HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-03-27-ESTABROOK-minEstabrook School
School Site Council
MINUTES
March 27, 20171 3:45-5:00 p.m.
In Attendance:
Jeffrey LaBroad, Principal
Katie O'Hare Gibson, Assistant Principal
Lori Verity, Grade 2 Teacher
Katrina Roscoe, Grade 3 Teacher
Pauline Benninga, Parent
Hema Gandhi, Parent
Gretchen Reisig, parent
Pam Hoffman, Community Rep
1. Approve Minutes
• Approved
School Budget meeting:
Request for increase in budget to increase the mental health team staff. Adding SSP position.
Enrollment:
- We have 552 students as of today, 3/27.
- Estabrook is on pace to have enrollment nearly as high as some other schools; currently third
largest elementary school. Our growth rate is occurring at a faster pace than other schools.
- Kindergarten projections look ahead to 4-5 ks for next year. Mindful of projections.
- "School Assignments Committee" : although enrollment is happening earlier, we still plan for
the "August Surprise". Push to register quickly to stay in your local school. No guarantee that
early registration will put you in school in your neighborhood. It is technically
first -come -first -serve.
New MCAS computer platform rolls out next week.
- Test of new platform. Estabrook is ready and students are feeling excited for the change to
paperless MCAS
- Parent concern that prepping caused a greater amount of testing stress for students. Response:
that teachers processed the trial afterward to ensure that students are feeling comfortable.
2. Estabrook School Improvement Plan Progress Update/ Initial Discussion of
2017-2018 School Improvement Plan
• School Improvement plan may be crafted in the summer, according to
Superintendent. However, as School Council does not meet in the summer, we
want to begin discussing the plans.
• Action: go through the School Improvement Plan to determine: what do we still
need to work on, what actions should remain on the plan, what goals have we
finished, what new ideas do we have.
• Academic:
1. Continue: Actively focused on learning progressions?
2. Completed: implementing reading units
3. Continue/Increase: lab site work next year with Teachers College
4. Continue: math lab site, coaching around standards and math practice,
tier 2 intervention work, utilizing the math workshop to customize and
differentiate student learning.
5. Remove: math club
6. Modify: using varied assessments (already used for math) for literacy
7. Eliminate: project-based/service learning and link to district plan
8. Improve: Maker classroom: change to "Mobile Maker" (like
art -on -a -cart), teachers reserve the cart and set-up a maker experience in
their classrooms. Increase the integration of engineering. Making and
creating strongly supports cognitive development.
9. Continue/improve: LEED curriculum for next year.
10. TBD: Homework, district is developing a new homework policy.
Estabrook is doing a great deal of research around homework. Parent and
student group to discuss homework and take a survey. Anticipate that
homework plan is working and will continue to work. Elementary
homework is less consequential than homework decisions at the high
school level.
a. Use of family calendar to support at home work. Calendars are
created collaboratively. Will collect data at the end of the year to
see if the calendar will continue. Parent: schools are doing a ton of
work to decrease stress for students. However, there is more work
to come regarding parent education. It will take time for parents to
buy into the new homework plan. Do not be too quick to pull back
calendar to help support parents who are still adjusting to the
change. Parent: feels like the activities may be too developmentally
young for students. Would like to see more opportunities for
challenge activities. Council member: is the calendar a different
way for parents to "obsess" over doing work at home. Response: it
is a nice way for parents to spend time with their children,
engaging in activities. Also, school was strategic in developing the
calendar that fostered a flexible interpretation of at home learning.
11. Increase: mindful practices at school. To use mindful practices to improve
social -emotional learning and academic learning overall. Began with
teachers engaging in self care- begin again. Then extend it to the students.
Big focus for next year.
12. Standardize: Principal -Parent Round Table sunday, expand conversation
around Jessica Lahey and the Gift of Failure. Discuss big take aways.
Typically 30-5o parents attend. (no longer an explicit goal for the
Improvement Plan)
13. Continue/Ongoing: working with parents around digital citizenship.
Parent education will continue, especially as technology improves.
14. Remove/no action: exploring micro credentials
15. Continue: Professional learning through a book talk. Begin earlier in the
year. Currently considering what book.
i6. Remove: expansion of student action plans
17. Expand/continue: co -teaching with special education and classroom
teacher in writing. Meeting needs of higher rate of student needs. Expand
to include math as well next year. Outcomes will be shared; best practices
identified and practiced.
i8. Completed: counseling lessons per grade
19. Ongoing: strengthening and systematize Mental health team. INcluding
work around small group counseling and lunch groups and monitoring
progress.
20. Expand: Primary Project next year
21. Expand/reframe: PBIS to improve parent education, staff training.
22. Completed: parent book club with Gift of Failure. Anticipate the book club
becoming a part of regular programming.
23. Continue: meeting with parents in Boston
24. Completed: traffic/parking management has improved dramatically.
Positive response from parents around being able to pick-up children
quickly.
Big Lifts for Next Year:
• Parking: Permanently post a sign around parking restrictions: no left hand sign? Change
to loop and flow parking traffic in one direction? There is a need to fix double parking,
parking in restricted areas, parking to pick-up students- not safe for students to be in the
lot.
• July ist district moves to gmail platform. Gives staff a new email handle
(@lexingtonma.org). Teachers/staff are receiving training. More communication to come
across district. Learning curve not just to email but to using the various Google tools
available.
• Home -School communication: Analyze the philosophy of home-school communication.
More consistent and regular access to class information
• Reflect on the class meeting block. Move to a more formal model. Explore use of Olweus
Program. Ask teachers this spring to pilot some lessons. Exploring a school-wide launch
of program. Enhanced resources.
• Launch a coaching PLC. Missing part are the various coaches that exist in the building.
Plan to support growth across domains as coaches for teachers.
Meeting Schedule:
May 1- work on draft for next year; developing the principal report on Plan (share ideas or
seeking help)
June 12