Meeting Minutes from April 12, 2025

8:30am

Welcome - Shelley welcomed the members and asked them to open their Classlink. She noted that all meeting materials, including minutes, handouts and presentation slides would be available there.

Negotiated Curriculum and Instruction Changes - Shelley provided an overview of the recently negotiated changes related to curriculum and instruction.

Inclusion Activity - Keri facilitated an inclusion activity, engaging members in a team-building session using Beat Saber.

Dr. Shelley Willott, Assistant Superintendent of Learning and Support Services

Dr. Keri Skeeter, Director of Curriculum and Professional Learning

Elementary Math: Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum - Effective Teaching in Every Classroom. Carrie led a session focused on enhancing math instruction through engaging and research-based strategies. To begin, she presented a bridge riddle activity. Afterwards they were prompted to reflect on their experience by discussing how they felt, what they enjoyed, what they did not like and whether they thought their students would enjoy the activity.

Carrie then introduced the concept Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) based on the work of Peter Liljedahl's. She shared insights from Liljedahl's research, which revealed that in a typical one hour lesson, 75-85% of the students exhibited non-thinking behaviors 100% of the time. Using the thinking tasks, educators can change this dynamic, encouraging active engagement and critical thinking.

One key component of BTC is random and visible grouping of students, which fosters collaboration and brings together different perspectives in problem-solving. 

Carrie also discussed the shifts in K-5 Mathematics, highlighting the importance of student-driven learning. She shared a video of classrooms where students lead the learning process through active inquiry and discussing.

She concluded with an overview of Experience Math, a student-centered learning that emphasizes a three-part lesson plan:

1. Discovery
2. Exploration
3. Practice

Dr. Carrie Tomc, Coordinator Elementary Math

Technology Updates - Effective Teaching in Every Classroom.

• Brad provided an overview of the process used to develop the Classroom Technology Standard, explaining how the district arrived at the current set of expectations and tools to support effective instruction.
• He outlined the implementation timeline and discussed the status of device refresh, ensuring members understood the rollout process and upcoming transitions in classroom technology.
• He also introduced Hapara highlights, a tool initiated by teacher request and piloted by educators in Rockwood. Hapara Highlights is student focused vs. student monitoring. It is a tool supporting teachers supporting students.
• Lastly, Brad reviewed future password policy updates for next year.

Looking Forward to Next Year - Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum, Effective Teaching in Every Classroom, and Safe, Supportive & Collaborative Culture

• Shelley shared that a new strategic plan for 2025-26 is being discussed. She posed the following question Where do you see the concept of continuous improvement play out in your day-to-day role? Participants were asked to think about over the last five years - reflecting on what has changed, what we have accomplished and where we are going? She also reviewed the strategic plan schedule.
• She prompted members to engage in table discussions around the following question: What knowledge do you have and is there something you think teachers need to know more about to support building school improvement plan efforts?

Participants were asked to reflect and collaborate the following: 

• Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum:
• Effective Teaching in Every Classroom
• Safe, Supportive & Collaborative Culture

Lunch (on your own)

Strategic Planning Feedback - The draft plan for Strategic Planning was shared with the group. 

• Our promise and the idea behind "The Promise".
• A video titled Your Dignity as a Given was shared. 
• The Promise Draft was reviewed
• Rotations for each area were explained.

Dr. Shelley Willott

Glenn Hancock, Director of Research, Evaluation and Assessment

Dr. Keri Skeeters

2:30pm

Feedback/Building Time - To close the meeting, committee members were given time to provide feedback on the day's sessions and engage in collaborative discussions with their building teams.