HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-01-13-Hastings-minSchool Council Agenda
January 13, 2004
I. Roles for the Meeting (8 minutes)
Facilitator:
Time Keeper:
Recorder — Janet Lane
II. Review School Council Lunchroom Initiatives (10 minutes)
III. Bullying at School
■ Brainstorm: What are the current issues? Where do we perceive the
problems are currently? (10 minutes)
IV. School Council Steps to Help Reduce Bullying (20 minutes)
• What current solutions /methods are being used ?
• How to we let parents know about these methods?
• What are our short -term goals?
• What will be goals for the 2005 -2006 School Improvement Plan?
V. Questions from Parents
• Principal search process
• Sharing last year's improvement goals with the school community
• Susan Campbell's brochure
VI. Next Meeting (5 minutes)
Date:
Topic:
Page 1 of 3
'.f� lane
From: "j.f.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: "Jess Lindley" <jessann @rcn.com >; "Sarah Flatley" <flats @rcn.com >; "Beth Somers Stutzman"
<bethsomersl @cs.com >; "June Hsiao" <jyhsiao @rcn.com>
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2005 10:17 PM
Attach: ATT00076.htm
Subject: January 13, 05 school council minutes
January 13, 2005
School Council Minutes
Present:
Lynne Stinson, Celeste Freeman, Tammy Mulligan, Diana Partika, Susan
Campbell, Reem Yared, Marcia Zichittella, Janet Lane
TOPIC: BULLYING
A) Issues to consider include:
Boy vs. Girl (Girl vs. Boy) bullying confused with normal gender
identification play
Inclusion of students with special needs
Bystanders - their role in deescalating conflict, how to help bystanders
with their fears
Parent communication - letting parents know what our policies are
and what proactive programs are used at Hastings
Emotional Bullying
B) RESOURCES & POLICIES CURRENTLY USED AT HASTINGS::
1- CURRICULUM:
Celeste reported that the town has a new curriculum around improving lunch room
behavior. She will investigate it.
- The school does not use just one curriculum for conflict resolution/bullying
issues. Celeste has combined materials from several sources, to both take
the best of each and to avoid the exorbitant expense of some programs. In
2000 a training called "Responsive Classroom" was given to staff.
2- COUNSELORS Celeste (1 -5) and Jan Kline (for Kindergarten) goes to every
class in the school at least twice during the year to talk about issues that
are likely to effect each age group.
Developmentally Normal behaviors sometimes show up as bullying
Kindergarten: Tattling vs. Telling (Trying to get someone in trouble, vs.
something is unsafe or someone is hurt).
Grade 1 & Grade 2 - Reads: "Mean Jean the Recess Queen" uses a social skills
curriculum called second step with 4 questions:
Is it safe?
Is it fair?
1/21/2005
Page 2 of 3
How does the other person feel about it?
Does it work?
Grade 3 -5: Reads: "Fat Rose Marie" to do a bystander training.
(Doesn't use the word "victim ", uses the word "Target ") Helps kids stand up
to unfairness and learn safety in numbers.
Mixed ages on playground (3rd and 4th) result in power plays as older
children try to establish power over younger children
Emotional bullying intensifies among girls in 4th & 5th grade as group
(clique) formation begins. Celeste talks to them about emotional bullying,
appropriate internet/ phone behavior, Sarcasm/putdowns in media that re
inappropriate. She tries to separate boys and girls to talk about their
unique issues.Girls may try to get social power by shunning, vs. Boys making
connections by striking roles or domains (claiming power in some sphere such
as sports, art, math, etc) that don't need to exclude or put down others.
3- CLASSROOM TEACHERS: vary in their skill levels but all do social
skills training as part of their everyday curriculum.
4- ALL SCHOOL MEETING: All school Meeting is intended to build community and
make school feel safer.
5- RECESS AIDES: Have had trainings for the last 3 years, twice a month
initially, now once a month. They meet with Counselors regularly and are
important to school safety and up to date on the issues affecting individual
children.
6- BEHAVIOR LOG: The student fills out an incident report explaining what they did and how their
behavior will change. If too young to write someone will help). There have been 32 filed this year.
7 -ACTS OF KINDNESS: Some teachers acknowledge acts of kindness with a visual as positive
motivation for children to be kind.
8 -PEACE WALL - (more information to follow)
9- PTA UPCOMING BULLYING SPEAKER (MEETING being rescheduled)
C.) IDEAS FOR IMPROVEMENTS:
1- COMMUNICATING POLICIES AND PROGRAMS TO PARENTS:
Reem Yared agreed to work on a brochure descibing what is already being done at Hastings to deter
bullying. Celeste Freemena will collaborate with Reem. This information should also be put up on the
web site
2- STANDARDIZATION OF LANGUAGE:
Every teacher has their own way discussing this. It would help if there were some common phrases used
and if these phrases were taught to the parent community.
PRINCIPAL SEARCH:
Currently 17 elementary principle searches are underway in our area, advertized in Globe, Ed. Weekly,
etc. Andre Ravinel will coordinate this search. He's asked for a committee of parents, teachers, a
1/21/2005
Page 3 of 3
principal and a central office staff person to work on the selection. PTA will choose parent
representatives, Jennifer Clifford and Celeste will find teacher reps.
SCHOOL IMPROVMENT PLAN FOR THIS YEAR:
It goes to the School Committee annually to be approved. The committee still has not asked for them.
Once approved it will be shared with Hastings Community.
SCHOOL LUNCH INITIATIVES:
- Lynne is still working to try to switch recess and lunch for a week. The difficulty is rescheduling
specialists.
- PTA Nutrition Task Force - headed by Georgia Harris, working with all PTA's townwide and
Chartwell to improve nutrition, lessen focus on snacks.
- 5th graders lunch petition:
It began with a boycott complaining the chicken was too greasy, it developed into a petition signed by
182 kids with specific complaints. The students prepared a list of menu ideas and concerns and will
meet with Chartwell on January 15, to present their ideas
-Lunch space suggestions:
Reem Yared had an idea of an island of cold foods that would fit in the current configuration and
possibly speed up the lunch line. Marcia Zichittella agreed to meet with her to measure the space and
draw up a specific suggestion, and present it to Chartwell.
-Lunch signage is confusing, Reem suggested new signs be made. Marcia and Janet agreed to work on
this.
-Lunch recommendations from the December School council (especially regarding buying meal tickets)
need to go out. Lynne agreed to do this.
1/21/2005