All Faculty Meeting Notes, 1/6/16
Administrative Best Practice from Cory
· Community Meeting on Tuesday, 6-7:30.
Ø The focus on one this year is more positive than in previous years. This is an annual event that is intended to provide transparency and a state of the school to OCS families.
Ø Transparency about financial goals is a school priority. Presently, the deficit is about $99,000. The Annual Campaign goal is $120, 000. We are about at 40% there with 58% community participation.
Ø If we meet this goal, we will be able to give bonuses and/or raises. The Board and the Admin really want to make this happen. We need to raise the money.
Ø The Community Meeting is a really important meeting for teachers to attend.
Ø In the meeting, Megan will be focusing on strategic planning, teacher leadership, and exceptional areas of transformation that can be shared with the community.
Ø If you have anything to add to her sharing list about personal or classroom highlight, please send her an e-mail with a blurb and a photo.
Ø The Board rep will speak. The Admin. will speak and then there will be a break-out session.
Ø One of the positives is that in admission, we are attracting a stronger population of larger families, and folks who are planning ahead for next Fall. There is a shift in screening practices and the types of children we are accepting in terms of admissions
Ø Is there anything you would like the faculty to share with the larger community, please send that information on to Megan. The faculty poem last year was appreciated by the larger community.
Ø Child care is free. You must RSVP for child care.
· Andrew is the teacher rep.
Ø The governance recommendation is for a consensus model. that change gives the teacher rep more potential to utilize his representative teacher voice.
Ø The board is committed to finding ways to raise teacher salaries.
· We are in this building through summer 2017.
Ø Cory is speaking with a rep about extending the stability for a year or two more.
Ø Our collective message to the community is to be: “We are here. We have a great relationship with UNCA. We have an option to renew.”
· Work Day
Ø There was a shared sentiment among teachers that the teachers appreciated having a workday the day before school began in January. Cory mentioned that the working parents disliked it.
Ø Can we offer parents some sort of day camp or child care arrangement?
Ø A vote was taken. The teachers agreed that the holiday performance would be on aThursday and there could be a “normal” school day on Friday.
Ø This proposal will be considered by the committee looking at the calendar.
· The in-service on January 27th is for a Makey-Makey Workshop. We will end at 5:15. We will tack that extra half hour on in Feb.
· Buddy Lunch
Ø The Buddy Lunch is on January 20th.
Ø Robin and Shirley are now Buddy coordinators. Please make any necessary changes and/or inform them about new students.
Ø We need to find a solution for a situation in which several H.S boys who are paired with 2nd/3rd grade girls had a challenging pairing that was due to the level of sarcasm of both the younger and older students.
Ø There were several other pairings that are being reconsidered.
Ø There needs to be some activity to create bonding between older and younger Buddies.
· Grayson announced that she has a comedy show on Saturday at 10PM. This is not a child-friendly venue. You can go online for a preview.
· Kitchen/Café
Ø All microwaves are to stay in the kitchen. Can the microwaves move off the counter that has been previously dedicated to the Smoothie operation?
Ø The H.S and M.S teachers have consistently worked hard on this project. The kitchen is in better shape than in years past.
Ø Please clean up after yourself. There are still dishes in the sink that do not seem to be coming from student lunches and snacks. There was a question about the procedures for the baskets and sanitizer? The H.S. will make signage for the dishes.
Ø Several teachers are proposing solutions for wipes and table cleaning needs, sweeping and general clean-up of the café in terms of: 2/3, 4/5 and upper grade lunches.
Ø Lydia was asked about the inspection guidelines for the solution for the tables. Cory mentioned that the inspector did not check to see what we were using on the tables.
Ø There is a timing/scheduling component that needs to be considered. MS will also be using the Café for lunch.
Ø In terms of café usage for lunch, MS will move to a permanent Rainy Day Schedule. On rainy days, they will eat in the classroom. They would be out at 12:15. They would be opposite PE.
Ø The café is being left a mess after lunch. At the end of the semester, it had been going very well. Please supervise students to clean up their messes and tuck in chairs.
Ø Please check the door latch on the swing door and keep the main door locked for inspection.
· Given the fire trucks this week, we are asked to consider: where is the closest fire extinguisher to your classroom door. Please see Cory for this information.