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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-10-17-LHS-minLaura Lasa Principal Lexington High School 251 Waltham Street •:• Lexington, Massachusetts 02421 To: The Lexington High School Council From: Laura J Lasa Re: October Meeting 781- 861 -2320, x69103 lasa @sch. ci.lexim ton.ma.us FAX: 781- 861 -2440 LHS School Site Council Meeting met on October 17, 2016 from 6:15 -7:45 PM in the Library Media Center in the Arts and Humanities building. Present: Laura Lasa, Suzanne Lau, Shiv Chandra, Liz Curtin, Katie Cutler, Sharon Kendall, Elise Rowley, Nancy Shepard, Elise Santiago and Leslie Zales. Guests: Christine Sullivan (teacher), Andy Baker (LEA President), Ed Li (parent) Absent: Walter Richardson, Polly Kienle, Katherine Manning, Dave Wininger I. Announcements from Council members • A group of junior girls are taking the lead on increasing awareness and promoting discussion on the Black Lives Matter movement. II. Communication • Recognizing a recommendation from the Lexington Community Coalition report regarding communication, the Council discussed issues around establishing guidelines for reasonable expectations for communication between students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Council members discussed several related issues: 1. How to foster a culture where student disagreement or a conflict is addressed through a partnership with the students, parents, and school. 2. Advice to send home to parents on how to talk to your child after he /she has had a conflict with another student. Suggested strategies: • Pause. Listen. • Cultivate a curious mind Ask questions: 1. Have you told an adult at school? 2. Are you just venting and need me to listen? 3. Do you want advice? 4. Do you want me to reach out to someone at school? 3. Discussion about different types of communication and timelines for communicating with home on a variety of issues that arise in a school setting There was general agreement among Council members that the school should consider written guidelines to foster and embed reasonable expectations for school to home communication. III. Resiliency and Self- Advocacy • Principal Lasa presented LHS Grade -Level Goals /Assets for communication and resiliency in two different formats: a shorter graphic version and a longer tabulated version. The written goals will be sent out to parents in November or December. • The goals and assets strive to define appropriate advocacy for high school age students, with an emphasis on skills. It is hoped that the information helps families and the school work together to foster communication and life skills for post - graduation life. • Common themes that were discussed: ❖ Need for patience, flexibility, and perspective ❖ Developmental skills that help growing adolescents become responsible adults • Reminder that this is a process and it takes effort • There is "productive struggle" involved • This is a tool for parents to support students IV. Approval of the September 19 minutes The minutes from 9/19/16 were approved with the following modifications: replace "FY 17 Budget" with "FY 18 Budget." Remove wording "Anticipated needs." V. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 pm.