Pre-AP for All Timeline

From forum discussion:
http://www.lovejoyschools.com//phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2103&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

The Lovejoy board hired Superintendent Moore after extensive rounds of closed door meetings. Just three months later, it was announced that only honors and gifted classes were recommended for the new secondary schools. The board kept this departure from their previously published curriculum a secret from parents during hiring negotiations with Moore and Muizers.

In addition to the change to eliminate regular track classes, the board did not disclose in their meeting minutes that they hired Moore at $60,000 more per year than the salary of other Collin County 3A superintendents. The board hired Moore in June and the new curriculum emerged in a board meeting for the first time in September.

PRE-AP FOR ALL
TIME LINE

The following is a chronological summary in the decision by the Lovejoy ISD Board of Trustees to implement an all honors curriculum in their newly created secondary schools. Every attempt has been made to find documentation as published by the board and its administration so that parents may understand how a series of board omissions allowed them to be misled. Note that the board agendas are set by Lovejoy President of the Board of Trustees Richard Hickman. See that there were ample missed opportunities for public discussions.
Link to minutes: http://sm.lovejoyisd.net/MP.cfm?P=731

February 1, 2005. On this date Lovejoy ISD created a presentation of its promised curriculum. Document Properties show this version created 2/1/2005. This presentation shows that students will have Regular Track classes and shows Algebra I as a 9th grade class. This presentation is consistent with the recommendation made by Dr. Lee Alvoid, a paid curriculum consultant for the district.

February 15, 2005. Regular Lovejoy Board meeting. " Discuss/Consider a Contract with TASB for the Superintendent Search. Dr. Don Killough from TASB (Texas Association of School Boards) presented to the Board of Trustees their approach to a Superintendent search. The process will begin with Leadership Profile Sessions and Town Meetings on February 24th and 25th. The Board of Trustees agreed to Contract with TASB for the Superintendent Search."

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

February 24, 2005. Lovejoy Board Special Meeting. "Discussion with TASB Consultant Regarding Superintendent Search Process. Dr. Don Killough and Dr. Ron Caloss with TASB consulted with the Board of Trustees about the superintendent search process."

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

[Four days later on Feb. 28, 2005, Mark Slavin turned in 20 hours work time, paid for by Dennis Muizers at McKinney ISD. This led to Muizers’ dismissal on May 19.
http://www.lovejoyschools.com/MuizersOverpaySlavin.html]

February 28, 2005. Lovejoy board Special Meeting. "Rich Hickman shared that meeting dates needed to be confirmed with TASB regarding the superintendent search calendar. All dates on the TASB calendar stayed the same with the exception of Follow Up Interviews will be held May 3-5 instead of May 5-7."

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

March 15, 2005. Lovejoy regular board meeting. No discussion of curriculum.

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

April 19, 2005. Lovejoy regular board meeting. No discussion of curriculum.

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

April 25, 2005. Special board meeting. "Discussion with TASB Consultant Regarding Superintendent Search Process
The Board of Trustees discussed the superintendent search process with the consultants from TASB. Approval of the Number of Candidates to Interview
The Board of Trustees voted to interview six candidates for the superintendent position."

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]


April 28, 2005. Special Board meeting. "CLOSED Session: The Board Retired into Closed Session in Accordance with the Texas Open Meeting Act.
The Board of Trustees entered into Executive Session at 6:00 p.m. pursuant to the Texas Government Code to discuss current personnel matters and real property.
Board Interview and Discussion of Superintendent Applications."

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

April 29, 2005. Special Board meeting. "CLOSED Session: The Board Retired into Closed Session in Accordance with the Texas Open Meeting Act.
The Board of Trustees entered into Executive Session at 6:00 p.m. pursuant to the Texas Government Code to discuss current personnel matters and real property.
Board Interview and Discussion of Superintendent Applications."

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

April 30, 2005. Special board meeting. "CLOSED Session: The Board Retired into Closed Session in Accordance with the Texas Open Meeting Act.
The Board of Trustees entered into Executive Session at 8:30 a.m. pursuant to the Texas Government Code to discuss current personnel matters and real property.
A. Board Interview and Discussion of Superintendent Applications."

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

May 2, 2005. Special board meeting. "CLOSED Session: The Board Retired into Closed Session in Accordance with the Texas Open Meeting Act.
The Board of Trustees entered into Executive Session at 7:30 p.m. pursuant to the Texas Government Code to discuss current personnel matters and real property.
Board Interview and Discussion of Superintendent Applications. Consider the Number of Applicants to Interview. The Board of Trustees voted to interview three applicants for the Superintendent’s position."

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

May 3, 2005. Special board meeting. "CLOSED Session: The Board Retired into Closed Session in Accordance with the Texas Open Meeting Act.
The Board of Trustees entered into Executive Session at 6:02 p.m. pursuant to the Texas Government Code to discuss current personnel matters and real property.
A. Dinner Meeting with Superintendent Applicant
B. Board Interviews Superintendent Applicant
C. Board Discusses Superintendent Applicant"

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

May 4, 2005. Special board meeting. "CLOSED Session: The Board Retired into Closed Session in Accordance with the Texas Open Meeting Act.
The Board of Trustees entered into Executive Session at 6:12 p.m. pursuant to Section 551.074 of the Texas Government Code to discuss current personnel matters and real property.
A. Dinner Meeting with Superintendent Applicant
B. Board Interviews Superintendent Applicant
C. Board Discusses Superintendent Applicant"

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

May 5, 2005. Special board meeting. "CLOSED Session: The Board Retired into Closed Session in Accordance with the Texas Open Meeting Act.
The Board of Trustees entered into Executive Session at 6:12 p.m. pursuant to Section 551.074 of the Texas Government Code to discuss current personnel matters and real property.
A. Dinner Meeting with Superintendent Applicant
B. Board Interviews Superintendent Applicant
C. Board Discusses Superintendent Applicant"

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

May 12, 2005. McKinney ISD Press Release:

“During a special meeting held May 12, 2005, the Lovejoy ISD Board of Trustees named Ted Moore, currently the deputy superintendent in MISD, as the lone finalist for superintendent. Moore will replace Carol Ray, who is retiring in July. State law requires the school district to wait 21 days prior to officially hiring the lone finalist.

His strong passion for kids, his passion for excellence and the drive and energy he showed us in the interview process is just second to none,” said Rich Hickman, president of the Lovejoy ISD Board of Trustees. “Obviously he has the administration background, but he also has a lot of depth in the tactical workings of the school district. He has opened schools, he has been in charge of curriculum and technology and he has hired principals. All of the key things that he has done are the same tasks we will be doing in Lovejoy.”

The Lovejoy school district, like other Collin County districts, is experiencing rapid growth. It currently serves about 1,000 students in grades kindergarten through six. The district is working toward the addition of a middle and high school to serve the secondary students. Hickman said LISD would open a new high school in the 2006-07 school year that will serve students in grades 6th – 9th. In 2008, a middle school will open to serve 6th-8th grade students, and the first graduating class in Lovejoy will graduate in 2010. At that time, Lovejoy High School will be a large 3-A high school or small 4-A school.
http://www.mckinneyisd.net/departments/communications/pressroom/index.cfm?newsID=56

[Hickman misses an opportunity to inform parents of a possible change in the curriculum promised to the taxpayers.]

May 12, 2005. Special board meeting. "CLOSED Session: The Board Retired into Closed Session in Accordance with the Texas Open Meeting Act.
The Board of Trustees entered into Executive Session at 6:04 p.m. pursuant to Section 551.074 of the Texas Government Code to discuss current personnel matters and real property.
A. Discussion of Superintendent Applicants
B. Discuss Current Personnel Matters
C. Discuss Recommended Employment and/or Resignations
Return to Open Meeting for Action, If Necessary, On Matters Discussed In Closed Session
The Board returned from Executive Session at 6:58 p.m.
Select Superintendent Finalist
The Board of Trustees named Mr. Ted Moore, the finalist for the Superintendent position."

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

May 17, 2005. Special board meeting to certify the trustee election results.
May 17, 2005. Regular board meeting. No public discussion on offer of superintendent job to Ted Moore.

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

June 2, 2005. Special board meeting. "CLOSED Session: The Board Retired into Closed Session in Accordance with the Texas Open Meeting Act.
The Board of Trustees entered into Executive Session at 7:31 p.m. pursuant to Section 551.074 of the Texas Government Code to discuss current personnel matters and real property.
Discussion of Superintendent's Contract
Return to Open Meeting for Action, If Necessary, On Matters Discussed In Closed Session
The Board returned from Executive Session at 7:50 p.m.
Approval of Offer to Employ New Superintendent
The Board of Trustees approved an offer to employ Mr. Ted Moore as the Superintendent of Lovejoy ISD.

[No public discussion in change of curriculum. No disclosure to the taxpayers that Lovejoy agreed to pay Mr. Moore $60,000 more than other Collin County 3A superintendents.]

[A few days before on May 19, Dennis Muizers a former employee of Ted Moore, was asked to resign from McKinney ISD for giving stipends to Ted’s step son Mark Slavin. Shows that Ted Moore was under negotiations with Lovejoy ISD while this was being played out in McKinney ISD. ]

June 14, 2005. Regular board meeting. Hired Dennis Muizers June 14, 2005 (twelve days after hiring Ted Moore)

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.][Moore negotiated a offer to Muizers with the board's approval.]

July 19, 2005. Regular board meeting. Ted Moore made first presentation to the board. "Secondary Report: Dr. Mike Goddard, Lovejoy High School principal, and Gavan Goodrich, Lovejoy Middle School principal, presented the Secondary report. Dr. Goddard shared with the Board of Trustees a project list that goes through September 2006. The secondary team is currently working on developing a graduate profile, course catalog, websites, as well as, setting up a communication and community relations plan. Letters are being sent to future secondary students by both principals. An advisory committee will be formed focusing on dress code and other important issues."

[No public discussion in change of curriculum.]

August 1, 2005. Budget workshop.

[No public discussion in change of curriculum or its impact on the budget for the next year.]

September 17, 2005. Board Workshop: "Curriculum Update: Dennis Muizers and Tonya Vining, executive directors of secondary and elementary curriculum, discussed the parameters of advanced academics and the relationship between a rigorous AP program and gifted and talented education. The distinction was made that advanced academics is not comprehensive enough to meet the diverse needs of G/T learners. In the development of the secondary G/T model, the needs of G/T students will be balanced with the offering of a rigorous and challenging curriculum. Mr. Muizers also discussed the Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP) as the default plan for Lovejoy graduation. He stated that the secondary group would seek input from the Lovejoy community prior to making a recommendation to the board in early 2006."

[Board does not mention that Regular Track to be eliminated or that all children will be required to take 8th grade Algebra. The board does not discuss the impact on average or different learners in the district. It does not discuss the possibility that the classes will be less rigorous due to the attendance of average students. No discussion about the departure to offer separate gifted classes in every core academic subject, different from Highland Park which offers honors & regular track classes with a gifted pull out program.]

September 20, 2005: Regular board meeting mentions a reception will be held for new Superintendent Ted Moore and "At the reception, the two principals will also unveil
some of the preliminary work done on the secondary program and the schedule of community meetings to be held during October and November."

[No public discussion in eliminating regular track curriculum. No district improvement committee was announced which could study the curriculum plans. Only two elementary improvement plans were announced and no parents' names on the committees were provided in the minutes.]

September 30, 2005. Email Express from Ted Moore mentions meeting presentations to the community:

“Every Lovejoy ISD taxpayer should receive a letter from my office within the next several days to announce a reception on October 12, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. at the Hart Elementary Cafeteria. The Lovejoy ISD Board of Trustees is hosting a welcome reception for our two new secondary principals, Dr. Mike Goddard and Gavan Goodrich, as well as your relatively new superintendent. Mike and Gavan will do a short presentation at approximately 7:15 p.m. to give you a brief overview of some of the work that has been accomplished on the secondary program. Jim Bob Puckett, Athletic Director/Head Football Coach, will also share some of the planning for athletics.

In addition, Mike and Gavan will be announcing two other large group meetings: 1) Academic Programming on October 26, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. at the Lovejoy Elementary School and 2) Athletic Programming on November 10, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. at the Hart Elementary School. In addition, Lovejoy ISD patrons will have the opportunity to serve on advisory committees in several areas including: 1) GPA and Rank, 2) Dress Code, 3) GT Programming, and 4) Special Education Programming. In addition to advisory groups, some online surveying will also be used to receive input from the community.”

October 12, 2005: Lovejoy board holds a reception for Superintendent Ted Moore.

October 18, 2005: Public Hearing/Regular board meeting.

[No discussion on the elimination of Regular Track classes or public discussion on curriculum.]

October 28, 2005. Email Express by Ted Moore.

Dr. Mike Goddard, LHS Principal and Gavan Goodrich, LMS Principal, were on the road again this week with a presentation on the academic program for our secondary schools. At the conclusion of the Wednesday night presentation, one parent commented to me that she was so glad that she came because a great deal of important information was shared that will interest many Lovejoy ISD parents. Fortunately, Wednesday nights presentation will be repeated two more times for your convenience: Saturday, November 5, 2005 at 9:00 am and again that same day at 1:00 pm. Some of the information that was shared that may be of interest to you included:
* Middle School Accelerated Math Sequence
* Gifted and Talent Program for 6-12
* GPA and Ranking
* Potential School Start Times
* Possible Class Schedule Configurations
* Band Program Specifics
Mike and Gavan were assisted by Tonya Vining, Executive Director of Elementary Curriculum, Dennis Muizers, Executive Director of Secondary Curriculum and David Bowman, sixth grade band teacher.

[No discussion on the impact on the elimination of Regular Track classes on average or learning difference learners. The board heard of no research supporting the acceleration of all students, nor the change in textbooks required, i.e. 7th grade math book for 6th grade, 8th grade math book for 7th grade, etc.]

November 15, 2005. "Dennis Muizers, Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, gave a report on the secondary mathematics plan. One change noted by Mr. Muizers from the Allen Middle School model is in the area of math instruction. Lovejoy ISD has designed the curriculum in such a manner that virtually all students will be ready for Algebra I by the beginning of eighth grade. The district has designed the program to prepare our children for Algebra in the eighth grade, but the district will use an objective measure prior to the end of seventh grade to ensure that our students are ready for Algebra. Students will be assessed with a test known as the Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test (IAAT) to determine if they are ready for Algebra in the eighth grade. The
IAAT has a high level of predictive validity which means that it is an excellent predictor of Algebra readiness and of course, Algebra success. In the event that the IAAT or other extenuating circumstances dictate that a student is not ready for Algebra in the eighth grade, then LISD will offer a pre-Algebra course for the student in the eighth grade. Why offer Algebra in eighth grade? If students go ahead and earn this high school math credit in middle school, then they will have the opportunity to take four years of math courses (or applied math courses such as Physics II or Computer Science II) at the high school level. Also, Algebra I is a gateway course for math success and it is imperative that students receive a strong foundation. By offering it in middle school, LISD can offer both a single block version (one period per day) and a double block version (two periods back to back) depending on the students’ strength in the math area. Students are usually reluctant to take a double-blocked class at high school because it takes away too much choice in their schedule. Lovejoy ISD understands that students who are already in middle school have not had this focused approach to math education and we will need to offer some additional options to them to prepare them for Algebra I. Those students who will return to Lovejoy as a ninth grade student will take Algebra in ninth grade and in order to reach courses such as Calculus or Statistics will need to take two math courses in one year. This dual math course year usually occurs in the sophomore year and includes taking both Algebra II and Geometry.

[The board mentions that all students will be taking 8th grade Algebra. It does not mention that Regular Track classes will be eliminated in other core academic subjects. It did not hear educator testimony on the impact of all honors classes on average or learning different students.]

December 20, 2005: Regular meeting. "The board approved the LISD secondary course offerings for the 2006-07 school year. Dennis Muizers, executive director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, presented the course offerings for grades 6-9. The course offerings were determined by studying LISD students’ six-year plans for graduation and reviewing the historical record of actual courses taken by Lovejoy students in Allen. These course offerings were the basis for the proposed staffing plans, and include both rigorous core courses and a broad range of electives, fine arts, and athletics."

The Agenda Packet provided to the school board is as follows (non core courses have been removed for brevity):
6th Grade:
Pre-AP Language Arts
Pre-AP Social Studies
GT Humanities (addresses Language Arts and Social Studies)
Pre-AP or GT Science
Pre-AP or GT Math

7th Grade and 8th Grade:
Pre-AP Language Arts,
Pre-AP Social Studies
GT Humanities (addresses Language Arts and Social Studies)
Pre-AP or GT Science
Pre-AP or GT Math
Pre-AP Pre-Algebra
Pre-AP or GT Algebra I

9th Grade:
Pre-AP English I
Pre-AP World Geography
GT Humanities (addresses English I and World Geography)
Pre-AP or GT Biology I
Pre-AP or GT Algebra I
Pre-AP or GT Geometry

Note: Classes for ESL and Special Education students will be offered according to ARD committee and LPAC committee decisions. A hard copy of the course registration brochure with the course descriptions will be distributed to all Board members at the meeting.

[The board did not publicly discuss the impact of all honors classes on average or learning different students or the fact that a special ed student's ARD may be better served in regular classes, not honors classes. The board seems unaware that this curriculum is highly controversial and no district in Texas has implemented such a program.]

December 21, 2005. Email Express by Ted Moore.

Another milestone occurred last night when the board approved our LISD secondary course offerings for the 2006-07 school year. Dennis Muizers, executive director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, presented the course offerings for grades 6-9. The course offerings were determined by studying our students six-year plans for graduation and reviewing the historical record of actual courses taken by Lovejoy students in Allen. These course offerings were the basis for the proposed staffing plans, and include both rigorous core courses and a broad range of electives, fine arts, and athletics.

January 6, 2006. Email Express by Ted Moore.

4. Parental input continues to be of high value to the LISD leadership team. We are currently working with advisory groups on the dress code, GPA/rank, Gifted and Talented Program, Special Education and 504 students, and scheduling options.


Conclusion:
While there have been monthly superintendent's reports at school board meetings about student population projections, there has been no public discussion on the numbers of families moving from the district due to the curriculum.

However, the board has allowed Superintendent reports about suing those who ask about this curriculum. The board has also allowed two secret meetings be held against those asking for the curriculum previously promised. The board should discuss the negative impact the curriculum has had on the community and how they should provide a comprehensive curriculum to retain families.

The board will be voting at the December board meeting to fund 12th grade classes. Please contact board members and ask that they make a motion and vote to provide funds for regular track classes in core academic subjects for grades 6-12 in addition to the curriculum now being offered.