 |  |
M.L. Honors and Awards Committee
Minutes from meeting of 10/4/2004
Connecticut Association of SchoolsMiddle Level Honors and Awards Committee
Minutes
October 4, 2004
In attendance were Rochelle Schwartz, Earle Bidwell, Henry Coe, Scott Nicol, Norma Posocco, Jan Tirinzonie and Sal Menzo
1. Greeting and Charge to the Committee: Chairperson Schwartz outlined the new committee charge as: “The committee….selects the middle level school and teacher of the year. In addition, they deliver the principal of the year celebration. The committee is also charged with exploring new avenues for honoring and celebrating middle level education.”
2. Fall Celebrations
a. Principal of the Year: Rochelle Schwartz reported on a successful celebration for Carol Janssen at the Hawthorne Inn attended by 96 people. Carol is also one of three NASSP finalists for the national award.
b. School of the Year: Norma Posocco reported on the School of the Year celebration for Keigwin Middle School in Middletown attended by the mayor, superintendent of school, board chair and two members of the press.
c. Teacher of the Year: Earle Bidwell indicated that the Teacher of the Year celebration will be held at the Leonard Tyle Middle School in Montville on October 18. Representing CAS will be CEAE Chair, Norma Posocco and Earle Bidwell.
3. Beyond the Celebrations: As a way to further honor award winners and to share their expertise beyond their schools, it was decided to invite them to write a commentary/editorial for use in the “Bulletin” or “IMPACT.” Furthermore, they will be asked to present at a CAS event such as the winter conference or at a CAS “downstairs workshop.”
4. Teacher of the Year Program Review: Some questions sparked a discussion of the procedure and application for teacher of the year. (Do we want to revise the procedure or documentation? Would letters by ALL candidates help narrow the field? Do we want to narrow the field?) It was decided to ask all candidates to write a one to two page reflection piece on their beliefs, motivations and/or experiences as a middle level teacher.
5. Clarification of School of the Year Procedure: In response to an inquiry, the committee revisited the issue of previous awardees and finalists to clarify a timeline for being reconsidered. After thorough deliberations, it was decided by a unanimous vote of the committee to include the following the statements as part of the eligibility requirements for the 2005-2006 application:
Previous winners may not apply for a period of five years and clearly must show significant change from the previous application.
Finalists (schools receiving site visits) must wait until the third school year following the visit before re-applying.
Schools not selected as finalists are welcome to re-apply.
Future Agenda items: School of the Year Program
Principal of the Year Celebration
