Science+Department

DEPARTMENT MEETINGS ESSENTIAL DISCUSSION/QUESTIONS There are 5 essential supports for reform to organize and improve schools, leadership, parent communities, professional capacity; student centered learning climate, and instructional climate. As a department team begin to discuss and list your ideas and strategies to improve in these areas and to strengthen our instructional core (culture, structure, systems, resources, stakeholders) LEADERSHIP: (i.e. vision, distributive leadership) - clear, delineated responsibilities - follow through on tasks assigned (from both the person assigning and the person who was responsible for the task) - individual members of the faculty join committees for school improvement - committees meet on a regular basis to follow through on ideas and develop new ones PARENT COMMUNITIES: (i.e. family engagement/supports learning) - better working relationship with the Home and School Association - clearer communication between the faculty and HSA - solicit parent volunteers to support classroom activities - contact partners to identify student internships and jobs - soliciting parents to chaperone dances and field trips - poll parents about their jobs and specialties for job/career day PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY: (i.e. right people on the right bus/skills in the right seat) - look at credentials/background of individual faculty - incorporate new professional development to increase skill set of individual faculty STUDENT CENTER ACTIVITIES:(i.e. give and take in the classroom, relationships) - labs in science courses - in other courses use similar type activities (hands-on) - use of choice boards based on student interests - provide classroom opportunities where students are facilitators INSTRUCTIONAL CLIMATE: (i.e. teacher support, mentors, PD, active demand teaching/culture of accountability, relationship - incorporate PD on new technologies to increase communication amongst departments and faculty - provide sufficient funding to properly outfit each classroom based on the content area with up to date technologies and materials - peer observations by department members with appropriate feedback