SKAN_5_08

SKAN is issued by the South Kingstown School Committee to inform staff members and interested others of matters discussed and actions taken by the School Committee at its most recent meeting. SKAN does not represent meeting minutes.

Delegations: Comprehensive Grades 6-12 School Counseling Program: The district’s school counselors presented their comprehensive view of an updated focus for their programs relying on data driven accountability, revised methods of delivering their curriculum and advocacy for all students. They have aligned their programs with the national standards of academic development, career development and personal/social development. The staff is proud of their equitable, accessible and systematically planned programs based on the relevant data. At an upcoming school committee meeting, the counseling staff will present a more specific accountability report card.

Special Education Update: Judith Secardo, our Pupil Personnel Director, led a discussion of the trends in our special education programs and addressed strategies on how to close the achievement gaps. She presented improved methods to think about teaching and learning for students with disabilities based on strengthening our entire system’s responsibility and responsiveness as well as increasing our ability to deliver differentiated instruction based on learning styles. In a “no blame” atmosphere, she cited a non-negotiable expectation that all children will learn while we adjust adult beliefs and expectations about students. Success will come with strong leadership, developing personalized learning environments and constantly relying on the data to ensure the effectiveness of our education programs.

Title I Parent Involvement Policy. Second reading: The committee approved (7-0-0) a proactive plan for our Title I schools to include parents in the design and implementation of programs. The goal of the policy is to build effective partnerships to support student achievement.

Wellness Policy Nutrition Standards. Second reading: The committee approved (7-0-0) changes to this section of the Wellness Policy to emphasize an educational rather than a prohibitive approach to nutrition when appropriate.

School Committee Professional Development Subcommittee Report: The subcommittee suggested expanding the committee’s self assessment to include information from community groups such as the town council, PTO’s, administration and our unions. We will also occasionally begin our meetings at 6:30 PM to include a half hour for discussion on various topics in education, governance and management. We also agreed that our annual retreat will occur on July 13^th from 8:00 AM to 3: 00 PM