Present – Alicia Garfinkel, Aaron Hanna, Vicki Otten, Emily Kallaur, Lauren Miller, Stefanie Berger, Adam Riggs, Karen Abrams

Meeting was called to order at 5:38

Administrative

• Review November minutes
• Vicki motioned to approve the minutes, Adam seconded the motion.

Items for Discussion

• Stefanie Berger joined us to discuss implementation of the enrichment program to date: mission/objectives, challenges, successes, what works, ideas for next year, etc.
  • Emily reviewed past discussions about I/E
  • Stefanie went over the most recent Enrichment offerings (explorers, junior great books, weather, math project from cornerstones, and more)
  • Want kids to learn in a hands-on way and have different experiences than they would be exposed to in the classroom
  • Projects are presented to other students once completed
  • GoQuest is new program that all kids are being added to (paused I/E block to add them to this) and will be a great addition to the enrichment program (as well as for teachers to use); could be helpful with helping to connect grade-levels
  • Junior Great Books program connects and progresses thru each grade-level
  • Aides are documenting and saving lessons
  • Stefanie thinks 4^th and 5^th grade I/E is running very well
  • Idea of enrichment is to broaden kids exposure and understanding of topics (and more than just literacy and math)
  • Challenges
    • Aides don’t have a place to keep all of the kids projects and supplies
    • 30 minute time can be limiting, especially with lower grades, for longer projects  – especially with needing to move around building, move supplies and find a space
    • Aides are buying own supplies
    • Computer issues
    • Need to look into what professional development and support may be required to build a strong, sustainable program
  • Ideas for going forward
    • Could be great for completed projects to be presented to parents and/or to other classes
    • Have a “toolbox/bank” or lessons to pull from so that it’s not a prescribed thing each year, but aides are not making new lessons all the time; projects need to be ready to go at the beginning of the school year
    • Enrichment training for aides
  • Next steps:
    • survey/focus groups?
    • Scope and sequence for I/E block?
    • How to measure success?
    • Figuring out upfront costs and budget needs—define high, middle, low budget scenarios
    • Finding “kits” and projects that are already made
    • Coordinate with HSA—possibility to fund materials or other support? Display I/E projects at Auction?
  • Researching costs and programs
    • Karen is going to reach out to Sue
    • Aaron, Stefanie and Vicki are going to research programs
    • Mr. C – consider budget requirements

• Text for Murch website describing I/E block for parents
• Small group has draft of letter à will be sent around to LSAT

Other

• DCPS webinar on budget process—link to be shared with group