HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-09-26-DIAMOND-minDiamond Site Council Meeting Minutes 9/26
Members in attendance: Jen Turner, Sam Bosbach, Katina Lawdis, Ed Dube, Kar-Hwee Koh, Emma Burtenshaw,
Dongzi Yi, Hallie Wells,
I. Welcome
A. Review of purpose of Site Council (JT)
B. Welcome /names /roles
II. Approval of Minutes from meeting on May 29, 2019 (Approved)
A. These minutes will be uploaded to school website in the near future (due to website migration)
III. Updates
A. Principal
1. Goals for the year were shared during first faculty meeting, not significantly updated from last
year and aligned with new district strategic plan.
2. Race/Equity and Inclusion goals are significant priorities, and will build on summer D.E.I
taskforce work.
3. Collective focus on DRUM initiative this year. Goal is to streamline and integrate the
overarching values/themes.
4. Two gas leaks at the end of Hancock St. were the result of work by National Grid, but
everything with evacuation went smoothly. Students were wonderful.
5. Cookie dough fundraiser starts today. It's for D.C. trip. (Want to be clear it's not a P.T.O.
fundraiser).
6. Back -to -School Night next week; October 2nd/3rd
7. Parent Conferences this year will (likely) follow a format similar to other years
B. Staff
1. Project -Based Learning is working effectively as a strategy to engage students deeply. Great
way to integrate General Education and Special Education skills
a) Big philosophical shifts come with trepedation (faculty, admin, parents, students)
b) Training is a significant gateway (but should it be?)
c) We're in the "middle point" of our application of PBLframeworks, time to do some
self-assessment
d) Excellent at teaching interdisciplinary connections
e) One of the hold -backs is students'/parents' fear of failure
2. Student stress — increasingly becoming aware that it's peer -inflicted, more than pushed by
parents/teachers
3. Special Education has a goal of working at sensory environment at Diamond. Katina Lawdis
and Cathy Boege are assembling a preliminary plan that acknowledges the
sight/light/sound/temperature, etc., has an impact on student attention, etc.
C. Strategic Plan
1. Central Office released district mission statement and core values at beginning of year
2. Goal 1: Address Equity Gaps — suggestions?
a) Continue to examine root causes of discipline disparities on survey results
b) Will continue to tie equity gaps /discipline issues through DRUM work
c) Work with Jeffrey Benson
d) Will not, likely, continue working with Panorama survey (but will do something
internally)
e) Scheduling committee have been working for two years. Newest proposals with most
recent schedules will be rolled out in January. Feedback will be solicited .
IV. Open Discussion (did not get to this)
V. Meeting Adjourned