Time demands associated with the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) were front and center among teachers and administrators at today’s meeting of the state’s new CCSS task force.
Wallingford K-2 school principal Vicki Reed told her colleagues that her district has made progress in designing its curriculum with the CCSS. “The work is ongoing,” she said. “There are always revisions.”
At the beginning of the meeting, task force chairman and East Hartford superintendent Nate Quesnel reminded everyone that the challenge for Connecticut’s districts is to take the CCSS and turn them into curriculum.
Wallingford school superintendent Sal Menzo made a presentation to the task force about the town’s CCSS implementation. He said that giving time to educators to interact is important.
“Giving teachers time to talk to each other is sometimes often better than bringing in people from the outside.”
He has surveyed teachers and their highest level of concern was resources. Menzo said he was opposed to purchasing materials off the shelf from a textbook maker or corporate provider to support Wallingford’s work implementing the common core.
“It we did anything well, it was because of the hard work of the teachers and administrators,” said Menzo. He added that parent and other constituent groups have been instrumental in the process as well.
Menzo said he met with high school students this month to get their feedback. The students shared with him their observations that the common core has put “stress” on the system.
At the first Task Force Meeting on the Common Core Nate Quesnel (Co-chair), Superintendent of East Hartord, warned the participants that there would be no talking about the validity of the CommonCore at the task force meetings.
When I looked to my left and Spoke to Jessica Stram, a lobbyist for Conncan, she said that these meetings were not to make adjustments to the common core and that the sessions are focused on how to roll out the program. This was my take away too.
Please post if you know what venue the CEA will use to determine its public stance on the validity of the common core as the Task Force meetings are clearly not going to address this issue as the CEA moves with caution under a “yellow light”.