07+08+Schedule

Scheduling Meeting Notes Wed. Jan 10th, 2007

Hello all. This is my transcription of the notes for the Scheduling Meeting. Please get in touch with the representatives of your cluster to add or clarify your needs and ideas for 2007-2008 schedule. You may also drop them in my mailbox, or better, email me at teach11372[at]yahoo.com These notes are also available on TRCS’s administrative Wiki: http://trcsadmin.wikispaces.com

Best, Nicholas

Scheduling Committee : Nicholas, John, Robert, Liz P, Victor, Raymond, Emily O, Everett, George

What aspects of your cluster’s schedule were successful this year?

Cluster 1: 2 recesses/day for K 2 days of the week we have same schedule in Grade 1, consistency is great Grades 2 and 3 have some common preps, so we can discuss testing and looping issues Grade 1,2,3 work straight through from 8:30 to lunch (with no morning preps)

Cluster 2: Merge lunch w/prep 4/5/6/PE Common preps 4/5/6 Keep humanities and math in morning block Keep 4th grade morning block

Cluster 3: Student: Math skills included Literacy Skills included Advisory Teacher: Common prep-time (Emily and Sandra) Same every day Both: 50 min time periods

Cluster 4: All three classes for Earth science were contiguous, 4, 5th and 6th, which made set up successful. The first couple of periods of the day were successful for TLC. Having them 1st period, at risk 12th graders in particular. 1st and last period were the best. Last period in particular is good. Sophomores got five days of Spanish a week. 3 senior classes

What aspects of your cluster’s schedule do you feel impedes student success?

Cluster 1: In K+1, if para is absent, no coverage has been provided, especially in K Noise from the music room interrupts K classroom Paras pulled from K+1 to proctor exams Resource rooms in K-6 or K-7 / push out or pull in

Cluster 2: Overlap of time: classes begin/end Too short: 50 minutes art 6th grade needs more free time/social down time

Cluster 3: Student: Independent study 2nd period. Better if it were mid-day Earlier lunch period. Both student and teacher: Arts at the end of the day

Cluster 4: Juniors should not have 1st or 8th period English in 11th grade Division of grades into 3 periods. Problem for resource room and TLC. Freshmen need full schedule. Seniors need to have a full schedule. Major academic classes need to be in the morning. No double period chemistry. 100 minutes too much. 2 classes in one period, bad. 10th grade had 5 classes instead of 3. Having math skills in TLC during HS lunch, impedes.

What are your scheduling suggestions for 2007-2008?

Cluster 1: Keep no morning preprs for K-3, so we work straight thru from 8:30 to lunch At least one common prep for k-3 during the week K+1 paras continue to have 1 hour prep each day Same daily schedule Paras should be covered

Cluster 2: Allow ISS service providers to schedule students NOT students and teachers scheduling themselves 1 double art period per week all grades Student awareness/schedule changes Schedule HS electives @ end of the day Cluster 3: Common teacher prep time Math teacher and Math skills teacher should be the same person. More resources to include writing workshop and social studies More space and resources for independent study.

Cluster 4: No 1st or 8th period English Start school at 9:30- No double period chemistry Look closely at scheduling students for TLC who don’t have it and need it 20 minute advisory before schedule Collaboration time TLC, special ed, general ed. Homeroom

Not-Cluster: Home room for HS for attendance purposes HS starts later Opportunities for music instruments to meet by level after their grade i.e. advanced band/ sectionals Health has to be reorganized- spec grades Look for opportunities to offer other foreign languages 2 weeks of rensizzle to offer credit Rethink whether or not grades should be broken into three (elective: smaller courses vs. electives) Same sex gyms (ms/hs) more non-sports health activities/roof garden? Examine equity of non-native/native Spanish Student cleanup at the end of day Common planning time Better classroom use of elementary common area. All students supervised at all time with teacher in the room. Global studies review class for students who don’t pass regents Global history and Geography room schedule, independent study Full programs for 9th grade and seniors Possible? Recess after lunch. Better-organized pick up and drop off of kids to cafeteria.

CHECK http://trcsadmin.wikispaces.com/07+08+Schedule for updates on the 07/08 schedule