HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-10-09-Hastings-min
October 9, 2003
School Council Meeting
Present: Betty Piece, Sue Campbell, Barbara Lockwood, Jessie Steigerwald,
Tammy Mulligan, Lynne Stinson
WHO ARE WE ? - INTRODUCTIONS AND INTERESTS
(Forgive this crude summary! I got interested and failed to take notes as
this went along)
Jessie- A long history with public schools. She believes it is important to
use volunteers, but training is needed for them to be effective. Often the
rules are unclear, communication does not occur. She is interested in
motivating, training and better utilizing parent volunteers. She wants to
revitalize the school council as a medium of communication between parents
and the school.
Barbara- Likes to analyze where things are working and where they are not.
Sees her strengths as reflective. She believes Hastings is strong in
academic differentiation and strong in Math and language based education,
but that Hastings does not use kinesthetic educational opportunities, music,
art well. She believes Hastings as a learning community hasn't paid enough
attention to emotional and personal differences among the children.
Sue - A lot of varied experience in schools as a director in special needs
school, as a special ed. instructor, and married to a principle. She focus
will be how to minimize losses and support teachers during a budget cutting
era.
Betty- Director of Preschool, special needs background, former Lexington
resident (now Lincoln), Husband is a teacher. She has served on various
committees at Hastings and sees her role as having the long-range and wide
perspective.
Tammy- Worked in Friends School, and Elliot Pierce and consulting in
differentiated instruction in a progressive education setting. She is now
the Dept. Head at Reading. She has special concerns that working parents be
included in the Hastings community. She wants to help parents develop
realistic and constructive expectations for their kids, rather than
believing it is always in the child's interest to push them to excel.
Janet - Background working with Immigrants and cross cultural communication.
Interested in better communication within the school community and better
atmosphere of respect during this key period of change (budget, new
administration). Wants to better integrate the Intensive Learning Program in
a way that supports and celebrates its presence rather than having rumor and
fear-based information circulate among non-ILP parents.
Lynne - Long term teacher, worked in a Head Start placement program, Founder
at Graham Parks, Principle in Brookline and Georgetown. Sees herself
primarily as an educator. Interested in the whole community - parents and
teachers working together. Likes multiage, concrete play and loves for
children to play in her office. She can bring a mellow tone to negotiation.
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLANS:
Lynne will make copies of plans gathered at the October 7 School Committee
meeting for all of us to see. Should we make them available to others via
the Library?
SHOULD SCHOOL COUNCIL PUBLISH MINUTES and write an article to inform
parents on an issue each month? We need more ways to help parents who
aren't available during school hours to be informed and feel welcome.
Could the Council fill the vacuum left by the lack of the Hastings Star?
Lynne- We could have a School Council column added on to the weekly bulletin
Barbara- It is important to emphasize the positive. It isn't all about
money. Need parents to know ways they can help, and to know our standards
of behavior. We need to come together as a community.
OPEN EXAMINATION OF VOLUNTEERISM and ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS AT
HASTINGS
Is it helpful for teachers to have volunteers or is it a burden?
Some are more effective volunteer coordinators than others.
Can we give teachers a brainstorm list to stimulate ideas of effective ways
to use parent volunteers?
How do we insure teachers welcome help and that volunteerism is initiated by
teacher need? How do we insure parent enthusiasm for creative programming
isn't overwhelming teachers?
How many enrichment programs can teachers handle before they become so
interrupted that they cannot teach? Concern that there may be too much going
on in the classroom. Teachers do not have the choice of opting out of
enrichment programs. (This is up to the Principle to decide if programs
should be terminated). Enrichment programs don't always relate to each
other (e.g. Box City and Big Backyard)
Role of our committee is policy.
What is the policy around parent volunteers? e.g. Do we need to instate
a volunteer free day?
What is our policy around approving enrichment programs?
Barbara- Let the academic stuff be done by teachers - let teachers teach.
For example: the Science Initiative. Maybe it never was a weakness in
education, but in communication. Rather than build initiatives around
science, focus on the interface between parents/ administrators and
teachers. Our academics are OK. Communication needs to be improved.
Parents need more information. Can only do a survey AFTER more information
is put out to parents. We need to have more groundwork so that parents
really know the school and what goes on, before they offer feedback.
How can we get information out?
SCHOOL COUNCIL PAGE in the Weekly Bulletin
Each week: - What do we celebrate?
- How can parents help?
Meeting adjourned due to time constraints.
NEXT MEETING November 6, 3:45