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.
