Committees & Advisory Groups

Instructional Materials Committee

Currently accepting applications for:

Click here for Application

  • One primary teacher (three year term)
  • One middle school teacher (three year term)
  • One high school teacher (three year term)
  • One elementary school library media specialist (one year term)
  • One middle school library media specialist (three year term)
  • One high school library media specialist (two year term)
  • One parent or community member (three year term)
  • One parent or community member (one year term)

 

Purpose: 

  • Implement administrative policy and procedure 2020.
  • Establish and/or update instructional materials screening criteria.
  • Identify and eliminate bias in instructional materials.
  • Act upon requests for instructional materials approval and removal.
  • Act upon citizen/staff requests for reconsideration of instructional materials.
  • Communicate and make public all meeting agendas and minutes.
  • Make recommendations to the superintendent per policy and procedure.

Basis for Establishment: 

  • To assure a clear process and procedure for the approval, reconsideration and removal of instruction resources per policy and procedure 2020 and state law (RCW 28A.150.230).

Decision-Making Process:

  • Paper ballots will be used for materials presented for action at meetings.  A quorum is preferred and in the case where a quorum is not available, members may be invited to vote by proxy.  The IMC serves as an advisory to the superintendent.

Plan or Work: 

  • Act upon requests of staff for approval, reconsideration or removal of instructional resources.
  • Director of Teaching and Learning shares agenda items with the Department of Teaching and Learning (DTL) prior to the IMC meeting.
  • Director of Teaching and Learning shares outcome of the IMC meeting with DTL team following IMC meeting.
  • Present recommendation to the superintendent.

Meeting Dates:

2016-17 School Year:  All meetings are 4 to 6 p.m. at the District Office

2015-16 School Year – All meetings are 4 to 6 p.m. at District Office Room 205

  • March 28, 2016 – Establish committee purpose; understand policy, procedure and state regulations; review current “Listing of Core Instructional Materials”; review committee/teacher forms and bias criteria.
  • May 9, 2016 – Act upon staff recommendation of staff for approval of resources.
  • As needed: June 7, 2016 – Act upon staff recommendation of staff for approval of resources.

Members: 

  • Rotating/staggered memberships:  Three-year, two-year and one-year memberships will be used to initiate this committee, so that new members join with those who have experience with the policy and procedure.  Once established, vacancies will be filled based on the term-length that was vacated.
    • Primary teachers: Amy McAuliffe, Carl Cozier
    • Intermediate teachers or resource teachers: Meredith Attar, Roosevelt; Arionda Feeney, Wade King
    • Middle school teachers or resource teachers: Melissa Cornelsen, Fairhaven
    • High school teachers or counselor: Lynn Carroll, Bellingham
    • Elementary library media specialist: Kristin Cleary, Silver Beach
    • Middle school library media specialist: Nicky Cook-Desler, Kulshan Middle School
    • High school library media specialist: Tracy Shaw, Squailicum High School
    • School administrators: Rylund Huff, Bellingham; Julie Batten, Columbia
    • Parents/community members: Maryann Kuhn
    • Executive Team member: Mike Copland, Deputy Superintendent, Ex-officio
    • Chair: Charisse Berner, Director of Teaching & Learning

Responsibilities:

  • Review meeting materials (including reading some proposed items such as novels) prior to meetings when made available, attend meetings and vote on recommendations.

Timeline: 

  • 2015-16 school year:  one meeting to establish committee purpose; additional meetings as needed to receive materials recommendation from schools and/or team(s) and/or any requests for reconsideration.
  • 2016-17 and beyond: IMC meets quarterly/as needed.  Meeting schedule developed and communicated at the beginning of the school year for the school year.