MDT Meeting Minutes for May 22, 2007

In attendance: Alan Yu, Martha Saccocio, Brenda Smith, Pam Joos, Susan Banta, Natalie Stapert, Vickie Otten, Halina Cymerman, Amanda Broun, Carolyn Albert-Garvey, Nancy Martell-Stevenson, Erna Marcus

The meeting began at 4:30 with a welcome to new parent representative Alan Yu who will be serving on the MDT for the 2007-08 school year.

Principal Selection.  The first item on the agenda was the principal selection process.  It was agreed that the Community representatives for the Principal Interview Committee would be Brenda Smith (Nimmi Damodoran alternate); and Edie Hessel (Faye Allen alternate) assuming that their availability could be confirmed.  The MDT representative on the Principal Interview Committee is typically the Chair or Co-Chair of the MDT.  Vickie Otten agreed to serve.  Finally, as potential questions to be used in the Interview process are currently being drafted by teachers and parents, it was proposed and agreed that on May 29th the MDT would reconvene to combine the two lists and draw ten to fifteen questions to be used in the process.

AP or Sixth Grade Teacher.  Prior to Carolyn Albert-Garvey’s announced resignation, the $100K that Murch had received from the Mayor’s Office was to be used to fund continuation of Marcia Jackson’s AP position.  Given Ms. Jackson’s interest in the Principal job, she has decided not to accept the AP position.  The teachers and a group of parents suggested that given a projected 52-55 student 6th grade for the next academic year, a third 6th grade teacher should be considered. 

The principal suggested that there were two options – Option A:  retain the AP slot and recruit for that position; or Option B:  Hire an additional 6th grade teacher, as well as a special education aide.  A note from Ms. Levy in support of Option B was read; Brenda Smith also spoke in support of Option B and relayed a conversation she had with a Murch parent, Karen Beiley who discussed her perception of the impact of having large sixth grade classes on the current 6th grade academic program.    Finally, Tracy Zorpette, parent of a rising 6th grader spoke about the need for a third teacher to support a more rigorous academic  framework for 6th grade.  Ms. Zorpette indicated her belief that smaller class sizes, such as those that had existed in the recent past, would aid in that goal.  Ms. Zorpette noted that with only two teachers, more time has been devoted to class management and academics have received less attention.

One potential downside of going with an additional teacher and smaller 6th grade classes is the risk that we may attract more NCLB transfers into sixth grade which would result in large classes again, the same problem we are trying to cure.  The principal thought this was a risk, but unlikely given our past experience.  Vicki Otten agreed. It was also noted that sixth grade is only expected to remain at Murch for two more years, and that hiring a teacher with tenure might lead to that person bumping a lower grade teacher when sixth grade leaves Murch.

Finally, the issue of where a sixth grade class would be put in the building was raised.  The special education program wants two full-sized classrooms, and with an additional 6th grade that current capacity could be lost.  The teachers were split on the best course of action given the expressed needs of special education, and asked that a decision on how to proceed wait until after the faculty could be consulted as a group on Thursday.  In addition, Susan recommended that we think creatively about how space in the building is used – including how and where specials are provided; and a potential meeting with facilities management on the best use of potential new demountables.  The MDT will meet 29 May to make its decision.

In-class Birthdays.  It was agreed that a new school policy limiting birthday celebrations to one snack and one drink would be included in next year’s School Handbook, as well as a policy to prohibit the distribution of party invitations at school unless all students in a given class are invited.

MDT Planning for 2007-08. Brenda Smith left the meeting.  Following her departure, Brenda was unanimously elected by the MDT to another year as a community representative.  MDT agreed to continue to consider additional community representatives for next year and to discuss these at a subsequent meeting. MDT postponed decisions on meeting dates and co-chairs for next school year until after teacher representatives for the 2007-08 MDT have been selected.

The meeting adjourned at 6:20.

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The following future MDT meetings are scheduled:

Tuesday, May 29th from 4:30 to 5:30: to finalize the list of questions the principal interview committee will use;

Wednesday, May 30th 4:30 to 6:30: MDT Community Meeting to hear parent input regarding the use of the $100,000 received from Mayor Fenty;

Monday, June 11th at 4:30 (tentative) in case MDT needs to meet about principal transition or other matters.