Hoboken Curriculum Project- March 8 Meeting

This Saturday Meeting dealt with issues centering around the following topics:

1) How can we incorporate 21st Century critical thinking skils into our curriculum
2) A review of the July 2007 Curriculum Audit Report
3) A review of the QSAC report for Curriculum and Instruction
4) Discussion on our reading for "The Strugle for the American Curriculum"
5) Back of the Envelope Problems

Red Bank Primary School- Tools of the Mind

Tue- Traveled to Red Bank Primary School with Jessica Peters and members of both HOPES and MILE SQUARE pre-school programs. Met Amy Hornbeck while there, a representative from TOOLS FOR THE MIND

We visited about 6 classrooms while in Red Bank and observed both Pre-K as well as K classrooms. Overall impression was that I saw great examples of self-regulation and reflective activity by the students. The teachers (and their aides) functioned as “learned others” within a Vygotskian paradigm. By this I mean that students were progressing along their own developmental trajectory with well thought out and planned activities. Furthermore, there was numerous opportunities for differentiated instruction (consistent with special education requirements as well as I& RS and Response to Instruction (RTI). We were shown many examples of student work and also had conversations regarding how activity develops over time. This was easily shown by portfolios that are kept by the teachers (and sent home to parents on a weekly basis). The students we observed seem to derive from the same SES as the students of the Hoboken Public Schools with a corresponding focus on special needs.

Tools of the Mind is a research-based curriculum that emphasizes the development of underlying cognitive skills such as self-regulation, focused and sustained attention, deliberate memory, group interaction and problem solving, listening and responding to other children’s perspectives, emotional and behavioral self-control, empathy, and interest and motivation to learn as a way of simultaneously fostering the development of academic skills as established by the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. (NJCCCS).

High-quality instruction is supported by a classroom assistant and students receive specialized instruction in music, art, physical education, library, and computers. Classrooms are organized to allow for the establishment of learning centers to promote concepts of print, early writing, phonemic awareness, oral language and comprehension skills while at the same time emphasizing the development of self-regulation and classroom routines. Themes are used to focus instruction in mathematics and science. Small group instruction addresses individual students’ needs and allows for a personal connection between the teacher and your son/daughter. Conferencing is a key component of the program that facilitates the development of self-responsibility and overall readiness, organizational and planning skills. The goal is that by the end of Kindergarten, children know about learning and how they, as individuals, learn.

IN Red Bank, young children are not just spending more time in school. They are engaged in a world of learning, spending the day with extraordinary teachers and assistants in an environment that fosters problem solving and enriched learning.

Center for Talented Youth Visit

On February 14th Superintendent Jack Raslowsky and Dr. Petrosino visited John Hopkins University's Center for Talented Youth (CTY). During the visit, the two met with the administration, tutors and contant developers for the "John Hopkins Program". The visit lasted from 10AM to 3PM and issues such as identification criteria, curriculum, technology, integration with regular classroom activities, and summer opportunities were discussed. The meeting was very productive and plans were set in place for follow up conversations during the spring.

Trip to John Hopkins University- Center for Talented Youth

On February 14 Superintendent Jack Raslowsky and Dr. Petrosino traveled to Baltimore, MD to visit with leaders of John Hopkins University's Center for Talented Youth (CTY). The visit consisted of a series of presentations by the CTY staff on topics such as entrance criteria, expansion efforts, diagnostic assessment of students mathematics progress, integration of the Hopkins model with exisiting classroom instruction, technology infrastructure needs and summer program offerings. The discussions were very productive and plans were made for followup conversations during the spring.

The CTY provides academically challenging online courses for students in grades K through 12, guided by CTY's distance education faculty. Subjects include mathematics, computer science, biology, chemistry, physics, earth and space science, writing, language arts, Chinese, a variety of advanced placement courses, and others.

Hoboken Curriculum Committee

The following is a list of faculty serving on the Hoboken Curriculum Committee:

Staff Location

ADDI, JULIANA HHS
ALBERTO-KOLMER, MELANIE HHS
BARFIELD, EDWARD HHS
BRUNO, ISABEL HHS
CANONICO, ANDREA BRANDT
CASESSA, VINCENT BRANDT
CHODOS, VICTORIA HHS
CIRIELLO, PATRICK HHS
COHEN, FRANCES DEMAREST
COPPOLA, ADRIANA WALLACE
CULLEN, SHARLETTE CALABRO
DEBENEDETTO, DAMIAN DEMAREST
DELAROSA, GEIDY HHS
DUNCANSON, FIONA HHS
ENGLAND, DEREK DEMAREST
GARCIA-TAGLIERI, GABRIELA WALLACE
GOMEZ, ANABEL DEMAREST
HACK, PATRICIA HHS
KARP, LAUREN WALLACE
KELLY-YNOA, KATHLEEN DEMAREST
KEZMARSKY, KATE HHS
KILLEN, CARA WALLACE
KING, MARY ADMIN. BLDG
KOLMER, SHAUN CONNORS
KRAVEN, ERIN CONNORS
MARCHESANI, ROMY WALLACE
MCKENZIE, HOWARD HHS
METCALFE, KEVIN CONNORS
MITSAKOS, BESS WALLACE
PATEL, MEGNA HHS
PEREZ, ROSEANGELA WALLACE
RAMOS, VERONICA CONNORS
ROSENBERG, ELISE WALLACE
ROSENBLUM, MARNI CALABRO
SCHARTNER, MARK HHS
SHANNON, MARTIN CONNORS
SHIKHAM, JANICE WALLACE
SIFONIOS, MARY HHS
SOGLUIZZO, KELLY CONNORS
TAGLIERI, LOUIS BRANDT
TELLER, BARBARA HHS
TOMLINSON, BETH WALLACE
TRINIDAD-PAYAMPS, TANIA CALABRO
VANGULICK, JOANNE WALLACE
WILSON,JENISA HHS

Schedule of Meetings for Hoboken Curriculum Committee

The following is the schedule for meetings of the Hoboken Curriculum Committee.

Schedule of Meetings
Hoboken Curriculum Project

Weekly Meetings (3:4:30pm)

Wednesday February 6
Friday February 15
Thursday February 28
Thursday March 6
Thursday March 13
Wednesday March 19
Thursday March 27
Thursday April 10
Thursday May 1
Thursday May 15
Thursday May 22
Thursday May 29
Thursday June 12
Thursday June 19

Saturday Meetings (9AM-3PM)

Saturday March 8
Saturday April 5
Saturday May 10
Saturday June 7

Summer Schedule: To be determined

Trip to Trenton- New Jersey Deputy Commissioner of Education

On January 4, 2008 Dr. Petrosino visited the office of Willa Spicer, the New Jersey Deputy Commissioner of Education. The conversation centered around the Curriculum and Professional Development Audit of July 2007 as well as the QSAC DPR on Curriculum and Instruction (submitted in November of 2007). The conversation centered upon both the challenges and strengths faced by the Hoboken School District and all Abbott districts. Deputy Commissioner Spicer pointed to the fact that Hoboken has been making AYP (adequate yearly progress) in all schools and that is a notable accomplishment indicating a great deal of teaching and learning going on in the district. Clearly, an up to date curriculum needs to be in place but it is clear that some type of curriculum is being followed. Most likely led by the textbooks and the state standardized tests such as NJ ASK and HSPA. Deputy Commissioner also pointed out the importance of technology integration and the importance of encouraging ways to incorporate critical thinking skills to the curriculum. For the later part of the meeting, Ed Barry of the Liberty Science Center joined the conversation and spoke about the Center's collaboration with the district on curricula and professional development matters. It was agreed that Dr. Petrosino would send the Deputy Commissioner periodic updates. 

Meeting at Liberty Science Center

Met with Mr. Ed Barry from the Liberty Science Center (LSC) to discuss involvement of the LSC with district science curriculum as well as professional development opportunities. A very productive meeting and I feel a great asset to leverage for the benefit of the district.

Since 1998, Liberty Science Center and the New Jersey Department of Education, has undertaken one of the most unique and extensive science education projects found anywhere in the nation. Through yearly funding from the New Jersey State government, Liberty Science Center provides students, teachers and families from New Jersey's 31 Abbott school districts with a menu of onsite, offsite and online programs that address the science education needs of these traditionally under-served communities.

Liberty Science Center also provides high-quality professional development for science teachers at all grade levels. Offered in the Jennifer A. Chalsty Center for Science Learning and Teaching, our programs focus on both content and methodology, helping teachers find ways to inspire their students through meaningful science learning.

Curricular Activities December 10-15

Connors visit- A quick visit to Connors where I mainly meet on curriculum and observed students doing the John Hopkins program with Ms. Hillebrand. My idea of Honors may include interaction with online learning individualized learning but is not exclusive to that idea. We need to explore this in more depth soon. Key points I see are 1) should Hopkins be resident in one school? and 2) what is a viable curriculum/pedagogy for these students?

Much curriculum work done in terms of organization. trying to figure out a calendar and time line for things to occur. Also, receiving applications for teachers wanting to participate.

Meeting with 2 concerned parents about their child. The parents were very clear on their expectations for their child and their expectations of the school/district. Seems as if they want more computers/technology for their child as well as a more challenging curriculum in some areas. I think it is through parents voices such as these that we see what the community is expecting from the public schools. Meeting with parents and students in comfortable settings is very productive in getting a handle on wants, needs, and desires of the educational system. This is true all over the country as it is so in Hoboken. A goal for the district: How do we map out a trajectory that takes us from good to excellent?

Tools of the Mind

Tools For the Mind- Meeting with members from Rutgers University at Brandt School on a PK-K curriculum entitled TOOLS FOR THE MIND. Based on Vygotsgy and the idea of sociocultural perspective on learning. This sounds exciting and I think very promising. The turnout was moderate/good (about 10 teachers) but I liked what I saw and Jessica Peters was impressed as well (she suggested the program). It will take a rethinking to some degree on the part of the professional staff but I think this perspective is very consistent with where I want to go with curriculum development efforts in the district in general. The emphasis on reflective thought is really critical. I was most impressed with the research on this program (one article from American Education Research Journal and another from Science; two top tier research journals) and slightly disappointed that this research was really underplayed during the presentation. In part I think this has to do with the uncomfortable relationship between academic research and what is considered to be "useful" information by practioners (teachers). Amy Hornbeck (Tools of the Mind)

NY Times Story on Abbott Funding

Most of the morning and early afternoon was spent with a reporter from the NY Times, Winnie Hu, on some of the unique aspects of the Hoboken School District and the larger issues of Abbott School funding. Student performance on state testing was also discussed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/nyregion/12jersey.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=hoboken+%2B+abbott&st=nyt&oref=slogin

Curricular Activities December 3-7

There seems to be a fair amount of testing that the students take (district generated) that is potentially a valuable resource provided this data is scored, analyzed and utilized in curriculum decision making. Essentially, it is a lost opportunity right now as this is not being done. Again, much of the conversation centered on what is NOT being taught in the grammar schools (specifically grades 7-8) which makes me even more convinced for the need of some type of vertical alignment of the curriculum with the content. I would like to meet with the entire department.

• Meeting with Paula Ohaus on the need for Arts/Music curriculum in the district. A very productive meeting that took place in the library.

• Curriculum committee posting went up this week. I'm hoping for a good turnout.

• Friday- Meeting at Connor's in which I observed the G and T program at work in some detail. Also, extended discussions with Kate Dominique on curriculum/IB/Professional development issues within the district. Overall, a very productive morning.

School Visits

Hoboken High School (3 times)
Wallace
Calabro
Connors (Friday)