Tuesday, November 10, 2020 - 8:11 am
Director of Secondary Education Laura Love, along with CSCS principal Jill Gurtner and MHS principal Peg Shoemaker, provided a history and timeline of the process for a Portrait of a Graduate at the Board of Education regular meeting on Monday, Nov. 9.
Board president Annette Ashley presided over the meeting at the District Services Center, while other Board members participated remotely. The School Board has been meeting virtually since mid-March.
Love reviewed the background and timeline of the process. She noted there were five drivers -- learning partnerships, learning-centered, engaged and empowered, collective efficacy, and visible learning -- of the high school learning design.
The team in charge of the process went through visioning during the referendum process in 2018 that helped determine what the new facility would look like. A community survey was also developed and nearly 1,250 responses were gathered. In spring 2020, study teams looked at the survey results and shared with secondary staff, who provided feedback through their professional learning communities. Leadership was also involved.
Shoemaker noted work still needs to occur to determine how to measure the drivers. Gurtner noted the work done already gives the District clear drivers as work with in the high school learning redesign. She stressed these are the things MCPASD wants students to do and that the competencies will continue to guide the District through this process.
Team members previously did in-person visits and have done virtual visits to high schools in Brookfield, Wauwatosa, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa already this fall. A tour of CSCS will take place this week. These are all high schools that have already launched similar programs.
Board members expressed gratitude for the team's work to help students. Members also noted this sounds like a continuation of the reports they have heard previously about the work being done at CSCS and how the District can use what is learned there to help personalize learning approaches and implement at other schools. Members also wondered if the pandemic will lead to changes in how we approach learning.
Shoemaker noted students and teachers see the current virtual learning experience as an opportunity to expand anywhere, anytime learning. Gurtner also noted the pandemic has forced everyone into a steep learning curve that will result in more learning options.
"What is exciting as we launch is that these models offer the next step in supporting students and all of the pieces are coming together. The timing is also pretty incredible as we move into a new facility,'' Gurtner said.