Principal Dawn Ellis’s report

Murch’s enrollment is large.

The Weather Bug station is up and running.

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools: Dawn reported that Murch is accredited by the Association. Our accreditation will run out within the next year. We need to make a decision as to whether to pursue reaccredidation or not. At this point Dawn and Vicki will do some more research into why Murch initially sought accreditation by this organization, and what the benefits would be to seeking reaccredidation. They will report back at the October LSRT meeting. The accreditation seems to mainly benefit colleges and universities.

HSA report by Co-President Karin Perkins

There will be a reception for new Murch parents on Friday, September 3rd.

Friday, October 1st will be the first “Movie on the Hill.”

The “SOS” (Staff our School) campaign will begin towards the end of the week of September 6th.

The “Paddles Up for Murch” effort at the Auction last year raised $15,000. Over the summer, the HSA purchased 3 macbooks, 11 ELMOs and LED projectors.

The HSA has also just purchased a portable SMART board which will be housed in the Murch library.

Strategic Plan Update

Dawn reported that many members of the Murch staff spent the summer creating new curriculum guidelines for math instruction at all grade levels.

Staff also inventoried and organized math and science materials. The school is still in need of a great deal of accessible storage for these materials but this is not likely to happen prior to our 2013 renovation.

The LSRT still needs to flush out the social-emotional goal for the strategic plan.

Karin Perkins reported that the HSA has allocated some money to support completing the strategic planning process this year, depending on what the needs are to complete the process and implement the goals.

LSRT Business

Lauren Miller will be the staff LRST co-chair. The parents will select a co-chair as well and notify Lauren.

Meetings will occur on the first Monday of every month. The starting time will move back and forth between 5:00 and 5:30 P.M.

The next meeting was set for Monday, October 4th at 5:00 PM.

Sarah Bogan will take notes at the meetings. Vicki Otten will type the notes up, send them around for additions and edits and make sure they are posted on the website and the Forum.

Lauren Miller will circulate possible meeting dates for the LSRT to complete work on the strategic plan’s social-emotional goal

The meeting began at 5:07 P.M.

Principal Ellis reported that Nurse Wright had been redeployed to complete hearing and vision screenings at other DCPS schools. This redeployment could be anywhere from a week to a month. Principal Ellis also talked about the highly successful movie night that the HSA had sponsored the previous Friday.

Karin Perkins, HSA co-president, reminded LSAT members that the HSA’s first general meeting of the year would occur on Tuesday, October 19th and that much of the discussion would involve the 2010-2011 HSA budget, including money available for implementation of the strategic plan.

Lauren Miller updated the LSAT on discussions with Murch faculty about the social/emotional goal of the strategic plan. She expressed the support of the staff and the concern that there be sufficient Responsive Classroom training so that teachers could move ahead with implementation of the social/emotional goal. Teachers also wanted to be sure that students were fully knowledgeable about school-wide social/emotional expectations and were held responsible for meeting those expectations.

LSAT members expressed interest in Responsive Classroom training for parents to foster greater consistency between school and home. Parent LSAT representatives also wanted information on Responsive Classroom to be more readily available to parents by posting information on the Murch website. Development of tasks and other planning necessary to move ahead with the social/emotional goal will be passed on to the Responsive Classroom Committee, composed of teachers, so that decisions about funding can be made prior to the October 19th HSA meeting.

LSAT members returned to last month’s discussion on whether to proceed with renewing our Middle States School accreditation. Neither Ms. Ellis nor Vicki Otten was able to find any information that explained why the accreditation had been sought by Murch in the first place. Only one DCPS school – Brent Elementary School – has the accreditation. LSAT members felt that the major purpose of the accreditation was as a marketing tool and that it was something that Murch did not need to pursue at this time.

The November meeting of the LSAT will be held on November 1st at 5:30 PM.

Principal’s Report
Ms. Ellis presented two reports that she had prepared and submitted to DCPS that required LSAT signatures: the Comprehensive School Plan and the Family Engagement Plan. Both of these plans are required by DCPS although Ms. Ellis assured members that they had little impact on planning and operations at Murch: the Murch strategic plan is the operating document for the school. All LSAT members are required to sign both documents. The documents were circulated during the meeting and, in addition, Principal Ellis said she would email the plan to the members of the LSAT.

HSA Report
Karin Perkins, HSA co-chair, discussed the actions that had been taken at the December HSA meeting. At that meeting, Ms. Ellis had presented a proposal for use of some of the HSA’s unallocated funds. The HSA agreed to purchase the following items: 10 new desktops to replace the library computer hub; large storage cabinets, which will be placed in an upstairs hall, to house leveled books; folding cafeteria tables and an outdoor storage shed to store folding chairs. In addition, Sherman Fells, Murch’s technology coordinator, will inventory what each classroom teacher needs to be able to fully operate the ELMOs recently purchased by the HSA. The Murch Auction will be held on Saturday, March 5th.

Planning and work on the auction are well underway; Karin thanked the teachers for their help in creating the classroom projects and the teacher donations that are always so popular. On Tuesday, January 11, 6:00 pm, Murch will host a Deal information night with Deal administrators. Information on the night has gone to all Murch families, with particular focus on Murch 4th and 5th grade families. HSA just signed a contract with the Northeast Foundation to provide Responsive Classroom II Training. Over 20 Murch teacher and aides will be giving up two week-ends in January to participate in this training: January 7-9 and January 29-30. In addition, HSA will buy Responsive Classroom books for teachers who do not have them.

FY2011 DCPS Budget Process
Jim Whitney reviewed the new budget process for the 2011-2012 school year. Much of the action that the LSAT and Ms. Ellis will take on the budget will occur in January. Ms. Ellis should receive the initial budget allocations from downtown on January 14th. She has already received FY2011 enrollment projections from DCPS; these are the numbers that will drive the budget process. Our current student enrollment is 520 students. DCPS is projecting that our enrollment for the 2011-2012 school year will be 543 students. The principal has already begun discussions with DCPS surrounding the need for additional demountables. Murch is an autonomous school which may give Ms. Ellis some flexibility in how money is allocated and spent. Because of the timing of the receipt of the budget, the LSAT will meet to discuss the budget on Monday, January 24, at 5:30 pm.

Old Business
Members returned to the discussion on the school’s core values and culture. Many members have visited the website share by Miriam Cutelis, the website of an organization that routinely evaluates a school’s culture and values. LSAT members expressed an interest in continuing a discussion to identify and develop our school values. Lauren Miller suggested that the LSAT narrow its focus to determine what the nature and goals of such a discussion would be. Vicki Otten suggested revisiting the DCPS school culture survey to identify strengths and weaknesses in our school culture as one place to start. Members agreed that a sub-group of the LSAT would come together to develop some specific recommendations for action on school values and culture before the next LSAT meeting. Members interested in being part of this process should contact Lauren Miller.

The LSAT will meet to discuss the budget on Monday, January 24, at 5:30 pm and the next regularly scheduled LSAT meeting will be on Monday, February 7, at 5:00 pm.

The meeting adjourned at 6:50pm.

Karin Perkins, Murch HSA co-chair, announced that the HSA would be meeting the following night, Tuesday, December 7th, to discuss how to allocate additional funds. Among the items to be discussed are: new technology; a new sound system in the gym; new books for both teachers’ classroom libraries and the school library and; projection screens to be used in the classrooms with the new ELMOs. There was some discussion on whether every classroom teacher would want and would use a laptop; members suggested that the HSA teacher representative, Wendy Creswell, touch base with teachers on this issue.

There was no principal’s report.

Lauren Miller announced that the LSAT was still looking for a Community Representative. Jim Whitney had talked with several people, none of whom were able to fill the position. Ellen Hays will talk with a former Murch parent to see if she is interested in the position.

Lauren Miller discussed new guidelines governing the LSATs. The new guidelines can be found on the LSAT page of the Murch website.

Members returned to discussions held during the strategic plan process on school values and school culture. During this process, efforts to discuss and develop school values were put on hold until the strategic plan was completed. Now that the plan is completed and is being put into operation, many LSAT members would like to return to the discussion and development of Murch’s core values. Miriam Cutelis mentioned a website she had found particularly helpful in beginning to frame a larger discussion on school climate and values. Members agreed they would review the website and review some of the earlier discussions on core values before the next LSAT meeting on January 3rd.

As there was no new business, the meeting adjourned at 6:07 PM.

The next meeting of the LSAT will be on January 3, 2011, at 5:30 pm.

Two letters (dated March 12 and March 15) that the LSAT sent to Instructional Superintendent William Wilhoyte reflect that view.

Most recently, the LSAT met on Monday, April 4. At that meeting, Principal Ellis presented the budget she had submitted on March 18. The budget includes a half-time social worker and a half-time counselor. Many Murch parents attended the meeting and participated in the discussion, sharing their concerns with the Principal about reducing the counselor to 1/2 time.

At the conclusion of the budget discussion, Principal Ellis committed to:

1. Contacting Lafayette Elementary to discuss their budget submission for two counselors to see if Murch could use a similar rationale and resubmit the budget
2. Calling Chancellor Henderson to see how the Murch HSA can make an advance payment through DCPS which would cover a portion of non-personnel services in the school budget (i.e. supplies). The payment would equal the amount needed to cover the remaining half of the counselor position next year. Such an advance payment for supplies would enable the Principal to shift funds in the school budget to restore the counselor to a full-time position.

Members Absent: Valerie Mallett

• Principal’s Report (Mr. C. gave the following report and then left the meeting to prepare for tonight’s Parent Information Session on Assessments)
  • ___
  • Enrollment:
• Community Rep: LSAT did not have one last year but agree this position could provide valuable perspective. Possible ideas that were floated were a teacher at another school (either elementary, or middle school), or a teacher at a preschool that feeds into Murch.
• General Discussion on Topics for LSAT to Tackle this Year
  • Intervention
    • Need information on what the current program is; need training for general ed teachers on how to support the intervention in the classroom.
    • Limited numbers being pulled now. There is greater need and teachers would like to expand the groups.
    • How are we addressing math deficits?
      • iReady training tomorrow. DC purchased system for K–‐8
    • Additional support options, such as after school? What are the additional gaps?
  • Teacher training/collaboration time
    • Next week trying new schedule that will allow each grade a half day.
    • On days with no recess that will be long days; change in schedules are very difficult.
    • Some teachers using this week to do nontraditional instructional things such as parent–‐let art instruction.
    • Teachers getting vague/conflicting information on how they will be able to use the 3 hour block.
    • Tremendous demands on teachers time this year. Makes it difficult to appreciate and maximize this opportunity. Would be much better appreciated if it didn’t replace other planning time. Also should we look at other scheduling items to free up more teacher time, like not covering recess every day.
  • Instructional Coaches
    • How is this investment working this year? What are their responsibilities.
    • Technology
      • How will Murch embrace/respond to the technology challenges coming our way?
• Parent Information Night on Assessments: Following LSAT meeting, the school hosted a parent information night on assessments.

Absent: Michael Scherger

• Community Rep – Lisa Stone proposed that we invite Emma Stewart to be the Community Rep to the LSAT. Ms. Stewart is a former Murch parent and currently has children enrolled at Deal and Wilson. She also is the Assistant Director to CCBC Children’s Center. No objections were raised and several members commented that she sounds like an ideal candidate. Lisa Stone agreed to reach out to Ms. Stewart and invite her to our December meeting.
• Extended Planning – Faculty and staff requested to discuss this issue first with Mr. C. so issue was tabled until next meeting. Mr. C reported that a survey was circulated to teachers and Mr. C will circulate responses to the staff tomorrow. Mr. C plans to discuss extended planning with the faculty before the December meeting.
• Parent Information Nights
  • October night on assessment was successful.
    • About 30 parents in attendance.
    • Good vehicle for addressing issues with parents that come up every so often , (i.e. keyboarding, common core, curriculum, what parents can be doing at home, report card night, responsive classroom)
    • General consensus that a curriculum night is the most important one to complete this year. Goal is to teach parents what classroom lessons look like and what they should know by the end of the year. Tentatively planned for last week in January. We discussed the importance of targeting the information as specific as possible to students (i.e., grade by grade).
• Budget Preview
  • The LSAT all agreed the importance of discussion difficult budget issues before the actual budget process so that the LSAT can give Mr. C well thought out advise.
  • Mr. C reported that the school anticipates another 4% growth this year which will bring Murch’s estimated enrollment to 650 for next year. This would mean two classroom teachers in addition to what we have now. Unclear how to deploy these teachers, especially with space limits of current building.
  • Autonomous school status gives Murch some flexibility on staffing models.
  • A question was raised about how non–‐staff instructional resources like specialized programs and curriculums fit into the budget process.
    • DCPS makes purchasing difficult by being very unpredictable in their curriculum supplies.
    • All agreed this is an important topic to consider and advise Mr. C on.
    • Vicki Otten will work with Mary Eckstein to conduct a survey of teachers about what they want and organize the information.
    • Goal is to complete the survey during December. Teachers will gather info, align along grade and subject matter lines and ready to present to LSAT at Jan. meeting.
• Mary working on a parent volunteer program to roll out soon.
• Auction Paddles Up – Mr. C would like LSAT to advise on the Paddles Up ask this year.
• December meeting – Mr. C will share the 2013–‐14 year’s budget with the LSAT at the December meeting for background purposes.

Guests: Linda Zirkelbach, John See and JoAnna Graham, John See

• Introductions – The LSAT members and guests introduced themselves, including introduction of new LSAT Community Rep. member Emma Stewart.
• Parent Information Night
  • Tentatively scheduled for January 29, 2014. A snow date will also be scheduled.
  • General topic: curriculum, what your child should know by the end of the year.
  • Subcommittee planning committee: Sabrina Finberg, Bethany Little, and Vicki Otten
• Budget
  • David Catania passed legislation providing additional funding to schools for at–‐risk students. May require LSAT to separately designate how these funds will be spent.
  • Martha McIntosh posted previous two years budgets on Basecamp.
  • School/office supply line.
    • A concern has been raised by parents that office supplies are not sufficient and teachers are buying office supplies with own money. During discussion, the following possible causes were identified:
      • October budget gap –‐ each year DCPS can be slow to release funds at the start of the District’s fiscal year, which starts October 1.
      • Sequester made it worse
      • Printer Ink: HSA historically has purchased some supplies for equipment it has purchased and donated to the school (i.e., printer ink and laminator paper) but they were not purchased this fall. This was due to a miscommunication that has been resolved the HSA will order ink.
        • HSA Printers – Lisa Stone will work with HSA to get ink cartridges ordered.
        • DCPS printers – Martha to investigate.
      • Paper: Each teacher was given a case of paper at the beginning of the year but that ran out quickly.
        • At beginning of year some expected curriculum was not available. Teachers were copying resources to fill in the caps, causing the initial case of paper to go very quickly.
        • Resupply happened in past couple of weeks and now classroom teachers have paper.
        • One issue may be how to most fairly distribute supplies based on varying needs.
      • Money/sources available to teachers
        • School funds
        • DCPS –‐ $200 office depot card at beginning of year
        • HSA –‐ $200 at beginning of year per teacher
        • Parent purchased school supplies
        • HSA teachers grants 
      • Questions:
        • Did the school spend down the full supply budget the past 2 years?
        • How much paper and supplies do teachers use each year?
        • Did non–‐classroom teachers (such as special ed) get a resupply of paper?
        • Is current paper allocation by grade appropriate?
      • Need to review purchasing system (ordering and distribution) and determine what is not working – Martha to research
      • Parent comment: If ordering system isn’t working for Murch, parents want to be informed and want to be able to intervene.
• School renovation
  • Murch already has been pushed back one year.
  • Janney is going ahead with a $5 million expansion even though Janney already has twice the space of Murch with the same enrollment.
  • DCGS has been difficult to communicate with and is not providing required information.
  • Murch SIT has identified possible problem with rebuilding where Kaufman stands, which is on National Park Service land. Original agreement to build Kaufman took long–‐term negotiations and includes clause that if Kaufman is knocked down the space will return to green space.
  • LSAT agreed to sent joint letter with HSA to DC Council and others expressing concern about the status of the renovation. Martha McIntosh to draft letter.