TO: FROM
M: SUBJJECT: I. MOINES INDEEPENDENT COMMUNITYY SCHOOL DISTRICT DES M
901 Waln
nut Street Des Moines,
D
Iowa 5030 9 Decembe
er 5, 2012 oftware vend
dors, and others Publishers, so
Tom Ahart, In
nterim Superintendent
Committee re
equest for exxamination copies of insstructional m
materials forr AP Language A
Arts and Composition, A
AP Literaturee and Comp
position EX
XPLANATION
N AND REQU
UEST TO PUB
BLISHERS A committee A
working tow
ward the imp
provement oof instructio
on in the Dess Moines Sch
hools iss ready to exxamine availaable materiaals for classrroom use in the curriculu
um area listeed in Se
ection II of tthis letter. A
A preliminaryy examinatioon will be made for the purpose of se
electing matterials that im
mpress the m
members off the committtee as havin
ng the greatest vaalue for theiir purpose. A
A limited nu
umber of texxts/materialss in this field
d will be chosen fo
or more care
eful study an
nd scoring byy the commiittee at a latter date. The committe
ee requests the most recent copyrigght availablee. Please contact the designated cu
urriculum co
oordinator iff the copyrigght is older th
han three yeears. STTATEMENT C
COVERING C
CULTURAL DIVERSITY In
n the selectio
on of all currriculum matterials, the D
Des Moines SSchool Distriict is interested in
n materials that acknowledge the co
ontributions of women, A
African Ameericans, Native Americans, H
A
ispanic Ame
ericans, and Asian Amer icans to the growth and
d developmeent of th
he United Sttates in the p
past and that give a morre complete picture of th
he diverse backgrounds of the peop
ple of the nattion. Whenever po
W
ossible, our ccultural dive
ersity should be shown in
n illustration
ns of all American ma
A
ajority and m
minority grou
ups. These illlustrations aadd meaning to the prin
nted materials bei
m
ng used for instruction aand reflect tthe culture aas it includess both sexes,, nd ethnic grroups, and all ages. many racial a
m
In
n brief, bigottry and sexissm are to be avoided exccept in term
ms of historiccal referencee ass relevant faacts within th
he scope of the Americaan developm
ment. 2
GUIDELINES FOR POSITIVE‐NON‐STEREOTYPED PORTRAYAL OF HUMAN ROLES IN CURRICULUM MATERIALS As curriculum materials are examined, the following questions are to be considered: 1. Are there diverse role models, male/female, diverse cultures/races and age groups? 2. Are there references and/or illustrations in regard to people who are disabled? 3. Are there units and/or activities that encourage self‐awareness? 4. Does the material directly confront the contemporary social problems of sexism, racism, religious and cultural bias, and bias towards the disabled and the elderly? 5. Does the content show contributions and perspectives of both men and women, diverse cultural, religious and racial groups, the disabled, and a variety of age groups? 6. Are illustrations in the books, supplementary materials and audio‐visual aids representative of the cultural/religious/racial diversity in the United States as well as the roles open to men and women in today's society? Are the disabled persons and diverse age groups represented? 7. Are women viewed in a variety of occupations rather than in a traditional role? How many different occupations? 8. Are men viewed in a variety of occupations rather than in a traditional role? How many different occupations? 9. Are the boys and men shown involved in non‐traditional and/or non‐stereotypical roles? 10.
Are the girls and women shown involved in non‐traditional and/or non‐stereotypical roles? GUIDELINES FOR CAREER EDUCATION In the selection of curriculum materials, the Des Moines School District is interested in materials that infuse and discuss careers relating to the curriculum area. Consideration will be given to materials that illustrate both females and males in positive, non‐stereotyped career roles. Career Education may be included as part of each unit or a separate unit in the material. 3
COPIES REQUESTED FOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS Please follow the directions below regarding where (and to whom) sample sets should be sent. If samples are to be returned to the company, it must be stated at the time they are sent. It will be the responsibility of the representative to pick up the samples from the committee at a specified time. Please send 1 copy and or set of materials for AP Language and Composition to the following addresses: Ben Baldus Lincoln High School 2400 SW 9th Street Des Moines, IA 50315 Ginger Johnson East High School 815 East 13th Street Des Moines, IA 50316 Nick Jackson Hoover High School 4800 Aurora Avenue Des Moines, IA 50310 Amanda Gerstner North High School 501 Holcomb Avenue Des Moines, IA 50313 Eryn Johnson Roosevelt High School 4419 Center Street Des Moines, IA 50312 Cathi Miller Central Academy 1800 Grand Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309 4
Please send 1 copy and or set of materials for AP Literature and Composition to the following addresses: Janet Malmberg Lincoln High School 2400 SW 9th Street Des Moines, IA 50315 Ashley Schryver East High School 815 East 13th Street Des Moines, IA 50316 Nick Jackson Hoover High School 4800 Aurora Avenue Des Moines, IA 50310 Denine Taylor North High School 501 Holcomb Avenue Des Moines, IA 50313 Haley Moehlis Roosevelt High School 4419 Center Street Des Moines, IA 50312 Petra Lange Central Academy 1800 Grand Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309 Sherry Brooks Central Academy 1800 Grand Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309 Please send 1 copy and or set of materials FOR EACH COURSE to the following address: Curriculum Coordinator Jeremiah Schwennen 901 Walnut Street Des Moines, IA 50309 5
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF BOOKS FOR CONSIDERATION The deadline to submit materials to be considered is January 14th, 2013. The deadline date is final. Galley proofs or better will be accepted. INTERVIEWS / PRESENTATIONS Publishers' representatives may either interview each committee member once or make a formal presentation to the entire committee. The curriculum coordinator should be contacted as to the committee's preference. Interviews are to be held on school property and by appointment only. Formal presentations are to be arranged through the curriculum coordinator. Private sales sessions and/or dinner sessions by publishers should not occur. School policy prohibits the acceptance of gifts or gratuities of any kind. We desire to have our evaluation of materials thorough, efficient, and professional. Your cooperation will be appreciated. II.
MATERIALS TO BE CONSIDERED AT THIS TIME TITLE OF COURSES: AP English Language and Composition; AP English Literature and Composition GRADE LEVEL: 11‐12; 11‐12 Course Description –Advanced Placement English Language and Composition An AP course in English Language and Composition engages students in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of rhetorical contexts, and in becoming skilled writers who compose for a variety of purposes. Both their writing and their reading should make students aware of the interactions among a writer’s purposes, audience expectations, and subjects, as well as the way genre conventions and the resources of language contribute to effectiveness in writing. Course Description –Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition An AP English Literature and Composition course engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. Through the close reading of selected texts, students deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. As they read, students consider a work’s structure, style and themes, as well as such smaller‐
scale elements as the use of figurative language, imagery, symbolism and tone. III.
CURRICULUM COORDINATOR Secondary Literacy Curriculum Coordinator Jeremiah Schwennen can be reached at (515) 242 – 7924 or email address [email protected] to answer any questions concerning samples. All sample materials will be kept by the committee unless arrangements by the publisher are made in advance through the curriculum coordinator. DMPS will not incur any shipping costs to return sample materials.