Commissioner's Update
April 25, 2008
Dear Superintendents and Leaders of Charter Schools and Collaboratives:
In this Update I have three announcements and four items for your review.
Reminder about Massachusetts Mathematics Curriculum Framework Revision Survey
The public comment survey for the 2000 Massachusetts Mathematics Curriculum Framework and the 2004 Grades 3, 5, and 7 Grade Level Standards Supplement to the Framework is posted at http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.asp?id=3968. If you have not already done so, I urge you to complete the survey by Friday, May 2, 2008. Your responses will be summarized to inform the work of the Revision Panel. Thank you for your participation in this project.
Massachusetts Annual Statewide Community Service-Learning Conference
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, in partnership with the Massachusetts Service Alliance, is sponsoring a day-long conference for students, teachers, administrators, and community partners to share strategies for implementing, improving and embedding service-learning in Massachusetts' schools and community organizations. Workshop and plenary sessions will focus on project sharing, skills, and tools for improving practice, strategies, and policies for institutionalizing CSL, and ideas for collaboration and linkages with other educational and service initiatives.
The conference will be held on Monday, May 5, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Hogan Center, at the College of Holy Cross. For additional details about this free conference, visit http://www.doe.mass.edu/csl/news08/0505conf.pdf or http://www.doe.mass.edu/csl/news08/0505conf.doc. To register, go to: http://www.doe.mass.edu/conference/?ConferenceID=488.
21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Opportunity
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will be hosting a technical assistance session on Friday, May 2 at 9 a.m. for anyone interested in applying for a new 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) grant (Part IVB of the NCLB). The session will be held at the Hoagland-Pincus Conference Center in Shrewsbury, MA.
The FY09 FC 647-B-1 RFP (application) is posted at: http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/Grants/grants09/rfp/647B1.html. More information on the 21st CCLC program can be found on http://www.doe.mass.edu/21cclc/.
The technical assistance session will provide information to help guide potential applicants through the process (due June 5, 2008). The purpose of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program is to establish or expand community learning centers that operate during out-of-school hours and provide students with academic enrichment opportunities along with a broad array of other activities designed to complement the students' regular academic program. The Department is required to give priority to applications for programs that will serve a high percentage of students from low-income families and are submitted jointly by a school district and community-based organization or other public or private entity.
Register for the session via http://www.doe.mass.edu/conference/?ConferenceID=499.

Items Posted at www.doe.mass.edu:
- School Choice Receiving District Status, 2007-2008 and 2008-2009

- 2007 MCAS Alternate Assessment (MCAS-Alt): State Summary of Participation and Performance

- Distinguished Elementary Educators - Request for Nominations

- Correction of Koplik Memo

Sincerely,
Jeffrey Nellhaus
Acting Commissioner
last updated: April 25, 2008
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