January 10, 2008 CVPO
Meeting and Principal Coffee
CVPO Business
Minutes: After introductions, the minutes of the 11/01/07
meeting were approved.
Correspondence: Welcome cards were sent to new teachers
Xochil Morningstar (Spanish) and Sue Helback (Learning Lab). A get well card was sent to Mike Fagan, who
had shoulder surgery. A farewell card
was sent to Brooke Hallinan (English) who has moved to California. Sympathy cards were sent to parent Kathy
Zimbrick, who lost her husband and teacher Mary Johnson (Special Ed.), who lost
her sister-in-law.
Treasurer’s
Report: Available funds of $2,881.52
were reported after a disbursement of $350 for the fall staff breakfast and income
of $76.79 for a membership, a donation and E-Scrip. Total E-Scrip income for the year is now at around $60.
The
breakfast cost was high because it was catered by the district this year. $100 was budgeted and much of the food is
usually donated by parents, but a planning miscommunication led us to the
decision to have it catered, with the cost difference made up with the
President’s Fund. The treasurer
recommended better planning for this event next year.
Next
Year’s School Calendar Input: Kathy
Higdon, CV parent and member of the district Calendar Committee asked for suggestions
for next year's calendar. A discussion
was held entered around this year’s November, winter break, and last day of
school schedules. Kathy also asked if
parents would prefer that staff development time be made up of early release
days or the current schedule of whole days.
Most parents at the meeting preferred the later.
Contact
Kathy (kshigdon@gmail.com) if you have input on
the calendar. She will take part in
several calendar planning meetings beginning on Jan. 25. We will distribute the proposed calendar and
a probable survey when available.
Next
CVPO Meeting: The next meeting and
Principal Coffee will be Feb. 14, 2008.
Principal Topics
Crescent Crier: Cherie Stroud introduced teacher Kip Carlson, advisor to the student newspaper, Crescent Crier, which is a club this year and a possible journalism class in the future. Kip was involved with the Crier as a CV student in the 1980’s and is an enthusiastic supporter of the students who put out the Crier. The first edition of the year was published last month at a cost of $400 paid for with student registration fees, and includes stories on dance behavior, the ski team, and foreign exchange students. The paper has been well received by the school community and three more editions are expected this year, beginning with one at the end of February.
The December 2007 Crescent Crier can be read on-line at:
http://www.csd509j.net/cvhs/Crescent%20Crier/December%202007%20Crier.pdf
The CV website has a link to general information about the Crescent Crier:
Announcements: This year’s CV/CHS musical, The Sound of
Music, will be performed at CV for three days, starting Thursday, Jan.
17. Many CV students and staff are
involved in the musical, including the two lead actors. Information and on-line ticket purchasing
can be found at:
http://www.csd509j.net/theaters
Tickets
can also be purchased at Gracewinds. The musical runs Jan 17-20.
Japanese
Students Visit CV: 24 students from CV’s sister high school in
Tokyo will visit March 29-April 2, 2008.
Twelve families are needed to host pairs of students during these 5
days. The students will arrive on the
Saturday at the end of Spring break week, spend Sunday with their host
families, attend school for three days, and depart after school on
Wednesday. Contact Cherie if interested
in hosting and for more information about the students: Cherie.Stroud@Corvallis.K12.OR.US
First
Semester grades: January 30 is the last day of school for the
first semester, 1/31 is a teacher work day, 2/1 is a professional development
day, 2/4 is the first day of second semester classes, and report cards will be
mailed home during the week of 2/11.
Second
semester schedules were distributed on 1/10.
Open house will be on Wednesday, Feb. 20 and parents are encouraged to
attend, even if their students have one or more year-long classes.
Weighted
Grades: Weighted grades means
that a grade of “A” in an advanced placement course is worth 5 points, instead
of the usual 4 (and likewise for a B, C, or D). This can result in a grade point average greater than 4.0 and
fewer valedictorians and salutatorians.
Many
high schools use weighted grades and some believe that they encourage students
to engage in more rigorous coursework.
Colleges and universities don’t seem to want high schools to use
weighted grades and their adoption would have to be a district decision.
A
discussion ensued, including adoption of +/- grades into the GPA, the value of
national standardization of AP courses, participation of CV students in AP
courses, engagement of CV valedictorians and salutatorians in rigorous
coursework, academic pressure on students, and CV’s decision not to adopt an
International Baccalaureate program.
Superintendent Dawn Tarzian is assembling a task force to look into whether or not the district should adopt weighted grades. If interested in serving on the task force, contact Cherie at Cherie.Stroud@Corvallis.K12.OR.US.
Corvallis
Community Vision for Education: Cherie distributed
copies of this document, which is a summary of a vision and recommendations for
the district’s future created by 1300 people who took part in last year’s
“Corvallis Community Vision for Education.”
She drew attention to the section describing knowledge and skills that
students should obtain, refine, and demonstrate before they graduate. She also noted the section on emerging
themes.
Most
staff development at CV this year will focus on the recommendations in this
document.
The
document is available from the CV front office or by contacting Superintendent
Dawn Tarzian at 757-5841 or emailing CommunityVision@corvallis.k12.or.us.
Advisor: In response to a parent’s question, Cherie
described the purpose of advisor as a small group means of disseminating school
information, career-related education, personal education planning, and
freshmen mentoring through Link Crew.
Advisor groups stay together for four years. Parents requested time to meet advisors during Open House. Electronic copies of Personal Education
Plans will be available soon.
Cherie
stressed that the advisor curriculum should be consistent between groups. With the new state graduation requirements,
it is even more important that the material be covered thoroughly, and Cherie
is committed to supporting her staff as advisors. Contact Cherie (Cherie.Stroud@Corvallis.K12.OR.US) if you have concerns
about your student’s advisor.
Upcoming Events:
Sound
of Music: 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan 17 and
Friday, Jan 18; 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan 20
Martin
Luther King Holiday, no school: Monday,
Jan. 21
College
Planning Night for Juniors and parents:
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m., library
No
school: Thursday and Friday, Jan. 31
and Feb. 1
Start
of Second Semester: Monday, Feb. 4
Next
CVPO meeting and Principal Coffee:
Thurs., Feb. 14, 11 a.m.
President’s
Day Holiday, no school: Monday, Feb. 18
Open
House: Wednesday, Feb 20, 7 p.m.
CVHS Website: http://www.csd509j.net/cvhs/
Current
Raider News: http://www.csd509j.net/cvhs/raidernews/Raider%20News%20Dec-Jan%202007-08.pdf
Respectfully
submitted,
Alex
Vincent
January
12, 2008