Full-time Faculty Meeting Notes, 3/23/16

·         Minal did a Best Practice on her Integral lesson.

·         Allison will be transitioning out after spring break.  Cory and Megan are available to talk about processing in individual appointments.

·         River wanted to offer an opportunity related to Spring Leaf Festival.

Ø  Mixed cultural group:  teenagers and dancing artists from Africa & Haiti Drumming and dancing the week of May 9th

Ø  This opportunity is  a multi-cultural exchange for students with 5 days of workshop and 2 day passes for LEAF

Ø  An OCS family will offer a scholarship/sponsoring student participation.

Ø  There is a possibility for a voluntary group of dancers/drummers to perform.

Ø  Ellen stated that she could make time for that for her group.

Ø  2nd grade and up: who is interested? The message is that there is cost, but we won’t reject any particular families due to finances.

Ø  They are available for 4-5 hours a day for rehearsal and then perform on Sunday.

Ø  A request was made that River come and talk to upper grades students about it.

Ø  It would be valuable for MS and HS being around these teenagers from other countries.

Ø  Pre-K and Early K/1 time frame such as we would love to have a 45 minute performance. One possibility is that younger students could attend Friday as a dress rehearsal for the whole school.

Ø  Please give ideas to Megan by Friday about what you would like for your students.

Ø   It would be really good PR for the school.  Megan wants to become clearer about price and parent/student needs.

·         Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up.

Ø  The Board asked Andrew what we wanted food/massage/ polarity/ healing etc. We got an unsolicited call from a chiropractor in terms of Teacher Appreciation. (Week of May 2nd).

Ø  Samata suggested a really nice meal from the Board, meal during Wednesday faculty meeting.

 

·         Montford Hall is a high end residential treatment facility for adolescent boys dealing with addiction for 1 year.

Ø  This will be opening in the building on Zillicoa with the columns.

Ø  There is an Open House Thursday night from 5-7.

Ø  The original intention is not for OCS and the residents of Montford Hall to be interacting. In terms of safety/ emotional safety.

Ø  This work was a long community process in the Montford area.

 

·         There will be a Bee-themed art project in the upcoming auction.

Ø  Bhramari is a Hindu Bee goddess.

Ø  School wide Auction on April 28 from 6-8.

Ø  There is a request to auction off some bee-themed student art.

Ø   Each class to have an Art block that is focused on the auction.

Ø  After the Spring Break, Cory will post a reminder to faculty.

Ø  There was a request for art supplies that would support being sold. The school will purchase smaller canvases and acrylics.

Ø  The auction will be the night before the modified May Day festivities.

Ø  There is a committee of 8 people that are focused on the auction.  Cory will not be asking for more parent volunteers.

 

·         We have confirmed that May Day has been moved to that Friday.

 

·         For Fall, all full time staff must have CPR and First Aid.   There is a class that is focused on children on the evening of June 13th.

Ø  The cost includes a light dinner.

Ø   This class is cheaper than Red Cross, and Odyssey will pay for teachers to attend this workshop.

Ø  It is held at the Mission Training Campus over by the Biltmore.

 

·         There is a potential new configuration for next year: 4/4/4 conversation K-4, 5-8, and 9-12. This conversation is confidential among staff and should not be shared with parents or students.

Ø  Gabe will move to HS full time.

Ø  HS 4 homeroom teachers and MS 2 homeroom teachers. Ellen will work part time will work in 5, 6, 7, 8. (Social Studies) and will help coordinate the MS program.  We will have 2 new MS teachers.

Ø  Early Literacy (K will have their own space)

Ø  1st/2nd grade together.  3rd/4th would be together

Ø  We will have to craft a PR statement that focuses on how we think about how it will affect individual families and prospective families.

Ø  The conversation includes some of the following reflections:

Ø  In Elementary there is a classroom feel and the MS breaks into a different type of scheduling considerations about how the MS about dynamics social/emotional offering an upper grade MS electives to differentiate opportunities. Ellen disagreed with this assessment for her 4/5 class.

Ø  Consideration will be given to cultural and professional space choices/scheduling choices.

Ø  Separating the MS and HS schedules and identities. It was mentioned that this scenario works developmentally as a differentiation.

Ø  A concern was raised that 5/6 as a cultural protected group. Keeping them separate academically.

Ø  Younger of MS will have more differentiation in everything except sports.

Ø  We will be working with the Hospitality League. 4/5 has been excited in sports and the MS has been excited to have more students on sports teams.

Ø  Pre-School teachers seemed positive about the proposal.

Ø  Megan invited teachers to speak to her or Cory individually about their thoughts.

Ø  There was a discussion of possible spaces. One possible proposal is for:K in the same place, 1/ 2 in Robins’ room, 3/4 in Ellen’s room, MS in present room, HS in this room. Another, proposed later was to have 3/4 in HS and HS in 4/5.


Odyssey School is an independent, non-profit school with a focus on whole child, emotionally intelligent, personalized curriculum for students in PreK-12. Our mission is to prepare students, families, and educators to lead lives of intention and purpose with an authentic sense of self.

More about us...

 

For Tuition Payments:

Community Announcements

  • Registration is NOW OPEN for Odyssey's (8) weeks of summer camp.
  • Odyssey is NOW ACCEPTING new family admissions applications ahead of March acceptance decisions.
  • Purchase "Pick Up Your Toys, Kirk" -- an amazing children's book by Odyssey kindergarten teachers, Shirley Rotolo (writer) and Sam Sole (illustrator) available now on Amazon! Be sure to list Odyssey on Amazon Smile.

Get In Touch

If you have questions about Odyssey’s mission, community, or programs, please give us a call! You can also contact us to schedule a tour, meet our teachers, our directors, and visit our learning spaces.          

Covid-19 Policies and Procedures

Odyssey School has had a strong start the year! As of late October, we've made an update to our Covid policies and procedures.

Newsletter

Odyssey's administration sends out a quarterly newsletter of upcoming events, community news, and notable opportunities. Keep your ear to the ground and subscribe!