Curriculum Committee
A strong Curriculum Committee (CC) is vital to the success and growth of Peak to Peak and is especially important to a K-12 college preparatory school. A high functioning committee presents an arena for teachers, administrators, parents and Board members to discuss new and perhaps better ways to increase student achievement. It is a venue to combine ideas and research new curriculum and literature to make changes that have an impact on student learning and achievement.
The Curriculum Committee’s primary purpose is to continuously improve the educational program, in line with Peak to Peak’s overall mission and vision, via research, curriculum development, and review of recommendations for changes in curriculum and/or primary learning materials brought to the committee by department chairs or team leaders. In-depth discussions on the research and recommendations take place in these committee meetings. After approval by the Curriculum Committee, potential curricular changes are communicated to the Peak to Peak community and the Board of Directors for the opportunity to provide feedback. Recommendations, based on Curriculum Committee discussions and community feedback, are then made to the Peak to Peak Board of Directors for consideration and approval.
The Curriculum Committee will be expected to present all course changes to the Board no later than the second Board meeting in November. Curriculum material changes need to be brought to the Board no later than the second Board meeting in March. Before presenting the final changes to the Board, the community will have an opportunity to examine materials and other changes for at least two weeks prior to seeking Board approval.
Curriculum Committee Structure and Meetings
Curriculum Committee meetings (K-5 and 6-12) will occur at least once per month.
K-12 Curriculum Committee meetings occur as needed, typically between two and four times each school year. Minutes will be taken at each meeting and distributed to attendees and other committee members.
- Curriculum Committee members will include; Board liaisons, administrators, teachers, parent representatives, a representative from the Accountability Committee (if possible), and staff who have completed training in the curriculum guidelines. Principals will serve as co-chairs of the Curriculum Committee.
- The K-12 Curriculum Committee will include at least two Board liaisons, all Principals, all teacher leaders for curriculum (at least 3 teachers for elementary and 4 teachers for secondary), at least one parent representative for the elementary, and at least one parent representative for the secondary. Students may also be considered for membership in this committee. This membership group will help define the goals of the Curriculum Committee.
Parent representatives are recruited through the Friday Digest. Interested persons can send alison.cross@bvsd.org (Office Director) information on why they would like to serve on the committee and the skills and perspectives they would bring. Parent representatives will be interviewed by committee representatives, such as the co-chairs and content area representatives, in order to clarify roles and responsibilities. The Curriculum Committee will submit names of recommended parent representatives to the Board for approval. Parent representatives must be approved by the Board of Directors and sign a school confidentiality agreement.
A Curriculum Committee member who has a financial, personal or private interest in any curricular change or learning material proposed or pending before the committee shall disclose such interest.