2018-09-21-BRIDGE-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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if there's a way to encourage the students to part elsewhere, such as at Lincoln Field or in the Old Reservoir lot. The SBC next discussed topics for this group to address this school year. Highlights from this conversation included: • Process for safely crossing through school grounds, including during winter and during 3:10-3:30 PM when there's a lot of traffic- Kristen will make sure Meg includes this in her next newsletter. • Q&A with the New Superintendent- Kristen mentioned that the PTA is working on getting her to attend a PTA coffee; Kimberly will follow up with Crystal to see if the SBC can help promote that event. • Cultural competency- This is a professional goal for Bridge this year. Deirdre and ELL teachers worked on this topic over the summer and will be presenting at Lexington Learns on November 6. They will share at a subsequent SBC meeting. • Lexington Learns - This year's Lexington Learns (a professional development day for LPS teachers) will focus on social emotional learning and project-based learning. • Homework Policy- LPS rolled out a new homework policy last year, and some parents are still uncertain about it. Reading is the new priority for elementary school students. Parents at the SBC meeting pointed out that a lack of homework often means that they don't know how their child is doing in the classroom and/or where they stand academically.Additionally, for parents with children in fifth grade, the lack of homework leads to concerns about preparation—or lack thereof—for middle school. Kristen explained that the changes in the LPS homework policy had its origins in the demanding and often stressful homework expectations of high schoolers in town. She added that the middle schools know that they're receiving students from elementary schools who have had different homework responsibilities, and have adjusted their expectations accordingly,though she said she'd reach out to Clarke leadership to get feedback from them. It was pointed out that social/emotional health is the core of why the policy was changed, as was the need to prioritize reading fluency. A summary of the topics for the SBC this year include: homework policy for next meeting (how do 1 know how my student is doing, preparing kids for middle school, accountability for reading at home, etc.), recess, cultural competency (and how to get the larger community engaged on this topic), hate speech training, discipline process, and process for safely crossing through school grounds during winter. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Contact Meg Colella, Principal and Co-Chair (mcolella(@Iexingtonma.org), or Kimberly Hensle Lowrance, Parent Representative and Co-Chair (khensle@gmail.com); or visit https://Ips.lexingtonma.org/domain/481 2