Western Arkansas Education Renewal Zone

1. Western Arkansas Education Renewal Zone Advisory Board Meeting Monday, November 21, 2011

2. Welcome

3. Comments from Dr. John Jones College of Education, Dean

4. Scholastic Audits • Hartford High School • Week of Nov. 13, 2011 • Alma Intermediate • Week of Jan. 8, 2012 • Alma Primary • Week of Jan. 8, 2012

5. Each ERZ partner school has a comprehensive professional development program aligned to the growth needs of staff and learning goals of students. ERZ Goal 1

6. Goal 1 Professional development • Common Core Math Grant • ADHE & UAFS Math Faculty • Hartford, Ozark, Paris, Waldron • Common Core Math Conference • Early May or Mid-September • Possible speakers: • Dr. Linda Griffith—Professor of Math Education @ UCA • Dr. Bernard Madison—Professor of Mathematics @ U of A

7. Students in ERZ partner schools have access to a rigorous, intentionally aligned P-16 curriculum that reflects their needs and the needs of the community. ERZ Goal 2

8. BEST Robotics – River Valley– October 22, 2011 Darby-Kimmons Team Under direction of Coach Bill Becker Waldron Middle School Under direction of Tracie Adams

9. BEST Robotics – River Valley– October 22, 2011 Coaches Table Lion’s Den Future BEST Coach Mike Hughes from Northside High

10. Goal 2Rigorous curriculum • BEST Robotics-River Valley (local) • Waldron and Darby-Kimmons (38 middle/junior high school students) • Waldron Middle School • 2nd place overall (BEST Award) • 1st place Robot Competition • Advancing to compete at regional • BEST Robotics-Frontier Trails (regional) • Saturday, December 10, 2011 • Links to curriculum suited to BEST Robotics can be found at: • http://www.bestinc.org/b_resources1.php

11. Goal 2Rigorous curriculum • Global Speakers • Nov. 30—Mansfield Elementary • 3 UAFS international students representing the countries of Japan, Korea, and France • 90 elementary students • Elementary Teach-a-Round • Nov. 29—Cedarville Elementary • UAFS pre-service elementary teachers • 125 elementary students

12. Goal 2Rigorous curriculum • Multi-Media Program • Connections with Charleston High School • UAFS student tutors • Kimmons Junior High • Work with individual students identified as needing extra assistance in a structured setting at Kimmons

13. All teachers (pre-service, beginning, and career) and students in every ERZ school have an appropriate mentoring program. ERZ Goal 3

14. Goal 3Mentoring Programs • Bridging the Rigor Gap • Lavaca High School • Authentic discussions between content high school and university faculty on rigor and student transition into university

15. Goal 3Mentoring Programs • YOU!-niversity • Darby Junior High • Pilot mentoring program with UAFS’s Chancellor’s Leadership Council Students • Long-term; multi-year program partnering at-risk junior high students with UAFS students • Structured mentoring opportunities both on and off campus

16. ERZ partner schools have a system in place to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers. The university has a system for sharing its faculty with partner schools in core subject areas or by using electronic delivery when needed. ERZ Goal 4

17. Goal 4 Recruit/retain teachers • Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) • Certificate of Proficiency • French • German • Japanese • Korean • Portuguese • Spanish

18. Goal 4 Recruit/retain teachers • “Methods Menu” • Many ERZ partners identified as need • Classroom Management • Problem Solving/Higher Order Teaching Skills • Teaching Diverse Learners (gifted, special ed, low-socioeconomic) • Integrated Teaching Strategies • ETC . . .

19. Each ERZ partner school has a parent and community involvement program which implements ongoing, sustainable programs that promote academic and social interactions among family, community, and schools. ERZ Goal 5

20. Goal 5 Parent/community involvement • Parent/Community Education Classes • Waldron School District • Good Nutrition for Good Learning • Personal Finance • Parenting ADHD Children • ETC . . .

21. Goal 5 Parent/community involvement • Experts in the Classroom • Alma Middle School • Baldor Engineers, IT Specialists from Rheem, Cardiologist, Structural Engineer • Exposure to exciting career options • Motivational talk—”You can do it, too!” • Steps to take now (in junior high) to reach your goal

22. The ERZ will promote meaningful collaboration among the university partners, COOPs, partner schools, and community in a manner that carries forth the ERZ mission and goals. The ERZ promotes networking among partners to increase leadership capacity. ERZ Goal 6

23. Goal 6 Collaboration among partners • Middle School Principals’ Summit • Cedarville Middle School • Tentative for Spring Semester • Panel discussion format • Peer-to-peer • Topics being considered: • Scheduling , especially with shared faculty • Issues facing the middle school learner • ETC . . .

24. Goal 6 Collaboration among partners • “Topic Round Table” for each ERZ Advisory Board Meeting

25. Comments from Dr. Barbara Hunt College of Education, Associate Dean

26. We need your advice! • ERZ Advisory Board Membership • Community Members • Parent Members

27. Announcements/Comments • Open to the floor

28. Adjournment