July 10, 2023 at 5:45 PM - American Civics Meeting

Discussion: 

Attendance Taken at at 5:48 PM Agenda Item: Agenda will be provided at the Meeting from the Superintendent

Americanism Committee American Civics meeting Scott Barger Mike Langan Charlie McPherson Grant Norgaard Jeff Gross

McCook Gazette Reporter Shawn Winder was also present at the meeting.
 

Committee on American Civics Meeting Agenda

7-10-2023 @ 5:45 pm

McCook Jr. High Boardroom 

 

Agenda Items

 

1. Roll call

   1. Chairperson: Mike Langan

   2. Members: Scott Barger, Charlie McPherson 

      1. Attendance taken

 

3. Administration: Grant Norgaard, Jeff Gross

2. Notice of open meetings 

3. Official meeting note s are being taken by Superintendent Norgaard

4. Purpose of This Committee

   1. to become competent, responsible, patriotic, and civil citizens and to ensure a strong, stable, just, and prosperous America.

General Information for Review

5. Songs

   1. Students learn the following songs in elementary school (introduced in the primary grades)

      1. Star Spangled Banner - McCook Elementary 

      2. America the Beautiful - McCook Elementary

6. Important US documents and Philosophical Beliefs used in instruction

   1. The declaration of Independence and (Government and Law, American History & Civics) 

   2. United State Constitution (Government and Law, American History & Civics)

   3. Nebraska’s Constitution (4th grade)

   4. Civics is taught at the freshman level

   5. Citizenry (K-12 multidisciplinary approach)

   6. History is taught in grades (K-12)

   7. Geography is taught at the freshman level

   8. Economics is taught at the  4th, 8th, and 10th grades

   9. Financial literacy is taught at 5th grade and personal finance

7. Special Day’s that will be recognized during the 2023-2024 school year:

   1. President’s day (February 19)

      1. George Washington's birthday (February 22) 

      2. AbrahamLincoln's birthday (February 12)

   2. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday (January 15)

   3. Native American Heritage Day (November 24)

   4. Thanksgiving (November 23)

   5. Constitution Day (September 17)

   6. Veterans Day (November 11)

8.  Special Days when out of school

   1. Memorial Day

   2. Independence day 

9. Presentation of curriculum materials and assessments

   1. Social Sciences Curriculum 

      1. Please review and make a comment on a post-it note when you struggle to find expected content and attach it to the folder for PLC teams to address in the fall. 

         1. Please Focus on 

            1. Committee on American Civics State statute 79-724 

               1. Pink

            2. Essential learning target

               1. Orange

            3. Unpacked standards document

               1. Blue

            4. Pacing Guide

               1. Yellow

            5. Subversive content

               1. Flagged with a 3" by 5" postcard taped to the cover

               2. Content removed from the binder and given to the Superintendent for record keeping

            6. Other

               1. Green

   2. All other Content Areas

      1. Please review and make a comment on a post-it note when you struggle to find expected content and attach it to the folder for PLC teams to address in the fall. 

         1. Please look for 

            1. Essential learning target

               1. Orange

            2. Unpacked standards document

               1. Blue

            3. Pacing Guide

               1. Yellow

            4. Subversive content

               1. Flagged with a 3" by 5" postcard taped to the cover

               2. Content removed from the binder and given to the Superintendent for record keeping

            5. Other

               1. Green

 

The agenda was followed. 

Comments were added to the folders to provide directions to staff on how to improve their curricular content. 

 

Folder Review Directions

 

Review the folder for items that have been identified as needing to be present. If you cannot easily find an item that should be present in the folder, use the color coded post-it notes to clearly mark the deficiency. See the color code below

 

If you find the following items to not be present or not easy to identify please use the appropriate color of post-it note to mark the folder. 

 

1. Missing essential learning target should be marked with an orange post-it note

   1. This item may look like a series of circles or boxes that have standards placed in them. 

2. Missing unpacked standards should be marked with a blue post-it note.

   1. This item may look like a table that breaks down the standards into small learning objectives and should be written in student friendly language. 

3. Missing pacing guide should be marked with a yellow post-it note.

   1. This item might be a calendar or an outline of when each CRT assessment will be given. 

4. Any other item that is missing should be marked with a green post-it note, and a comment identifying the missing item(s).

   1. An example of other items that should be in the CRT folders are the CRT assessments themselves. 

   2. Other types of assessments should also be present, such as quizzes. 

5. Any curriculum content you come across that has anti-American or subversive content should be immediately removed and the folder to be flagged with a 3" by 5" postcard taped to the front of the binder. 
    

Criterion Refrenced Test Folders

Ver. 04.12.23

 

Checkoff Sheet

1. ALL CRT FOLDERS ARE TO INCLUDE:

   • Current CRTs

     • Assessments no longer used need to be removed and new/modified assessments put into the notebook

   • Target Document (Template LINK)

     • Three rings or tiers of learning objectives

   • Unpacked standards documents (Template LINK)

     • Each essential learning objective should have already been unpacked to its smaller learning objectives and these documents need to be added to the CRT notebook

   • CRT Calendar/Pacing Guide - The unpacked standards document Has a pacing guide column 

     • Timeline for window when CRTs should be given

       • Simple list of CRTs and window of time the assessment should be given to students.

         • Calendars with CRTs placed on them will also be accepted

   • General Information about where the student version of the CRT assessment can be obtained

     • This CRT binder is your source for the assessments - you will need to make copies

     • Electronic version on Canvas and can be accessed by...

     • Paper CRT documents in Teacher CRT folder in room 103, File C, Folder CRT/Targets/unpacked standards

     • ETC...

   • Formative Assessments

     • Please have teachers add to their CRT folders a section for the formative & Common formative assessments they have developed that are of high quality. 

       • Quizzes

       • Formal formative assessments

2. Social Sciences CRT Folders 

   • To include in Folder

     • Committee on American Civics State statute 79-724 LINK

     • List of teacher/PLC team dos LINK

       • Complete for each grade 

     • Checkoff sheet for teachers to use to make sure they present evidence for covering all of the statutes. 

       • Make sure the folders present evidence for what we teach and when 

       • Specific examples not generic

       • What are we are doing on the specific days to recognize groups?

     • Unpacked standards instructional content 

 

• Tabbed section of the CRT folder titled ‘American Civics,’ which will contain (1)state statute 79-7244, the (2)District’s social sciences requirements checklist, (3)Make sure the folders present evidence for what we teach and when including samples of student work, and (4)what are we are doing on the specific days to recognize groups?

  • George Washington's birthday, Abraham Lincoln's birthday, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, Native American Heritage Day, Constitution Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving Day, or on the day or week preceding or following such holiday, if the school is in session.

  • See state statute 79-724 LINK

  • See List of teacher/PLC team to do checklist LINK

• For each content area in a CRT folder there will need to be a tabbed section titled ‘DOK Evidence,’ which will contain evidence of DOK level 3 and 4 CRT assessments

• You may also use other forms of evidence to show DOK level 3 and 4 learning concerning essential learning objectives, and place that evidence in your CRT folder.
  
  Meeting adjourned at 6:27