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Curriculum Council The Curriculum Council is a representative body of teachers, administrators and directors from various academic departments of Norwood-Fontbonne Academy. The faculty of each department meets twice a year to discuss current trends, best practices of instruction, assessment, and issues that are unique to their subject areas. The teacher leader of each department is a representative on the Curriculum Council. Council meetings occur six times a year. Teacher leaders give reports from departmental meetings. Terra Nova scores are analyzed and this analysis helps to inform curriculum choices and instructional practices. The work of the council also includes the discussion and research of timely, important educational topics. As teacher leaders, we council members of our faculty and staff at professional development meetings. In 2002, the Curriculum Council studied special accommodations and modifications that teachers could implement in a regular educational setting. Accommodation and modification documents were created by council members. Parent permission forms and report card forms became the focus of 2003. Due to the council’s research, NFA now has an efficient system for applying learning support to students with mild to moderate learning differences. Two full-time learning support teachers currently oversee the processes originally created by the Curriculum Council. In 2004, homework was the topic of the council’s research. How much is too much? What is appropriate homework at different grade levels? What homework activities are meaningful and relevant to the learning process? These are just some of the questions that became the focus of discussion and research. A school wide survey was conducted among parents, teachers and staff. Data from this survey was analyzed and compared to ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) national data. As a result of this important work, the council professionally in-serviced our faculty on best practices of homework policies. Additionally, the Parent-Student Handbook was revised to reflect the most current research. Last year, members tackled “peer observation” as the topic for council study. As a result of this work, NFA teachers now observe peer teachers in other subjects and other grades three times a year. Teachers’ goals are framed around these observations. The teacher evaluation process becomes an outgrowth of stated goals for improvement. Peer observation is an exciting innovation for an elementary school. In 2007-2008, the Curriculum Council peer read " The Overachievers" by Alexandra Robbins to study the current cultural phenomenon in American Schools. Robbins sociographic case study provided many insights to understanding the pressures and anxieties confronting students. The Curriculum Council professionally developed staff around these topics in April of 2008. In 2006-2007 the Curriculm Council engaged in the research of Dan Kindlon and Michael Thompson, authors of Raising Cain, Protecting The Emotional Life of Boys. The work of William Pollack was also a focus of the council. Real Boys, Real Boys’ Voices and The Real Boys’ Workbook are all valuable resources to NFA’s 2006-2007 gender study. We have already used the research of Mary Pipher, Reviving Ophelia, Sara Shandler’s Ophelia Speaks and Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out, helped inform us about school experiences for girls. Michael Gurian’s Boys and Girls Learn Differently was also an important resource to our gender research. Our goal as a council is to raise awareness among faculty and staff, heighten sensitivity to gender issues in the classroom and enhance the school experience for all girls and boys at Norwood-Fontbonne Academy. 2008-2009 Curriculum Council The following staff members have graciously agreed
to serve as members of the Curriculum Council. Each one of them is a teacher leader
and each one is very motivated to serve the students, faculty and staff. In 2008 -2009 the faculty will be introduced to a new paradigm of instruction – the program is entitled “Religion, Rigor, Relevance, Relationships, Reflection”. The design of this program is to lead teachers toward instructional excellence by incorporating all “best practices” of education into their personal repertoire. This approach places students at the center, understanding the different needs of 21st century students, and in the future, 21st century workers. The Curriculum Council will work to further develop and customize this program for NFA teachers.
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