AIG Parent Advisory Board Meeting

AIG Parent Advisory Board Meeting

Monday, March 11, 2013

Attendance: Angela Jeffery, Michelle Garrett, Jennifer Gayford, Brandy Townsend, Jan Brodmerkel, Mary Tobin, Barbara Heath

1.  Purpose:

·  To provide critical information and opportunities to discuss processes to accomplish the Goals and Objectives of the AIG Plan

·  Understanding of revisions to the current AIG Plan

·  Understanding of the Acceleration Plan draft

2.  Future Dates:

·  May 13, 2013 – Parents were asked if they wanted to meet on the other side of the county and all in attendance agreed. The location will be announced.

3.  Updates:

·  North Carolina Association of Gifted and Talented:

Named Mary Tobin as the Gifted Parent of the Year for the State

4.  Review minutes from the meeting on December 10, 2012

·  No questions or comments

5.  Upcoming events:

·  Tuesday, April 8th, 2013 Angela Jeffery will present the 2013-2016 AIG Plan to the Pender County Schools Board of Education, she will also recognize Mary Tobin as Gifted Parent of the Year, and Karen McGowan as Gifted Teacher of the Year

6.  Angela Jeffery presented and explanation the AIG Plan PowerPoint that was shared at the Parent Forums

·  Shared the success of the Springboard Program, and that all middle schools would be implementing the program next year

·  Shared that middle and high schools were also adding on Springboard Math for the upcoming year

·  Shared how the Collaborative planning days with AIG Coaches works, and how it has been a benefit to teachers this year

·  Explained the annual school based AIG program assessment idea and shared the success that it had brought to New Hanover County Schools

·  Shared information about the Cape Inventions Enrichment Program we would be hosting this summer ( June 24- 28, at both South Topsail Elem and Burgaw Elem, Registration for AIG students opens March 18)

·  Shared that Mary Tobin was starting a Pender County Schools PAGE Chapter

·  Explained the Gifted Symposium we are planning for next year

·  Discussed that the Topsail parents expressed a need for more AIG Parent meetings

·  Explained the fidelity audits we are planning to use next year, and the challenges of making sure the AIG Coaches’ role is being seen as non-evaluative

·  Shared that we would be posting the survey results, and hopefully the school based program assessment, on our webpage

7.  Questions and Comments from the Advisory Board:

·  How will Credit by Demonstrated Mastery work?

Angela Jeffery explained that there would be a testing window and a project component for this, but at this time those things have yet to be determined by NCDPI. She also explained that Credit by Demonstrated Mastery would fall under the AIG Program. Angela Jeffery also shared and explained the use of our Acceleration Plan draft.

·  A parent suggested that we try to connect our Alert Now messages to those that already go out each week from most schools

·  A parent asked if there was currently a set curriculum or program used for AP Courses. There is concern that one semester a student might take an Honor’s Course, and the following semester they take an AP Course. The parent wanted to know why there couldn’t be a standard across the county.

Angela Jeffery explained that we are trying to streamline things as much as possible, but the final decisions are made by the building Administration. She also explained that the College Board expected the AP Classes to be offered in yearlong opportunities. Angela Jeffery explained that there is not currently a particular curriculum or material set to use, but we have been working on this. She also shared that Pender High School has made changes and will be offer AP/ AB scheduling this upcoming year.

·  A parent shared that with recent visits to Universities; she was hearing a lot of discussion about the students needing to score a “5” on the AP exam in order to get credit for the class. She was also concerned that CFCC classes and AP classes were not weighted the same.

Angela Jeffery explained that the weights were appointed at the State level and that we had no voice in those decisions. She went on to explain that there was current discussion about moving to a Cume Laude System as opposed to the valedictorian system we were currently using. She explained that this could help reduce stress associated with the current class rank dilemma and point system issues.

·  Parents agreed that changing from a valedictorian to a Cume Laude system would be in the best interest of our high schools students.

·  A parent said that the AIG survey she received was confusing.

Angela Jeffery told the board that we would review and edit the surveys before they were used again.

·  A parent asked if the new principals in the county were in support of the current AIG Program and its’ initiatives.

Angela Jeffery explained that there is support, but that this was a transition period for them.

·  A parent asked why there were still some school who did not ability group the AIG students.

Angela Jeffery explained that we want them ability grouped and out program supports that, but ultimately the decisions are made by the building level administration.

·  A parent mentioned that with the implementation of Credit by Demonstrated Mastery, students would eventually end up grouped together.

·  A parent mentioned that she had attended the NCAGT conference and that she was very pleased with the amount of teachers we were able to invite. She also mentioned that she felt it made a huge difference for those in attendance.

·  A parent mentioned that she wished that all elementary school administrators understood that cluster grouping was in the best interest of our gifted learners.

·  A parent was concerned because she had heard rumors that once Rocky Point and Cape Fear Elementary became K-5 schools that the grouping would be different due to administrator’s feelings about the issue.

Angela Jeffery explained that this was a rumor and that the AIG Coaches were currently working on the cluster lists to give the principals. She also mentioned that she would be meeting with the principals about this issue at the upcoming Principal’s meeting.

·  A parent was concerned about the role of homework with our AIG students. She said that the tasks were “busy work” and mostly worksheets and not appropriately challenging or stimulating to the gifted students. She was concerned that there had been very few projects completed, and those they had were too simple.

Angela Jeffery explained to the parent that this issue needed to be addressed with the classroom teacher, but that we would also follow up with it.