Curriculum & Education Committee

Minutes

 

Meeting Date/            Monday, November 6, 2006

Time/Location:           5:30 p.m. – Superintendent’s Conference Room    

 

Members Present:     Laurence Ringrose, Suzanne Allarie-Dowling,

                                    Dick Barnes, William Stokes

 

Members Absent:      William Burney, Kimberly Silsby, Sue Campbell

 

Others Present:          Nancy Kelly, John Pucciarelli, Eleanor Gay,

                                                Bill Adams, James Jurdak, Connie Brown,

                                                Deb Orth, Lance Tapley, Bobbie Jordan                

 

 

 

  1. Policy on The Admission of Foreign Students:

 

This policy had been tabled from the last meeting.  Members were asked to consider this policy with the Finance Committee.  The policy was drawn up after a request was made in June for a foreign student to attend Cony High School.   The Augusta Board of Education was asked to absorb the student’s tuition cost, even though the student would be living in Chelsey.  After the policy was drawn up, several Impact Statements were received.

 

Deb Orth, the German Teacher at Cony, talked about the GAP Program, which offers a three-week reciprocal exchange with German students from a partner school.  Often after students come to the U.S. on this program, they want to participate in a longer stay.  GAP is the only program that offers students the opportunity to come here free.  Deb’s concern was that the policy limited the number of students who might be able to participate in the exchange programs offered by a number of agencies to two per academic year.  The GAP Program assures that Augusta will have a spot for GAP students in order for the partnership to continue.

 

Nancy Kelly also voiced concern about foreign exchange students not becoming proficient in English and needing support and guidance so that they can participate fully in the high school program.  The proposed policy indicates that a student be proficient in English.  Nancy contends that it takes years to achieve real proficiency.

 

 

 

Lance Tapley, a parent, talked about his own and his children’s experiences abroad and stressed that they are wonderful enlightening opportunities and good for students.  He encouraged the most flexible policy and guidelines (not policy) possible.  He also stressed that Augusta should be reciprocal in our treatment of students to the hosting agency.

 

 

The Board decided to table the policy again for revisions that

Dr. Brown would complete.  The policy will come up again at

the next Committee meeting.

 

 

  1. Procedure For Intervention of Bullying:

 

Dr. Jordan explained that she had discussed the policy with several faculty members at the high school.  At the current time, there is no process for involving students in mediation of bullying, and it is not recommended.  Work continues with a Civil Rights Committee at the Cony High School.

 

Motion:  To accept the policy with editorial revisions 2-0.