SAC Minutes—Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Members attending:  Kelly Mutters, Aril Bennett, Lynn Wesighan, Karen Musser, Sally Burkhart, Pam Catron, Joyce Clark, Susan McGuire, Jon McGuire, Cindy McConnell, Orvie Mizzell.

The SAC meeting was called to order by Karen Musser, SAC chair, at 6:30 P.M.  Mrs. Musser presented the minutes from the previous meeting for approval.  Lynn Wesighan motioned that the minutes be approved.  Orvie Mizell seconded.  The minutes were approved.

New Business:  The Academy Organizational Plan

Background information--

Iris Smith explained that we have been successful at Apopka High School increasing rigor in our classrooms.  We have done this by including higher level questions in our classroom discussions, by including those same type of higher level questions on our quizzes and exams, and by writing and administering common level exams across curriculum area.  While our efforts to increase rigor are continuing this year through the work of our horizontal learning teams, we now are ready to expand our focus to the second and third parts of our school goal.  Those parts are to strive for increased relevance for our students and to strengthen the relationships all students have to adults or mentors at Apopka High School.  We have been discussing a conversion to small learning communities as our organizational format for the upcoming 2008-2009 school year.  Our teachers examined the small learning community concept, considered several models of small learning communities, and voted to organize as academies next year.  We are now presenting the academy model to the SAC for approval, so that this system can be implemented next year.

Speakers presenting the Academy Plan are Mr. James Fowler, art teacher at AHS, and Mr. Robert Joyce, drafting teacher at AHS.

Mr. Fowler began by explaining that he became frustrated when he saw students who wee disengaged in our classrooms and often times dropping out of school.  He saw the need for more relevance in our curriculum over the spectrum of curriculum areas.

 Mr. Fowler explained that change is happening at an alarming rate.  Our students today must be able to compete not only nationally, but globally. We then viewed the film, “Shift Happens,” which focuses on the need for change.

Mr. Joyce stated that students today must graduate from high school with interpersonal skills, the ability to work well with others, and experience with using the newest forms of technology to complete tasks and communicate with others.  This is more likely to occur if students are engaged in the curriculum at hand.  He added that students wonder how they can use their education in the real world.  It is extremely important that teachers help their students to see the relevance of their education to life outside the classroom. 

Dr. Clark added that the academy system is for all students. It gives kids a goal and hope for their education as they see that they are taking classes they are interested in. She stated there is nothing sadder than a student who has no hope.

Mr. Floyd said that high school is on its own. In elementary school, students stay with one teacher all day long. In middle school, students stay with a team of teachers establishing strong relationships with the students. Even in college, students attend classes with other students in areas of their major interest. The difference is the high school at which students attend six different classes with no definite connection. The academy system will interest students when those students are assigned to classes with other students who have similar interests. Fewer kids should get lost under a new academy system.

Mrs. Musser was concerned that only four academies would result in groups of approximately 700 students each. How do we get smaller she asked.

Mr.Floyd stated that we would start with four large academies and pathways within academies would yield smaller units of students.

Mr. McGwire asked how honors and AP classes would work within the academies.

Mr. Floyd answered that there would be honors and AP classes within each academy.

Mr. Joyce explained that we don’t want to limit our students in any way. Under the academy system every course at AHS is open to every student at AHS. The only restrictions would be prerequisites that might need to be taken.

Dr. Clark stated that all of the current electives that are offered at AHS fit into the four academies we are implementing for the 2008-2009 school year. Those academies are the Performing and Visual Arts Academy, the Global Communications and Leadership Academy, the Business, Engineering and Technology Academy, and the Health and Wellness Academy. When students choose an academy, and students will be given the right to choose the academy to which they affiliate, they will see that their education is extremely relevant. This relevance should facilitate each of them successfully meeting graduation requirements, passing the FCAT test, and passing the SAT or ACT exam. She concluded that our teachers are passionate and excited at the thought of adding more relevance to their content curriculum.

Mr. Joyce explained that he worked at an academy school in Miami prior to teaching at AHS. He said that the school in Miami was an extremely low socioeconomic student body. Through the academy system, the students saw relevance in their coursework and stayed engaged with the teachers to the point that the school earned a B for its state grade. The academy system clearly worked for them.

Mr. Fowler had invited a former student who had experienced a relevant classroom, Evan Chabot, and his father to share their thoughts about a relevant education. Mr. Chabot shared that Evan blossomed when he experienced the relevance of Mr. Fowler and Mr. Joyce’s classrooms. He was able to show what he could do because he was interested and engaged. He realized he had to be a lifelong learner and now he is keeping up with new developments. Evan stated that he got the direction he needed in Mr. Fowler and Mr. Joyce’s classrooms.  He once again was engaged in studying and determined to complete his high school education.

Mr. Floyd called for a vote of the SAC committee to approve the implementation for the academy system at AHS in Apopka for next year. Prior to the vote Mr. McGwire asked us to check to see if a quorum of voting members was present at the meeting.

Members raised their hands and a quorum was present. 

Mrs. Mutters motioned that SAC accept the academy plan. Mrs. Mizzell seconded. The motion passed.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 P.M. by Mrs. Musser. The next meeting will be Tuesday, February 12^th at 6:30 P.M. in the main campus media center.