HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-02-26-DIAMOND-minDiamond Site Council Minutes
Thursday - February 26, 2015
Attendees: Anne Carothers, Johanna Rodriguez, Patty Frelick, Tina Webber, Heidi Pasternak, Pamela Tames
Minutes By: Patty Frelick
I. Approval ofJanuary 11, 2015 Meeting Minutes
A. Adjusted /Clarified previously discussed Diamond/ Clarke comparison as "perceived" differences.
B. Clarified Math intervention at two middle schools
1. Diamond - teachers involved in intervention
2. Clarke - specialists involved
C. Standardized grading discussed
II. Mid -year Update on 2014 -15 School Improvement Plan (SIP)
A. A. DDM - District Determined Measures are moving along. Each course has its own DDM — for
Example — Math vs Extended Math would have different standards.
B. Standards -based curriculum is progressing district wide
C. Teachers are paying more attention to each individual child and adjusting teaching strategies.
D. Teachers' use of Google Docs and other Google tools has helped in:
1. Implementation
2. Identifying trigger points to elicit response from teacher to act - i.e. call parent
E. Discussed Use of Aspen Portal to make student grades more transparent to parents
F. Technology - Teachers' Web Presence /Content
1. Each teacher is to have a web presence
2. Each web page is to have the same baseline content
3. Implementation - By January: different teachers are using different communication platforms b/c each platform,
Although similar, have different features. Some platforms are being discontinued. This gives the teachers time to
choose the platform that best suits their needs and to populate the website with the appropriate baseline
information.
* *EVERYONE SHOULD REVIEW THE MID YEAR SIP AND BRING THOUGHTS /QUESTIONS TO THE NEXT MEETING
III. Space /Construction Proposal for Diamond
A. A. Money approved to get architect to look at expansion - Diamond is first on the list because has land
Space.
A. B. Next Step - discussion between teachers & architect to gain information for the important design
Phase.
1. Better portables/ new location
2. Teachers will no longer have their own rooms because need the classrooms when not in use.
Instead, there would be an office area with cubicles and all the things teachers need such as
Copiers.
a. PRO: serendipitous collaboration
b. CON: (1) Less productive and (2) Need meeting space for kids & parent appointments
3. CONCERN: articulating needs clearly and thoroughly so the design is done properly
4. Council reviewed some plans
IV. Site Council Roundtable Highlights
A. School Committee in process of reviewing district wide school policies - i.e. The Homework Policy
B. Instruction & Curriculum - oversight by a hired, LPS Central Office, employee for instructing teachers
And other staff about good assessment and data research analysis
C. This staff member has already spoken to Diamond Staff about research design and data collection to
ID stress related issues in children
V. Miscellaneous
A. Parent- teacher communications regarding underlying situations out of classroom (social situations) that may be
affecting classroom dynamics. Should parents be informing the teachers? How do parents do this without it being
perceived as feeding the rumor mill.
B. Incorporating children- driven ideas and suggestions into daily activities