On Monday, March 23rd, Dr. Petrosino addressed over 25 members of the Curriculum Committee at the Brandt School Auditorium. The meeting last about 90 minutes and a number of topics were addressed. A summary of the meeting follows:What remains to do:
1) Dr. Petrosino congratulated the group on meeting the February 15th deadline for an initial first draft of the revised curriculum (over 95% completed). As mentioned previously on this blog, the first draft was achieved after a substantial and sustained curriculum writing push after the winter recess. The following subjects are completed: Mathematics, Language Arts (elementary), Language Arts (secondary), Health/Physical Fitness, Social Studies. The following subjects are functionally completed with some minor areas of articulation still needed: Theater Arts (some elementary grades needed), Music (minimal additions needed), Technology (most in need), Science (some final units needed), Holocaust Education (2-3 more meetings needed).
2) Need for some Understanding by Design update/mini workshop- Dr. Petrosino spoke to the Committee about organizing a 1-2 day in district workshop with members from ASCD on the topic of "Big Ideas" and the Understanding by Design framework. This would be a workshop with a subgroup of Curriculum Committee members and intended as a means of supporting a review of the initial draft of the curriculum.
3) Dr. Petrosino spoke about the review process. This will include both internal (within district/community) as well as external (experts from outside the district) review and has already begun with the professional development organization LitLife reviewing the Language Arts curriculum.
4a) Communication (Within District)- Efforts have been underway for the past year at communicating the progress of the curriculum committee with district administrators. It is clear we must now begin communication and articulation with district teachers and aides on aspects of the revised curriculum.
4b) Communication (Community)- Efforts have been underway for the past 18 months at communicating the progress of the curriculum committee with parents and the community (updates at Board of Education meetings, creation and updating of the Hoboken Curriculum Project website, speaking at PTO meetings, some public meetings). But it is clear that more needs to be done. Discussion centered on a number of "parent night" events in which the community could meet with the Curriculum Committee and ask specific questions and gain more information on the revised curriculum. A schedule will be announced by the end of the first week of April.
5) Dr. Petrosino also articulated the need to follow up with a number of organizations within Hoboken who have been involved and have served as a resource for the Curriculum Committee including the Hoboken Historical Museum and the Hoboken Public Library among others.
6) Dr. Petrosino also discussed the coordination that is needed to ensure that the curriculum satisfies all the stated intentions of the State's QSAC (NJ Quality Single Accountability Continuum) accountability system. The primary issue left needing to be addressed centers on district wide assessments and analysis systems.
Here is the list of teachers who attended the Curriculum meeting on
March 23, 2009....
CALABRO
Tara Donnelly
Tania Trinidad-Payamps
CONNORS
Marni Rosenblum
Kelly Sogluizzo
Jennifer Suyat
DEMAREST
Fran Cohen
Anabel Gomez
Kathleen Kelly-Ynoa
Mark Schartner
HOBOKEN HIGH SCHOOL
Jayshree Amin
Edward Barfield
Isabel Bruno
Geidy Dela Rosa
Kate Dominique
Michele Mc Greivey
Howard Mc Kenzie
Jared Ramos
Mary Sifonios
Barbara Teller
WALLACE
Andrea Canonico
Lea Di Vincent
Tasha Leggard
Bess Mitsakos
Donna Yula
Elise Granovsky
Picture: Mr. Jared Ramos works with students in the upcoming production of "Guys and Dolls" at the Hoboken High School Auditorium.
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