FINAL Minutes May 13, 2008
Attendees
Walter Barry, Susan Scheel, Susan Bailey, Suzanne Doran,
Cindy Phillips, Linda Frommer, Vito LaSala, Madeleine Smeets, Vivian Boudreaux,
Jan VH Prehn, Sandra Pearson, Christina Regalia, Vivian Laurence, Michael
Augustine, Terry Noeth, Marti Jacobs, Betty Krumboltz
Welcome, Agenda, Minutes,
Correspondence
No changes to the agenda/change requested in Open Forum*
Minutes approved without changes
No correspondence
Open Forum
Request to include Staff Survey as part of the Social/Emotional
Work Groups*
School Safety Plan –
Chris Regalia
1. Safe School Plan Summary Document
Demographics and two goals were included
GOAL #1 - Foster social-emotional and physical health and
resilience in every student as measured by improved student behaviors (strategies
and assessments included in documentation)
Highlighted bullying – help students recognize the
subtleties of bullying
GOAL #2 – Conduct three earthquake/fire drills per
semester and one Code Red Drill per semester (2008-2009) (strategies and
assessments included in documentation)
Suggested Changes
Strategy 1.1Continue to implement Safe and Caring School
methods
Assessment 1.1 Document staff development activities devoted
to training
2. Safe School Plan - Detailed Document
Personal Experience of Students and Staff
Objective 1 – to increase staff/student knowledge
regarding the diversity of the student population
Objective 2 -
to provide staff with an understanding of the law and the staff's personal
responsibility for teaching students with special needs; to teach the
strategies necessary to have all students be academically successful in a safe
and supportive school environment
(commented that these fit under GOAL #1)
Q. How do objectives and goals match up? Does the summary and lengthier document match up?
They are two separate documents.
One is district driven and one is site driven
1st document is a risk management plan
2nd is a comprehensive plan
Physical Environment (maps to GOAL #2)
Objective 1 – to work with the District to implement a maintenance plan that is consistent and keeps with campus operations up to date and running smoothly
Objective 2 – to continue Jordan's relationship with the Palo Alto Police Department and its ancillary services
Objective 3 – To provide a system for dealing with fire and earthquake emergencies on campus
Objective 4 – to develop a plan for maintaining security of the building
Q. Why is Objective 2 not under personal experiences or school's social environment?
A. will take into consideration
Q. How are parents informed of students' advisory numbers?
A. Through the student (comment that should change)
Suggestions to post to InClass or Web site
Students commented that they forget the number
*Ran out of time;
requested that we review and comment by May 23rd
Safe and Caring
Schools - Katia Peterson
Acknowledged Site Council for taking on the social-emotional issue
SCHOOL GOALS
GOAL #1 – Foster social-emotional and physical health and resilience in every student as measured by improved student behaviors (assumes buy-in from all constituencies including teachers, students and parents)
GOAL #2 – Foster a safe and healthy environment for students and staff
Focused on communication (safety for staff and then students); #1 priority of staff is the students
How do we find time to infuse social-emotional pieces into curriculum
S and C School Goals
#1 - Meet with Team and individuals for an accurate measurement of how the staff viewed Jordan's climate
#2 - Provide tools/strategies that encourage a safe and caring environment for Jordan Middle School
#3 - Supply resources that might empower the staff to draw from and to use as it fit in academic area
(Key events - Intro and overview (August and February)/Staff and Student Survey/Individual requests from staff addresses/teambuilding activity with Sage Team/Adopt a Hallway – part of work to develop behavior protocol)
One of favorite activities was dialogue with students
Their key issue is stress - academics, being perfect, belonging, how to pull away from parents and yet stay close
Met with parents re: bullying
Challenge(s)
1. Need a person to oversee how things going while KP not here (here only 1x a month)
2. Doing a better job connecting with parents
3. Integration of existing programs
4. Leveraging the experience of the staff to truly work as a team
Next steps
1. Realistic goals
2. Plan to support well-being of staff
3. Need for an implementation team (social-emotional learning)
4. Improve communication/marketing strategies
5 Redefine meaning of Advisory
Feels attempted to do too much too soon
Q. What got in the way of establishing a Safe and Caring Schools Facilitator?
A. Staff feeling overwhelmed with other commitments
Didn't meet or realize full potential of everything detailed in original implementation plan, notably #3 (Facilitator) and #6 (Ambassadors of Peace celebrations)
Q. Do we have a copy of the needs assessment form?
She will be happy to provide
Q. What are the survey results from?
April 2008 (survey conducted at the beginning and end of year; changes noted with + and - signs)
Noted earlier some of challenges arose from change of leadership
Noted by SP that given an impossible task (Do we try to reach as many people as possible or focus in a more targeted way?)
Q. Do we have a proposal for Safe and Caring Schools next year?
A. Not to date (waiting for this presentation and what data communicated)
Updates on Study Skills
and Social/Emotional Work Groups (includes Staff Survey) – Suzanne Doran
&
Study Skills (Suzanne Doran) PLEASE SEE ATTACHED
DOCUMENTS
Met with Guidance and Admin team
Presented to Ed Council (felt Study Skills should be brought
to the teams – talk about focusing initially on note-taking and
outlining/organization)
Team Leaders will report feedback out at Staff Meeting
(05/14)
Q. What was the reaction from Guidance Wheel instructors on Study Skills?
Have only 24 days and difficult to teach in isolation; do have study skills content that is covered (reading a text efficiently); aware that covered in the classroom/content areas; concern registered about teaching in isolation
Comment made that study skills ought to be embedded within department goals of school plan
Q. Can't the organization piece and guidance wheel go hand in hand?
There are certain needs and umbrella study skills that can be reinforced in Guidance Wheel.
Student perspective – Use Binder Reminders as organizational tool
Comment registered that need to address study skills as team
Social/Emotional – Vito LaSala & Jan VH
Prehn
Presented to staff
Conducted a staff survey regarding Safe and Caring Schools (one that was more program rather than teacher practice focused)
Response - 39 Certificated/10 Classified responses
Looking at data – staff definitely divided on program
Area of concern – efficacy of handouts
People worked with her in many different arenas – overall satisfied with her in those capacities
Divided on issue of whether the program should be continued – 16 Y and 17 N
Q. Where does this fall with Social Norms?
A. Safe and Caring Schools Survey similarly worded; which program having an impact?
Unclear
Comment made that as awareness is raised, report of bullying incidents will increase
Student comments - she worked with Student Council & that more info should be shared about the program; Safe and Caring Schools and Guidance Wheel similar in content
Comment made and Safe and Caring School chosen as a result of Social Norms Data; are connected but not illustrated that way
Review Draft School Plan
– Sandra Pearson
Proposed revision to school goals – 1c. remove "as measured by improved student behaviors"
OR replace with
Continue and enhance efforts to address social, emotional, and character education needs of students (APPROVED)
Draft Plan has the activities not the data (data comes at the end of the summer with Star Testing Results)
Please review and let SP know
Q. Why just the reading teachers for reading and writing if all do it?
Great point
Q. Is the Collins Writing Program still active?
Needs to be examined by the English Department
Comment – some next steps based on funding (i.e. ELMO – document scanner/reader)
**Please review and provide comments to document in hand-written form by May 23rd
Q. Is it your intent to incorporate what coming out of
strategic plan
A. Short answer is no
Discuss Grant Proposals
–
Any questions as we received them up front to review prior
to the meeting?
We will vote on next meeting
Have a 26K carry over and will be funded 86K
Can discuss at next meeting
Music (Vivian Boudreaux) – instrumental specialists
– this is not new (many different sources of funding that have dried up
– hence approaching Site Council)
Q. What is being requested?
$5900
Q. For computers (laptops), how much is being covered by bond?
A. Can't get a figure
Student Council Report
– Vivian Laurence
Earth Week – will do noon-time activities related to
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Elections for next year – thinking about conducting
interviews
Working on a JTV segment called Dear Alex – rumors,
exclusion and relationships
PTA Report – Susan
Scheel
Int'l Fair a huge success (sold 500 snow cones!)
Volunteer Lunch a success
PTA voted to spend excess money to replace some of Andrea
ShagoryÕs stoves
PrincipalÕs Report –
Sandra Pearson
Will leave copies of Strategic Plan in library
Has one copy of survey results - will leave in library also
Moving forward with no backpack policy (letter will go out)
Pleased with Study Skills work
Teaming – two discussions with 7th and 8th
grade teachers to restructure teaming
STUDY SKILLS ADDENDA
DRAFT
Study Skills Site Council Working Group
One of the goals for the 2007
- 2008 Site Council is to address study skills instruction.
Since the state and district
do not have standards or mandates regarding study skills, the Jordan community
can seize this opportunity to:
¥ capitalize on what it already
does,
¥ explore gaps and
inconsistencies,
¥ clarify expectations that are
practical
and
useful,
¥ streamline instruction across
grade levels
and
disciplines, and
¥ establish grade level
benchmarks,
¥ create its own guiding
document.
NOTETAKING
|
GRADE 6 Expectations / Standards* - summarize information - organize information - find main ideas - skim and scan for information |
Strategies** - graphic organizers - concept maps - Venn diagrams - teacher created outline template - flash cards - present orally, explain - outlining - Cornell notes |
|
GRADE 7 Expectations / Standards* - summarize information - organize information - find main ideas - skim and scan for information |
Strategies** - graphic organizers - concept maps - Venn diagrams - flash cards - present orally, explain - outlining - Cornell notes |
|
GRADE 8 Expectations / Standards* - summarize information - organize information - find main ideas - skim and scan for information |
Strategies** - graphic organizers - concept maps - Venn diagrams - flash cards - present orally, explain - outlining - Cornell notes |
* with increased levels of student-demonstrated independence
** as appropriate for content area
ORGANIZATION
AND TIME MANAGEMENT
|
GRADE 6 Expectations / Standards* - record and track assignments - organized backpack - organized notebooks - planning long term assignments - budget time - build routines |
Strategies** - binder reminder - InClass - clean out backpack together (model behavior) - use folders - use assignment sheets |
|
GRADE 7 Expectations / Standards* - record and track assignments - organized backpack - organized notebooks - planning long term assignments - budget time - build routines |
Strategies** - plan / break up due dates - create a planning schedule - chunk assignments - use timer to set time limits for homework - practice logs for music - checklists |
|
GRADE 8 Expectations / Standards* - record and track assignments - organized backpack - organized notebooks - planning long term assignments - budget time - build routines |
Strategies** - use TEAM time - (same as above) |
* with increased levels of student-demonstrated independence
** as appropriate for content area
STUDYING
& TEST-TAKING
|
GRADE 6 Expectations / Standards* - plan ahead / create a study plan - budget time for studying - budget time during taking the test - understand how to proceed with different types of test questions, e.g., multiple choice, open response, true/false, short answer, etc. |
Strategies** - create a schedule - identify what is being asked - identify key words in questions - use old tests as guides - flashcards - mnemonic devices - create own test and answer questions |
|
GRADE 7 Expectations / Standards* |
Strategies** |
|
GRADE 8 Expectations / Standards* |
Strategies** |
* with increased levels of student-demonstrated independence
** as appropriate for content area
PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY
|
GRADE 6 Expectations / Standards* - self advocacy - know learning styles - proactivity |
Strategies** - use TEAM time - use brunch time to seek out teachers - record grades - self-reflection on learning progress, learning
activities |
|
GRADE 7 Expectations / Standards* |
Strategies** |
|
GRADE 8 Expectations / Standards* |
Strategies** |
* with increased levels of student-demonstrated independence
** as appropriate for content area
READING
STRATEGIES: TEXTBOOKS
|
GRADE 6 Expectations / Standards* - recognize and understand general structure of textbooks - use table of contents, indexes, glossaries, chapters, sections, review sections, vocabulary, etc. |
Strategies** - scavenger hunts |
|
GRADE 7 Expectations / Standards* |
Strategies** |
|
GRADE 8 Expectations / Standards* |
Strategies** |
* with increased levels of student-demonstrated independence
** as appropriate for content
area
OTHER
|
GRADE 6 Expectations / Standards* |
Strategies** |
|
GRADE 7 Expectations / Standards* |
Strategies** |
|
GRADE 8 Expectations / Standards* |
Strategies** |
* with increased levels of student-demonstrated independence
** as appropriate for content area