SLT Meeting Minutes – 6-15-2016

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Attended: Ro Astarita, Bridget Nash, David Tipson, Rosa Amato, Cathy Sarno, Angela Ferrante, David Rubel, Matt Miller, Anne Baker, Lucia Burns, Steve Questar, ToniAnn Tepedino, Unyque Rencher, Kerry Aguilar, Nicole Krieger, Michael O’Neill

Non Attendees : Mary Beth Carroll Crosby

SLT Procedures

  • Steve Election UFT Chapter leader will do elections for staff positions on SLT.
  • Angela to make changes & circulate minutes for May. They were provisionally approved.
  • PTA to continue to post minutes
  • SLT 6/15/16 results from SLT committee selection Anne to tally in afternoon and email to team
  • Review of the bylaws over the summer will make proposed changes. Would like new SLT members to be part of process
  • Anne: Bylaws revisit purpose and mission of SLT before we revise the bylaws
  • Rosa to circulate mission statement & bylaws will look & change and prepare.  Angela to host. David T make sure to keep chancellors’ statement of purpose of the SLT  Proposed Date August 2 @ 630

Health & Wellness

  • Rosa : A K parent asked us to look at the policy regarding sugar and carbs. Concerned about the amount of sugar at some of the celebrations
  • Kerry restricts sweets because children have been sick in past.  Lucia use guidelines and balance
  • Cathy maybe move focus elsewhere other than food
  • There need to be other options for children at celebrations as opposed to only cupcakes but we don’t want to ban.
  • Matt & Ro think we need to manage the statement & PR and be very careful to manage the message.  We don’t want the message to be that school policy is “no more fun”.
  • Rosa will check the policy and provide feedback.

Introducing Bridget Nash

  • C30 process for AP went very well. Rosa introduced Bridget Nash as the new AP of PS 372. She will have responsibilities at both the main and the ASD sites.  She came from PS 369 which is a district 75 program
  • She was an instructional coach with a lot of experience in the 6:1:1 and 8:1:1 Graduated Hofstra Felt the C30 process was very stressful but felt very welcomed at the children’s school and thought it was the right fit for her

Rosa’s Update

  • Repurpose the school day. Staff voted to bring day from 8:20 to 2:40 bringing back Teacher development day and Parents access to teachers on Tuesdays   ASD will remain at 8:10-2:30 New chancellors rights for personal development
  • This was the 3rd time we voted and the 3 times majority won but last year there were not enough of a majority of votes to overturn the day The days hours are voted on by the UFT every year
  • Tuesday for parent communication.  There will be a communication to families now so they can readjust and secure child care if necessary.
  • Chapter 683: Summer school begins July 5th closed on July 6 for Eid ul-Fitr and goes through August 15  Must be 30 instructional days 8:10-2:40 with no after school .  Bussing will be sent home and OPT will be calling parents.  Expect low number of children on July 5th.
  • Artie’s retirement party everyone excited approximately 160 people

UFT Update

  • Vote for the  SLT positions after 5th grade graduation. There were 4 openings and 5 people vying for them.  There are 3 from the ASD site.  Steve said goodbye to the SLT after 16 years He has 2 years to retirement and would like to continue on the Diversity Committee. SLT is very grateful for his participation and service over the years and thanked and applauded his service.
  • Middle school committee has been a little lax and will pickup in the fall repurposed.  They floated the idea of a feeder school but not a lot of support or interest.  Do we do a survey or disband and move forward in another way?
  • Lucia suggested a new committee maybe a process for middle school from District 15?
  • There was a powerful article in the Times about the middle school process.  Middle school process is very difficult.  District 75 is improving at the middle school level. Want to keep the committee but change the focus to middle school process and try to put into place more clarity at the district level.  The committee can reach out to Brad Lander.
  • Grant committee is part of PTA

PTA Update

  • Lucia running elections and will be ex-officio to keep some continuity on the PTA to help.  Having trouble getting people on the board.  Co presidents will be Steven Eustace and Nina Crews.
  • Nicole will send out communications.  Two Vice Presidents : Jessica Miksis and Meredith Finn Beers and then there are committees outside of the executive board that will trickle down to the community.
  • Secretary : Cindy Day
  • ASD Rep: Lydia Hamden
  • Parent @ Large: Rafael Leonidas Gomez Luna
  • Teacher Rep : Amy Vagelatos
  • Moving the Auction to March and may need to pare down the PTA events if the parent participation doesn’t pick up including Pizza Fridays and Roots & Community which were both huge successes this year.

Diversity Update

  • Great turnout at the last meeting a lot of new people. Very excited about the progress made and the win they had this year.  One step at a time to get what we want for the school
  • Steve would like to create signs in Spanish/Chinese for next year.  Rosa, Cathy & Bridget raised issue of gender/community model and understanding how that will be included in classrooms going forward. They attended a meeting about gender inclusion/language/regulations and were figuring out how to present to teacher/parent community.

SEBC Update

  • Great year Ina did a wonderful job with C.A.R.E.S and helping us to include in the curriculum this year.
  • Next year committee would like to work toward an assembly type event whether it revolves around Women’s history or another inclusion type of topic.
  • Anne mentioned we need to have a subcommittee for review of CEP and Rosa would review and revert back.
  • Thank you to all SLT members who served over the last few years.
  • Have a great Summer.