Thursday, November 29, 2012

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 7th 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 8th grade students (6th 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
    • 6th 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 7th grade spread out and the kids coming from distant locations
    • Maxcy:  absorption been used about twice so far in 8th 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 8th 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.


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