November 28, 2012

Champs Survey results:

• Overall results were mostly positive to the CHAMPS Survey
• Not many surprises.
• Elkins:  question about coverage on Jennifer Well’s hall—especially during 7^th grade class change
• Coverage is split, originally Ron was at end and Kelly was pulled, no one between Brendan and the end of the hall.
• Gentry may get someone to float down that hall—it’s a numbers issue.
• Interesting to compare Question 4: " I feel confident in the fact that all staff is aware and fulfill their expectations when at their assigned supervision locations" Several said no
•  and 
• 8 " I have periodically addressed the CHAMPs models for classroom, hallway and cafeteria behavior with all of my students"  --In other words, some people feel others are not enforcing CHAMPS, but everyone feels as though they are enforcing. (perception issue)
• Drifting from silence observation in the results
• Brendan:  ways to eliminate the drifting?
• Don’t want to beat a dead horse but should we revisit with the staff?
• Should we say something in particular to the staff at next meeting?
• If we don’t say anything, then staff will assume everything is perfectly fine
• Revisit with any particular grade level?
• Some staff feel uncomfortable addressing 8^th grade students (6^th grade for example)
• Could we switch up some spots?
• People have to communicate concerns (if we don't hear about them, we don't necessarily know there is a problem) 
• Add preference/wish lists for duty spots to the year end teacher survey?
• Question about Teachers talking in the hall to each other?  Should that be happening
• Should we have a do and don’t list based on the survey responses?
• We should give a few reminders and trends at faculty meeting, and reinforce what we are doing--not a lecture, just reminders

2)     Coverage Plan:

• Responses back from Elkins email have been limited
• Reason why it’s come up again?
• Gentry was not there at the last meeting, and there were several questions raised.
• With our staff being as big as it is, "perfect storm" of teachers being out and no subs can happen more than in the past
• Gentry is not asking for a vote here, but asking for Input on coverage plan and absorption plans?
• Comments:
• Absorption plan criterion verses coverage plan--which do people prefer?
• Absorption plan is designed to be temporary stuff--if teacher is sick or injured, or sub is late
• There are advantages and disadvantages to both
• A lot of it is information that the staff just doesn’t know about--what goes on behind the scenes.  Brian not certified for example—We can just use for short spurts.
• Other support staff—sometimes offer certain times to those people, but can't expect them to cover all day.
• Issues arise when no subs or no overlapping subs
• What she needs from us—the pros and cons of absorption vs pros and cons of coverage.
• Cold weather coming and third quarter is long and can be a rough time for teacher absences--the point is to be ready for the times that are coming
• 6^th Grade:  absorption by grade level, but sometimes it’s been by team. 
• Good thing is that it is spread across grade level and therefore it only ends up to be 2/3 kids
• Make sure people are aware that absorption is across grade level
• Issues with 7^th grade spread out and the kids coming from distant locations
• Maxcy:  absorption been used about twice so far in 8^th grade and not an issue with handing out an assignment like a article of the week.
• Turner--Emotions run high on this--SIT voted on absorption in the past over coverage
• Expedience of assigning coverage from the office when in a pinch
• On paper a coverage plan could be a good system, but in reality it ends up not working so well
• Justifying what we do to our own staff is time consuming
• Just because coverage plan  was abused in the past, doesn’t mean it will be now
• 60% of staff is new and that affects the perception of those who lament on the "way things used to be" vs a reality check
• Feedback from 8^th grade, absorption plan is working (maybe partly with the way they move)
• So, where do you draw the line of coverage plan vs absorption plan?
• Are absorption plans shared with the office?
• Emergency coverage plan—only go to it if so many teachers are out and not covered? 
• Situation is especially bad if multiple people from same grade level are out. 
• Thorne likes absorption plan better, likes kids coming into “my structure” vs going into another classroom where structure is unknown
• Deb:  use coverage if it gets to a certain level then use.  
• Sometimes it comes down to "principal card" and making a decision vs making it a certain level.
• If happens more often, we will take input and go to coverage only if necessary.
• Can we get a list of subs?--this might help new staff too
• BTW, this idea of a coverage plan was not triggered by that one
  "October surprise".
• Emergency sub plans are gigantic--teachers need to have them ready at all times!
• Any additional items?  
• School improvement plan will be handed out Monday--we got very little feedback from central office.
• SIP can be used as artifacts in teacher evaluation process.

SIT Meeting October 2012

Substitute Teacher issues

 

SIT meeting - October 15, 2012

1)     Response to the new champs?

• Looking at an anonymous survey:  Are two or three people willing to come up with a 5 question survey and post online?  (Downs to help with survey-online)  Timetable—end of month?
• Frankie Santoro
• Deb Neal and
• Sherry Worrell will head up the committee

2) The situation with Subs last Friday—subfinder was down.

• We need a system in place to have teachers in planning to cover—a list, an order of rotation? 
• Comments
• Maxcy --8^th grade decided in past to absorb because it was a morale issue.
• Teachers were generally not in favor of the idea of a “list plan”.
• In extreme cases do the cover plan where subs are not available
• Why don’t we want to use the absorption plan for an entire day?
• In theory the idea of a rotation list is okay,  but in practice it is not good most members seemed to indicate.
• Elkins? If we shoot it down, what’s the alternative besides absorption?
• We would always use absorption plan only if it gets up to the threshold of so many extra kids in class
• It is a safety issue if kids are sitting on the floor or in over crowded classes

• Another sentiment--when things are in a pinch in the morning, the system gets abused, no fault of anyone really, that's just how it works. 
• Should we change what we are doing as a staff based on one bad experience?
• Deb Neal—people in the office are strategic in their planning of coverage
• Would it help to have criterion of when we use this?
• Professionalism issues (being out on Fridays)?  That would be handled by administration, but gets to the morale issue of this topic
• Thorne: If we go ahead and approve it, it will be used more than we think.
• Elkins-only sees it being used if we have multiple teachers out on the same grade level. 
• Thorne:  The absorption plan’s original  intent was to only use when teachers left school for some emergency?
• Elkins:  Can we come up with something else other than coverage if too many out to reasonably do absorption plan?
• Encore can’t really cover core teachers
• Davis-King--Encore:  "We cover each other"
• If we put it in place and see how it goes, we could vote on it again. 
• Turner--Speaking from past—feelings were extremely high about this issue, and that’s why concerns are so high today
• Why is it okay for encore to handle it, but not for core?

• Key Questions we need to consider:

• What is the criterion for the absorption plan? vs coverage plan criterion?

·       What is the "cut off" for the absorption plan?

·       What are the criterion to use it?

·       List of staff to use before core teachers?

Brendan will talk to Gentry and present to her these questions, and hopefully we won’t have another situation like that in the meantime.

Other Agenda items:

• Legging wear is the loop-hole in the dress code especially in 7^th and 8^th grade—how to address this?
• An addendum in the agenda to cover this?
• Clarify leggings status--fall into the same category as shorts?
• We need to be uniform in terms of how we address this. 
• Either a shirt or other coverage must be applied
• Leggings are like under garments
• Holmes—Will this go for staff too?
• Might need to be a personal reminder to some staff too.
• “Cover the valuables” -- dress code according to Elkins

Girl hats:  seen in 7^th grade…Gentry has said no hats—period. No cutesy berets, etc.

Any other issues from grade levels?

No news is good news.

SIT Meeting September 10, 2012

At this week's meeting the SIT members discussed in small groups the following:

1. Based on the data, what 3-4 top priorities emerge for the school?

      Reading strategies across the curriculum

      Closing the achievement gap

      Protecting instructional/non-instructional time

      Environment – enforcing a safe school

      Policies and procedures

      Parent involvement

      Bully prevention

      Reading scores – across the board, SWD, LEP

      Teacher/staff perception data

Other discussion:  Rachel Holmes:

Core teachers asked in terms of morning duties…at 7:00 am are they supposed to be in their room or at their door or in the hallway?

Gentry:  This shouldn’t be an issue—it’s like any other class change, people are assigned all over the place.  When there are a bunch of kids in your room, then you proceed from the doorway back into your room.  Should be a non issue—not a SIT issue.

Main issue on the agenda—progress on the school improvement plan.

Gentry compiled the information from the last meeting into summary document

Goal today to establish three or four goals we want to focus on as a school

Gentry will then start to put in the School Improvement Plan template

John to set up a google doc where people can give feeback

Groups broke into breakout sessions to chat and see how people are feeling:

Reading came up in everyone’s discussion:

Reading strategies, the goal or the strategy?

Old reading goals were not reached

We can identify a couple of targets?

Action plan can be specific things we are already have in place

Proficiency goal? or target subgroups? or both?

School Climate:  Safety over for all, for staff & students: 

Impomtu surveys during the year?

Measurable--achievement data can be attributable to safety and learning environment

Bullying—Safety committee is talking about October being anti-bullying month with ideas for bring awareness and continued education

Parental involvement:  how can we measure it? 
Increase Parent Assist (PAM) membership

How do we make various parent nights more accessible?

Increase the number of volunteers

we can get a rough number of people who attend events

Teams who offer night events can be measured

Measure number hits on websites

Measure number of edmodo comments / parent enrollment

A 4th possible goal?
Common  Core?

Science?  (Possible strategies with new technology coming)

Gentry will send out skelton template for SIT members to give feedback

Vision/Mission/theme going out the window?  will be another question Gentry will pose to us—do we need to re-define those?

Next meeting is October 15^th.

SIT members will sign off, and Staff will approve when we do the final draft—end of October.

 

SIT Meeting Aug 27, 2012 -- School Improvement Plan, first step

CHAMPS review—went over pretty well, and voting results showed good consensus among the staff

CHAMPS consequences:

• We don’t want to add to teachers' plates
• Provide something that is easy to administer
• Teachers are addressing students who are not their own. 
• Offer a menu of basic items (most taken care on the spot)
  • What about repeat offenders?

Options:

• Elkins:  prefers bucket list of items to choose from.

• Gentry:  conferencing with students is helpful--she did with three students just this morning 
• We should be in agreement with a list of three or four interventions
• If it gets beyond the menu items, then it takes it to a higher notch, and we need to document

List of possible interventions (not in any particular order)

• Verbal warning
• Pull them out of line to conference with student (wait)
• Escort student to class
• Put student at front or back of line (walk back to a point and walk again)
• Hold student until everyone proceeds to class
• If problem persists, then revisit regular interventions, consult with team/call parent/solicit the help of an administrator.
• Brendan will share with staff

School Improvement Plan:

• Parent survey results--Over 300 responses—overall very positive 
  

  •  Timetable for School Improvement plan:  due second week of October

• Identify  possible priorities
• Then start on a skeleton of a plan
• Members got into groups of two or three people
  

  • what data stands out: positive/negative/missing?
• People don’t feel like they are being bullied
• Data that stands out:  reading for all three grade levels lower proficiency
• Weakness:  Teachers consistently enforce rules of student conduct (big drop)Also,  Staff didn’t feel like we were all on the same page, but we are addressing with CHAMPS
• Policy and procedures of student conduct are well known by faculty: 97% to 79%
• Weaknesses:  Teacher—felt short amount of planning—addressing with no tutoring
• Top Priorities that emerge:
• Policies and Procedures (Champs) (also shown in student survey—don’t understand expectations of their conduct)
  
  • Continue literacy across the content areas to address reading
• Missing data:  what caused white students to not to make AYP?
• Parent  support teachers in contributing to the success of students (saw a drop on the teacher survey)  curriculum nights? other parent interventions and reaching out?
• Teachers have sufficient access to instructional technology did drop—do we want to address?  Laptop cart.
• Missing data—EVASS predictor scores before the EOG’s
• Gentry to review feedback forms completed at this meeting and summarize results. 
• Here is a link to the notes that Ms Gentry summarized

August 20, 2012--CHAMPS

SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAM MINUTES

MONDAY, AUGUST 20

Present:  B. Elkins, S. Worrell, K. Thorne, B. Graham, T. Maxcy, F. Santoro, D. Davis-King, R. Holmes, B. Griffin, M. Futrell, Ja. Sherman, L. Turner, P. Lakey, S. Gentry, D. Neal

Induction of New Members: The committee approved four new SIT representatives for the 2012-2013 school year:

            F. Santoro – 8^th grade

            R. Holmes – Encore

            Ja. Sherman – Guidance

            B. Griffin – Classified

Nomination/Selection of SIT Chair: Brendan Elkins was the only individual nominated for the SIT chair.  He accepted that nomination.  The team unanimously selected him as the chairman for the 2012-2013 school year.

SIT By-Law Approval:  Ms. Gentry met with the PTSA on Monday, August 13, to discuss proposed by-law amendments.  The first proposal was to amend the by-laws to state that SIT representatives would serve a 2-year term and could serve two consecutive terms.  The second proposal was to amend the by-laws to state that the SIT representatives would meet before September of each school year to select the team members.  Both proposed amendments were unanimously approved by the PTSA Board on August 13. 

Role of SIT members:  Ms. Gentry reviewed the purpose of SIT and what role the representatives would serve.  She plans to discuss this with the staff so that they, too, understand what the purpose of SIT is.

School Improvement Plan:  Ms. Gentry has already sent out a data packet to all existing members.  Those who have been inducted today will receive the same packet to review this week.  In addition, Ms. Gentry handed out a planning packet for SIT members to review in preparation for rewriting the School Improvement Plan this fall. 

Meeting Schedule:  Several SIT meetings have been scheduled throughout the fall.  The next two meetings will be on August 27 and September 10 to work on the School Improvement Plan.

CHAMPs Expectations:  The SIT team discussed possible CHAMPs expectations for the hallway and cafeteria.  These will be presented to the staff at Thursday’s CHAMPs training session to vote on what the final expectations will be.  Brendan Elkins will present this to the staff. 

CHAMPs for Hallways:

            Option #1:       C – Minimal/Whisper

                                    H – Step out of line, approach teacher

                                    A – Going directly to destination

                                    M – Single file, right side (unless directed otherwise), no stopping

                                    P – Respectful of others’ space and classrooms

            Option #2:       C – Silent

H – Step out of line, approach teacher

                                    A – Going directly to destination

                                    M – Single file, right side (unless directed otherwise), no stopping

                                    P – Respectful of others’ space and classrooms

CHAMPs for Cafeteria:

                                    C – Students at your table

                                    H – Raise hand, may move with permission

                                    A – Eat lunch

                                    M – Stay seated at all times

                                    P – Respectful of others’ space and lunch

What are the consequences for not following CHAMPs?  This will be discussed at the next SIT meeting.  It was agreed that the consequences should be consistent for everyone.  Be careful with consequences – don’t want to put too much on the teachers. 

**Addendum:   C is communication, H is help, a is activity, M is material, P is participation. Communication refers to whether or not the students can talk during a certain activity. H stands for how will they get help. Activity defines what they will actually be doing. Materials is self explanatory - what materials will they need for the activity. Participation means how will you know they are participating. When CHAMPs is used all together it is suppose to create well behaved and organized children.

More info on CHAMPS: 

http://voices.yahoo.com/what-champs-behavior-program-classrooms-and-2285328.html

https://www.msu.edu/~kojiroja/pdfs/Classroom%20Management%20Plan.pdf

May 21, 2012

SIT Meeting: Monday 

• SIT members for next year?
• Whose rotation is ending?
• Worrell, Hoag, Elkins
• Brendan willing to stay-on
• Turner:  Should available positions be "advertised" ?  Conversation with constituents to decide if it’s okay if current SIT members who would be rotating off continue to stay.
• 8^th grade rep:  Laura Horn; Elkins to Horn--He is willing to "chair" if that helps her decision of whether or not to stay-on.
• Lakey represents EC and parent and is also willing to stay
• We can still clean up the representatives at the start of next year.
• There will definitely be an encore position
• Guidance rep (process of hiring for next year), and Guidance will determine in-house who their rep will be
• Amend the by-laws so people will serve for two years?
• A two year term would give some continuity
• Turner: bylaws can be amended  by full faculty vote and PTSA Board Vote
• (We can take care of both teacher and PTSA votes on June 4^th)
• A maximum of two terms (no more than four consecutive years)

•  Horn send out an email asking for suggestions for next year.  The following were some items sent back: 

• Procedures for walking through the halls
• Dress code (enforced) and emphasized at the start of the year.
• Someone said:  "behavior among grade levels varies because of differences among teachers and admin inconsistencies"
• Gentry: "CHAMPS" training might need to be re-enforced since so many new staff members
• We can build the training in at the start of the year to create some consistency
• Having consistent looking common expectations posted in hallways, cafeteria, multi-purpose room, and other common areas might also help
• We can do "CHAMPS" without feeling like an extra expectation
• Needs to be Simple, basic set of guidelines
• Hallway behavior always comes up, and Gentry has some ideas for next year
• 8^th grade movement is a known issue:  may have to tap into using teachers during their planning times especially if tutoring goes away
• Has to happen starting day one
• Could possibly solve the 8^th grade change problem.
• It will be a logistical deal for administration to plan, but should be well worth it
• Turner: If consequences for hall misbehavior would be enforced consistently, that would help. (for example, sending students to the back of the line)

• Duty would be broken down period by period
• There was a positive response on this idea among SIT members, and folks said it would be best if coverage happened throughout the day not just for 8th grade
• Will we have tutoring next year?  Possibly not?  It is being discussed at leadership

• Dress code: Thorne said that several people have expressed concerns about students being sent for dress code violations and then told they were "okay"
• Staff has to take ownership in the dress code issue:  We need some simple codes in place to measure violations
• Admins ARE making the decisions NOT office staff
• We need to simplify the process as much as possible
• Home base needs to be the first level of checking.
• It is difficult if everyone is not on the same page
• Lakey:  we can build it in the morning routine, maybe at the “Pledge”?
• Need to decide on what are the specific expectations of the teachers
• We do not want to go to a "standard mode of dress".
• Lakey:  There are three main issues:  "two short, too tight, and too revealing".
• Enforcement needs to minimize disruption and minimize lost class time.
• It become a discipline issue if it recurs
• "The bigger deal we make it,  the bigger deal it becomes".
• Dress code violations is a level 1 offense, it's when recurs that it becomes a higher level
• Clear expectations at the start and consistency is the key
• Maxcy:  Teachers have to step up and be clear to start out the year, a call to parents is sometimes the best defense.
• Teachers contact logs are supposed to be kept.
• Should we schedule a time during morning routine?  Gentry is willing to do that.

Tech summer spending update:

• Our matching funds grant application was approved by the school board.  
• Funds have to be used toward completion of "classroom solutions"
• We have essentially two new core classrooms that we have to outfit in the POD--rooms 311, 313, and we will use the ~ $4000 in matching funds to outfit those rooms. 
• We are still working toward a DELL mini cart, 7 dell mini's have been purchased, and we will look at purchasing more along with an actual cart.  But matching funds can NOT be used for laptops :(

February 27, 2012

Attendees
Cliff Prince (who needs to bring a tarp for his car on overcast days)
Dedria Davis-King
John Downs
Brendan Elkins
Stephanie Gentry
Brian Graham
Portia Lakey
Tonia Maxcy
Kristin Thorne
Lisa Turner
Sherri Worrell
did I miss someone?

Laura Horn--Topics for today's meeting

• Book Fair
• Suggestions and concerns from faculty about roles/duties of SIT Reps
• Laptops/new technology
• Literacy

Book Fair Schedule:

• Looking for a simpler schedule, smooth process with lots of feedback and input from the staff
• No reason for everyone to go down two and three times
• Starts Friday March 9^th—through the following Thursday
• Ms. Gentry is sending out the staff calendar with the updated schedule
• Book fair preview:  All LA teachers will run through for a 15 minute preview—schedule will be posted
• Should not disrupt 7^th grade field trip nor spring pictures
• After preview period is over, then 2 and  half days will be for purchasing
• Book fair passes will be issued and students will have a ten minute window to shop
• Two students at a time should ensure no more than about twenty students at the Fair at any one time.
• No one should have to change their lesson plan as was the case in the past
• We will advertise book fair family night on  Tuesday the 13^th part of the Arts festival 6:00-8:00
• Other details:
• Would like the book fair to tie into literacy push
• During preview—students can make a quick purchase
• Open days will be advertised very clearly.
• Book fair preview CD will be view-able during home base or certain times during the day
• PTA is limiting some of the "junk purchases"

Expectations for SIT Reps/how to handle complaints and concerns

• After the last meeting there was a lot of feedback provided to SIT reps
• Some people might not understand that SIT meets only once per month
• Laura sent out the by-laws about what those expectations were.
• Dedria King was getting questions from people who wanted answers right away from administration, and that’s not the way SIT handles things
• If it’s an emergency, then those concerns should go to administration
• Part of the misconception is that SIT rep will take care of situation right away
• We need to help constituents understand the process
• Example:  Rep said grade level reported a hot spot in hall after school—that's really not an issue for SIT to solve since we meet only once per month—that should go directly to administration to troubleshoot

• Types of SIT Concerns
• Concerns that are completely valid
• Legitimate issue that is a school issue that can go on agenda for next meeting
• Third situation might be one to monitor, consult with Ms Horn or Ms Gentry
• Then, there are some people who just need to vent at times--SIT rep can be the temperature gauge and assess it based on number of those types of concerns and the source
• Bottom line:  Don’t expect SIT to be a "catch all" for complaints
• We want SIT to be respected and valued to make trusted decisions
• If people don’t like SIT decisions,  they should serve on SIT
• Items for agenda should go to Laura Horn first

Laptops/Downs

• The school has received 75 WFU laptops (was a complete surprise since we thought WFU laptop program was a budget cut
• They are Lenovo T-400 models with built in web cameras and microphones, skype and much faster processor (2.4 Giga Hertz with 1.93 Giga Bytes of Ram) and 150 GB hard drives.
• Much faster and higher quality than last model
• Downs's presentation on his thoughts about how laptops should be distributed

Discussion:

• We still have a need for a working laptop cart (discussion of laptop cart and what happened to it was discussed in great detail at the December Technology Committee meeting)
• School will start pursuing the purchase of another laptop cart
• A lot will depend on PTSA fund raiser and the sorting out of various funds out at the end of the year.
• Maxcy--National Junior Honor Society could donate money
• Gentry--up to 90% of extra money  could go towards technology.
• In past years, PTA gave $7000-$12000  but this year's fund raiser did not go as well
• Question:  If Dell Mini purchase does not work out can we pull WFU laptops back? No
• Maybe buy laptops for a cart in stages
• As liberal as she is, Gentry is very conservative with funds.
• We are all hoping PTSA spring fundraiser goes well
• Group was in consensus that new WFU laptops should go to teachers and be used at their discretion.
• Teachers should consult with Downs for ideas of best use in classroom or for home use too.
• All Laptops should be distributed to full-time certified teachers by March 9th 
• Thorne--we should make clear to constituents that one reason for not using these Lenovo laptops (for student use or for a laptop cart type situation) are durability issues and battery life.
• (The Dells according to Downs are more durable for student use, have long lasting batteries (up to six hours) and have carts with slots for easy charging (no loose cords to deal with) Also Dell carts are much easier to move to places like PODS whereas the Lenovo carts are actually a safety hazard with bad design and poor quality wheels

Literacy: 

• Laura Horn,  Lisa Turner and MS. Gentry—would like to push some ideas about reading in March
• Ms. Horn talked about teachers making a Sign, or a flyer with their favorite author and posting in classrooms
• She has made something really simple—Laura has a form already made up that she will share
• Students could also do them and hang them up
• Possibly hang them on the door?—only 30% of door may be covered( Ms. Gentry will be sharing at faculty meeting the results of the fire Marshall walk through)
• Other ideas:  
• People can add comments to the bottom of the SIT blog
• Target literacy for Science and Social studies
• What kind of reading strategies?  
• Fold-ables, titles, bold face words, paraphrasing, others?
• In LA workshops they discussed codes next to words, send to print shop, what can we do for people with text books? 
• Kendra sticky note idea with literature circles, and use that as a jumping off point for group discussions—could easily be transferred to science and other subjects
• Discussion Circles (Lisa) translation from literature circles to discussion circles
• found a bunch of articles last week on NCWISE Owl, Brittany Branch and turning it into a a science Friday reading project where kids work in groups and have "jobs" such as:  Word wizard, discussion leader, etc.
• The more we can talk about literacy strategies, the more we see in common across the school
• Maxcy:  found that people are doing more in their classroom then they realize, maybe just need to share more?
• At Monday’s staff meeting?  
• Couple of people could share best practices to incorporate literacy.
• Another idea: at next vertical planning meeting in March—good sharing time 
• For example, Black History Month:  Promoting diversity through literacy more of a cultural spin
• Maybe something like the book club and sharing of book covers.
• If you have additional ideas, share with Laura Horn
• Scroll different questions from novels, and enter into a drawing.
• Drop everything and read moment—read aloud to students 
• Junior honors society—Dr. Seuss day and kids read to kids
• Things like Student Council going down to Caleb’s Creek and reading to kids

SIT Meeting January 17, 2012

In attendance:
Davis-King
Downs
Gentry
Graham
Hedgecock
Horn
Lakey
Maxcy
Neal
Prince
Thorne
Turner
Worrell

Reduction in Paper Progress Reports: 

• We have definitely publicized it:
• Every team mailing, alert now phone and email, School newsletters, etc.,
• will continue to remind parents
• Right now, Admins are working on expectation for teachers
• The fine details are:
• Do teachers still have to contact parents when students fall to a D or an F?
• What is the time frame? 
• Suggested:  Parents should be notified between midterm progress report and the end of the quarter if a student falls to a D or an F
• We are not trying to add more to teachers’ plates, but we do need to remind folks that they are the ones who put out the grades, and we need to continue to communicate with students about grades
• What about printing a missing task list for students?  
• Can admins print these reports from NCWISE? Do they have rights to do that? 
• Do we need to show teachers how they can print missing task list at a staff meeting? (in main "reports" screen in NCWISE) 
• Maxcy:  a change in conversation needs to take place to direct parents to parent assist in general.
• Cindy Wilkes:  has had an extreme influx of parents to sign up for parent assist
• Admins are as a general rule first asking parents: “Have you talked to the teacher, and next have you looked on parent assist?”
• It was suggested that perhaps a list of reminders might be provided for teachers:
• For example, it was suggested that teachers should have major projects due well before end of quarter, and wherever possible grade large projects that span over a long period in “chunks/stages” so that students/parents have an idea of how they are doing along the way
• Incidentally, the overall vote by teachers in favor of going to the new paper progress report schedule was 41-3

PROCESS FOR THE BOOK FAIR:

• Twice a year…is this efficient?
• Can be a positive thing for the school and PTSA
• Kids seem to enjoy it
• Promotes literacy
• Wish we could not push all the “toys”
• The Book Fair has not been scheduled yet, until we get fund raising dates confirmed, but the Fair will be in the spring sometime, and we want to limit instructional time lost
• It is a waste to have every single child come down twice during one week--eats up entire period of class time

Proposal:

• Let kids come down for a preview, then the second time students come down with book fair passes and money to buy something
• Funnel through one or two subject areas in the school.

Other Comments:

• Overall the fair is run efficiently—we don’t have students down in the Media center goofing around—the people running it are firm about that
• We should keep a “literacy focus”
• 2^nd time should be designed for only people with money.
• Input?  Will this work?  What subject area to run it through? Social Studies? Language Arts?
• Perhaps LA teachers because they are the ones teaching reading/books?
• Put a number of the toys away?
• Show the Video that promotes the book fair—it is ~20 minutes
• Thorne:  Is there a flyer that goes home too?
• Let’s plan on starting the promotional video at 7:05 two consecutive days before the book fair
• Lakey:  She favors the LA teachers taking them
• 1^st preview day done through Language Arts?

Let Ms. Gentry know of any input you get over the next couple of weeks

Wiki: for Single School Culture Meetings/John Downs

• 6th grade Math asked Mr. Downs to come out to their single school culture meeting to discuss some ways to integrate technology into Math.
• Downs spoke to them about some ideas, and afterwards I spoke with The Single School Culture Coach (Ms. Beam) 
• Ms Beam was talking about how Kimmel Farm Elem (Sam Walker),  keeps a Wiki of all their single school culture meetings.  
• The Wiki is collaborative in that any teacher can go on there, and add content (such as files, pictures, text, etc.) Downs is suggesting it might be a good idea to do something like that here at SE.

Downs created this Wiki:

 https://semsssc.wikispaces.com

 
So, why would a wiki be better than say keeping notes in a word document and saving on the staff shared drive?
 
1)  Anyone from the meetings could add content to the wiki from any computer with internet access (so you don't have to be at school to edit the notes that maybe are currently saved on a staff share drive, etc)
2)  Wikis have the ability to link to websites, add files, pictures, and even audio and video, so it's a repository for saving stuff as well.
3)  If all the different groups wrote up their notes in this one place, then everyone could see each other's discussions and perhaps read and learn from each other.
4)  Since the Wiki is meant to be collaborative, those editing could pose questions, (let's say it was a technology question)  Downs could come behind and add the response right there on the wiki
5) The wiki would provide a history for documentation purposes, and reference for folks who recalled something said at a meeting (perhaps a resource)

This is not something we "have to do"...but can offer it to anyone who would like to try it even just as a place to save meeting notes—no user name and pw is required to edit the Wiki during this time of experimentation/

Maxcy—teachers would probably need some training on the Wiki

Hedgecock:  used a Wiki in a class and it was very easy to use and efficient

Laura Horn:  Asked for staff input/issues to be brought to SIT and the following are some of the emails she received today:

From an Encore teacher: 

• Need for a review of hallway procedures
• Please ask core teachers to communicate with encore before randomly telling students information about what to bring to encore classes (there was some confusion about this the day of “Worth the Wait” --When in doubt core should call the encore teacher. 

Other Grumblings... 

7^th Grade: 

• General feeling that some teachers are “slacking off” on duties/dress code
• Has the rule changed on jeans only on Fridays?
• Lack of communication issues
• Do we need to review hallway procedures during a staff meeting?
• PM dismissal seems to be a particular issue

Encore/other grade levels has been discussing this too:

• As SIT rep Dedria King has been working with encore teachers and discussing duty issues
• We might need to review/reinforce what rules are to be followed before and after school
• Morale issues? 

Gentry: There are some commonalities here

• Duty assignments and Hallway Procedures
• Some covered in Principal's blog—jeans stuff for example
• Admins might need more specifics to address the specific concerns
• Hallway Procedure—seems to be mostly PM concerns
• Admins may need to go back and look at it 
• Who’s going out front and who is going out to buses?

Other comments:

• Some People maybe unaware of their duties
• Hedgeock—we might need one more person on duty in 600 hall
• Issue:  What if nothing happens when a teacher reprimands a child in the hall?
• There are students ignoring teachers…
• Lakey:  two girls on 8^th grade hall inappropriately dressed—was not not dealt with when girls were sent to the office—We need to all back each other up!
• Bottles coming out of cafeteria:
• Beverage bottles around could lead to issues with alcohol?
  

How do we regroup?

• Perhaps we should have a 3^rd quarter/2^nd semester expectations refocus:
• “Single School cultures it”:  Go back to the rules and what are the consequences going to be.
• A letter to the Parents:  Reminding them to revisit the student handbook.
• Where are the gaps?
• Issues with adults in building can be as challenging as students
• We also don’t want to make the issues bigger than they really are
• We are all professionals and we need to do what we are supposed to do.  

Suggestions:

• At Single School Culture Meetings discuss these issues and come up with a “check list of buckle down/reminders about hall way procedures/teacher duties/professionalism and food and drink in classroom
• Teachers will then have something concrete to go back with students and discuss
• Also, from these suggestions made by the Single School Culture Groups, Gentry can make a  script to say to students, and follow up with a letter to families
• This will take some stepping up by everyone!

Ms Gentry added this after talking with several SIT members after the meeting:

"I will forward the learning team facilitators a checklist of reminders for the second semester, including things like reviewing some specific rules with students, being on supervision duty spots, etc.  Then I will go ahead and work on a summary sheet for teachers to review with students next week as well as a parent letter for Wednesday folders." Ms. Gentry

Final Discussion Point:

• Career center trip:  needs some coordinating—two options: 
• Send four teachers at a time, and (We said no to this) it ends up wasting too much  instructional time.
• Alternative, teachers stay and let other adults go. A schedule should be determined by the end of this week