BYLAWS AND PROCEDURES
These bylaws shall be approved by the Board of Education and shall be consistent with the Board of Education policies. These operating procedures may be amended by a consensus of the Council.
RATIONAL
A Curriculum Council is an effective means of providing leadership, coordination, and quality control of curriculum and instructional improvement efforts. The Council helps to develop ownership and support for curriculum study and development.
MEMBERSHIP
The Curriculum Council’s voting membership consists of all administrators, leadership team chairpersons, Board members, building School Improvement representatives, other members currently on the Council, and Education Paradigms students (advisory only). The Director of Curriculum will serve as the chairperson for this Council.
AUTHORITY
The Curriculum Council is a decision-making body that reviews and recommends curriculum changes, instructional programs, and assessment practices. The Council provides recommendations to the Superintendent, and ultimately to the Board of Education
MISSION
Webberville Schools, in partnership with the community, will educate and prepare each student to be a responsible citizen capable of pursuing life goals, now and in the future.
BELIEFS
We, the Curriculum Council, believe:
All Students Can Learn
Every Individual Has Value
Together Everyone Achieves More
High Expectations are Essential
Positive School Climate and Community Support
Contribute to Achievement
GOALS
To provide staff and students a meaningful and relevant educational program.
To constantly work toward sharing information in order to make knowledgeable instructional decisions.
To facilitate Pre-K-12 articulation regarding curriculum.
To provide responsibility for curriculum development, support, services, and programs.
To allow all students opportunities to demonstrate progress toward achieving the exit standards identified by our school system.
To analyze trends that cross learning areas.
To provide support for the school improvement process.
DUTIES
1. To provide a decision-making process for professional staff to improve curriculum,
instruc tion, and assessment.
2. To provide a means for continuous study of curriculum development, revision, and
assessment.
3. To determine curriculum areas for study and development.
4. To receive and consider proposals from Leadership Teams/Groups.
5. To make recommendations for changes in curriculum, instruction, and assessment to the Superintendent and Board of Education.
6. To establish procedures for monitoring and evaluating curriculum, instruction, and
assessment.
7. To regularly attend Council meetings.
8. To inform building staff of c ouncil proceedings
MEETINGS
Printed agendas will be sent prior to each meeting. Additional agenda items may be added to the printed agenda for discussion as time permits.
CONTENT LEADERSHIP TEAMS
Language Arts Mathematics Science Social Studies Early Childhood Michigan Model; |
Technology Fine Arts Health/PE Character Education Media Services |
MEMBERSHIP
The Curriculum Council will consist of the building administrators, chairs of the content teams, two student leaders, and some members at-large.
GOALS
To assure an articulated curriculum in a learning area.
To coordinate and facilitate the systematic review and revision of the curriculum in a specific learning area to ensure currency and effectiveness.
To facilitate the pilot and/or implementation of a new or revised curriculum.
RESPONSIBILITIES
To conduct a periodic evaluation of the effectiveness and appropriateness of the written curriculum in a learning area.
To identify and analyze curriculum concerns and/or issues in a learning area.
To organize and monitor the revision of the curriculum in a learning area.
To organize and monitor pilots of new or revised curriculum, curriculum guides, and/or instructional methodologies.
To recommend curriculum changes to the Council.
To recommend to the Council textbooks to be considered for adoption.
To recommend to the Council annual instructional objectives for a learning area.
To identify professional development needs related to the curriculum and make recommendations to the Staff Development Leadership Team.
Content Leadership Teams Defined - 2004-2005
MATHEMATICS
Responsible for implementing and assessing state standards in mathematics and aligning these with Everyday/Chicago Math; keeping abreast of latest MEAP developments; make recommendations to the Council on staff development; monitor the impact on and integration of the ILS into curriculum .
SOCIAL STUDIES
Responsible for implementing and assessing state standards in social studies and aligning instruction with MEAP expectations; realignment of classes to better prepare students for state-wide tests; make recommendations to the Council on staff development.
SCIENCE
Responsible for implementing and assessing state standards in science and aligning science curriculum to reflect standards and MEAP expectations; Michigan Model at the elementary ; and make recommendations to the council on staff development.
LANGUAGE ARTS
Responsible for implementing and assessing state standards in language arts and aligning language arts curriculum to reflect standards and MEAP expectations; writing across the curriculum; reading; grammar; make recommendations to the Council on staff development; monitor the impact on and integration of the ILS into curriculum. Monitor our foreign language program.
TECHNOLOGY
ILS implementation and integration into the curriculum in the core areas of study; educational technology; technology education; software to help with data analysis; input into the district technology plan; promote the use of technology in the classroom.
EARLY CHILDHOOD
Discuss issues related to preschool through 2nd grade; early intervention programs; promote early childhood philosophy; communication with Early Childhood Center and Room to Bloom.
FINE ARTS
Increase awareness and enthusiasm for fine and performing arts; DK-12 curriculum alignment; visual arts programing; implementing new and revising current curriculum.
MEDIA SERVICES
Coordinate informational skills DK-12; coordinate media software programs; integration of skills into KC4 curriculum; staff awareness of media services; incorporating research skills DK-12; coordination of media services with teachers.
HEALTH/PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Update and coordinate DK-12 curriculum; communication DK-12; Michigan Model; staff development; reproductive health coordination; material selection monitoring and assisting .
CHARACTER EDUCATION
Focus will be on infusing character education into the existing curriculum; working with the community on entire community education efforts; modeling honesty, self-discipline, respect, responsibility, and cooperation; working with the community coalition and the assets program
STRATEGIES
1. E stablished a Preschool-12 th grade curriculum council.
2. E stablished curriculum leadership teams.
3. D eveloped a procedure for curriculum proposals.
4. Continue p rovid ing professional development opportunities linked to the district goals.
5. D evelop curriculum implementation indicators to assess whether the curriculum is being implemented as designed.
6. A lign the assessment tools used by the district and develop a way of analyzing and tracking our asses s ments.
7. I mplement and integrate technology/media in f ormation skills into our curriculum to facilitate life long learning.
8. M onitor State mandates, continue to comply with PA25/335/339 and align our curriculum with the Michigan Curriculum Framework.
9. A lign our curriculum with assessment s and i nstructional delivery.
10. B uild character by developing social/emotional competence.
11. I ntegrate Character Education into the curriculum and community.
12. F ocus on early intervention programs .
GROUND RULES
1. Be positive and enthusiastic.
2. Be prepared, honest, open, and receptive to others’ ideas.
3. Organize your thoughts before speaking and be concise.
4. Show your concerns, as well as your support and encouragement.
5. Presentations at one meeting; approval the next. The Director of Curriculum may inact an emergency clause if a proposal needs immediate attention.
6. Meetings will begin promptly and end promtly.
7. When presenting, information must be sent to the Director of Curriculum a week in advance.
8. Minutes will be taken and distributed to members.
9. Follow the agenda.
10. Have fun!!
CURRICULUM PROPOSAL PROCEDURE
1. Proposals are developed by a committee, department and/or team and submitted to the Director of Curriculum using the proposal form adopted by the Curriculum Council.
2. The Chair/Director of Curriculum presents the proposal to the Administration Team.
3. The Chair/Director of Curriculum notifies the committees, departments and/or teams of the status of the proposals.
4. Proposals are presented to the Curriculum Council.
a. The Curriculum Council will study the proposals in terms of district mission, goals, and standards.
b. The Curriculum Council will vote on the proposals.
5. Recommendations will be made to the Superintendent and the Board of Education.
6. The Director of Curriculum will submit the proposals, together with all recommendations, to the Superintendent and/or Board of Education for study and action.
CURRICULUM PROPOSAL FORM
Download a curriculum proposal form.