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.

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