Wellness+&+Family+Consumer+Science+Team


 * Continue to implement writing across the curriculum identified from last year**
 * look at ways to incorporate informational writing activities in upper level to address trends
 * continue to focus on writing techniques for essays, tests and in class assignments
 * we as a department assessed that we do incorporate writing in content areas, collaboration of writing and research in 8th grade health and across curricular areas.
 * continue to utilize teaching and learning strategies that differentiates for different learning styles...terminology, word wall, summarizing, brainstorming, communication strategies.


 * Can focus on math utilized in curriculum in terms of measurement, understanding assessment tools and application.**

Physical Education and Personal Fitness*
 * BMI evaluation and collaboration with what is sent by nurse
 * heart rates (RHR, WHR, THR, MHR)
 * Evaluation of fitness scores, looking at deficits and improvement rates
 * FITT principle applied to individual fitness design*

Health and Wellness:
 * Nutitional measurements...caloric intake, diet analysis, energy expenditure, grams to calories
 * Body composition evaluation and assessment
 * Assess 5 components of fitness in physical health unit
 * Statistical analysis of at-risk behaviors and leading causes of accidents and death in age groups
 * Consumerism involved in purchasing health products and health awareness

Family and Consumer Science:
 * Consumerism/Product comparisons
 * Kitchen and Clothing Construction courses utilize measurement and math skills to create products
 * Budgeting and Reconciling checkbooks
 * Cost to borrow money/loans, application process, stock investment sheet

Driver Education:
 * looking at how far a car travels (feet per second) and implication in accidents and collisions
 * consumerism with cost of insurance, cost of gasoline, traffic violations

What can be done within our current structure to increase scores?
 * a list of students we need to target for remediation and/or focus on special needs
 * emphasis on utilization of staff for personal fitness and/or electives that will allow students to utilize skills rather than study halls etc
 * identify each year writing focus for different age groups/levels
 * identify each year content based instruction related to math skills longitudinally
 * class size continues to be a limiting factor in instruction/work with administrators to keep class sizes appropriate for instruction
 * Exam Preparation?**
 * Need to address issue of bullying, harrassment and "red flag" behaviors we see in school. Not all students feel personal safety in this school/discimination does exist and needs to be addressed.
 * Help address student time management and stress as it relates to performance.
 * Difficult sometimes for students when they have classes in different rooms or for partial days per week.
 * Should we be allowing students to listen to IPOD or other personal tools for study and work?
 * Provide group study opportunities/better utlilize study hall time for students who need assistance.
 * Issue of teaching to the test is not the same as preparing our students for exams and/or to create a product assessment.
 * Continue to look at divergent strategies and methods of instruction that enhance learning.
 * Is there a difference in preparation for an exam when a class is heterogenously grouped vs homogenously grouped?
 * PSSA TESTING EXAM DAYS AND SCHEDULE...are we testing under the best circumstances? How are we accomodating the boardline students we identify as target populations, at all levels?


 * IDEAS/DISCUSSION:**
 * teacher collaboration with local businesses for incentive prizes for increased attendance or scores for students
 * content based study halls, better utilization of mentors for specific students/needs, continue strategies and intercollegial consult of best practices.