Staff Meeting Notes

05.13.09
Curriculum and Literacy Unit

I. Round Robin
A. Deb
1. Power Standards (Flanagan’s memo): work with ISDs,
message of
consistency with what we’ve been saying – all CE are important;
use PS to
design units/themes of instruction
2. MTTC
3. Common Core State Standards
4. Personal Curriculum – all documents up except parent guides
5. Freeze on hiring ELA consultant and secretary
6. Stephen Byrd’s data role: MME for MMC report, building data
case against
correlation of higher standards and higher dropout rate
B. Mary
1. World language prototype assessment presentation planning
2. PC
3. Alignment of sciences GLCE w/companion document (with
Kevin)
4. Wrap-up of school improvement conference
5. Assistance with start-up for Stephen and Dan
C. Lynette
1. IRA conference in Minneapolis –acceptance of 5-star award
2. Collaboration with Genessee and MCTE
3. Vocabulary project: recommend against list; no interest in
project
4. Updating links on literature resources document
5. Arrangements for NAEP writing conference
6. Working with OEAA on writing test – many questions from
field
D. Betsy
1. Roll-out for Title I Accountability Grant
2. ISD Regional Meetings
E. Mark
1. Reading First – working to maintain levels of accountability for
schools
2. TFLI planning
3. ARRA – tensions of innovation, wise use
F. Abbie
1. PC – guidance posted, CEN parent guides, LearnPort, webinars
2. Re-Imagining Effective Instruction – summer retreat, on-going
research
 3. ARRA scenario
G. Stephen
1. Demographic state level data on schools – HP/LP, trends,
longitudinal data
2. Seeking specific data/research questions from staff
H. Ana
1. Follow-up on posting instructional videos
2. 2nd look at state arts standards – align with 21st century skills
(June 21-24)
3. MTTC
4. TFLI – working on flyer
5. Grant to Dana Foundation – cultural institutions aligning
resources to EBI
6. Observation of recipient of cultural access grant (May 12)

II. Betsy’s Presentation (see Power Point)

III. Connections Between C&L Work and Betsy’s Dissertation Research

• Communication is Key
• Infinite # of boundaries – everyone is at once a boundary and a
broker
• Connection to Title I Accountability Grant – helpful to regional
coordinators, instructional coaches and interview process
• Knowledge of adult learning theory and content knowledge –
both critical to change agents/boundary brokers
• Network of systemic change
• Power of inquiry
• 3-step model: use strengths, build trust, collaborate
• Social capital/different networks: by raising awareness of social
capital, we build social capital
• It’s all about change and how you move people through –
implications for the school improvement process and grants
monitoring (compliance vs. implementation)
• Facilitated peer coaching and getting people to adopt new
practices

IV. Other Agenda Items

A. C&L Retreat
1. Day One – SI, MAISA, Academic Support joining; “modified
future search”
2. Day Two – C&L only: crafting unit work plan and new job
descriptions
B. Environmental Scan – get additions to Deb by end of week
C. PC Parent Guides – send directly to parent groups and offer to do
presentations
 D. MMC Parent Guides – review and revise ASAP – aim to publish by
end of June