Elementary School Task Force Meeting
August 7, 2012
Southern Berkshires Regional High School
Task Force Members Present: Louise Yohalem, Jean Chapin Emberlin, David B. Hastings, Anne Sommers, Susan Struzziero, Todd Mack, Eric Martin, Michele Shalaby, E. Bonnie Silvers, David Micklewright
Absent: Nigel Peacock and Donna Leep
Also Present: Tim Newman
I. Introductory Comments
Task Force Chair Louise Yohalem brought the meeting to order at 5:35.
After a motion to accept the minutes with amendments, they were approved.
Referring back to a discussion at the July 23 meeting, Ms. Yohalem noted that while many Mt. Everett graduates did go on to Berkshire Community College (BCC), rather than four year schools, BCC has an excellent record of transitioning its graduates into a range of four-year public and private colleges.
Ms. Yohalem said she had reached out to a faculty member at Columbia Teachers College who could potentially serve as a consultant on educational excellence strategies. There was some discussion on what exactly the Task Force would require from a consultant and at what point in our work would the consultant be brought in. It was decided that the consultant in question should submit a proposal to be discussed at the next meeting.
Ms. Yohalem also spoke to Fred Finkle about determining costs associated with meeting the schools’ capital needs. She is still waiting for a date for a focus meeting with District teachers.
Another educational consultant to whom the chair reached out was Richard Pargament, whose reaction to our work to date was favorable. This consultant suggested a meeting with the State Education Commission to solicit support, which may lead to additional resources. She requested two or three volunteers to go with her to Boston to meet with the Commission.
II. Discussion on Strategic Themes/Methods for Establishing Process
Ms. Yohalem noted that the meeting “packet” included a revised list of items identified during previous brainstorming sessions. Task Force member Mr. Hastings, who is the District’s Curriculum Director, had studied the list and identified items/areas/activities that the District already incorporates. These included:
o Parent Advisory Committees
o Extra- curricular activities for parents
The Chair then turned to the list of previously suggested potential themes for District elementary schools
o Technology
o Arts
o Ecology
o Language Immersion
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o STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
Ms. Shalaby reported that she had looked at the Brainstorming list and thought our evolving work process and drafting of the end product could be aided by breaking the items down into five categories:
o Input/involvement/communications
o Educational philosophy, methodology and approach
o Standards, values, expectations
o Technology improvement and integration
o Staff development
The group was enthusiastic about Ms. Shalaby’s work, with the caveat that technology might best be covered under each of the other areas.
Ms. Sommers shared a draft outcome target with milestones around the topic of measuring increases in parent involvement and satisfaction
Ms. Yohalem raised the new topic of early childhood education. Her experience and general research supports the idea that children from low-income homes enter kindergarten with learning deficits that hinder their development throughout their school careers. Ms. Silvers furthered the discussion. It was decided that the Task Force should reach out to the District’s Early Childhood Committee to gain a fuller picture of what is available for children in the 2.9 months to kindergarten age group.
The topic of parent involvement was raised. While it was positive that 600 people attended the schools’ annual music programs last year, many fewer parents attended the Back to School events. While there are many legitimate reasons why parents do not attend (work, travel, babysitting), the District has tried holding dinners and providing babysitting to boost attendance.
Issues related to ensuring school policies and processes that are culturally sensitive were discussed. Similarly, concerns around the District’s lack of resources for special needs students in outlying schools were raised. Mr. Martin volunteered to speak to a neighbor with a special needs child to learn of his feelings and experiences.
Mr. Newman noted that while mandates ensure that the needs of special needs students are met, too little attention is paid to the needs of high achieving pupils, although devoting more resources to these students would make District schools more attractive to parents. When Ms. Yohalem met with Sandi Hubbard, District Director of Special Services, she learned that the District, taking advantage of small class sizes, provides individual learning plans to meet students’ academic needs. The school is also moving towards the grouping of children according to learning needs and styles.
Ms. Struzziero raised the issue of whether the group’s planning is adequately addressing the rural nature of much of the District. Many residents, she noted, chose the community because of their commitment to agriculture and ecology. Should community self-sufficiency be addressed? Mr. Micklewright was positive about stressing the richness of what is available locally.
III. Other Items
While fully acknowledging that the Task Force’s mission does not include studying the pluses/minuses of merging District schools, there was discussion that the School Committee’s decision not to merge might become a roadblock to making the best use of District resources.
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In response to a question from Mr. Newman, the Chair reported that the Attorney General’s office said we can have a site where research can be stored for Task Force edification. If, however, Task Force members comment on items posted on this site, their comments must be posted for the public and the materials disseminated.
Mr. Hastings reported that the district is in discussion with Berkshire School to let Mt. Everett students take part in its AP classes. This has been done in the past.
Meeting dates for the subcommittees are to be set. After the Chair reported the planning committee was oversubscribed, it was suggested that two planning committees be established: one for strictly academic issues, and a second for all other concerns.
Ms. Silvers has been working to arrange for the “welcome” boxes that the Task Force would like to see all students/parents receive in the Fall.
IV. Conclusion
Ms. Yohalem stated that at the next meeting, to be held August 16 at 5:30, the Task Force would complete the “Theme” process and take up issues around environmental sustainability, the arts as a theme and ensuring each student is guided to meet their maximum potential.
The meeting was concluded at 7:35
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