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BRIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SCHOOL-BASED SITE COUNCIL DECEMBER 2019 MEETING MINUTES APPROVED JANUARY 17, 2020 Attendance: Margaret Colella, Erin Cerat, Kristen Gray, Kimberly Hensle Lowrance, Zeba McGibbon, Dierdre Schadler, Melanie Tanionos, and Brienne Thibodeau. The Bridge Elementary School School-Based Site Council (SBC) held its monthly meeting on Friday, December 13, 2019 at Bridge Elementary School. Meg Colella opened the meeting at 8:12 AM and provided an update about redistricting. She explained that a transition team has been put together, led by Anna Monaco,the former principal of Clarke Middle School. The team includes school principals and meets for the first time next week. The group has already been talking about transition activities for students and families, including matching families who are being redistricted with supports, hosting family coffees and playground dates, and more. The goal is make families feel welcome,to support families who are moving schools, and to implement consistent supports in each school to ensure equity. By March,the administration will have plan for staffing changes related to redistricting. A parent asked about introducing families now,rather than waiting until the spring. Meg will pass the query along, and also encouraged parents to reach out directly to her and/or to Anna Monaco with other questions. She added that Central Office is currently working on a plan to contact to affected families. The School Committee, at their next meeting, is addressing some outstanding questions, including transportation and grandfathering. Meg will update Bridge teachers about who is being moved, so they are aware of what's happening to their students.Also the counseling team across the district will be called upon to help. The transition team will also prepare advice for parents about how to talk about these changes with their kids. Brienne Thibodeau next spoke about flexible seating in the classroom, a strategy she's brought with her to Bridge. Her goal with flexible seating is to help her students understand how to make choices about what learning style works best for them. For example, in her classroom,there are no nametags on desks so kids can sit wherever they want.Additionally, floor seats with clipboards are available, as are low tables on the floor, options to stand and work at the bookshelves, etc. This approach fosters collaboration between students and helps students feel empowered. Providing children with choices also encourages them to work on their conflict resolution skills (i.e., sorting out what to do when two kids want the same spot) and offers a way to manage high-energy leaners (i.e., letting them move about). 1