New York StateMiddle-Level Education Summit –

Focusing on the Implementation NYSED’s 7 Essential Elements of Standards-Focused

Middle Level Schools and Programs

August 20-21, 2008Hearing Room C

Legislative Office BuildingAlbany, NY

Sponsored by the New York State Middle School Association

Purpose of the Summit

“To bring about a common understanding of NYS middle-level policy and regulations and to develop a statewide plan to fully implement current State middle-level regulation, including the NYS Middle-Level Essential Elements, in all NYS schools serving middle-level students. This comprehensive implementation plan will utilize the added capacity and support made available through a collaborative effort by all stakeholder groups.”

Participants• Association of Math Teachers of NYS• Business Teachers Association of NYS• Catholic School Administrators Association of NYS• Cattaraugus-Allegheny MS Principals Group• Council of School Supervisors and Administrators• eSchool Data, LLC• National Middle School Association• NY Association of Colleges for Teacher Education• NY Association of school Psychologists• NY Counseling Association, Inc• NY Daily News• NYC Art Teachers Association• NYS Art Teachers Association• NYS Association for Staff and Curriculum Development• NYS Association of School Nurses• NYS Association of Teacher Educators

Participants• NYS Council for the Social Studies• NYS Council of Administrators for Music Education• NYS Council of Educational Organizations• NYS Council of School Superintendents• NYS Department of Health• NYS Governor’s Office – Secretary for Education• NYS Middle School Association• NYS Parent Teacher Association• NYS Reading Association• NYS School Boards Association• NYS School Counselors Association• NYS School Library Media Specialists• NYS School Music Association• NYS School Social Workers Association• NYS Senate Research Services

Participants

• NYS Senator Saland’s Office• NYS Technology Educators Association• NYS Education Department Office of School Improvement

and Community Services• NYSUT• Pearson Education Publications/Prentice Hall• Rockwell Museum of Western Art• School Administrators Association of NYS• Science Teachers Association of NYS• SED Middle-Level Liaisons• Senator Hillary Clinton’s Albany Office• Staff Curriculum Development Network• WSWHE BOCES Middle-Level Principals’ Group

Guiding Questions – Day 1

• What shared understanding do we need in order to be active participants in the Summit?

• How do the EE help us to understand m-l learners and meet their needs?

• What needs to be done in order to ensure that all ml schools have the EE in place?

• How can our individual organizations support and help ensure full implementation of the EE in all schools?

Guiding Questions – Day 2

• What actions will we take to ensure the full implementation of the EE in all NYS ml schools and programs?

• How can our individual organizations collaborate to ensure full implementation of the EE?

• What does full implementation of the EE look like?

Speakers

• Regent Joseph Bowman, NYS Board of Regents• Al Summers, NMSA• Jeff Craig, NYSMSA• Dr. Shawn Robertson, M-L Liaisons• Don Nickson, SAANYS• Elizabeth Sheffer, NYSUT• Stephanie Fehr/Tamalin Martin, NYSPTA• Cherroll Dossett, NYSED Office of School Imp• Fish, MacBain, Root, Reed EE:STW Principals• Steve Zielinski, NYSMSA

Results

• Great interest and excitement was generated over Essential Elements and EE:STW Program.

• A draft of an Action Plan was developed and people took responsibility for certain aspects of the plan.

• A post-Summit committee is working to keep up the momentum of the Summit, with a goal of Summit 2 next summer.

• There is a great amount of important work to be done to keep the M-L tsunami going!

Already…

• Invitations to present at each others’ conferences• Invitations to write for journals and newsletters• Invitations to formalize partnership between NYSMSA

& NYSPTA• NYASCD, SAANYS, NYSSBA, CSA have highlighted

EE in Fall publications• EE poster is hanging in middle-level classrooms across

NYS• Invitation to participate in Governor’s Summit on

Student Engagement and Dropout Prevention

NYS Governor’s Summit on Student Engagement and

Dropout Prevention

October 10, 2008

Nazareth College - Rochester, NY

America’s Promise Alliance

5 Promises:

1.Caring Adults

2.Effective Education

3.Safe Spaces &Constructive Use of Time

4.Healthy Start and Healthy Development

5.Opportunities to Make a Difference Through Helping Others

Messages

Chancellor Bennett –

“We must end the silo approach to education”

Commissioner Mills –

“The promise of effective education is a promise we intend to keep.”

Messages

Governor Paterson–

“I will make decisions that you won’t like. We will make decisions that we won’t like. Yet, we must continue to find ways to educate our young people”

Messages

Dr. Pedro Noguera –

“Challenge the “normalization of failure” –

•Provide a relevant curriculum

•Personalize the learning environment

•Implement effective interventions

•Engage parents early

•Develop partnerships

SEDL Educators’ Focus Group(Social & Emotional Development and Learning)

October 3, 2008

Albany, NY

SEDL

2006 – Mental Health Act – required the development of SEDL guidelines as part of P-16 Strategy

– Social/emotional competencies as a strategy for closing the achievement gap

– Aligned with and support of middle-level advisory; job is to build on the work that is already being done (including Advisory and EE #6)

SEDL Guidelines

• Gathered feedback on SEDL draft from educators representing urban, rural, suburban schools, Higher Ed, CBO’s, Social Services, etc.

• Revised draft is now being reviewed

• Voluntary guidelines – soft roll-out