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Middle Level Board of Control
Minutes from meeting of 11/22/2005
Connecticut Association of SchoolsCEAE/ CAMSP Boards
November 22, 2005
Minutes
In attendance were: Sue Dumas, Jody Goeler, Troy Monroe, David Russell, Joe Scheideler, Jeffrey Schumann, Tom Dzicek, Monita Leavitt, Peggy Schaedler and Earle Bidwell
1. Information Items
a. Leadership: Joe Scheideler reported on the upcoming leadership conference in January. We are still in need of presenters.
b. Professional Studies: Sue Dumas reported that three visiting committees would be going out in the next two weeks to certify schools for exemplary climate. Also, the focus topic for IMPACT is closing the achievement gap and a few articles are still needed.
c. Program: Earle Bidwell reported that the Winter Conference program is set with Mark Scharenbroich, Richard Blumenthal and three quality breakout sessions.
d. Scholar Leader Banquet Keynote Speaker: Jody Goeler told the committee that the keynote speaker for this year’s banquet will be Theresa Hinkle from North Carolina. She is a nationally certified teacher and a trustee for the National Middle School Association.
e. Honors and Awards: The school of the year and teacher of the year documents have been revised to make them more user friendly. They have been mailed to all schools.
2. New England Middle Level Symposium: Dr. Robert Spear from NELMS is taking the lead in planning a middle level symposium for state leaders, legislators and educators. It will take place in January in New Hampshire. The middle level boards were asked to review the plans and to suggest representation from CAS.
3. Discussion Questions for Middle Level Meetings: Jody Goeler led a conversation about questions for a middle level forum of administrators and teachers. The following were offered:
• How do we get students to strive for excellence knowing that not everyone’s best is the same?
• Dealing with the whole child, what are schools doing to encourage creativity and originality; and celebrating the same?
• What are the biggest issues in your school (climate, parents, 504, IEPs, security, other)?
• What are schools doing to promote parental involvement?
• How are schools using data to drive decisions?
4. At the next meeting, Troy and Jeffrey will lead 15 minute discussions on the latter two topics as a “dry run” for a future forum.
5. Assistant Executive Director’s Report Earle Bidwell reported that the CAS executive staff held a retreat to be responsive to changing needs of the organization. He also spoke of a NMSA initiative to create a resource document on middle level education for legislators at the national, state and local levels. Earle has been invited to be one of the readers and responders for the work in progress
6. The next meeting is scheduled for January 24, 2006.
