Experts Discuss Student Achievement

Expert Panels Provide Insights into 5 PSD Student Achievement Areas

Expert panels met with the Board of Education in January, February and March 2008 to discuss five areas of student achievement.  The board is discussing and refining the input to share with the graduation requirements committee.

March - April 2009, the PSD Graduation Requirements Committee is in the process of reviewing the Board of Education Ends Policy 1.0 and the draft of the Board Ends work to date to include in its district review and update of graduation requirements.

October 2008 - March 2009, the Board of Education is discussing the in-depth information and revising input to develop in-depth ends policies in each of the 5 areas of student achievement below.

November and December 2008, Board of Education members made 3 Colorado Assn. of School Boards presentations on community engagement to school board members, superintendents and other administrators statewide featuring the expert panel process. 

Click titles to view their presentation visuals for: Community Engagement: Blueprint for Student Success in the 21st Century (11.9 MB) , and Community Engagement 101: Creating Community Advocates for Your Schools (5.6 MB) . 

Watch the 8-minute video summary of the expert panels here.

Panels comprised of staff, students, parents, community leaders and higher education representatives are talking in-depth about the five achievement areas in the Board's "ends policy"--academics, civic participation, career preparation, creative skills, and thinking skills.

The Board of Education held panel discussions with expert panels in the five critical areas of learning listed in the Ends Policies.  To watch videos online, access Channel 10 broadcast schedules, and for information on panel members, please click on links below:

• Civic Participation (Jan. 22) Videos: Part 1 (30.1 MB) , Part 2 (35.1 MB) , Part 3 (28 MB) , Part 4 (27.1 MB) , Part 5 (27.1 MB), Part 6 (31.1 MB)
       Expert Panel Members (48 KB)
       Civic Education Standards in PSD (183 KB)
       Social Studies Pathways (113 KB)
  
  
• Thinking Skills (February 26) Videos: Part 1 (28.8 MB) , Part 2 (30.9 MB) , Part 3 (32.5 MB) ,  Part 4 (27.3 MB) , Part 5 (35.6 MB) , Part 6 (35.3 MB) , Part 7 (26.6 MB) , Part 8 (31.7 MB) , Part 9 (30.2 MB) 
       Expert Panel Members (49 KB)
       Thinking Skills Resources (163 KB)
      
• Career Preparation (February 26) Videos: Part 1 (31.7 MB) , Part 2 (25.1 MB) , Part 3 (35 MB) , Part 4 (31.3 MB) , Part 5 (16.6 MB)  
       Expert Panel Members (48 KB)
       Career Preparation Resources (189 KB)
  
  
• Creative Skills (March 25) Videos: Part 1 (28.7 MB) , Part 2 (32 MB), Part 3 (20 MB), Part 4 (22.4 MB), Part 5 (31.2 MB) , Part 6 (32.3 MB), Part 7 (17.5 MB), Part 8 (33 MB) , Part 9 (26.6 MB) , Part 10 (43.2 MB), Part 11 (20.6 MB) , Part 12 (22.2 MB) 
      Expert Panel Members (50 KB)  
     
• Academics (March 25) Videos: Part 1 (35.4 MB) , Part 2 (28.7 MB), Part 3 (29 MB), Part 4 (30.1 MB), Part 5 (29.2 MB) , Part 6 (12.6 MB), Part 7 (35.1 MB), Part 8 (33.2 MB), Part 9 (20.2 MB)     
       Expert Panel Members (49 KB)

Panel members were selected by Board members and Superintendent Wilson based on their background and expertise in the five areas.

Developing ends policies is part of the Policy Governance model the Board of Education adopted in 2006.  The Board held public engagement meetings with 18 groups to create its “district ends” policy—broad statements that articulate the future vision for the district and benefits to schools and students.  The input from parents, students, staff, community, service organizations, and the business community helped them develop and refine the policy, which defines the five areas of accomplishment for students. The Superintendent and staff then determine and carry out the “means” for accomplishing the Board’s “ends.”

According to Board of Education president Larry Neal, the expert panels will help the Board dig deeper into each area of the ends policy, providing in-depth information about skills and knowledge students need in these five areas.

Each panel is addressing current practices and state and local standards, promising practices from other schools and districts, practices that demonstrate individual student proficiencies, and evidence that students are becoming post-secondary ready.  As panels meet with the Board, the Board may adopt additional ends policies that establish a vision for the five areas.

For additional information, call the Superintendent's office at 970-490-3607 or email elaubhan@psdschools.org.