HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-12-07-Hastings-minSchool Council Agenda
December 7, 2004
I. Roles for the Meeting (8 minutes)
Facilitator:
Time Keeper:
Recorder — Janet Lane
Review of the Minutes from Last Meeting — Janet Lane
II. Improving Lunch for the Students at Hastings
■ Current Initiatives: Healthy Lunch Task Force — Georgia Harris
School Council Initiatives — To Be Determined
Identifying Existing Problems in the Cafeteria: Brainstorm (5 minutes)
Selecting Priorities: (15 minutes)
1. What can we solve right away?
2. What will be goals for the 2005 -2006 School Improvement
Plan?
3. What problems cannot be solved?
III. Next Steps: What needs to happen to solve these problems? (15 minutes)
IV. Next Meeting (5 minutes)
January 13, 3:30 p.m, Thursday
Topic:
Summarize Meeting: Janet Lane
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.f.lane
From: 'Tf.lane" <j.f.lane @mindspring.com>
To: "Tammy Mulligan" <TMulligan @rcn.com >; "Susan Campbell"
< scampbell @sch.ci.lexington.ma.us >; "Maria Moxon" <maria @moxonsonline.com >; "Lynne
Stinson" < Istinson @sch.ci.lexington.ma.us >; "Reem Yared" <reem @growthwise.com >; "Diana
Partyka" <dave.diana @rcn.com >; "Ms. Zichittella" < mzichittella @sch.ci.lexington.ma.us >; "Janet
Lane" <j.f.lane @mindspring.com>
Cc: "Beth Somers Stutzman" <bethsomersl @cs.com >; "Jessie Steigerwald"
<jess @shininghours.com >; "June Hsiao" <jyhsiao @rcn.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2004 10:58 AM
Subject: Minutes of December 7 School Council MTG
SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING- December 7,7:45 am
Present: Lynne Stinson, Tammy Mulligan, Diana Partyka, Kathleen Higgins
(Chartwell), Sue Brown (Chartwell at Hastings), Beth Somers Sutzman, Sue
Campbell, Marcia Zicchatella, Janet Lane
After a review of the minutes of the last meeting we had an introduction of
the agenda
INTRODUCTION OF ISSUE - IMPROVING LUNCH EXPERIENCE
PTO Townwide Task Force is looking at what is served, nutrition, snacks.
Next meeting is January 6. For more information contact Georgia Harris- task
force chair). This meeting focused on the organization and overall
experience of lunch rather than what was eaten.
BRAINSTORMING PROBLEMS:
CHILDREN ARRIVING 5 -10 minutes late:
Whole classrooms arrive late at each grade level, which ruins the flow of
the lunch line (children can't be served according to each lunch choice when
a new wave of kids arrive late.) This makes the next hunch late. Art
teacher used to have 20 minutes of prep time, but with lunch regularly
running late she usually has about 8 minutes to set up after lunch and it
makes the art class preparation unsatisfactory.
RESPONSE: Lynne will talk to teachers at next staff meeting. This is an
ongoing problem and teachers need annual reminders.
KITCHEN AND EATING SPACE TOO SMALL:
We have the smallest cafeteria space and the second largest school
population. Our school was built to serve 300 kids, we have 500. This makes
for less space for equipment, (we have one stove, one sink with two
partitions, limited refridgeration), this forces us to have one lunch line
rather than two). Renovation would cost major tax dollars on the order of
100K.
RESPONSE: We are unlikely to have money allocated for such a major expense.
SERVING LINES ARE TOO LONG:
REPPONSE: THis would require money to redesign the space. (see above).
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LUNCH SHIFTS RUSHED NOW THAT LUNCH BEGINS AT 11:30 instead of 11:15
RESPONSE: We cannot move the time due to classroom needs with our literacy
program.
KIDS RUSH TO EAT TO GET TO RECESS:
Some kids throw half eaten lunches out to be able to go out to recess. They
go through the lunch line in their winter outdoor clothing holding balls and
dropping mittens - it makes the line slower.
RESPONSE: We can try to switch schedule so that recess happens before
lunch. Kids may come in hungrier and calmer - more ready for lunch. On the
other hand kids who eat quickly may get wilder while they wait for peers to
finish and be dismissed to the classroom. We will try lunch first on an
experimental basis for a week and review it.
KIDS RUSH TO EAT TO BUY SNACK:
Some kids throw half eaten lunches out to be able to go out to buy snack.
RESPONSE: This isn't supposed to happen. Aides try to monitor this, but
it is an ongoing battle.
KIDS DON "T KNOW HOW TO PROBLEM SOLVE:
If food is of poor quality the children need to know who to go to.
RESPONSE: Parents need to know to advise child to go back to cafeteria staff
or an aide.
Lynne Stinson will talk with the kids at all school meeting.
LINES SLOWED DOWN WHEN KIDS PAY WITH PENNIES /SMALL CHANGE
RESPONSE: We should try a weekly bulletin article about lunch and how
parents can help improve things. Janet will draft one and Tammy will edit
it.
We need to explain to parents that buying lunch tickets speeds up the
process. They are bought at the high school or via the mail. (see the
chartwell menu for instructions).
We need to explain to parents that using small coins (smaller than a
quarter) is a burden on the lunch workers and slows the line greatly.
DIRTY TABLES:
Children was tables with water and the rags are reused - the tables aren't
properly cleaned.
REPONSE: Lynne will meet with Joe Ferranti to see if we can get spray
bottles of disinfectant and use more fresher cloths for each shift.
CHILDREN WANT TO SIT WITH FRIENDS IN OTHER CLASSES AT THEIR GRADE LEVEL:
RESPONSE: This is a priviledge given to 5th graders. It would take too much
time and be difficult for younger grades to find their favorite peers,
tables have table monitors assigned in the class to clean tables and carry
lunch boxes and this only works if they sit by class. Children who are
socially marginalized would have a harder time to find seating mates.
Younger grades need to sit by class.
AIDES YELLING AT CHILDREN:
RESPONSE: Aides may have to yell to be heard above the din - it isn't
12/7/2004
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punative. Clapping or switching off lights is usually used. Hastings
aides have a good reputation relative to other schools for helping children
get through the lines, making sure they have lunch even if they have no
money, making lunch a friendly experience. Lynne Stinson, Celeste Freeman
(School Counselor) and Jenn Clifford (Vice Principal) meet with the airds
regulary to talk issues through and make sure lunch hour is for the
children.
ART TEACHER NEEDS LUNCH TABLE COVERS:
She covers lunch tables with heavy plastic to do messy projects but they
wear out and need to be replaced yearly.
She has applied for a PTA grant.
RESPONSE: Lynne has approved this grant and expects money to be allocated.
IDEA:
GUEST PIANISTS AND MUSICIANS AT LUNCH:
This would help quiet the lunch room, but it is such a small and
acoustically poor space - we might discourage the musicians. There is a
piano now in the cafeteria, and the rug when art lessons are taught is
another possible performance space. One or two musicians could play during
lunch as is done at Fiske school if a parent volunteer wanted to coordinate
this.
OTHER BUSINESS:
VOLUNTEER TRAINING:
Lynne gave a volunteer training at 3:15 and had new volunteer handbooks
ready to disseminate but no one came. We recommended she try it at 9:00 or
9:15 when some parents do not have children to take care of. We will then
know if it shows a disturbing drop in volunteerism, or is a matter of
timing, or clearer marketing.
NEXT MEETING:
January 13, 3:30 pm.
Topic: Bullying and what is being done at the school to help children.
Included will be bullying using email and the need for parent education
around abuse of email.
12/7/2004