HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-03-21-DIAMOND-minMarlon L.Davis,M.Ed.(781)861-2460
Principal mdavis@lexingtonma.org
Fax:(781)274-0174
Diamond School Council Agenda
March 21,2024 -7:00am
Attendees:Marlon Davis,Christy Bell Prasad,Howard Wolke,Remy Coombs,Katina Lawdis,Chhandomay
Mandal
Liz Sharp (non-voting member -note taker)
A.Welcome
B.Approval of Minutes from December 2023 and February 2024
C.Updates/Discussion
a.Due to enrollment,staff changes at Clarke and Diamond discussion.
i.Our enrollment has not declined as much as Clarke.
ii.We are remaining at four full teams.One staff member from Clarke with
seniority will take a position here.
iii.Enrollment projections will be looked at again next year.
b.Teacherease and standards based grading.Helping parents understand what
we are doing as well as work with our staff.Focus on “the why”of SBG.
i.The red status on Teacherease has caused some concern,but very few
parents reached out with concern.
1.The color “red”confuses the conversation.
2.Some students and parents perceive the status as the key focus
of data,instead of looking at the big picture.
3.When a student has been struggling,teachers should have been
communicating with parents.Is the red button even necessary?
ii.The conversations between parents and students are good.Also,
thinking about the red as “productive struggle”should be viewed as
helpful.
iii.Are we giving students a false sense of security if we take away the red
button?Not meeting is not the same as failing.
iv.If there is a single standard with “progressing or below”,there is the red
button.
1.Better understanding of what is happening has made the
difference for parents.
v.Some parents confuse “not meeting”with the need to have their child do
a retake.That isn’t the purpose of showing the status.
1.Timing of retakes considerations.
2.Quality and quantity of assessments.
3.Build skill of self-advocacy in students so that they can ask for
retakes earlier.
vi.Teacherease is open to conversations around some concerns that we
have been expressing.
vii.Additional communication will be going out to parents soon,on how to
read the data on Teacherease.
c.Renaissance and elementary data.
i.First year we have used a literacy and math screener (Renaissance
Star).We are still looking at the data to determine how to use and next
steps,including communication to families.
1.Within the next few weeks,more should be coming out.
ii.Summer learning loss and new students:Hope to integrate the screener
in the first month of school to help ground our teaching.Also,consider
giving sixth grade assessment that they use in elementary school.
d.Looking at multi-tiered system that is equitable across the school.
i.More professional learning happening at the admin level.
e.Draft of School Improvement Plan should be available next meeting.
f.Transition to high school.
i.Lots of areas that are not consistent from middle to high school.We
need to consider changes.
1.Retakes.Known to be best practice.However,we don’t seem to
have a consistent policy or understanding at the middle school.
Also,need to make sure the high school knows and understands
what we do.This is one of the reasons for our 9th grade students
who struggle.
2.Attendance.No homeroom in LHS,so if they are late to first
period their grade may be impacted.Our counselors who came
from the high school have pointed out that we don’t have
appropriate consequences at our level.
3.Homework.At high school level,homework could be factored into
their grade.
ii.It is not fair that the high school is so far off on the philosophy on grades.
iii.Students are starting to have more self-harm and school avoidance;
increase at the 9th grade.We should be thinking about what we can do
to help students.
1.LHS questions if they would be lowering their standards.
2.Department level conversations.Retakes,specifically to be
considered.
3.At the third trimester in 8th grade,should we be trying to be more
consistent to LHS?Consider an assembly to let the students know
the difference between middle to high school.
a.There was a parent information night already at LHS,but it
wasn’t helpful for parents to understand these concerns.
Most of the meeting was only about curriculum.
D.Meeting Adjourned:7:45 AM
E.Next meeting:April 11,2024