RMS and WHS Program of Studies -
The Committee reviewed course offerings at the high school (and middle school) through the framework of career clusters that range from agriscience to hospitality to careers in business and industry. Dave Vitale displayed courses that a student might take based on career interests and how those courses are commonly sequenced throughout a student's tenure in school. New courses added to the program of studies for 2011-12 include Food Science and Ag Power and Farm Production.
The Committee also reviewed a site (Wisconsin Career Pathways) that contained content prepared by Bruce Foley from the Career and Technical Education Department. Curt Mould shared the programs of studies in the areas of Career and Technical Education that Wisconsin Career Pathways highlights for students.
College and Career Readiness -
The discussion about the course offerings included the ways in which our courses prepare students for college and careers. Other initiatives, such as the Scholastic Math and Reading Inventory assessments administered at Riverside Middle School and Watertown High School (SRI) that are designed to measure growth in reading, and algebra readiness in math. The discussion on standards-based grading centered on establishing grading practices that reflect actual student learning by separating grading variables from reporting variables, such as timeliness or neatness.