RRHS PARENT GROUP MEETING MINUTES
MONDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2006
WELCOME: Pegi Shea welcomed everyone for attending the meeting. She reintroduced the people on the committee. Brian Levesque also welcomed everyone and introduced the Elective teachers that were present.
PRESENTATION BY ELECTIVE TEACHERS:
Chuck Martucci, Business Application. Handed out papers showing what kind of classes students would take on the business side and the computer science side. All freshmen have to take Microsoft Office Apps. On the Business side Computer Technology is offered to 10th - 12th grade. College Accounting, Management/Business Law, and a possible new program called Marketing/Entrepreneurship is offered to Juniors and Seniors. Computerized Accounting and Managerial Finance is offered to Seniors. The Computer Science side offers Basic Programming for 10th - 12th grades, and C++ Programming and Independent Study to Juniors and Seniors.
Pat Goff and Sarah Jane Reilly, Family and Consumer Science. This is classroom based learning. They have 4 main programs. They are:
1. Creative Sewing - Available for 9th - 12th . They do hand sewing and machine sewing. This is a _ year course
2. Fashion Trend - Focus on design, research trends/designers. This is a _ year
course. The students made sashes and they market them to see if they would sell.
3. Child Development - Available for 10th - 12th. This is a 1 year course. Focus on
development through preschool years. They are involved with the RHS Nursery School. The Nursery School has 40 kids who meet three days a week.
*Childhood Education - is a second level class with emphasis on students
preparing for careers in education. These students plan and run the curriculum
for the nursery school program. They can earn MCC credit for ECE 111 and
also be able to take an AP class in Childhood Ed.
*Education Practium - Seniors only. This runs in conjunction with independent
life skills for Spec Ed Students.
*Early Childhood Career Cluster Pilot Program - 12 students involved.
Selected students from related core and elective courses they have taken. Job Shadowing (20 hours), portfolio requirement, and grade requirement.
4. Food for Today - food preparation, use of equipment, sanitation and safety.
nutrition and health issues. Careers in food, e.g. catering
*Creative Foods - Planning, preparing, and serving food for special occasions. Students prepared desserts for tonight's meeting.
Chris Lewis, World Language- There are 4 languages at the high school. They are Spanish, French, Latin, and German. Students in the Spanish and French go to elementary school to expose them to these languages. Some middle school students have an intro of Latin and German. We have 13 German exchange students here. Around
10 - 11 RHS students will go to Germany. Taste of Lanuage on March 22nd. Held at VCMS.
Matt Kibbe, Tech Ed. Handed out Technology Education pamphlet. Talked about Robotics, Graphic Arts, Drafting, Principles of Technology, Electricity/Electronics, A+ Computer Repair, and Automotive Mechanics. Some extra curricular activities are Ford AAA Auto Skill Competition, Harford Home Builders Association, and the Fire Academy.
9TH GRADE TRANSITION: Handout stating what's being done and new ideas. There will be a new Focus Group meeting on 9th grade transition in January. Call Pegi at 872-3513 if you're interested in joining. Reports and minutes of these meetings and activities will be provided via the RHSPG website and listserve.
VOTER AWARENESS: Need a chairperson. We have support from the registrar and the Democratic Town Committee. Update: Republican Town Committee is “in” too.
PARENTS HELPING PARENTS: We had two people show up for our Dad's only events. The event was Dads & Daughters. Dr John Driscoll - School Psychologist was there. There was participation from everyone there. Looking for more topics for future events.
BOARD OF EDUCATION NEWS: Peggy Jackle advised that there was a new Math & Science Coordinator, Chris Osmond. Approved Advanced Creative Writing pending budget approval. Textbook adoption was brought back from last year. $158,000. Three staff members received Profile in Professionalism. They are Linda Cole, English Teacher/English Dept. Coordinator, Darcy Davis, Band Director, and Kathy Haines, Paraprofessional.
****January 11 Budget workshop for RHS, 7pm, BOE Building, 3rd floor****.
Brian is looking at a 5.5% increase in the school budget. This consists of bringing back field trips, freshman sports, asking for 1.2 postions including a new guidance counselor).
Superintendent Search - Committee members consist of BOE, Interim Supt., Ass't supt. Parents will not be on the committee. A focus group meeting with parents was already held. Pegi attended and presented a hard copy of suggestions submitted by more than 20 members of RHS Parent Group. There were about 15 parents from other schools present at the meeting.
NEEDED: Ideas for future Parent Group agenda items and student group features. The coordinating committee will meet with Brian Levesque Jan. 26 to draft agendas for our meetings through May. Please email Pegi at pegideitzshea@aol.com with ideas.
Our next meeting will be Thursday, February 15th . Note the change-day/date. This is to accommodate the art department and chorus who will be giving presentations that night. The remainder of the meetings will be on the first Mondays of the months. Tentative focus for March 5 is Food Services, with a presentation by Monica Pacheko.
Minutes prepared by Cindy Madden, Executive Board Member
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!