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.