Odessa teachers change curriculum

Jan 24, 2012 at 02:36 pm by Observer-Review


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Odessa teachers change curriculum

    ODESSA—The Odessa-Montour school board heard how some of the New York State Education Department’s curriculum changes have been implemented, during the Thursday, Jan. 19, school board meeting.
    At the start of the meeting, students from the third grade class read persuasive essays they had written as part of a unit on the rain forest.  Teacher Jenny Lewis said the students heard information about a person needing to support his family by cutting down trees from the forest, and then about how the rain forest produces oxygen and is home to many animals.  The students then had to write a persuasive essay for either side.  H.A. Hanlon Principal Chris Williams said this incorporates aspects from the state’s common core guidelines.
    The board then heard a presentation from math teacher Trina Shepherd and special education teacher Shelly Mumford about adopting new textbooks for seventh and eighth grade math.  The new books actually list at the start of every chapter what parts of the state’s curriculum are being taught.  The board approved the new books.
    Veronica Lewis, director of special services, then gave an update on creating the district’s evaluation agreement with the teachers.  She said they have come to a tentative consensus about how teachers will be evaluated under the state’s new guidelines.  Lewis said this includes looking at how the common core curriculum will be implemented.  Board member Matt Walters said he thought the board of education would have more of a say in the new teacher evaluation process.
    In other business:
    • Superintendent Jim Frame said the district is still owed over $1,000 in unpaid student lunches.  He said the school administrators have been contacting parents about paying and enrolling eligible families in the free and reduced lunch program.  Board member Debra Harrington said they need to review the lunch policy.
    • Frame added that there will be no D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) class this year because the sheriff’s deputy who runs it will be on a leave of absence.
    • The board approved to participate in the cooperative purchasing service through the Delaware-Chenango-Madison-Otsego BOCES to purchase fuel and paper.

 

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