Friday, February 8, 2013

Mitchell School Improvement Team – Notes 2/8/2013

In Attendance:

Hiltion, reischl, underwood, karr, bolanos, hatt, spiess, thompson

Review options for Responsive Classroom
thoughts on what to do if all teachers can't partcipate
-       2 people vs 10 people saying no
-       another way to do pd without physical presence (podcast, set of materials for indep. Study)
-       rc probably won’t let us film it
-       potential for training new staff is better when an outside learning model has been created
-       have to take the opportunity while you have it, we’ve seen it’s preliminary results – it’s worth it
-       everyone really does want to do it
-       the negative feelings about not attending seem to come from ‘self-guilt’
-       bring them in as much as possible after the training with materials, come to the staff if you need more information
-       depending on the staff person, their needs to relieve ‘self-guilt’ may be different
-       equally necessary for all staff to attend – teacher to lunch staff
-       6 people saying no is almost 25%, greater possibility of delivering inconsistent messages
-       what’s the number!!!
-       People unable to attend could possibly have a learning partner to help facilitate them getting the information from the training
-       We will always be catching someone up, let’s just do it
-       We need an intentional follow up with the staff who can’t attend
o      It’s not your fault that you couldn’t attend – we are here to support you!

Recommendation from SIT is move ahead with summer RC training for those who can participate.  We need to be thoughtful about how to bring others up to speed in fall.

updates
-       upcoming continued staff rc pd
-       parent writing workshop was well received...large turnout at arbor meadows was unconventional but productive!
-       Promotional video premier went really well, very meaningful for all participants  – students and interns were very pleased
-       Plan is to increase the amount of students next year – both 4th grades, this year was a pilot
-       These kinds of activities will be best planned and executed by beginning as a classroom level, succeeding, increasing to a grade level and succeeding again, and just getting better!
-       The intimacy between student and intern grew great relationships...the students really did feel empowered and showed their learning – how does this connect our claims and evidence

Our focus is the literacy night
-       what do we think should happen at a family literacy night next year
-       next session will brainstorm it all, hilton karr and others will filter, bring back and create the plan
o      the student needs a motivation to be there and then parents will be pressed to attend, student will say, “we need to go to this”
o      kid focus makes it more meaningful
o      student involvement
o      polish it up
o      build a presentation that will script and provide a model for grade level teachers can follow