associate superintendent for Elementary Schools, Raquel Reedy - associate superintendent for Elementary Schools, Christy Sigmon - principal Eubank Elementary and Denise Brigman - principal Emerson Elementary

Eubank and Emerson elementary schools are the first two elementary schools in Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) to be approved for the School Improvement Grant (SIG).  The main catalyst for qualifying for a redesign grant is chronically poor academic performance.  APS grant writer, Michele Tigelaar, was able to secure grants for both Emerson and Eubank elementary schools on this basis and each school will receive $1,300,000 over three years.  Overall, the New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) was very impressed with each of the principals’ commitment to the process.

Eubank Elementary went through a full redesign in which they added time to the school day and changed some of their staff.  The school has become a fine arts magnet and incorporates a focus on the arts which brings different experiences for all children.  

Eubank Elementary has seen improvement in the school grading received from NMPED.  For the 2011-12 school year Eubank received an F that improved to a letter D grade for the 2013-14 school year.

One of the focuses for Emerson’s SIG was to elevate language opportunities in all content areas across the board in speaking and writing.  Setting language goals for English Language Learners and using dual language and bilingual programs also was included in the goals of the school.

Items discussed by committee members:

• Committee members encouraged both principals to document progress in assessments and all areas of achievement.
• Committee members commented that experiential learning, with the promotion of music and art in schools, is great way to teach all aspects of intelligences.
• The schools that receive SIG do not have to do the web-based Educational Plan for Student Success (WEB EPSS) for three years, as it will be automatically completed by NMPED.  
• An evaluation by NMPED is conducted every six weeks at the school sites. 

IV.

Teacher Evaluation Plan update (Discussion)
Presenters: Shelly Green - chief academic officer and Carla Greene - director of Special Projects

Ms. Green and Ms. Greene updated the committee on the NMPED teacher evaluation plan:

Although all teachers were evaluated by their principals, only teachers who are assigned to students are included in the Teachscape evaluation system.

Each teacher evaluated using Teachscape will have scores based on the following:

• One student achievement measure which will count for 50 percent

• Two observations of Doman 2/3 (25 percent)
• One submission of Domain 1 and one submission of Domain 4 (15 percent)
• Teacher attendance (10 percent)
• Two Teachscape walkthroughs, one per semester, will be unscored.

Changes from 2014 - Student Achievement:

• Group A – Standards Based Assessment (SBA) no End of Course exams (EOC).
• Group B – EOC, or if EOC is not available, prior year School Quartile 1 growth.
• Group C – Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS).  Student achievement is one year delays.  Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) from 2014, 2013 and 2012 is used for the 2015 value-added score.

Changes from 2014 - Observations:

• Two observations of Domain 2 and 3 instead of three

Changes from 2014 - Multiple Measures:

• Domain 1 and 4 one submission each instead of two
• Attendance – only sick leave (not Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) will be counted.  Personal leave will no longer be counted.

Changes from 2014 – Walkthroughs

• Two walkthroughs in Teachscape which will be unscored.

Walkthroughs are informal classroom visits that last no more than fifteen minutes (usually 3-5 minutes).  They are unscored and do not impact final summative report.  The walkthroughs may be completed in Teachscape with feedback provided to teachers through email from the principal.  These walkthroughs also may be used for site or departmental statistics. 

Observations are formal classroom visits that last a minimum of twenty minutes.  For teacher evaluation in Teachscape in Domain 2/3, observations will happen once each semester.  For teachers who are not in Teachscape, observations will happen at least once per year.  One of the observations must be scheduled with the teacher beforehand and written feedback will be provided for the teacher after the observation is completed. 

Ms. Green and Ms. Greene met with Mr. Montano from NMPED and agreed to have extra calibrations throughout the year.  A calibration visit includes three to four principals visiting a school and observing and taking notes.  They will score elements and talk about their findings.  Calibration provides rater reliability.

Items discussed by committee members:

• This gives teachers some breathing room; thank you for taking time to work on this with NMPED.  This is a better option than we had before.
• Reducing the number of observations from three to two is more appropriate.

V.

Consideration for Approval of Topics for Resolutions and Directions for NMSBA 2014 Resolutions.  (Discussion/Action)
Presenter: Carrie Robin Brunder - director of Government Affairs and Policy

Ms. Brunder asked the committee for its input regarding topics for the New Mexico School Board Association (NMSBA) resolutions.

Items discussed by committee members:

• Adequate funding
• Maintenance of effort
• Small schools size adjustment
• Land grant
• K-3 plus funding
• Instructional materials
• End of Course Exams
• Local control

Ms. Brunder suggested separating the two main focuses rather than having it as one resolution as historically NMSBA will separate it if submissions are too detailed.

Ms. Brunder will prepare the resolutions and focus on adequate funding and local control, including transportation, and K-3 plus funding as directed by committee members.

VI.

Discussion of Student Dress Procedural Directive (Discussion)
Presenters: Carrie Robin Brunder - director of Government Affairs and Policy and Julie Sanchez - associate director of Athletics

Ms. Brunder reviewed the changes to the student dress procedural directive.

A paragraph was added on graduation dress.

Ms. Brunder commented that during the last five years, high school principals and alternative school principals have met to debrief about graduation, and they have requested a procedural directive that addresses student dress at graduation.  Alternative high schools do not require a cap and gown, but at the regular high schools there is great concern about regalia being worn outside of the cap and gown.  It has been requested by the principals that there is a standard for all schools rather than the inconsistency that happens throughout the district. 

Many high schools are requesting the ability to wear regalia outside of the cap and gown, and the graduation committee will meet to discuss what is considered academic regalia and allowable at graduation ceremony.

Ms. Brunder also commented that cultural dress in lieu of the cap and gown has been requested and a decision on whether this is acceptable throughout all cultures should be defined in the procedural directive. 

The board discussion resulted in the following basic rules:

• Alternatives can set their own standards (no cap and gown requirement)
• All students at comprehensives must wear cap and gown.  Cultural dress may be worn under the cap and gown, NOT in lieu of.

• Academic regalia only for graduation day but there needs to be a standardized process to be deemed “academic.”

Shelly Green, chief academic officer, and Todd Resch, associate superintendent for high schools will meet with the graduation committee to discuss the graduation dress portion of the student dress procedural directive to decide on appropriate attire to wear under a cap and gown and what regalia is considered academic for the purpose of a graduation ceremony.  The procedural directive will be updated once these decisions have been made.

VII.

Next Policy and Instruction Committee Meeting

A.

The Next Policy and Instruction Committee meeting will be held Tuesday, October 7, 2014, at 5:00 p.m., in the Delayo Martin Community Room of the Alice and Bruce King Educational Complex, 6400 Uptown Blvd NE.

VIII.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m.