SLT Meeting Minutes, Oct. 18, 2017

On Oct. 18, 2017 the School Leadership Team of The Children’s School (“The SLT”) held its regular meeting at 7:30am.

Housekeeping:

  • September minutes approved
  • SLT email list and iPlan Portal access to be updated; email for SLT is slt@ps372pta.org

Feedback for Homework Policy

  • Add a rationale/mission
  • Explain the use of the term optional on the lower grades policy
  • Other comments added to the Google doc have already been incorporated
  • Final draft to be reviewed and published by the end of October

Feedback for Cell Phone Policy

  • OK to be posted

Principal Update (given by Bridget Nash):

Cafeteria

  • A salad bar is coming to the cafeteria by the end of the month
  • There was an issue recently of not enough food left when 5th grade was at lunch; Food Services assured us this won’t happen again

My Face program

  • There were two presentations around bullying – Use kind words, be a friend to those in need
    Well received by kids
  • it was adjusted for Kindergarten audience
  • Returning Nov. 5 for 5th grade presentation
  • Plan to invite them back for next year

Character day on Friday, October 27
Roots & Community

  • Asking for SLT participation

Additional half-days that were planned will not be happening
There will be in house training/PD

  • subs will be brought in when needed
  • Running record training
  • Outside training for Fundations (Gr. K,1,2)
  • Only teachers needed will be trained
  • A lot of turn-key training
  • MoSL – Baselines being administered

UFT Update:

  • Chapter Leader meeting Friday, Oct. 20

PTA Update:

  • October meeting
  • My Face program
  • Peter Strong elected as New Family Rep (a newly created position)
  • Roots & Community – Saturday, Oct. 21
  • Cosmos soccer game: 166 tickets sold; raised over $100 ; Nice community building event
  • New classroom library books arrived
  • Book fair upcoming
    • Main site – 11/15-11/16
    • ASD @ MS113 – 11/20
  • Annual appeal letter ready to go
  • New school gear being ordered
    1. Clothing first
    2. Water bottles in a month or two
  • Lice check was done with mixed results using the new group
  • Shayna confirmed to return for the rest of the year
  • Pizza Friday up and running
  • Arts & Science Day – 1/20/18

Committee Updates

Diversity Committee Update:

  • First meeting of the year on October 16th.
  • The focus of the meeting was on outreach. Kindergarten admissions opens on November 28th and will run through January 12. Our hope is to have a systematic plan along with administration to build outreach.  Rafael will head up the outreach efforts and we are looking for more volunteers to get involved.
    Parent, Adam Strum will help plan an outreach concert event with Citystomp to bring awareness of our school and inform attendees of our Open House.  We hope to hold the outreach event in Gowanus. Cheri will work on producing flyers and a brochure.
  • Rosa is working on an Open House date for December. Outreach needs to be a targeted focus to build diversity at our school.
  • We hope to build more collaboration with the other district wide schools who are part of the pilot admissions program and send a representative from our school to meetings.
  • Data on our second year of the pilot program shows that out of approximately 51 spots, 17 were filled by ELL or FRLs which is on target of the 1/3 mark.  We were able to get a few new families into the upper grades because of the kindergarten admissions (i.e. a 2nd grade ELL student enrolled because her cousin is an ELL in K).  Several families who would have been given priority as ELLs and FRLs declined spots and we worked off the waitlist and continued to offer priority to any ELLs and FRLs on the list.  So, at this point, we are fulfilling the 1/3 priority allotment for FRLs and ELLs but outreach seems to be a key factor in having people learn about the school and register.  This year we hope to follow through better with folks that show interest.
  • Michele and Rafael of the Diversity Committee are prime organizers of the Roots and Community celebration which will take place on Saturday, October 21st from 5:30-8pm.
  • We would like add Steve Quester on behalf of the Diversity Committee to the agenda at our November meeting.  He will give some background information on racial/ethnic diversity at The Children’s School

Social-Emotional Community Building Committee:

  • Working on establishing student council
  • Ms. Sandi and Ms. Barbara to help
  • Students must complete an application w/letter of intent
  • In-class vote
  • Teachers have the final say on results

Wellness Committee Update:

  • Meeting 10/18
  • DOE rep will attend
  • Set up Wellness Council Portal (DOE) ➔ In process of accessing school wellness info
    Additional resources, grants, etc. will be available once we are setup as part of the DOE wellness community
  • Zero waste – Cafeteria Warriors underway
  • Custodial staff said the cafeteria has never been cleaner
  • Looking to spread initiative to events