LSAT Minutes: 2017-2018

January 9, 2018

Minutes from December meeting were approved.

Principal update:

• Budget allocation – 620 students (additional 47 kids)
• Official $$ released Feb 14^th, budgets will be due March 2^nd
• Staff meeting – teachers reviewed what had been discussed at prior meeting and used nominal voting to cast votes on staff positions and non-personnel spending
• LSAT Calendar update — Feb 6^th, Feb 20^th, March 1^st (cancel March 6^th)
• SIT Update/Meeting tomorrow night
• A few staff members are interested in filling Lauren Reed’s LSAT spot
  • Staff will vote and we will have that person on board for the next meeting

Parent Engagement:

Review of the survey

• Need an example for Enrichment or more explanation; indicate that it’s 1^st-5^th grade
• Add a bullet point for after-school offerings?
• Work on wording for sending out survey to explain what it is/expectations

Calendar

• Want it completed and data compiled by Feb 6^th to present to LSAT
• Send it home before MLK weekend – ask to be completed by following Friday (send the 18^th, have back by the 26^th)
• Mr. C will check on getting it translated for families who need the letter (or survey) in other languages
• Jen and Sophie will have letter drafted by this Thursday
• Have the survey link in the HSA newsletter, teachers send home/on websites and put on Murch website; room parents send reminder email (around 23^rd) – then a robo call.
• Vicki will send updated calendar

– Mr. C will confirm prize: class that gets most responses will get to go on a tour of New Murch with their families!

-Stress that the survey is anonymous

-Post summary of survey to Murch website

Minutes respectfully submitted by Alicia Garfinkel

Tues. Feb. 6, 2018
5:30pm

In attendance: Alicia Garfinkel, Dan Hayden, Lauren Miller, Sophie Schwadron, Vicki Otten, Emily Kallaur, Chris Cebrzynski, Maurice Werner, Eugene Branch, Megan Lavin, Richard Nugent

Administrative

Review meeting minutes from Jan. 2018

• Approved by all
• Welcome to new LSAT members Eugene Branch and Daniel Hayden

Items for Discussion

• Principal’s Update on Budget Process
  • Mr. C attended a meeting about non-Title 1 schools to discuss finding ways to support us since we don’t get additional funding
  • Found lots of common ground with other NW schools

• Survey results
  • Reviewed why we did the survey to give new members background info
  • Took a detailed look at Survey Monkey printed results
    • Anything surprising to teachers/Mr. C?
      • Mr. C — Priorities for next year was resources – focused on Spanish program (wanting it more than 1x/week) and wanting resource classes for PreK
      • After-school programs — Is it expected for us to host these programs and it be part of our budget dollars?
        • Get teachers more involved again instead of FLEX like old system?
  • Technology – priority for staff in budget process, and in DCPS communication – Was also somewhat high as something chosen by parents as something to improve on
  • Consider doing this survey each year
• Next steps
  • Communicate some info out to parents from survey results – i.e.: info about Spanish, after-school activities
    • Mr. C will put something in the Weekly Blog about it and will reach out again later on about results
  • What should LSAT do next?
    • Mr. C will send out budget information about past, current and future information (specific salaries and per pupil $ amounts) to us
      • Review it prior to next meeting
      • Maurice will tease out numbers and send out
      • Work on specific recommendations/considerations in a small group on Wednesday at 3:30 (a few teachers and parents)
    • Dig deeper into high priorities and tease out specific information (i.e.: pre-k resource vs Spanish resource)
    • Figure out specific focal points
    • HSA and technology?

Minutes respectfully submitted by Alicia Garfinkel

LSAT Minutes
Tues. Nov. 7, 2017, 5:30pm

In attendance: Alicia Garfinkel, Vicki Otten, Emily Kallaur, Lauren Miller, Lauren Reed, Maurice Werner, Chris Cebrzyinski, Megan Lavin, and Jen Stark on the phone

1. Administrative

• Review meeting minutes from Sept. 2017
• Minutes were approved

2.        Items for Discussion

• Principal’s Update
  • Will have writing data/info for Dec meeting

• I/E and Encore—review of first quarter implementation
  • Handwriting/typing needed some differentiation
  • Schedule change for this new session
    • LEAP teams meet for 90 minutes but no sub coverage is needed
    • 4^th/5^th grade have a library and lunch option
    • 3^rd graders won’t have subs first thing in AM
• SEM – Also on Wednesdays
  • 6 weeks, 3 cycles
  • Kids sign up based on interest (and grade level)
  • Ex: knitting, poetry, nature walks, board games, boys on the run, medical training, embassy adoption, etc.
  • 1^st-5^th graders
  • Hope is that this will lead to students choosing what the choices are, versus the adults picking them, and evolve further

• Comprehensive School Plan overview
  • DCPS/School Vision- “Every student feels loved, challenged, and prepared to positively influence society and thrive in life. We are committed to the social/emotional and academic success of each student in order for each child to thrive and reach his/her full potential.”
  • Literacy, SEAD (SEL), Writing Across the Curriculum
    • For kids who aren’t doing well in writing, how are we finding out and what are we seeing? – collecting data now
    • PARCC data review
• Budget issues and process
• Emily went to budget meeting AM of Tuesday, November 7^th led by the Chancellor (community engagement forums)
  • DC is fastest improving urban school district
  • New budget process could be coming next year
  • Budget process and staffing model will be similar this year as in the past, but some changes…process will be more transparent, flexibility for schools
  • Nov and Dec – monthly forums; public budget hearing next week (Ward 3 EdNet group is preparing a statement)
  • Enrollment projections will be finalized in December – we will get initial projection at end of November and we can submit a petition if we don’t agree with the number
  • Initial budgets are created in January and budgets (proposed allocations) will be sent in Feb and March

-Comprehensive staffing model has not been updated yet, but there might be some changes

-Auditor found technology is not up to date in many schools

– Figuring out HSA role in budgeting for next year

• Other academic issues: departmentalization, ideas for next year in new building
  • Departmentalization:
    • 1-2 grades last year (math and ELA for half the team), not doing it this year – found that there wasn’t a benefit
    • Studying changes for departmentalization for 3^rd grade (maybe 4^th) – what will be the greatest benefit for kids, how do teachers feel? Reach out to kids for information? (Could part of the problem be just being in the trailers?)

New Building Ideas:

-Working with an eco-group to have kids involved with exploring new building and how it works with environmental science (green roofs, water retention, light, etc.)

-teachers will be trained, gardening materials/supplies provided

-Assemblies in new space

-Discovery Theater sends groups to schools (instead of us going to the theater)

-Group of parents and teachers get together to help plan?

3.        Other

• Overcrowding in Ward 3 schools
  • Group met in October – working on recommendations and ideas
    • Early childhood centers?
    • Shifting 5^th grade somewhere?
    • Adding trailers
    • Strengthen schools in other areas in DC!
• Nursing coverage
  • Health Committee passed bill requiring nursing coverage for 40 hours at every school – Mayor needs to fund it when she creates her budget
• Other business and review meeting schedule for the year

Minutes respectfully submitted by Alicia Garfinkel

Tues. Sept. 26, 2017, 5:30pm

Meeting attendees: Alicia Garfinkel, Lauren Miller, Lauren Reed, Vicki Otten, Sophie Schwadron, Emily Kallaur, Maurice Werner, Chris Cebrzyinski, Richard Nugent, Megan Lavin and Jen Stark (and Adam Riggs via phone)

1. Administrative

• Welcome and introductions
• Role of the LSAT
  • Bringing a group of parents, teachers, staff and the community together to get different perspectives to help support high levels of academic achievement and support the mission at Murch. LSAT exists at every DCPS school. LSAT also works with the budget in the winter/spring.
• Alicia Garfinkel will serve as LSAT secretary again this year.
• Basecamp
  • Platform where we store documents and communicate with the whole group.
• Review meeting minutes from May 2017
  • Motion made by Alicia, seconded by Vicki and approved by all.
• Meeting schedule for the year
  • Meetings the same night as HSA to help with the collaboration between the two groups.
  • Meetings will be the first Tuesday of every month at 5:30 PM (starting Nov. 7^th – skipping October meeting).
    • November 7^th
    • December 5^th
    • January 9^th
    • February 6^th (and potentially another meeting for budget)
    • March 6^th
    • May 1^st
    • June 5^th (?)

2.  Items for Discussion

• Principal’s Update
  • Comprehensive School Plan (CSP)
    • Reviewed and edited by different groups
    • 3 focus areas: Literacy – focus on guided reading and literature circles to lessen the gap; focus on special ed students and other small groups. Social emotional and academic development/learning –increase the level of satisfaction and experience that Murch students have. Specifically in recognizing student achievements, implementing CARES, students can cite authentic examples of joy and learning activities throughout the day. Learning by doing. Writing across the curriculum- Writing in different content areas, audiences and genres. Helping students become effective in their written communication. Also focusing on grammar. Goals based on different assessments/data collected; have indicators to use along the way to check on progress.
    • A copy of the CSP will be posted to the website.
• LSAT’s work on I/E last year
  • The I/E block was brand new and implemented in 2^nd-5^th grade, 30 min/day.
  • LSAT reviewed teacher survey to find out what was going well and what could be improved upon. Then, we met with many teachers individually to discuss their experiences and get more information on the program.
  • LSAT made recommendations for change based on the teacher interviews – and a number of them have been built into this year’s program.
  • This year, some groups are: building a city, reading groups, building a solar system, writing group, etc. Also, this year it is 3^rd-5^th grade students.
• Defining our substantive focus for this year
  • Continue with I/E focus?
    • Get student input on the I/E block?
  • Other ideas?
    • Comprehensive School Plan – helping with collecting data/checking indicators of success; how to support the initiatives; checking in with parents, etc.
      • Focus on writing portion of the plan
        • C has data available that can help start this (will send by Nov 1^st); he will send some old PARCC data sooner
        • Writing initiatives underway: PD for 3^rd-5^th grade ELA teachers on promoting proficient writing; adding other content areas, and then will add other grades (by end of October).
    • Planning for next year/new building?
  • Next steps
    • At November meeting, review some data and decide on our focus.
  • Chancellor will be reaching out to LSATs in Fall about the budget process
• Budget issues and process
• Start discussions for budget process in November
  • Mr. C will send the LSAT budget information prior to the Nov. 7 meeting (by Nov 1^st) so we can be prepared for the discussion

3.        Other

• DCPS-wide issues
  • Overcrowding Community Working Group – will give recommendations to the city in November
  • Wilson feeder education network – coordinates schools that feed into Wilson (also active in overcrowding group)

Minutes respectfully submitted by Alicia Garfinkel