Faculty Meeting, In-Service Notes, 4/13/16
· Craig gave his best practice presentation on his Action Project: Visual Cues.
· May Day/Talent Show:
Ø Faculty, please sign up for May Day centers.
Ø The May Day schedule will be presented next week.
Ø Grayson talked about the talent show; when would you like her to talk to our classes about talent show?
Ø MS students really excited about talent show. A point was made that students have real talents that they have honed have often participated less than the more authentic, silly students who want to play on stage and be seen by others. Teachers are requested to please speak to their students to encourage their more practiced talents to be presented as well.
Ø There is presently an age spectrum to the talent show.
Ø Grayson mentioned knowing a teacher who had quarterly mandatory talent shows to develop performance confidence. Melanie and/or Grayson will work on talents.
Ø Talent show contributions are to be 2 minutes per child.
Ø If children need a music track please do it at least a few days ahead of time.
Ø Courtney mentioned that there are children who get brave at the last minute and want to do it, and that we should maintain this space.
Ø MS SLAM team may be able to do something for the Talent Show.
Ø River mentioned that anything that is elaborate or collaborative, the students can negotiate for more than 2 minutes.
Ø Teachers are to ask adults about their level of participation and/ or parents and their children together.
· Faculty Changes
· River:
Ø River will continue as music director.
Ø His studio will still be here next year, but will not do the musical classes with large groups next year. He will be doing tutoring.
Ø New international music teacher will come on Tues. and Thurs.
· Leaf Residency.
Ø 16 & 17 year olds with teacher. Each morning will do one class.
Ø From 11-2, there will be the instruction in preparation for the Leaf Festival. 2nd grade –High School students.
Ø River will send out PDF with dates/cost.
Ø The performance is Saturday Morning 10:30 -11:30 by the lake.
Ø Last year, Gabe arranged food for the students, so that they can eat with each class and hang out.
Ø Faculty will be asked to ask parents in each class for potluck offerings, or find some way to help provide food for our visitors that day.
· Melanie will be passing on torch to another drama teacher.
Ø New family joining K who are interested in drama program. Melanie will be part of creating that bridge. This potential new had connections with the Magnetic Theater. He is a playwright who worked at Warren Wilson and May be teaching at UNCA. John Crutchfield.
· Jen will be moving on to a new job at the end of this school year. Jen will be taking on her mother’s new business.
· End of the year celebration will have component of honoring the faculty members moving on.
· MS hiring process update:
Ø Students have seen three teachers teach. Students are invited to give feedback
Ø There is a hiring committee with with Gabe and Ellen, and parents.
Ø Paul may be doing math/science as a possibility for next year.
· Subs:
Ø The strategy for subs for this year. We are down to the same “nub.”
Ø Megan would like to hear brainstorm.
Ø One possibility is an alternative neighborhood, private school coalition of pooled resources.
Ø Subs are paid $12 per hour. This may be more than they would make in Buncombe Co. Schools.
Ø There is a page on web site. Please have new folks submit a resume and cover letter.
Ø There seems to be a problem with folks answering their phone. They are hard to get ahold of if they are doing temp work. One person suggested that there is one contact for subs (our office manager, perhaps).
Ø Cory mentioned that we need to protect the office person’s time, since we have a very thin administrative team.
Ø One suggestion was for a future resident sub. Another suggestion was an option for newly minted college students. Another suggestion was made for OCS to connect in with Buncombe Co sub people.
Ø A suggestion was made to for subs to forge stronger connections with the community through Afterschool classes where they connect to the community already.
Ø Nessa mentioned the need for OCS sub training.
Ø Potential subs could shadow a present teacher.
Ø Sub training for all of the Buncombe County schools is not paid time.
Ø Courtney will be going to a leadership conference and this is a question she will bring to the table.
Ø We could tap into retired people in the community.
Ø Please contact Megan with additional ideas.
· 2016/2017 Configuration feedback from final decision on April 20th board meeting.
· This was a very exploratory survey. Cory had several additional e-mails.
· According to Megan’s charts:
Ø Teacher survey 7.9 confidence level.
Ø Parents preferences for reconfiguring 6. 9 with 17 responses for anyone who is enrolled for next year. Rising grades that were represented. *UPDATE: 7.2 with 20 responses as of Friday, 4/15.
Ø There were 4 categories: Teacher assignments, Social/Emotional, Academic experience, and the experience of change in in our community.
· This faculty process will inform the board discussion.
· Reasons to reconfigure:
Ø Developmentally appropriate grouping,
Ø MS mentorship,
Ø Dedicated MS and HS faculty,
Ø Good group of students for change,
Ø Financial pay-off (now and future). Enrollment moves openings into lower grades than we do currently.
· 2 ½ MS full time teachers for 5, 6, 7, & 8. Ellen could do more mentoring to both full time. MS people.
Ø There is a concern for math curriculum/ lay-out schedule.
Ø Ellen mentioned that that her students and her families are up for the challenge.
· Potential Roadblocks and Solutions with small group break-out sessions:
Ø Including new families in the conversation.
Ø Room Assignments/Decision making and ideas
Ø Times and resources required to move and prepare physical classroom spaces
Ø Maintaining a separate 5/6th and 7th/8th homeroom experience.
Ø K students missing to opportunity to reach up.
Ø Time/Material and Collaborated support required to prepare curricula
· What is the range of tolerance for each person?
· There are real concerns and what are possible solutions?
· What can work as positive collaborations?
· Action Projects and Professional Portfolios and Self-Directed PD
*For notes about the outcome of this conversation, please see Megan and Cory’s April 2016 Board Report.