Mid-Week Principal’s Update – January 13, 2016

CMS Schedule Configuration Update

Hello Everyone,

It is great to be back! I missed the CMS community tremendously while recuperating. I have some very exciting information to share, but first want to extend enormous appreciation and thanks to Drew and Anne who each went over and above to lead CMS while I was out, and to Diana and Kristen who provided additional support to ensure that all community members were well cared for.

The weekly principal’s updates and monthly teacher news will continue as implemented in the fall. I have received very positive feedback on the more consistent and informative updates. Another thank you to Drew for doing a wonderful job keeping this new communication plan going and making it an effective information source. This mid-week update just couldn’t wait until the weekend!

CMS CONFIGURATION COMMITTEE PRESENTATION TO SCHOOL COMMITTEE:

Finally, to the point of the update: I am very proud and appreciative of the work the committee members have done related to our School Improvement Plan goals set at the end of last year. The committee presented its recommendations to the school committee last night and received a well-deserved enthusiastic response.

Link to the 1.12.16 CMS Configuration Committee School Committee Presentation

The presentation contains details of the work, but a few important highlights are:

  1. There will be no re-structuring of the grade levels assigned to each building for next year. There are many promising aspects of this model, but with the final stage of a population bubble entering CMS next year, the option is not viable at this time. The potential for this model will be included in the feasibility study planned to occur in the near future for the Peabody and Sanborn campuses, and will include ways to handle any potential future population growth that is not yet on the horizon.
  2. A well-designed master schedule has been constructed that meets our student needs and the priorities of our program. It maintains rotating time frames for classes throughout each day, the 6-day rotation, and the opportunity for students to have directed study and/or necessary academic intervention classes. By returning to a 7-period day it yields increased class time in the academic subjects (return to meeting every day of the cycle), and additional possibilities for a wider variety of electives for students.
  3. The fixed nature of this master means that the need to build a fresh foundation each year has been eliminated. As a result, teachers and students will receive schedules for 2016-2017 school year in the spring, and this practice will continue on an annual basis.

The CMS Configuration Committee completed a voluminous task in an efficient, effective, and most importantly, collaborative manner with the involvement of the full CMS faculty. The outcome is the product of a great deal of thought and dedication, and is a synthesis of work from this fall and over the past four years. The goals set for the work were solidly met, and the model will provide an effective and reliable experience for our students.

I strongly encourage you to look through the presentation (link above), or to explore the Configuration Committee meeting notes linked from the CMS Web Site.

For even more information, and an opportunity to ask questions, please join us for one of the parent forums scheduled to review the Configuration Committee’s work. They will be on February 3, from 5-6pm and February 4, from 10-11am. Both meetings will take place in the Sanborn Auditorium.

Have a wonderful evening!

Lynne Beattie, CMS Principal

lbeattie@concordps.org