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Committees forward curriculum revisions, McDowell TSI plan and several field trips to full board
Summary
Instruction and student services committee moved 20 action items — including multiple ELA curriculum finalizations, field trips, a Holy Family University nursing affiliation agreement, and the McDowell Targeted School Improvement (TSI) plan — to the board for final approval at the end-of-month meeting.
The instruction and student services committee voted to forward 20 action items to the full board, including multiple curriculum finalizations, field trip approvals, an affiliation agreement, and McDowell High School’s targeted school improvement (TSI) plan.
Curriculum: The committee moved forward curriculum finalizations for elementary ELA (K–5), grade 11 ELA (academic and honors), grade 12 ELA (academic and honors), a Disney elective, fantasy and science fiction literature elective, short stories elective, and grade 10 world history academic. Staff explained these were taught as pilots in the prior year and are now being finalized for the current school year.
Field trips and conferences: The committee approved requests to send teachers to national conferences — the National Council of Teachers of English in Denver and the Council for Economic Education’s financial-literacy conference — at no cost to the district other than substitute coverage. It also forwarded a cross‑country field trip for 14 high‑school athletes (costs paid by boosters) and a middle-school field trip to Erie County Technical School’s “Diggers and Dumpers” event (no cost to district). Several donations and activity-account officer items were also moved forward.
Affiliations and services: The committee forwarded a standard one-year affiliation agreement with Holy Family University so nursing students can complete clinical experiences in district schools. The committee also moved multiple service agreements for individual students requiring 1:1 aide services and extended school year services; staff gave per‑day rates in committee (e.g., $215/day for certain 1:1 aides, $243/day for ESY services, and $167/day for other 1:1 aide coverage for ESY).
McDowell TSI plan: The committee reviewed a 30‑page targeted school improvement plan for McDowell High School after the state identified gaps in four‑year graduation cohort rates for economically disadvantaged students and special education students. A staff presenter said the plan focuses on boosting attendance and providing targeted professional development and personalized instruction, with measurable quarterly action steps and public posting for family feedback. The plan, if approved by the board, will be submitted to the state.
Committee members asked routine clarifying questions — for example, why curricula are piloted before being finalized — and were told the pilot year gives teachers information to revise pacing and content before final board adoption.
All items were moved to the end-of-month board meeting packet for final action.
