August 2013

Sit Meeting August 2013

In attendance...

• Stephanie Gentry, principal
• Brad Rhymes, 7th grade language arts 
• Lisa Turner, standing member-media
• Deb Neal, curriculum coordinator
• John Downs, standing member, technology
• Brian Griffin, classified ISS
• Sharman Lakey, encore,
• Rachel Holmes, encore
• Portia Lakey parent/EC (four years standing…any one opposed? No)
• Matt Halverstadt, 8^th grade, social studies
• Sherri Worrell, parent rep (same issue as Portia Lakey…been a member for four years standing, any one opposed? No)
• Frankie Santoro, 8^th  language arts
• Jamie Sherman, guidance
• Brian Graham, 6^th grade science
• Kristin Thorne, 6^th grade social studies
• Brendan Elkins, SIT chair

Today’s meeting will be somewhat informal...

Election of  SIT Chair:

• Is a yearly election
• Open the floor for nominations?
• Brendan Elkins  was nominated again and he accepted the nomination
• It was unanimous vote

Gentry:

• New folks on SIT…
• You have taken on a different role as a SIT member
• It's been “in development” the last few years
• likes to see a strong team speaking on behalf of your department
• It's not about calling out people but bringing forth issues
• Important to bring issues from your constituents
• Advice to new members:  realize that you will be bombarded by your department with “stuff” and you need to be able to categorize it
• There is a section in the handbook about this SIT role.  
• You have to categorize and filter the comments/complaints and how it needs to be voiced.  
• Will also hear things from one person and may have to put in back of your mind and see if others voice similar concerns
• SIT also can not oversee the behavior of administrators.  
• Those concerns need to be addressed with principal, same for specific concerns with teachers.
• Review of the School Improvement plan
• We developed last year
• By the end of September we need to review the plan and state where we are right now with the plan.
• One problem is the data we need to assess is not in yet
• We do have today the survey results (parents, teachers and students)
• We will look at these throughout the year.  Not necessarily a conversation piece today. 
• What other Issues do we need to take back to grade levels?  
• Perhaps a survey about staff development?
• What are folks wanting training for this year especially with new teachers?
• Downs to develop an online survey and discuss with Elkins and Gentry  
• Turner: What about a "Swap meet"/"Smack down"?
• An idea exchange day of sorts 
• Tech Credit for this too? 
• What experts do we have on staff with technology?  
• Teacher Evaluation compliance could be aided with something like this
• What days?  Wednesday?  Alternative Mondays?
• Brad Rhymes: Dress code & Champs reinforcement especially with new teachers?
• Could this be addressed at Friday's Staff meeting?
• Tomorrow staff meeting is a lot of procedural stuff, and faculty meeting on Monday
• Worrell:  New teachers?  How do we support them?
• We all need to rally around them and offer support
• Late work policy 
• Was reworded in staff handbook, was discussed by principals and it needs to be a consistent policy
• Brad Rhymes:  Posting homework online, etc.
• Also needs to be consistency with entering grades into power school and setting the percentages,  most teachers are using total points method. 
• Paper progress report schedule for this quarter is in place
• Will be three paper progress reports during the first quarter
• Power School parent not coming until October, and parents maybe slow to enroll though it should be easy to sign up.

• Deb to start CTE testing:
• Supposed to take just 1 period (has to)
• Kids need to be to class on time and ready
• Teachers affected: Hatch, Daniels, Kilgore, Davis King, Watson
• Proctors will be needed
• Starting August 30th
• ISS:  discussion:
• Griffin--make sure when students are sent there that they have work for them
• Discuss this with your teammates—will also be discussed at staff meeting

Next meeting date?  (We will try to meet every 4 to 6 weeks)
Monday Sept 23^rd

Brendan will send out an agenda about a week in advance