Curriculum - Math, Governance/Board Decision Making, Staff Support

Board proposes goals for superintendent

3 Comments

According to the agenda for the Board of Education meeting on November 20, 2006:

It is recommended that the Board approve the 2006-07 goals for the Superintendent that require the Superintendent to:
a. Initiate and complete a comprehensive, independent and neutral review and assessment of the District’s K-12 math curriculum.

  • The review and assessment shall be undertaken by a task force whose members are appointed by the Superintendent and approved by the BOE. Members of the task force shall have math and math education expertise and represent a variety of perspectives regarding math education.
  • The task force shall prepare and present to the BOE a preliminary outline of the review and assessment to be undertaken by the task force. The outline shall, at a minimum, include:
    1. analysis of math achievement data for MMSD K-12 students, including analysis of all math sub-tests scores disaggregated by student characteristics and schools;
    2. analysis of performance expectations for MMSD K-12 students;
    3. an overview of math curricula, including MMSD’s math curriculum;
    4. a discussion of how to improve MMSD student achievement; and
    5. recommendations on measures to evaluate the effectiveness of MMSD’s math curriculum. The task force is to present the preliminary outline and a timeline to the BOE for comment and approval.
  • The task force is to prepare a written draft of the review and
    assessment, consistent with the approved preliminary outline. The draft is to be presented to the BOE for review and comment.

  • The task force is to prepare the final report on the review and assessment.


b. Develop in collaboration with the Board and external advisors, a plan for the District to communicate to the community why parents or guardians should send their children to MMSD schools. Specific tasks include

  1. determining what parents and guardians consider important in selecting schools;
  2. determining whether and how MMSD schools provide what parents and guardians consider important in selecting schools;
  3. using the information gained from parents and guardians, developing a vision of what MMSD should be in the future; and
  4. developing a communications plan to promote MMSD schools and why parents or guardians should send their children to them. Timeframe to develop: 6 months.

c. Provide information to the Board in a clear, accurate, complete yet concise, and timely manner. The Board will evaluate progress on this goal through the use of a rating sheet for Board members to give periodic feed-back on the information they receive from the administration. Information provided to the Board shall be rated for timeliness, accuracy, organization and presentation.
d. Implement the Administrative Intern Professional Development Program. Program participants should be selected by the 4th quarter of this year. Special attention will be given to the recruitment of people of color and other historically under-represented groups in administrative positions in all employment categories of the District. (principals, building services, etc.) A report on the program shall be provided to the BOE at least annually.

3 thoughts on “Board proposes goals for superintendent”

  1. Bravo to the board on tackling the math curriculum!
    The process set out by the board clearly represents any board’s appropriate role to oversee proper management of an organization. In other words, the board isn’t dictating an outcome, but maintains control of the process by setting a goal, approving appointees, and receiving periodic reports prior to the final report.
    Hey, board! Set more goals like that for the superintendent (and yourselves).
    (I’m sorry; I can’t resist. Na-na-nuh-boo-boo to all those people who say I don’t praise the board.)

  2. Captain Rainwater of the MMSD Intrepid, renowned ’round the world for his feckless bravery and singlemindedness, stands at the helm of his beloved vessel and surveys the icy waters ahead.
    A crew member approaches. “Captain, sir, we’ve just received an urgent radio message. Satellite photos show us bearing down on a large iceberg, and nearby ships respectfully asking us if we are monitoring this?” Captain growls, “Well, what do the instruments show?” “Nothing, sir.” Captain, glaring, “Well, what are you standing there for? Back to your post.” “But sir, what shall I tell the other ships?” “Tell??? Tell them NOTHING,” roars the captain. Some moments later, a loud cry is heard. “Ahoy! Iceberg spotted ahead.” Soon the deck is filled with sailors scanning the foggy seas ahead. The Captain impassively stands at the helm, maintaining his course. “Captain, what shall we do? Why don’t you turn the ship, call for help?” cries one sailor, despairing at the Captain’s apparent lack of reaction to the impending disaster.
    Aroused from his reverie, the Captain surveys the crowd of panicked sailors surrounding him. “D’ya all see that iceberg there?” “Yes, oh yes,” the moan rises. “I’ll show you what I’m gonna do. Look, here, I’ll make the iceberg vanish. This is a brand-spankin’ new magnetic/chemical invisibility screen. The latest technology right here on our ship.” Captain holds up a large black box with a big button on it that says ‘PRESS ME.’
    “Now in order for this here gadget to work properly, I gotta have your full cooperation. Everyone close your eyes and repeat after me while I fire this baby up: There is no iceberg. There is no iceberg. There is no iceberg….Good” As the crew obediently repeats the mantra, Captain Rainwater aims the box at the looming iceberg, presses the button, and incredibly, it disappears. “O.K., you can all open your eyes, now. Look, is the iceberg gone?”
    Astonished murmurs fill the deck. They all crane their necks, but the iceberg is nowhere to be seen. Just then, the same timid crewman whom we first encountered bringing the Captain bad news at the beginning of our tragic tale, approaches the Captain again. “Sir, I’ve just gotten another message from the other ship. They are tracking our approach to the iceberg and respectfully are asking if, ah, if you are out of your mind. Sir, if I might make a suggestion, it is conceivable that our instruments are not operating properly.” Another sailor approaches from the other side. “Well, what is it?” barks Captain. “Sir, beggin’ your humble pardon, but I’m alooking and looking where that iceberg was, and I think I can still see it a bit. It’s kinda hidden, but when I really look hard I can see it behind sort of a silvery screen. I think maybe it IS still there.”
    The Captain turns toward him, black rage filling his eyes. “So, you see the iceberg. Look carefully now. Do you see it now?” “Um, yyyyes, sir. It’s over there.” With a quick movement, the Captain shoves the hapless sailor overboard. In a matter of seconds, he sinks below the waves and is drowned. “Hm! Problem solved. Now you don’t see it anymore. Anyone else still seeing that iceberg?” In unison, a chorus from the terrified crew, “No, SIR!” …..
    How can we turn this story around? Maybe a mutiny by the ship’s officers? Put the Captain off in a lifeboat and quickly change course?

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