By Ashley M. Casey
Staff Writer
The Baldwinsville Central School District’s middle-level math and science curricula are missing some key concepts, according to a curriculum review done by OCM BOCES.
Lynn Radicello, Jessica Whisher-Hehl and Jack McLoughlin of BOCES presented their findings at the March 21 board of education meeting.
McLoughlin, who reviewed the math curricula, said that the lack of written evidence of certain topics does not necessarily mean that teachers are not covering them.
“You can’t put down everything you cover in the document,” McLoughlin said.
Whisher-Hehl said the “missing” concepts could appear in labs or class activities that were not included on the curriculum documents she and McLoughlin examined.
The math curricula in grades six, seven and eight showed no written evidence of material covering statistics and probability. Seventh- and eighth-grade math are missing key geometry concepts and eighth-grade math is lacking the concepts of rational and irrational numbers.
BOCES’ examination of fifth- through seventh-grade science showed that while most Living Environment (biology) concepts are present — and overlap in fifth and seventh grades — the curricula did not show evidence of sexual and asexual reproduction in animals and plants, development and disease in organisms and topics on nutrition and health.
Many concepts of physical science are also missing from the middle-level science curricula, including forms of energy and the conservation of energy and the relationships between forces and motion.
The eighth-grade science curriculum was not included in the review because BCSD offers a Regents-level course for eighth-graders.
Radicello said that state assessments do not test students on every single standard on the list, but teachers must cover them all in case they appear on the test or in future classes and assessments.
“It varies from year to year,” Radicello said.
McLoughlin said the Regents and the state assessments are written by different people, so teachers must make sure to include state standards in Regents courses as well.
“If you’re taking a Regents course, you really need to make sure you’re [including the state standards] or you’re shortchanging the kids,” BOE President Victor Jenkins said.
BOCES also reviewed the district’s plan to accelerate all students in math and science, which was rolled out this school year. Radicello said this plan is not in compliance with state standards unless the school lists certain criteria which students must meet in order to continue in the accelerated program.
BOCES’s summary of the curriculum review said that Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Joseph DeBarbieri told the reviewers that students need to have an 85 percent average in the previous year’s class for admission into the acceleration program.
“Analysis by BCSD indicates that approximately 62 percent of students will qualify for acceleration in the coming year. If students do not meet the criteria they have the opportunity to challenge to obtain entrance into the acceleration program,” the summary read. “Students also have the option for a course of study in eighth grade that does not culminate with a Regents exam. However, no written documentation for this was provided prior to this written summary.”
Superintendent Dr. David Hamilton said the district would look at the curriculum revisions provided by BOCES and would consider fifth grade in the long view of its acceleration program. State standards “band” middle-level grades five, six, seven and eight together. Hamilton said the compression of four years of material into three years (before Regents classes and exams in eighth grade) will be easier than trying to compress seventh and eighth grade material into just one year.
Teachers of fifth- through seventh-grade math and science will work to revise their curricula April 19 and 20, with final curriculum documents due by May 13. Hamilton will report back to the BOE by June 1. Over the summer, Hamilton will work with the program and curriculum committees to overhaul the curriculum review process.
Documents pertaining to BOCES’ curriculum review can be found on the March 21 BOE agenda at boarddocs.cnyric.org/bville/Board.nsf/Public.
Late student recognized
Also at the BOE meeting, Hamilton led the crowd in a moment of silence for a Baker High School student who died by suicide March 21.
Several people attended the meeting wearing Stand Against Suicide (SAS) shirts in memory of 15-year-old Paige Bird, who was a member of the school’s color guard, marching band and chorus.
SAS Vice President Dory Curry asked the BOE during its public comment period to institute policies addressing suicide and mental illness among students and faculty. Curry said the only board policy in which suicide is mentioned is “Violence in the School Environment,” which directs students to report threats of suicide to a teacher or principal.
“We have been told by a number of students that they were left to feel alone and are struggling to cope with the loss of their friend,” Curry said. “Students were given a couple of days to talk to someone that said, ‘How are you feeling?’ These kids have no idea how they are feeling except hurt and alone.”
Curry also called for a community education forum to inform parents about mental illness and the risk of suicide.
“More teenagers and young adults die from suicide a year than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease combined,” she said. “Why would suicide education for our students and their parents not be considered a top priority?”
Curry’s microphone was cut off after her allotted three minutes to speak were up.
SAS has hosted support groups in the wake of Paige Bird’s death and gathered volunteers to prepare yellow remembrance ribbons to distribute at the Mid-York Color Guard Circuit Championships, which was held April 2 and 3 at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.
If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, don’t hesitate to get help. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit crisischat.org to talk with a trained Lifeline Crisis Chat specialist. If you’re in immediate danger of harming yourself, call 911.
