Muirlands Middle
School Site Governance Team/School Site Council
October 25, 2004
Approved Minutes
Attendees: Paul Stephens, Joanna Hurley, Eleanor
Ainslie, Michael Mertz, Victor Totoris, Jeanne Tejada, Melanie Gold, Jessica
Tonnesen, Lynn Reineman, Katya Newmark, Anita Graham, Pam Allor, Karen Maynard,
Julie Latta, Peter Scott, Terry Schwartz
The meeting was called to order by Ms. Latta at 2:35 PM.
Approval of Minutes:
The minutes of the September 27, 2004 meeting were amended
to reflect the following: members will vote to approve minutes at the onset of
each monthly meeting after having received them in ÒunapprovedÓ form prior to
the meeting via e-mail. When
minutes are formally approved, they will be posted to the website.
Old Business:
Re: Advisory Schedule:
- PTA
representative (Reineman): Parents would like increased communication re
advisories particularly information on what is offered in the way of
specialty advisories (esp. at beginning of Sept.). A suggestion was made to clarify
the instructional purposes of advisory at Back to School Night and
possibly in the Messenger.
- PTA
representative (Gold):
Advisories as a Òhome baseÓ are especially important for 6th
graders.
- Foundation
representative (Newmark):
Solicited parent feedback by way of several questions e-mailed to
various Foundation members.
Feedback was mixed: Some felt the two-day system was not preferable
to other structures. Some
felt system is not confusing but objected to first period advisory. The rationale behind the switch is
not readily understood.
- Teacher
representatives: Ms. Schwartz
said counseling has been making advisory adjustments per student/parent
requests. Mr. Totoris said
there was a need to make advisories more unified (outside of specialties)
in purpose and scope. Ms.
Latta said that teachers who want to use advisory effectively do. Re advisory as a study skills
class: contract states that
teachers cannot be mandated to teach study skills. Questions arose over whether the
contract speaks to teachers taking on another prep (which would be the
result of a Òstudy skillsÓ (separate) advisory.
There was widespread consensus
among teacher representatives that the additional instructional minutes added
to each period -made possible by reducing advisory to two days - is very
important. They felt there was a
noticeable value add in having these extra minutes.
Ms. Latta mentioned that there was
no clear consensus on the best possible Advisory structure among the faculty
(referring back to last spring).
Mr. Scott mentioned Advisories as a
Òquality checkÓ, not a Òquantity opportunityÓ. E.g. advisories were designed to provide teachers the
opportunity to check the quality of student work, not to provide students with
the opportunity to do last nightÕs homework at school the next day.
Next steps: A
suggestion (Reineman) was made that a letter from administration re advisory
rationale and policies go out to community, possibly before school year. Back to school night was mentioned as a
venue to communicate this purpose.
Committee Reports
- GATE:
There was a conflict in scheduling between GATE and SGT meetings. Suggest that meetings donÕt
conflict in future.
- Technology: Rich Gray has agreed to be liaison
between SGT and tech committee.
The school still needs to fill the
network tech. position. The bid
closed and we should be receiving a list of candidate names shortly. It was advised that the technology
committee meet to define their scope of business. This committeeÕs first task will most likely be surveying
the major tech needs on campus.
It was mentioned that, while we are waiting to hire a network
technician, we could solicit help in the Messenger for common troubleshooting.
New Business:
School Safety:
- Mr.
Scott spoke about the collaboration between the PTA and the school around safety
issues. Requiring visitors to sign in at the office and wear a visible
VisitorÕs Sticker was widely supported. Substitutes should also wear this identification.
- Administration
will also be working with 6-to-6 to develop a similar system to ensure
safety. The SGT widely supported
uniform reinforcement of this policy.
Lunchtime Supervision:
- Ms.
Newmark reported on behalf of several concerned parents that there existed
a need to improve lunchtime supervision on the field. Mr. Scott took this under
advisement, but suggested that we identify what might be isolated
incidences vs. systemic (and/or potential) problems.
Website:
- A
recommendation was made to make web design a full-time elective for next
year.
High School baseball clubhouse:
- Ms.
Maynard and Ms. Allor expressed their concern with construction starting
Oct. 25 on a baseball clubhouse for the LJHS baseball team. The project had been in the
planning and financing stages for several years. Varying degrees of instructional impact were
discussed. Mr. Scott advised
that we will ensure student safety when/if vehicles and/or contractors are
interfering with instructional time/space. Approximately 15% of the existing dirt track area will
be fenced-off. A suggestion was
made to detour students by creating an alternate track area (e.g. around
the baseball field).
Roundtable discussion:
- Ms.
Allor was concerned that several teachers would like to avoid being called
upon to substitute during their prep period. It was suggested that the school secretary keep a list
of teachers willing to forego their preps to cover for their colleagues.
- Ms.
Schwartz mentioned that the 8th grade team was working on
student alternatives during the East Coast Expedition week.
Tabled items:
A discussion on the purpose of the School Site Council.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:35 PM.
Next Meeting: November
29, 2004, Library
Minutes submitted by Peter Scott.
