Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey. meeting of the board curriculum committee to order. The committee would like to welcome the audience and viewers may watch live board committee meetings online at tcaps.net/board. Recorded meetings may be viewed on
demand at the same address. The committee has set aside this time for public comment. Seeing we do not have any members in the live audience at this time, we will move on to procedural items. First up is the draft committee meeting minutes from April 7th, 2026.
Are there any changes proposed to the draft meeting minutes? Okay. Um, do I have >> I move to approve the committee meeting minutes from April 7th, 2026. >> So, I'll second that. >> Okay. All in favor of approving the
meeting minutes? I >> I >> Okay. Motion passes. >> Next up is the 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027 TCAPS district course cataloges. Um, no changes are proposed this month, but this is a standing agenda item. Dr.
H. Hotton, would you like to say any more? No. Okay. Do I have a motion? >> I move that we accept the course catalog as is. >> I second the motion.
>> Okay. All those in favor say I. Motion passes. Informational items. First up is our learning series. I will defer to Dr. Jesse H. Hotton. >> Sure. So this month we broke the learning series into two parts for the board. Uh first we're going to do some curriculum and course updates. We've got
three of those listed there. And then we've got a preview a little bit and would like some feedback about some feedback on our goal one and goal three of this tcap strategic plan. Um feedback because we know we have a study session coming up in May where we're going to go
through all all five of our goals sort of plans we have for next year and funding sources um and hopefully answering some questions for uh the board member and the public about those. So any feedback about our presentation on that information you um would like
included or don't necessarily need would help Dan and I uh draft that soon. >> Okay. Elementary mathematics, Mr. Tisworth. >> Yeah. So uh just wanted to welcome Aaron Senson here. Aaron Sorson is our curriculum leader for our our K5 math
department. Uh throughout the year we've kept the board up to date with the idea that next year our math is not changing curriculum, right? We're not going through a a pilot, but instead we're changing the publisher. And in doing that, uh, we have to supply teachers with some professional development. And I think it also gives us an opportunity
to look at our our whole math program about halfway through our our contract and maybe do a bit of a reboot. So Aaron and Britney are going to kind of take that through that today and give you some updates. >> Yeah. Um, so just to kind of set the stage and give some context before I
pass it over to Erin, um, as Dan had mentioned, we are kind of gifted an opportunity to relaunch um, our math expressions implementation um, given the publisher shift, but it also gives us an opportunity based on um, our current student achievement data that has
hovered give or take around 50% since the 2021 school year. Um, so this really gives us an opportunity to refocus on those five core structures, um, and really leveraging the early adopter process similar to CKLA where we take a kind of a smaller group of individuals
um, where they implement that new program ahead of that systemwide roll out where we can really um, surface strengths, challenges, and needed support ahead of that full implementation. And so Erin is going to walk through um that a little bit and we'll give a little bit of update on the early adopter process and then how
that's leading us into full implementation for next year. So why a relaunch and Britney and Dan actually both referenced that briefly. Um, so math expressions was previously published by U HMH and they transferred
over to Hinaman which is actually a subgroup of HMH but it is a new publisher and there's a new edition. So we are going to the 2026 edition of Math Expressions and like Britney said it's an opportunity to recalibrate. We've had
this program for going on 10 years and um so many people in the district have you know could use a refresher um just after having a program for so long and there's data to support that. Um it's also a time to ground the um elementary
math teachers with the math essentials um which is a document that was put out in August 2023 by the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators and the early math team. Um we actually used that last school
year when we did a fluency launch for all K5 teachers or JK through five teachers. um that was the basis of our work around math fluency. And so grounding our work with math expressions and that that work that was done by that
um organization is a core of what we're doing with the relaunch of math expressions and that document is linked in the slides reference. So I'm just going to read the vision actually verbatim.
Thank you. Um, our early adopter process builds internal expertise and alignment by partnering with a small group of teachers using real-time feedback and data to ensure a smooth supported transition to full implementation.
So, our goal is that next school year it'll be full implementation with the new addition. Okay. So, currently we have a we're an early adopter process happening in our district. Um we have a group of teachers um through represent every building is
represented. We have two teachers per grade level kindergarten through fifth grade who are part of this early adoption process. And so what's happening what has happened and what's happening currently are in November we had an implementation training. So, um,
a representative from Heinaman came to actually Willow Hill is where we held the training and we did, um, a launch. And so, it was making sure that all of the early adopter teachers were aware of changes with the the new addition of math expressions and the online
platform, which is a big change with the the new addition. Um, part of being a part of the early adopter process is that I did one-on-one check-ins with every all of the teachers where I just checked in to see how it was what questions they might have before they
got started, where they might need support and then as we went um if they had questions. So, that's been ongoing. Um, we have had a team that has done well one and we're going we're actually in May we have all of the second visits
scheduled. So non-evaluative visits um similar to what has been done in with CKLA um in each of the early adopter teacher classrooms and then like I said question answer opportunities have been ongoing whether that's a Google meet or
through a document that we have where people can submit questions and several people can chime in with their feedback or answers or get res get help from the publisher if we don't have the answer to that question internally.
Um, something else that has been happening twice so far and well, there's one more coming is a feedback survey where we are asking all of the early adopter teachers to reflect on their experience so far and help us anticipate what needs they ant they believe that
the dis the teachers in the district might have when we're doing the full implementation next year. Um, we'll talk a little bit more about that and the data that we have we've received from that survey so far. Um we in the class visits that I referenced um we've given teachers if
they requested feedback written feedback um via Google forms um immediately after the class visits um and there's one more meeting happening with the whole early adoption team that will happen in May and we're going to use the input of the
math team and the early adopter teachers and some of those are one and the same. We actually have three math team members who are also classroom teachers and are part of that early adopter group. But we're going to use the feedback that we get from that team to help us build out
the implementation for the rest of the district in the fall. >> Miss, can I just ask a clarifying question about the 14 early adopters? So, you said that we have two per grade level and are we counting junior junior kindergarten? >> No, not at this point. So, we actually
have a couple of grades that have three. >> Okay. So, K through five. Um, and then we have 11 elementary schools and you said every elementary school is represented. So, every building's got at least one >> Yes. >> Um, early adopter teacher. Okay. And I
was curious too, I has the manu has the publisher quantified how different this is from the prior version? I mean, how much new or revised content would you say there is? So, the publisher has and then we have been working with Samantha Tory from Northwest Ed. She mapped it
out um looking at the 2018 edition compared to the 2026 edition and by grade level and unit has actually made detailed notes about what's different. The biggest changes honestly in the program are in kindergarten. Um and the
changes within the actual curriculum are are relatively minimal. um there's not going to be much of a learning curve from transitioning from the 2018 edition to the current edition for teachers. The biggest changes for the 2026 edition are
with the online platform and other supports that are online. >> Okay, I have a couple of questions. I I read through everything including the the what is it the superintendent uh
subcommittees. okay, >> information. And I felt like it was primordial soup, you know? It's like they thought of everything and they put it all in there. But I don't really see
where the miracle is that shifts the understanding if that makes sense. If you kind of I think everyone works hard and I think everyone is very serious about it. Um my question is and and a
lot of the approach sounds very very similar to how we did CLA. You know it's the early adopters trying to get the how it worked and get the message across and and then sharing it from there. Uh my question is have we
actually gone out and done sort of what the state was encouraging with reading and looked at the programs that are highly highly successful. Um and maybe that just hasn't there's not money to systematically do that. Um
I watched a movie and I I know that Jesse was there called Count It Out. A very good film, but it also says how do you approach math? And it's not just a very very um cut and dried way of
approach. It's it's integrating it through everything. And I'm I'm almost wondering, you know, do we need a a different approach in getting kids to connect? So that's one question. And the second question is
um what are we doing specifically for the kids that are tier 2 or the kids that are borderline tier one um to help solidify their sense of how to use the to use
math, how it incorporates, how it it is in part of all of the things you do. you know, it's not just a separate you put it over to the side sort of thing. So, I guess that's that's a lot,
>> but I think it's so important. I really do. >> I agree. >> Thanks. >> Yes. And thank you for your questions. >> I'm going to start with the the actual program and the the curriculum process. We're actually still in the middle of a
contract with Math Expressions. we have three years left to go. So, this is an opportunity kind of mid mid contract, so to speak, where we feel like there's an opportunity to get to a lot of the things that you're speaking about really
the core of what is good math teaching and making sure that we're bringing that to the forefront. This is actually really not truly about math expressions. It's about good math teaching. and the feedback that we've received from teachers so far and just through our
visits is that that's where we're going and that's where we need to go. It also works really nicely with what the work that we did last school year like I referenced with math fluency which gets to the heart of what you're talking about with that movie that you referenced which is students need to
build number sense and and fluency and lots of different there are lots of different ways to talk about fluency. we came we came to a common understanding in our district about that but um it all is woven together but I think the biggest thing is that when the
curriculum um adoption process comes around certainly we'll be looking at other programs and considering the bigger picture I don't know if I answered all of your questions there were some layers there >> no I think you answered a lot I just think math hasn't changed but the
teaching methodology changes is. And the thing with the teaching methodology is a lot of times then it's a disconnect with people that were taught one way and they're kind of in a parental role and they feel like they can't really
communicate over the same material because the approaches are different and I think that too is a is a issue when we begin to look at changing programs. >> Yes. Um, I I feel for you and I feel for
a lot of these kids because I I hate to hear I don't like math. >> I can't do math. I have a phobia. It is a personal uh >> many people do >> don't want to hear that. And I'll just add um on to Erin's
response with regards to um kind of the the relaunch piece and really looking at the integration of the what, why, and how. Right? So our what is our evidence-based curriculum for math expressions, which does pass all three gateways on ed reports, the same uh platform that we use to kind of vet our
ELA curriculum. Um, and so it's a um a third-party organization that basically reviews curriculum through the lens of focus and coherence, rigorous and mathematical practices, and then usability. And math expressions did pass all three gateways for all three grade
levels, kindergarten through fifth grade. And so it's really taking that I think and pairing it with what Aaron said in terms of that high quality instructional practices which um integrates our work that we've done at a district level with explicit instruction as well as the instructional practices
that are highlighted through the math essential practices. Um and then um that last piece is kind of the relevancy or the the the theory or philosophy behind why we need to leverage and integrate these highquality instructional practices on a daily basis for that
accessibility and that student growth of math. Um and then the second question I think you asked was in relation to tier 2 intervention which we'll get in a little bit more when we review kind of our progress with our strategic plan goal number one. Um and we'll talk about kind of the um interplayer and
connectedness between our tier 2 intervention program uh Delta Math and how that pairs really nicely um with our implementation or our relaunch of tier one of math expressions. >> Well, I think the primordial soup is there. I'm just waiting for the miracle.
>> All right. We did not mean to interrupt your your presentation so much, but sometimes we think of things along the way. Um, I I will I will just refrain from asking anything until you've continued a little bit more, but just tying this back to our strategic plan go >> answer questions.
>> Thanks. So, Erin talked a little bit with regards to our monitoring our feedback loop. And so, we're going to present um a couple pieces of data both from the perception side or teacher feedback as well as our implementation data um from those non-evaluative class visits that
Aaron referenced. Um and so we pulled out three key components that you can see here from feedback from our early adopters right now um that we felt that would be um beneficial for um the board to hear um with regards to uh how we're progressing towards that relaunch. So
when you look at our two pieces of feedback we've collected thus far and granted Aaron said we have one more piece of feedback loop that we'll um uh collect prior to the end of the school year. Um and so we pulled the percentage of the three or four rating. So they rated on a scale of 1 to four. Um and so
as you can see in terms of the question, how supportive have you felt? Um from February to April, we have 100% that rated at a three or four. And then you can see the breakdown and difference between who rated a a three versus who rated a four and how that's improved over time. Um the second question we
pulled was how ready do you think the district is for full implementation as we've um kind of uh relaunched this and uh have communicated the purpose and intent of the early adoption uh process. So also um improving from February to April in terms of that rating of a three
or a four. So strong ratings across um our early adopter group for that question as well. And then the last question uh we wanted to share out in terms of a key component is how would you rate student engagement? So we know that student engagement is critical um and that motivation to want to engage in
complex tasks tied to increasing mathematical practices and application of those. So um both 100% uh rated a three or four for February to April and you'll see that breakdown um as well um in terms of that rating that three or four and hoping that those numbers stay
true and strong as we collect that last uh piece of feedback prior to the end of the school year. So that was from a teacher feedback perspective. And then when we look at our implementation visit data, granted this is one visit. We still have another visit that will occur between now and
the end of the year. Um but every early adopter teacher received a visit um from a small group of people that included myself, Aaron, the building leader, the building instructional coach, and when um Abel um Samantha Tory, ourd math consultant joined in on those as well.
um we used uh uh math expressions look for document um and what we lifted up which I think um Erin's going to speak to um how that um has connected and helped us really hone in on what our priorities are in terms of the relaunch. Uh we had a variance of the
implementation of the five core structures of math expressions which involves math talk, the usage of student leaders, the integration of quick practice over time, um how we build and help community and then building concepts. And so you'll see that range of we had about 9% of our visits using
that or seeing that concrete representational abstract progression um which was the lowest critical component that we observed to 90% of those visits seeing the usage of purposeful questioning which was the highest critical component observed um across
our 14 visits that we have conducted thus far. Um and so our next step is like I said um to conduct one more visit between now and the end of the year to really solidify um that we are moving in the right direction in terms of what we've identified as a priority um which
Aaron will speak to in um in the subsequent slides. Okay. So our relaunch is committed to relearning recalibration and recommmitment. So I' we've spoken to some of these already, but um our plan
for next year, the full implementation is to reestablish the critical components which Britney just ma named the five core components of math expressions and have shared clarity on what is actually different in the new addition. Um to make sure that everybody
understands the routines and expect or the routines that should be happening in every classroom and what what is expected. um there's needed that we perceived and it seems the data supports that there does need to be a bit of a reset with um a couple of the core routines in
particular. um identify any barriers that might be making it difficult for some of these components to be implemented with you know to their full fidelity and then um continue using the continue improvement cycle feedback loops coaching PLC cycles and
integrating math into that we hope um so is there anything should I pause here that would be great so I just want to clarify my understanding so this is year one of our strategic IC plan implementation
and this is for the K through five math curriculum. It's a pilot if you will um of these 14 initial teachers and then next year, next school year, year two, you're planning to roll this out districtwide. >> Yes. Um, so the big P question I have
is, do you anticipate a disruption to our progress with elementary school students learning math? You know, so that when we start looking at the data, year one, year two, year three, I mean, would what would you project there? I
just think it's important for our awareness. can chime in but I don't I don't the changes to the actual curriculum themselves by changing publishers are pretty minor right the our our biggest thing with data and strategic plan is getting NWA to settle out a little bit right as far as changing norms changing tests things
like that that's our main concern I don't think there'll be any any impact whatsoever as far as as far as teaching and learning goes >> I mean you can compare sometimes page to page right there's not as far as change of publisher we just wanted to make sure we did it right And the and the other
thing you're probably going to touch on here is the online component. Um, and that's that's a big change. It's a probably even bigger than the actual textbook publisher change is is how the online uh assessment goes in the in the access that they have to u kind of a tier one remediation
uh w within the online component. So I don't see any impact on on data based on publisher change. >> And are we talking the few online elementary students that we have? Are we talking? No, no, we're talking about every all all curriculum has an online component that involves assessment and remediation
>> and that that got changed also be on a think central platform and now we're moving to it called flight. >> That part is very interesting I think because you know we've had that discussion before. >> It's how you evaluate sometimes that gives you the numbers
>> that then you're trying to address. Um, so I'll I'll be very interested in how that goes as well, you know. Um, I think that's hard to feel how accurate it is because we're I'm at such a
distance >> from that whole business. Um, all I know is in daily life, you should be able to do certain things with math comfortably. And that is what I I'm hoping for.
Yeah, for sure. >> When the computers can't run for some reason >> that you actually can do a proportion in your head and say, "Oh, yeah, I can live with that." >> Yeah. >> Sorry. No worries. >> So, I will speak a bit to the new
platform because this is these are the areas of focus for year one. Um, instructional time. So, that's a big one. making sure that everybody h is calibrated on how many minutes in our
school day or at minimum should be dedicated to both the core instruction tier one and then supports around math that tier 2 support um and prioritizing that time um like I already mentioned the five core structures and I really
can't say that enough because that is like the good teaching of math best practices in math and that really is our focus So, yes, there's a new platform and people are going to need to learn about the new platform because it's going to I mean, it's it's important,
but it isn't the focus. Um, we're just hoping it's a nice tool um for people to access curricular materials efficiently and in some setting when it's appropriate for students to access it. But like you were saying, students need to be able to do the math. This is
really not about putting students on a computer to do the math. them and that really is um our focus in this relaunch that we're going to introduce the the online components but it isn't the focus of it even though that is one of the larger differences between the current
edition and the new edition. My another question that I have is are we coordinating in any way with people with tutors with family members that are going to be functioning as tutors, you
know, so that they can complement what's going on in the classroom. Is there a coordination? >> There are definitely family materials available so we can make sure we can um make sure that teachers are aware of that and that. Yeah, >> for sure. That's a good examp that's one
example of reminding people of the resources that are there already that when you've had a program for a long time might have fallen by the wayside that kind of thing. So just making sure that everybody is clear on what's available and that is something that's available
>> and it's fun. >> Yeah. Oh absolutely. Yes. Um math expressions. So another area of focus. So I I mentioned the ex instructional time and the core structures and reorienting to those. Um also making sure that math expressions is remains to
be our our core resource. Um this is an opportunity to remind people when supplementation may be happening where the resource that they might be using from somewhere else exists in our current program so that we can you know stay true to the the program. Um, and
then pacing and structure. And so making sure that people know, like Britney referenced, explicit instruction, how that fits with math expressions. And um that we're all on the same page as far as um the pacing within lessons, the
pacing within units, and making sure that the full breadth of math instruction happens during the school year in each grade. And then to round out um this segment in terms of kind of an overview of our relaunch, here are our anticipated structures for support or professional
learning as we move into next school year. Um so we'll do a building leader and instructional coach overview in August. Um and that will um uh lead into our district PD launch by grade level, which my apologies, that should read 92, not 912. Um and that will lead into
strengthening PD and collaboration. So really being intentional about embedding collaborate uh collaborative opportunities when we have all of our second grade teachers across the district in one room together. That will happen um on our RSDD day and our additional PD day that we added in
February. Um we'll have uh uh three checkpoints along the way for early adopters and the district math team to come together and calibrate and review perception and implementation data and make adjustments in terms of support throughout the course of the year. Um we'll integrate at least two uh
district-wide implementation visits so we can see not only um what is our perception but what does implementation actually look like as um an opportunity um to look at both of those simultaneously with one another um and how we might leverage our current structure of building level PLC's as as
an additional support throughout the school year as well. Um our anticipated monitoring plan will uh we are looking to measure three areas in particular. So teacher feedback implementation and then student outcomes. Really focusing on that reach or that participation and
response. Really wanting to make sure we have at least 80 an 80% response rate so that we're when we're looking at teacher perception data because we are such a large district. We make sure that the data we're looking at and making um adjustments based on um reflects as much as the whole as much of the whole as
possible. So it's reliable. um the fidelity um to that relaunch or that use of core practices which Erin mentioned earlier. Um and then that reliability. So how are we ensuring that we have consistent reliable data, student outcome data? um ensuring that all teachers or 100% of teachers are
administering those end of the unitit assessments so we can see how students are responding to skills and strategies that they've actually been explicitly taught and then how we're measuring that growth um and progress over time on those larger stakes assessments such as
NWA um so that we can work to refine those uh supports and accelerate that instructional impact moving into the subsequent years. >> Great. My last question on this section because I I know we have a very big uh
agenda today is um whether the these five um core structures of math expressions what you describe as best practices it sounds like these are coming from the publisher but do they happen to coincide with what
TCAP's own identified experience is? Is this something that you know the elementary school leaders have kind of observed over the past three years with the existing edition of math expressions and now everybody's like rahrh you know this is great you know in the new
edition or or was some of this a little bit of a surprise that it's based on some kind of national study. >> It should not be a surprise. Um this is a researchbased program. Karen Fusan is the the Dr. Karen Busan is the the
researcher who um created math expressions or authored it. Um and the five core structures align with best practices in math like I said. So when we're talking about quick practices and daily routines which are two of the core
one of the core structures are together. um that's speaking to number sense and fluency and pre building prerequisite skills that are necessary for new learning and some of some review built in. So that speaks to that. Um there's
the helping community and so that's establishing a math community in your classroom where students feel safe to make mistakes and to share math thinking and things that are just good practices in instruction really. But yes, math
instruction. Um it's also the building concepts which is um I know Britney referenced in our data the concrete representational abstract progression. And so that's the way that the program helps students. And that's that's just based in math research. That's not math
expressions. Um but that's the core structure that goes along with that that progression of of understanding that's necessary for students to build concepts. Um, math talk is a very big part of all of it. Um, that student
processing of their thinking. Um, and being able to show in a variety of ways how they're solving problems. Um, whether it's visibly on what we have are math boards, which are big dry erase boards really. Um, or if it's just
sharing their thinking is with speaking and words and math math representations. think I might be babbling a little bit and I don't >> No, I I I mean the reason why I asked this question in part is just that it if it's consistent with what the district's been thinking and talking about for
years >> that to me implies that it's going to be easier for the teachers to accept it and implement it because >> it's part of the conversation. This is not something Yes. >> that's going to be radically different. We have to wait a few years for implementation. That's important for
time. >> I believe so. Um, I think that's a nice thing, especially in light of CKLA has been a heavy lift for teachers. A welcome one, but you know, a heavy lift. And so, >> yes. And a lot of focus, rightly so. Um,
but I think this will feel good like, okay, we're we're putting math in the forefront again. And this is not all brand new. It's just a a refocus on best practices, which people know. It's just what do they look like? Reggrounding in it. I think it'll actually feel like a a
breath of fresh air. >> But maybe I'm just being really optimistic. >> Programming sounds thorough. >> Yes. >> And we'll see what happens with the connection. >> I think it's a perfect timing for a reset. I mean, we talked about Cala too and part of the math is there's a
deimplementation component. As you move through a curriculum, uh sometimes teachers will start to plug holes that they see in the curriculum with not necessarily research or vetted materials. teachers pay teachers, stuff like that, and it starts to work its way in. So, this is a good opportunity as we
go halfway through the contract for somewhat of a reset, move some of those things out of the curriculum and kind of get back to what the curriculum has to offer. >> Great. Thank you so much. >> You're welcome. >> Okay, so the next thing we want to uh
bring to the board's attention is uh one of the changes in the Michigan Merit Curriculum, which um was authored years ago. We've known about this change for a while and we've actually already made some work and adjustment to our curriculum and our social studies
department on this course to make these adjustments. Um, but they will play out for our current 10th graders. It all starts with that class of 2028. Um, where it is now a requirement that personal finance and economics are
taught both of those courses. Um, like I said, a years ago, we had a personal finance course and we had an economics course and those were two separate courses. When this came out, I think this came out, I want to say it was almost 6 years ago that we've known this
was coming. Um, we got together with our social studies department and looked at our teachers and talked to them and then also looked at what other schools were doing across the state to address this and most of them went the route that we have, which was to take those two courses. They are highly interconnected.
There's a lot of crossover in topics. It's the same certification as far as who can teach those courses at the high school level. They're t taken typically during a student's junior year. Could be junior or senior, but it's typically those final in those final two years before they head off um postsecary. Um
and we decided to put those two courses together. And so we have not taught a standalone personal finance and a standalone econ for a few years. And that was intentionally so that we could be ready for this. Um, but we're really going to see this ramp up with because they're
current sophomores right now next year as juniors, they are all required to take this course that is comboed. Um, there's also no loophole to do a personal curriculum. We call those PCs at the high school. Um there are different pieces you can take um where
you can take additional math credit or additional science credit to not have to take um for example the second year of world language or to not have to take um one of the physical education requirements. There is no loophole of personal curriculum you can do to get
out of this course. It is a required course for all of the students graduating in 2028. Um you'll see the topics there that are highlighted in this course. And so making it makes sense that the timing of this course is 11th and 12th grade year. I'll tell you
what, I sat I've seen this talk many times and I sat through it and the teacher was teaching the kids who has to do taxes, right? If you're not 18, do you have to do taxes? Why would you want to do taxes? Who's required to do if you are required as someone who's under the age of 18? How would you go about that
process? They actually teach kids that. Um they go through a whole lesson on cool you want to live in this area let's start looking at rentals and real estates and what does that actually mean for a monthly payment and oh by the way you have to have insurance on the place that you live in whether it's renters's
insurance or homeowners what does that look like what are the costs there so they do a lot of sort of that postsecary uh budgeting predicting um our teachers do a great job um we do connect with um some of that junior achievement curriculum comes in too talking to the
kids about those components. Um, you you'll see that list. It's >> it's pretty much especially a really cool class for like any adult human being to take and remind themselves of like what's the difference between a Roth and a 401k and what is an IRA and what is a money market account and how
do they all work and if I was trying to accomplish this, which one of those avenues might I use to save and invest to work my way towards that? Um the credit awarded with this course is a half a credit of econ and a half a credit of finance, personal finance. Um
and then I'm going to do some more work uh with our teachers. Actually, originally we were supposed to meet in uh March, but we had a series of snow days that delayed that. We are meeting in May to really just like tweak and fine-tune our co our scope and sequence with this course. Um, again, we were
already teaching it that the the kind of the change is just that now it's required and there will be no way to personal curriculum your way out of this course. So, >> so it's one semester. >> It is one semester. >> Can be taken during the junior or senior year. Yep. It does count. So, part of
our requirement for math is that they have to have four credits of math and a half of credit has to be taken during the senior year. This could count. this could tick that box of there's enough mathematics and arithmetic in the course with all of that financial talk that this does count as that senior level
math class too. >> Do you think it'll ever be offered this summer? >> The only courses we offer in the summer at the high school level are for students who are off track for graduation at this point. If a student wants to accelerate themselves and take
it as a first time, we always offer those, but we offer them through Michigan Virtual. We don't teach those as TCAP's um staff. We just we don't have enough interest. And we to be frank too, we also don't have enough staff that want to like they want to work really hard right now and then they want
to have some time in the summer and and take a little bit of a break to refill themselves. So, >> so it's one semester, but they get a full credit between >> That's amazing. Um and it is just still one class hour.
>> It is one class hour. Mhm. one semester. Yep. There is some discussion about so college board just released an AP personal finance course and so there's um both of our high schools are looking at adding that to the course guide
potentially in a year from now thinking I don't know there's some discussion do they take this first as a semester course and then take that is it a prereck if they just take that it's an AP personal um finance course it doesn't have the economics uh components so we'd
have to figure out could we weave those in and the students that would be a year-long course. Um >> but interesting it was it's a new course that we are exploring. Um we think that we have students especially students who are potentially going on into business or accounting uh marketing some of that
that would potentially go oo I want to take more of this stuff. So >> the college board is marketing that new course as a year-long course. >> That one's a year long. All AP courses I I don't know one that's long. Yeah. >> Yeah. Um okay. So, if by chance a
student who's in the class of 2028, a currently a 10th grader, took this class as a ninth or tth grader. I'm sure there are a few exceptions out there who did that. Um, will it still count? It will count. Yeah, because we had already we
already saw this train coming and it aligned those two. It will count. We do. You're correct. We do not so much ninth graders but sometimes 10th graders will have sort of that one semester whole and this is a nice course to take then as a junior a lot of times they'll take AP gov because remember as a junior three
credits of social studies to graduate you have the US history typically taken in nth grade year the world history is typically taken in 10th grade year and then that last credit is a civics and then this is that other piece of it a lot of our students opt to take um AP
gov AP gov only hits that civics requirement, the students still would have to take this one credit class on top of that. Yeah. So, some of our students thinking ahead thought I'll put it in my 10th grade year and then as a junior take AP go, which is a full-on
course. Great. >> Okay. Thank you. It's exciting. And then the other curriculum update I want to let the board know because uh we're going to board finance on Thursday regarding the purchase of this is some curriculum. it. The curriculum is
literally called Dawn Boarding. If you're like, "That's weird." Yep. Let's just go with it. Um it's a curriculum that um I think I've talked a little bit about it. It school down in the Grand Rapids area, the Forest area schools. A few of those have picked this up. Um it's an integrated curriculum. Um we are
going to integrate it with physics and an elective credit at some point. So, it's a blended integrative, very handson. Um the kind of the the nexus of this curriculum is that students learn how to create um skateboards, surfboards, snowboards, kite boards,
boards of some sort, right? Um and it's hands, they literally are building those. There's construction, all the tools that we have in our IMC spaces, they meet the needs for being able to to create these. Um and then students sell those, they market those, they sell
them. Um, so a lot of there's some business. I think Central's using physics and business as their credit. I think West Senior High is looking at more physics and a physical education. Um, we're sort of letting our instructors figure out what makes the best fit and how does this work and
integrate within their curriculum. Kids at both high schools are getting access to that. >> Um, it's pretty cool. Our teachers are going down in I got the email this morning, June, I want to >> end of July. >> End of July. um for professional development um in regards to how do I
teach this? What does this look like? Um we are team teaching it next year, so we'll have two adults in the space. That's a little gives us a little safety breathing room, too, because there's a lot of tools the kids are like legit using. Um and then we're working to sort of figure out, you know, will we scale
this up? Both both high schools have about 30 requests for the course right now. Um it is taught in a double block period. So it's two hours that are connected and then it's integrating this credit. Um so I'm we're going to board finance, excuse me, on Thursday. Um it is a single source vendor i.e. this is a
unique curriculum. There's not anyone else um that we know of. Um actually at the training in July, I was looking there are teachers from like Pennsylvania and out east who are coming over too to learn about this. Um, but the entire curriculum to get it launched is about $60,000 for both of our high
schools. Now, some of the costs will be a consumable yearly cost because the kids create and design these boards. However, they do sell them and the thinking long-term is that the sales that they bring in from their products actually then go to fund the materials
for the next year. So, we are hoping that this is sort of the one-time let's let's get this up and running and then the sale of the boards will then generate we don't need 60,000 every year. There's there's some stuff that's a one-time to um like I said send the teachers to training um some of the
initial curriculum designs and then we'll have enough money based on sales to then pre-by the materials for the following years and that'll cycle through. >> Does this count as um any of the math credits? Well, physics can count as a student's math credit or science credit
depending on what the student wants. Um, so there's some talk about like could geometry be in there? Could it be a geometry physics? There's there's also we have to be this is where we're really creative is we look at like who are the teachers who are like I can make this work. I'm all in. And then like what is
their certification and then okay so what are the gamuts of courses we can think about. Um, and right now the two gentlemen who really are geeked about this, one at each high school are science certified, business certified. The one gentleman also has some math certifications. So
>> could go that direction. Yes. >> There was a math class I heard about mentioned to John developed by a teacher downstate >> and it was on sports sports and math. >> Oh yeah. And you know, I don't know if
that's something too that would be interesting. >> We've done we have an intro to stats one semester course that's an elective that some students take their senior year for their elective and we've done it before all around sports statistics. Um we just haven't run it in a few years because we haven't had student interest. Um we also
that first couple years I will be honest it was like I walked in it was like uh 30 senior boys. It's like, okay, let's find some girls who want to hear about baseball statistics. It was a very cool course. But yeah. Yeah. >> But you can also throw physics in there. Yeah.
>> You know, there's a few other things you can throw in. >> So, that's going to board finance. You guys will see it on full board next week. >> Okay. Sounds great. >> Very interesting. I love the hands-on aspect. And it doesn't surprise me. This is for the kinesthetic learner. It's a
lot of boys interested. John's been talking this course for a while. So, it's good to see it come forward. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, now we want to move a little bit into previewing the May uh study
session um and get some feedback from from you all. So, um Dan and I want to talk a little bit about goal one, academic achievement, which I think out of our five is kind of the big boy. Um so we started by dividing it into goal
one had two focus areas. There's a literacy component and a mathematics component. Um so you'll see there we listed um what are the things that we're doing around ELA, our English instruction and our math instruction. Um
the first few columns or the the K5, the 612 is that that's what we call tier one, right? That's what we want every student to have exposure to really rich um high quality learning every time they're in English and math every day in our system. And then below that, Britney
and I have worked really hard on what does our tier 2 intervention system look like? Um how are we catching those students who might need help at that moment, providing that support, and then that tier 2 really needs to be fluid, right? what we've learned and what you
read in research. If you pull kids out and they're always in I don't know the I'm going to the crows reading group and they realize the crows are not great. I mean um it it it kind of self-writes that story about who that kid is and what that means. If we take a at the
high school and middle school uh level, if we take the art option or PE option away from a kid and tell them they always have to be in Mr. Tyworth's math special math class. Those kids start to like, >> oh man, >> turning kids away.
>> Um, they start to write that story about themselves. So, how are we doing tier 2 intervention where we're looking at data, we're grabbing the kids who need it right now. We're giving them the support and then we're pushing them back in. That idea that everybody needs help at different times and that's okay. Um,
and so we listed some of that work there. Um, more to be done next year. Um the other thing around uh academic achievement as we think about our staffing right how are we bringing all of our teachers along that increases that tier one right how is our tier one
as good and as strong as possible so we listed some of the trainings that we've gone to some of our focus this year based on the strategic plan um a lot with reading a lot with literacy a lot with K5 um focus there we did some heavy
focus at the middle school on middle school math Um this was the first year that we had a little bit of um a secondary math instructional coach. And so Julie Pucket, her and I worked heavily on her focus was the transition of 8th grade into 9th grade for our
students. And so she worked heavily with both the middle schools about um what does the PSAT look like? How are our kids doing on it? Where can we provide some support? At the same time, how do we get that intervention for sixth grade uh math students off the ground? Um, and
then some, you know, staffing allocations that were above and beyond the tier one stuff that we have going on every day. And then we listed out for you two here. And Dan and I broke this into three categories where, hey, are we just continuing this work?
>> Um, are we expanding this work? So that math intervention is one specifically I can talk about. Right now, I challenge Studman and Ranger, our two lead principles of the middle school, that hey, we did math intervention in grade six. We saw great success. We saw kids
close gaps. We kept data on that. We saw those groups were very fluid. They were, you know, had different students. And then we did that during advisory three days a week. Is it possible for us to replicate that structure into grades seven and eight? How much staffing cost does that? How much training are we
going to need? How are we going to organize the data? how we going to make sure that we're making the progress we need in student skills. Um so we're expanding that with the use of and so 31A you see on that sheet a lot is what we call at risk funding. Um and then
same with that English intervention in middle school. Um we are expanding our math instructional coach hoping to release Julie a little bit more so that she has more time in her day to work with our teachers and our teaching groups on some of those. And then at the bottom there we have new things. So, new
things that Dan and Britney and I have planned and have going on. Um, some of those are funded in a variety of different ways. One of the other things you see up there is the acronym MUI, MWI, which is the Michigan Education
Workforce Initiative. >> There you go. >> Okay. um is a grant that Dan and I have worked um for our four schools to apply for both the middle schools and then Long Lake and Willow Hill to do some team teaching. And when we say team teaching,
we really mean not just knowing our kids and supporting them, but how are we grouping and regrouping our students to provide intentional instruction based at where those students are at and what they need next? Um looking at the units, hey, we're teaching these concepts next.
How do we want to sort and group our students so that the right students who maybe need a little more support are in smaller, more direct instructions with our best teacher on the team or our most talented and those that we know are at or above grade level. Those will tend to group probably in larger groups with
maybe two teachers in the room and do more of that creative um uh more innovative uh instructional opportunities for some of those students. Not that the other students wouldn't get it, but for that moment they need more intentional support um so
that they can bring their skills up. So that's on here. I think the lens that one of the lens that we are working through as far as elementary and trying to prioritize funding from different sources is that tier one lens like the visits that I've been on um three three
visits in particular with Teach Michigan with New York, Mississippi and Houston is their focus on tier one and tier one intervention which seems it's interesting concept when we're inter intervening already at tier one but it's the idea and Beth you've talked about this is that when you teach a lesson and
how do you know your kids get it? And then you just move on and then you have a group of kids that don't understand it. So, how can we hone into tier one a little better and create structures to have an intervention process so that we know the kids understand a lesson that
is taught in that day. So, some things that we've done, one is the elimination of almost all splits K3, right? the idea that we did that now. We looked at different funding sources uh to get those those splits taken care of now so we can hire the best people and then
then naturally when you get rid of those splits our average class size probably currently K2 is under 20 kids and when I've gone into those classrooms and we talk about like Mississippi miracle right they don't like to call it a miracle but there are no class sizes that are that are over 20 right there are no split class sizes when you go in
there 100% frame reduced and they have an army of people doing tier one instruction and that is their main prior priority. So that was kind of the lens as far as when we talk about tier one, tier one and the importance of not only what you're teaching, right, when we talk about curriculum, but how you're
doing it and the circumstances you have around that. So some of that funding went there. I mean, some of the funding about around behavior, right? The idea that we created some behavior intervention positions to specifically run behavior teams in buildings so that
principles can actually be the instructional leader uh within the building itself. Right. Uh the and the idea that we're continuing coaching. So when I look at every visit I've been on as far as when we have people outperforming their free and reduced classification in these different
cities, they all have that. They all have coaching within the buildings. So as we went through it, that was kind of the the lens that that we went through as far as funding wise is how we can continue to give teachers the opportunity to teach uh without managing other things in the classroom that's out
of their control. So the last thing on there that K2 reading elective pilot. So this is the idea that again you go to Mississippi and the first half of their day is reading, they go to lunch, they have one elective and then the second half of their day is math and they usually do a half an hour science or social studies
at the end of the day. Best case scenario >> pissed off. >> Yeah. Yeah. However, you're right. They're I think fourth in the nation right now from being last. So it's how we prioritize that time. So one idea we had to start is to take one of the currently what
happened a long time ago we were uh IB schools we taught um Spanish in elementary and we and then that went away and when that went away they added a third section of PE for K2. So, one thought we had as far as just starting, right, starting to look at how can we
get more reading instruction is to take one of those sections away and create a reading elective that the coach uh teaches throughout the day. So, that's a half an hour, right? Not I don't think it's necessarily a total structural change like we need to get to
maybe at Heights and Blair maybe central grade as far as our our highest our title schools but it's a first step as far as creating a little more time for reading uh so that those so we see some more results >> every student taken out of the third PE
every K2 student is the reading elective >> that's the idea yeah it's a tier one it's a tier where they would do a they do tier one as far as intervention in Traverse Heights It's called You Fly. It's It's the one method they have or we can go into our CKLA curriculum and also look at some extensions we could do. But
that's the idea. Those kids stay in the room. The teacher still gets their prep time. They would leave. The coach comes in and teaches that particular intervention. >> Second thing that's kind of nice about this is like we've had a lot of feedback from teachers about they would like more
collaboration time. So we have a set special schedules and HR does a great job with it. Erikica comes in and does her best job possible to make it efficient but not make it all wonky, right? Where you you've experienced maybe sometimes it
>> so that kind of dictates schedule. It's nice to have like so now we have a special in which we can place next to other electives within the schedule. So let's say you're automatically given art on Wednesday from 2:00 to 2:30. >> You have a teaching partner. We don't necessarily need a PE or music to perfectly align. we could put this
reading elective next to it and then you do have some opportunity. So it gives us a lot of flexibility within the day >> um to kind of place that elective where we want it. Obviously the drawback is kids lose it loses a half an hour of PE throughout the week two instead of three
>> at the same time they need to read you know and we tal right and I think I mean if we're going to attack and and the goal the goals the board gave us we are focusing on those items with some different out of the box thoughts of what we need to do and and I'm just a
real believer that you know we need more time >> and and without some type of state additional you know resource intervention with amount of days in hours with kids. You know, when Dan, you know, went to Mississippi, they do another hour a day
>> of school every day. You know, and we don't have an ability or resource to do that. Uh but this is one attempt to take a look in our building that we need to to, you know, move the most. And and again, that's not by a lack of any bit of our staff not busting their tail
every day to make that happen. We've got to find some ways and shifts. And you know, we have some staffing openings, we have some things so it doesn't result in any kind of, you know, layoffs or change any of that. We're able to do all this within and and you know, this is a way
again to find some more time that every kid gets. So it's not just those kids now are not getting PE, right, as we've talked about. >> But um you know, we we have to do some fundamental shifts of some things differently. And this is a step to looking at doing it in our building that we want to put resources in and try and
move the most with a large EL population, large poverty, you know, all of the fundamental things that we know kids need more more resources and help to do. We're trying in every way we can to find even minutes to try and make improvements. >> You said both Traverse Height and Blair,
right? >> We're starting with Heights. I mean, we could expand it. Yeah, right now it's just Traverse Heights at the moment >> for 2026 to 2027. Okay. >> So, are you want to try this out as a pilot next year and are you thinking that if successful, not only would you
expand it to the other elementary schools, but also look at numerous? >> I think it's based on need too. I mean, there there's some as we're under right now looking at that we have the we don't have to lay any PE teachers off doing this, right? We have actually PE openings. So that's something that we always keep in mind is what is the
impact on our actual personnel. Um I I think we got to get feedback as far as from the building itself. It's tough with one variable to say, "Hey, we're going to do this and all of a sudden our NWA scores double." That's not going to happen. Uh but what we're trying to do is this combined with
several other variables to see if we can start to move the needle. Sure. >> And I think sometimes if you integrate it across subjects because in real life you integrate it You don't say, "Oh, now I'm going to just do math for 15 minutes."
>> And and maybe there's a way to do some reading while moving. You know, some things like that, right? To be innovative. But we just know we need somehow a focus of that time towards what the board's given us as clear goals and objectives to do >> and we've got to think outside the box.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. And also to your point about, you know, Mississippi forsaking social studies and science, you know, I mean, we intentionally as a board left those two subjects off the table because we
wanted to have this focus on math and literacy, but I mean, we don't want to find out 5 10 years from now that our kids don't know US history and, >> you know, science feedback from the board integration. But there are boards that are making that choice. >> Yeah.
>> Right. And so that's a fundamental part of this conversation from you guys of, you know, we're trying to reach what the boards put out for us >> and saying and and feedback to go yes, we agree or no, we don't. Right. Like that's >> No, I I I like it. I think it's a good
middle ground. I'm just saying I wonder if it could be integrated with the his the US history, for example. >> History and ELA. My gosh. >> CLA is >> CKA has a lot >> history. Yeah. And then math and science. Tell me how in the world you
separate them. >> You can't. And so you build on it. And you know, you're going to hate me, but you can take cooking and actually make it a combination of science and math
because that fundamentally is what happens. And I think those are good opportunities for extension as far as electives beyond the day. But we the focus that we have and as far as you know that that K2 reading, right? Learning to read. >> Sure.
>> If we don't have that established in the district, we're just going to continue to flatline. >> But they're they're also the way CQLA is running, >> you know, you're emphasizing different areas of learning at the same time. And we've had that feedback from staff and families even that you know there's a
lot more integration of some of those things as we've talked about to not be stand alone in that way. So >> and makes it memorable and fun. >> Yeah. And we purposfully do that. Aaron works with is working with the science. She does the same she's also our science content leader. So her science team has
gone through the units in CLA and are making connections to the to our FS units so that it's easier for teachers to teach science connected to CLA. did the same thing with social studies, right? Where we take our social studies curriculum, we cross reference it with
CQLA and then we have that automatic extension does a wonderful job in its knowledge units already touching on some of those um state content areas, but we are we are creating a lesson. Uh same idea with the Nishabi Woen curriculum that's part that we talked about MDE,
our social studies went in and made those connections with CLA. So there's I think right now about four units built out that they're able to again teachers are able to make that extension without doing the lesson plan themselves or trying to figure out where to work it in
and and how it fits with CKA. >> And I like that >> life. >> Yeah. So just curious getting back to the driver sites in Blair um where we have the you know greatest disparity um
and need with at risk students. Is it a matter of staffing that we can't tackle both this next year? >> We're not sure yet. There's they haven't looked at specials yet. We knew we had enough room with this. Didn't know for sure if we had you know with again it's
it's a puzzle across the district. >> We've talked about we've talked about it. we just haven't gone there yet where we know we can do this. I will say that, you know, um interested in feedback, right? This was a first step like wasn't going to say we're doing it both if you
guys said none, you know, and and so I again I want to hear from the board a little bit. This, you know, there there will be some folks that go, "Wait a minute, we have obesity, child." I I do I get it. I am just trying to go this is what the board gave us and we and and we're trying to
find time. Um, so you know, appreciate that feedback and will from the full board and then when we kind of as we're getting through specials here, we'll see where that lands to see if that's a possibility and thought. We haven't talked to Kirk about it yet, you know, and see if that's something we want to
try or if staffing allows us. So, I'd say on that component, stay tuned. >> Yeah. Well, I'm definitely supportive um because this, you know, is in alignment with our strategic plan and the and the performance measures we put into place for reading. So, you can't argue with
that, right? Um and I I just for some historical perspective, my first year in the district 10 years ago, elementary school students had Spanish two or three times a week for 30 minutes at a time. and due to budget cutbacks
>> that was discontinued um nine years ago and that really hurt because part of our family reason for choosing TECAPS was to help our children get a foundation in Spanish to be be bilingual. So at first I thought you were going to say let's go back to that but no I'm I I I am just
kidding. Um, but the point is that that time, Spanish, is it art? Is it PE? You know, that's like about the only instructional time you have to play with. >> And so, it's got to be aligned with our
strategic plan. And, you know, we can figure out a way to do this for math, you know, year two, as well as expanding this. You know, I don't want to get ahead of where we are now. And you know, I'm still going to be advocating at the state level again for, you know, and and there's been through this district a lot
of conversations through the years of even balance calendar and, you know, maybe additional days like additional time grant. Like what's weird right now in state government there's an out of time out of school time grant, but we're not eligible. It has to be a a separate 501c3, right? So like that's how we're
working with seeds for after school programming and some of that. But you know I I am just convinced you know for our kids that you know that um that that come from situations of poverty you know from a data standpoint it is a direct
correlation right and the reality is as many of those kids because parents are maybe working two three jobs you know there's lots of different trauma in that they're not getting read to at home and as as two-year-olds three-year-olds yeah you know those things are not you know their books as all the work that we're
trying to do with rotary and others are part of the Dolly Part American Library, all that work, right? We just know that many times those kids are not coming in with the same opportunity, skill, those things. We've got to find time to be able to do more >> and and and and this is not going to be
by far everything we need. But it's a step in that direction and we're going to continue to advocate. Are there ways to start looking at structural differences even in the future to find it to really give those kids the opportunity to have equity with our kids that come from more economically um
advantage e advantageous situations that we know is a reality from the data. >> So that's that's what we're trying to take a step in the direction of. Y >> and Heights is our highest percentage free and reduced. Not the most. Central grade actually have the most students that are free and reduced, but
percentage wise and it's I mean we looked at I think last year when we went through what does it mean to be free and reduced as far as family and income. I think poverty at Traverse Heights is is a different kind of poverty than we see at other schools. >> The data at Traverse Heights is different. There's I know a lot of time
we just say Blair and Heights, but there's a lot of thing where Blair outperforms some of our other schools sometimes in reading NWA. I think Heights is a spot we talk about balanced calendar that would be an impactful >> and we're doing summer school there this year >> but again getting sometimes buy in for
summer school even though we do transportation those things but this is a this is again fiveyear plans right end of year one like get ready for year two like because I think we're going to keep looking at ideas and strategies to really be out of the box to move the
needle. >> I keep saying it's not all about money. It is not all about money. >> No, >> it's it's culture. >> It is culture. >> Yep. >> But and and maybe structure. And maybe structure. You know, thinking los
Mississippi didn't have money. I mean, when we went north of J, we were two hours north of Jackson and Sunflower County in the middle of the Delta. I mean, we were in the middle of nowhere >> and their facilities were not great. The schools were run down, but they were all in, right? And they had a, you know,
they had a third grade reading test, >> right, that if you did not pass, if you weren't the only reason you'd be able to pass if you have a IEP. >> Michigan kind of dabbled in that kind of bailed, >> but they they had no money. It was not a money. You go to New York, they had
money, right? Two teachers in every classroom, two principles in every school. >> You know, Houston had money, you know, a billion dollars for teaching incentives, but Mississippi didn't. That's why I think that's why the people say it's a miracle, but they use time. That's what that was their leverage and they they
put all their time into it. >> And Steenville, I don't think has money >> in Ohio there. >> Stevenville, Ohio. >> Ohio, correct? Yeah. >> All right. Great. Well, thank you for the heads up and we got our >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. Just to be clear on that
list of current and ongoing or expanded, excuse me, and new. So just to be clear, this is the proposal for next year 26 27, >> right? So so this is kind of a primer for our strategic our study section. >> It gives you an idea of the funding
sources, you know, all those things that are in there, the ones we've had existing, you know, some of the the new um that are there re-shifting of of some of those resources. it. So it gives you a sense of these are the key things you know part of goal one we're going to
talk about in the study session um that you know along with the other goals but you know this was a specific request I know of some board members for the committee to look at so this gives a a perimeter to what those things are and what we'll be a little deeper talking about when we get into it
>> right and I think you know the milliondoll question everybody would love to have answered is which intervention ties to what outcome And you know with all of these interventions you can't disentangle it right so you have to rely on some qualitative information
>> and it doesn't you can't and but it's almost it's impossible too you know it is a web it is a web of again you know will the will the will that time at driver sites alone no it's you know if there's anything that we know it's going to be the focus and that element of tier
one instruction so everything we can do you know because here's here's the fallacy of even tier two is that when you look at the idea of tiers. 80% of your kids meeting tier one, okay, is is that triangle, that reverse triangle, right? We've got to get to get 80%.
Right? And so that's our focus right now is putting all eggs in basket on trying to do that and then supporting some tier 2 things, especially at the secondary level that we necessarily haven't had. And so we're we're trying to take any additional resources we are really hard
tier one and then try and come with that next tier 2 resource that we haven't had as well. >> But the cool thing too that Stu and Bill talked about was using the kids that made it well in tier one as basically student mentors that supported some of
these >> and some of the grouping strategies you could do that. So that's I'm really interesting when we talk about the team teaching and the grouping strategies that can happen a part of that pilot work. What will that look like to do? I think when you can group kids and others and in different ways there's just you
know if you look at it it's a philosophically different from a a a structural standpoint but our monastery program has it's multi-age not the same age group together but it's two teachers a parah and they're able to now group
differently than one teacher >> and what with you know 28 kids and so we're interested in what that looks like. Can that move the needle and grouping strategies to get kids more all truly get to 80% of our kids meeting the tier one benchmark and then we can look
at okay you know what what does tier two above and beyond that look like but if we're getting 30 40% in tier one we can't tier two oursel out of that >> right >> great so it's where we're headed >> yeah I like that and I I also think you
know in in uh PE E you could even turn that into partial >> and and that'll be the question moving forward even more. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And we've had talks about all that of integration more >> and the logic that goes into that. You
know, I think logic and math at early ages are crucial to make sense of things later on >> and we don't logic. >> We we do I mean we do it's embedded in our math curriculum. There there is a
lot of logic with within the mathematics recognizing pattern. I do think we need to be careful though because we can't just tell our PE teachers, hey, now teach math because they don't know how to do it and they don't know how to do it intentionally and highlight there are
specific researchbased things that you focus on that create fluency and then there are stuff that we think works and guess what it doesn't work right and so like we need to really as Dan said deimplement some of those ideas which takes shifting adults who have said but
this is what how I've always done it and that is where we've we've created some tension in our system. It's the same thing we'll see with parents. They'll say to me, "Well, this is how I always learn math." And I'm like, "Cool. So, can you demonstrate for me how to solve this?" Well, no, I can't. Well, then we didn't really learn math and like maybe we're not going to do it that way,
right? like, you know, um thinking about we need to focus on what really works with intentionality and make sure our folks know that and are trained um in that and that we're supporting them with that and then get rid of some of this other stuff that we think maybe feels
good or was past practice, which is like great, a lot of fun. Um all right, can we move on to goal three, which was the other request was to give an update on goal three is positive student behaviors. Okay, thinking about how do our students interact with each other
and how do we teach appropriate um peer support and behavior and Misty uh Warner is our director of whole child systems. I'm going to turn it over to her to talk a little bit about some of the work that her and her team have done. Okay. All right. So, um there are really two
main focus areas under this goal. Um, and for this first focus area, we've been really concentrating on consistent um, implementation of our social emotional learning instruction utilizing our evidence-based social emotional learning curricula. For um, our
elementary, we're using SecondStep and for our middle schools, we're using the Positivity Project. We've worked with our junior kindergarten teachers and purchased um, SecondStep early learning kits um, to help kind of um, assist with instruction. We're also providing some
ongoing staff coaching and support to help with um implementation and and that consistency. Um we are implementing everyday speech. This is another evidence-based social emotional learning curriculum as part of our tier 2 intervention. We're working to strengthen the use of
our social emotional learning assessment in our behavior data systems. We have standardized behavior data tracking in all of our elementary schools. Um and we've created weekly behavior team meetings. So our behavior teams are looking at that behavior data. They're
also looking at our social emotional learning implementation data um and um discussing that during these team meetings and really using that data to drive our work so that we can make um informed student centered decisions when it comes to social emotional learning um
behavior supports and interventions. Um, we've also implemented a traumainformed MTSS framework for behavior and um, social emotional learning and this has been done through all of our elementary schools to ensure consistent equitable supports for all of
our students. Um, we are also working to strengthen our PBIS systems. We've done some walkthroughs and done some coachings around um supporting those systems, looking at what strengths that buildings have in place and how do we build upon those strengths and then also where can um where can we identify some
areas improvements. Um some buildings have adopted the house system uh like Traverse Heights is using um in their building. Um but really looking at those systems and how do we increase connection and um you know strengthen that overall school culture.
And then for under for this focus area, we are concentrating on building staff capacity and knowledge around trauma-informed programs and practices and restorative frameworks. Uh we have a lot of great conferences right here in the area. So providing our our staff the
opportunity to attend those conferences and then bring back um some of that learning and knowledge to mental health as well as their building teams. All of the TC CAPS and new hires are now participating in a trauma-informed
training, learning about um the different frameworks that we utilize um as part of our approach to behavior. And I think a lot of this work is really reinforced through our partnerships, right? We have strong community um partnerships. Um so we are continuing to work with North Ed to provide all of our
restorative practices training. Western Michigan University is providing our trauma informed training. Um and then we are working with uh outside agencies to bring in different professionals to um provide some training um and some learning to our mental health team during our monthly PLC's.
We are continuing um to uh work with that uh that coordination of care piece through agency collaboration and this has been really essential in being able to provide our families and our students with supports and services in a timely manner. Um and then next steps, we are
looking to expand our prepare crisis training so that all of our mental health team members are trained in that framework. Our um transportation staff will receive trauma-informed training. They're going to receive a half-day training as part of their um professional learning to kick off um the
new school year. We're working right now um to strengthen our re-entry process for students that have been suspended. looking at really integrating more of a trauma-informed restorative framework within that process. Um, and then we're partnering with Grand Valley State University's Physicians Assistance
Program to be able to launch some health literacy events for next year. So, lots of work happening under under goal three. >> And then the last slide here for goal three, there we go. Has those funding sources again. Um, on here you see a
couple new ones. you see that 31A, that's the um categorical that is designed for student mental health support and safety in schools. Um and so you'll see that with uh our SRO. We also have some expanding of our counseling.
Um it's not on this slide, but I know it's on one of our other goals. >> Um okay, goal two. That's right. That makes sense. And then 31N is the categorical that actually runs through the ISD. um that pays for a percentage of our staffing in in the school social
work realm. That one is very limited as far as far as who what personnel would qualify for that, but um we are able to add some school social working FTE to uh primarily to our secondaries. And now I'm excited to say next next school year
we will have a full-time school social worker who is whose job primarily is to promote positive student behaviors and to help students work through conflict and all of those things that arise in all five of our secondary sites. This will be the first time we've ever had a
general ed social worker in all five of our um of our secondary buildings. We've haven't had that before. Um, >> I just go to when our social workers, we have at least one K12. So, every building has at least one full-time.
Some have have more social work. So, like Jesse said, the first time we were able to get a social work in every single building. I would say the biggest one on here just to go back to and I know the board grappled with this quite a bit that 31A funding right as far as accepting it and just to see where you
see how it impacts now kind of rubber hits the road for that transition from you know having to go through that process of whether to take it or not but it is I think it's extremely impactful as far as th those actual dollars making their way into classrooms and schools.
Um, and I've already talked about that behavior support interventionist and how we're going to start to move in in certain buildings. As far as that person, it's a TCA position. Um, does it does a few things for us. It helps again lead that behavior team because you have
a behavior team in every school that involves a social worker, behavior aids, and our northed um itinerants. Uh it also they have the capability I'm working with Tiffany as far as them being um superintendent designate to help with IEPs. Um some of our buildings
Traverse Heights Blair Central grade have over 100 can have over a 100 IEPs in a year and for the admin to attend each one of those is time that they're not in a classroom. So to be able to divvy that up is is going to be helpful. One thing, you know, is really important
with the 31A, I've shared with all the board all of the now we have all three proposals from the state legislature. Um, you know, we the House one's very telling the way they did it. They now have given a dollar amount. And so that dollar amount is what I think that is
where it'll land. So you will not see again what just happened where if districts don't take it that the extra goes back. It's not going to happen. they're going to roll it over to the next budget year in the state budget. We're only going to get essentially pretty close to what the original amount
was, our 31A. And why that's impactful is that if if we were to take that extra money that we have and hire people, we don't have the money to keep them the next year. That's what I was. >> So, what we've been able to do is with these behavioral support positions, you
know, if that is the case and we're not able to, you know, have the funds, we recognize within the TCA, we'll have some retirements and we have an ability to not be in a deficit or the board can choose to spend some fun equity to be able to keep that in the next budget
year. But I just want to make sure you understand that that extra money we have, there's no way to make it structural. This is the best way we've been able to find and use some of it to be able to impact at a comfortable level where if in indeed the budget stays where we're seeing it pretty much in all
three, you know, budgets now that, you know, we will be able to absorb it or it's an amount we think that the board maybe would feel comfortable with, you know, spending down. It'll be the board's decision a year from now kind of where that goes. But this is using some of that money to make direct impacts
now. And then we will have some of it that does go towards the school safety, you know, some doors, locks, some of those kind of things. That's a one-time purchase that we can use that excess amount for. But I kind of want to give that precursor to our study session so you understand. We unfortunately we
can't use all of it, you know, to be able to hire 10 people from that element, you know, because again, we just don't feel comfortable from that standpoint. You know, we would like to be able to sustain it. And so this is as far as we think we can go with maybe a sustainability in the future the board
might consider um unless other additional resources come, you know, in in the following years. So the budget that is down the road for the board to be able to do. We feel like we're using every bit of it we can, you know, in this realm there by doing what we're doing with this um that that meets the
goals as well as again some one-time school safety structure kind of, you know, things that are really important of having doors that work and lock and those things that are built in. So, >> yep. just a request if you could help remind us of what we got this last year
um in 31A and 31A and then you know to the extent you know what's proposed next year what you're expecting that would help because it's hard at the study session that's fair >> for us to keep these these numbers in our heads but I the 31A this last year
>> what did we end up getting was it two >> three million >> 3.1 >> because so many districts that opted out and okay so we had three million this year. And just looking at that first bullet, I thought that they changed the language so that we couldn't fund our school resource officers. >> We can't
>> this year, the current year. >> That's a general fund expenditure. >> Yeah. But going forward, you're thinking it might >> your SRO. We can res >> and we can't do building security. That's why that has it says general funds on there.
>> Okay. Building level SRO. >> Yes, we can. And we're working right now with the city on that agreement. Actually, I'm literally in in with Chief Richmond of finalizing that contract. But yeah, that it I am advocating for that though right now in the legislature about a director of security and
security staff. When I talk to both House and Senate chairs, they're like, "Okay, let's talk again." So, I'm going to see if I can make any way with that. But, but yeah, that is the the SRO component is fundable under 31A. >> Okay. So, um, just some feedback for Dan
and I before May just about how we did goal one and got goal three. Right now, I maybe starting with some details about like these are some of the categoricals. Um, this is what they mean. This is about how much we anticipate we're going to have allocated. You you think that
would be helpful to the board? I can do one slide like with all the categoricals on them for you guys. >> I think might actually show up in the following year. Yeah, that's the hard part is we don't even know in when the year starts what we're actually getting for the year >> because MDU makes a calculation after
the fact. So, we get anticipated allocations, but they can vary ne, you know, less and more. So, again, we make our best thing ever, Beth. I kind of didn't believe anybody until I sat in the seat and had to file all these. I was like, wait, you want a budget for
all this? But we we could get $4 million or we could get $2 million. Like, >> yeah, >> right. >> It's the perennial gift that keeps on. >> So, so, you know, fortunately, we have a lot of people, a lot of history, and you know, that are pretty darn good educated, you know, um using the
scientific method to get to what we think it is. >> And uh and so, but we'll we'll do that and share and and we we've come darn close, you know, every year. So, I think we can give a good feeling of where we feel that's going to land. And I think too part of what May will allow us to do
is we're going to say, "Okay, we predict all these categoricals to come in at these. This is what we are wanting to spend these on. If for some reason the categoricals didn't, would we have grace with the board to continue to do this work knowing that we potentially would have to use
>> fund us equity dollars to do so?" >> Um, just a quick question. Remind us what the trail groups using 31N is versus the trails groups 31A. I am familiar with the latter. I don't remember. >> It's just the the trails groups in general. I'll let Misty talk about it.
The 31N or the 31A is how we pay for the employee who's running those. Um it depends on who the employee is to be 100% frank and what their certifications are. If we can, we qualify for them for 31N first because that's not money that money is super restrictive as to who we
can. That's our most restrictive categorical. So we try to get that make sure we expend as much of that as possible. But we do have some employees who don't qualify under 31N. So then we categorize those into the 31A which is at risk which is still a categorical and
has rules but the rules are wider as to what we can do with that. And Misty do you want to give >> paid but from both? >> Some people get paid from both 100% too. Do you want to just give them a little overview on what the trails groups are? >> Yeah so the trails groups um we have partnered with that trails programming.
It is a research-based um uh curriculum that um came out of the University of Michigan's medical school. Um and it's a 312 curriculum where we look at identifying students that might be experiencing some anxiety and depression and then we're running some of those groups including some CBT and
mindfulness. >> That's fantastic program. >> No, I remember when it came up a few years ago. do you guys have for us regarding just how this presentation is and what would be helpful for the and obviously in the full board in a couple weeks we can get feedback to but then
that gives us a short turnaround. Is there any other feedback you guys? >> I'm just curious about the the second to last bullet there the technology and mental health lessons. Um what exactly does that mean visav technology? >> Yep. So this is coming out of our middle school. So 31A is at risk. So these are
our two middle school instructional coaches. Um we have two full-time FTE there. They are working with Danielle Brunstrom who's a general funded um instructional coach through technology to create lessons specifically for sixth, seventh, and eighth graders around the use of technology and mental
health. And they're going to deliver those lessons. Um so Dustin and Nate, our two instructional coaches, are going to create those and work on those. And then they've got a plan to um embed those lessons within the current middle school format. there's some discussion about do we put them in advisories, but
now we're using a lot of some of that time for intervention. So maybe we weave them into whether it's English or social studies or other courses. Um they just really feel like kids need more education around the effects of >> internet on mental health. >> Yeah. Screen time,
>> all these things we're talking about. and Danielle, we had the chance with our elementary PTO to be able to have Danielle come in and talk with them on some strategies and those elements as well that this is something as a board we we've had feedback that we're trying to address here recognizing that um you
know we we have some issues especially >> um again with our kids maybe that um don't have as much support at home. Some of those things um that that we need to make sure we're taking care of. that tends to be that age group that starts to get access to different things,
right? And so I think educating kids around the addictive nature feel good and be heavily addictive and you know all of those and so >> dopamine. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Will it get into body imagery? Uh you know for girls there there's just
growing evidence about the impact on girls with their body image and then boys like conversely like toxic masculinity getting super buff and you know it has different outcomes different impacts on the >> not there yet but you know those are
things this will be again year one. Yeah, I mean honestly the anxiety and the eating disorders. I just keep reading about all of that >> and we've seen extortion, we've seen a lot of different things at the at the, you know, middle middle school level especially to start. So I think again this isn't going to be all-encompassing
yet, but I think Danielle is really going to do a great job of working at this and and start some work there that we don't have at the moment. >> I appreciate that this the intention is to reach every student middle school, middle school. >> Yeah. And high school needs reinforcement, too. 100%. Yeah.
>> Start. >> And it's what you don't do with younger kids from the high school level now. >> Yeah. >> That is awesome. >> And I just want to point out, I mean, because of our tightened cell phone policy, our, you know, our students
junior kindergarten through 8th grade are not to be using their phones at school. So, we all know that this is really teaching them about trying to monitor themselves outside of school. which is hard. >> Yeah, >> which is hard. Y >> Okay, thank you.
Okay, >> celebrations and success. Britney, do you want to talk about our first graders at Traverse Heights? >> Yeah. So, um part of a big part of the uh CKLA um implementation of that program is the um the opportunity to do
a culminating experience at the end of the domains. um that's really focused on kind of that building background knowledge around science and social studies concepts. And so um the first grade students at Traverse Heights Elementary celebrated the end of their domain six, a new nation, American
independence. And they did a Boston Tea Party celebration where they showcased their learning about the people and the events and the ideas that shaped America's independence, which is super exciting. Um simultaneously, the fourth grade um classrooms are also working on American independence. So you can really see that through line as that background
knowledge is building not only within grade levels but across grade levels as well. Um this next one I know Dr. Van Wagner touched on on his board update in the last full board meeting but I just wanted to give a little more specifics. So one of our social studies teachers, Mr. Jeff Glickman, he's currently at
Central High School. He applied for and received um a teachers fellowship. So, what that means for him is he's going to spend a big chunk of his time traveling through Europe, um, learning specifically about the French Revolution. He teaches in that world history, which is that 10th grade year.
He also teaches within the Thai program over at Central High School, and occasionally he'll teach AP world as needed, um, with sections. And so, the thinking really is he will um, give up some of his time this summer to really go with other educators, immerse themselves in those countries, have that experience, and be able to bring back to
all of our world history teachers. um some different ways to look at and study um French Revolution and some of those other key um things that we do already components that we study in our world history classes. And so super excited and thankful that he applied for that and that he accepted that and is going
to go abroad um gather his experiences and then come back and share them with all of our world history teachers. >> It's a hard thing to do. >> Yeah, good for good for him, right? >> It's pretty cool. Um but also it's a big chunk away from his family and stuff to learn that and then come back and and
bring his knowledge to us. So excited for him but um and thankful too. >> Yeah. >> Um tag parent uh and fourth grade orientations took place at Eastern and Silver Lake uh April 21st. They occurred on the same night. Very well attended.
Uh feedback from both of those sessions was super positive. I know that Kelly was was at Silver Lake and thought it went really well. Uh next step is Monasury has their open house. So the fifth graders will have an open house at Monastery. Won't be necessarily an orientation, but get into the building,
get to meet teachers, and then on May 20th, we've hired the two new uh TAG teachers. So we have our four current TAG teachers. We'll meet with the three new TAG teachers. Uh and they will we're going to start with one full day. uh just kind of go through scope and
sequence of curriculum extension activities uh things that they did particular to to the program uh to help enhance uh curriculum and then after that Dave we'll see if we need more time so only one person will be virtual she teaches out of state but I think that's
a good first step is trying to >> figure out exactly and again the focus on math right that scope and sequence of three years of math and two years and how exactly that's Then the last one we have uh West Middle School just completed their uh Washington DC trip. Lots of students
were able to go on that. Great time. I know this is uh one of those landmark things for some of our middle school students. East Middle School. I know Mr. Tyworth is going as a chaperone >> Tuesday 4 a.m. We're going to be at Cherryland uh at Cherry Airport there
three hours before the plane takes off. So usually it's three minutes. Usually I walk But not now when you're taking a whole group down 4 a.m. for 2 hours. >> There's coffee and rice krispie treats.
>> So, we can't wait for you to come back and tell us all about >> outside of that. Be a great time if I can get over that. I can just get over. >> Yeah. >> It looks like there are about 75 or even 80 student. >> Very large group. Very large group from West Middle School. Studentman said it
was one of the largest groups they've taken. um just high interest on that. So, you know, and as we work through a strategic plan, I know the board has talked about the cost, right? This is not a free trip for our students. And so, um and as we get our fund development off the ground, there's been
some conversations with this might be next, right? How about these experiences that we know can be cost prohibitive for families? Um are there ways in which we could work to offset some of those? Um but that's our next step, future work. >> So,
great. All right. Well, thanks very much. Um, with that, um, >> that's public comment. >> We do have a public comment period that we've set aside. So, >> Harry Van Valen. >> Okay. And I'll I just have to do my
little spiel here. Sorry. Individuals addressing the committee shall have one opportunity to speak during public comment and shall be limited to three minutes each. Individuals should not make personal attacks unrelated to actions affecting the school system. We strongly encourage common courtesy and
constructive feedback. Detailed rules and procedures, including a complaint process, are outlined in board policy 25504. Please go ahead. Thank you. Um,
I was just grad out in math and when I look back over the last nine years, we're leaving about eight out of 10 kids.
not proficient in math. And so it's so concerning to me as an old elementary consultant um that we're deciding to stay with the
same curriculum and when over all of these years it's failing so many more students and Um,
I know that when kids aren't proficient in math at fourth grade, to bring them up is exceedingly difficult because the curriculum is enormous. So we sort of have the choice of do we
try to give them the foundations they're missing so they can function better or do we try to keep them at the grade level filling in the blanks. So, it's it's so hard and I I love math
so much that I want kids to to just love the excitement of math and expressions is a real teacherled program compared to programs that are
child- centered. And I'm hoping that with your accommodations that we might look more I know on an equity level we bring more kids along when we use manipulatives
make sense of the concept first and then build the recording level where we can see what's going on with our manipulatives and record it with writing and then gradually move past connecting it to what we see to abstract.
And I think that's sorely missing with this curriculum from what I've seen and you've seen more than I have. I know. Um I feel
I feel like this is a major emergency to me. I see these kids twice a week and I love them and I can't stand the thought that we're going to continue doing the same
when over almost a decade it's failing our particularly economically disadvantaged kids. And you know, you look at the scores at Monasuri and their economically
disadvantaged kids are performing at 47% proficiency, 27% higher. >> I apologize, but your three minutes is up. >> Okay. Thank you. Do we have any additional public
comments? No. Okay. All right. Well, um that is the end of the public comment requests. Thank you very much for coming and and speaking. Um regarding other items on our agenda,
there aren't any per se. I would just um to acknowledge the member of the public who just came forward with her experience as a former math teacher. I would encourage you to connect directly with the district staff who are leading elementary math um to share, you know,
more of your expertise and your experience as a volunteer. We really appreciate the constructive feedback. And um with that, I just want to announce that our next board curriculum committee meeting will be Tuesday,
May 26th at 8:15 a.m. Sadly, uh perhaps or bittersweet, this is our last curriculum committee meeting in this particular building. The new location will be what is now being called our new administration building at Sabin, which is at 2075
Cass Road. So with that, we are adjourned. Thank you everybody. Oh, sorry. I apologize. I just want to give a big shout out to the staff because you did pull a lot of extra work together for us to make these presentations on goal one and goal three of the strategic
plan in advance of our our board study session in May. So, just wanted to give you all >> So, again, I know that the screen says Glen Lumis, but again, uh as Miss Binger has said, it is in Cass at the new TCAST administration building. So, uh that's pretty fresh off the presses. So,
>> okay. So, with that, we are hereby adjourned. Thank you.