Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Minutes 03.21.03 Manager: Sue

1. ConferencesJeff has volunteered to send out an email that reminds folks to calltheir crew parents and to make appointments. The email will have aplace a special priority on making sure 11th grade parents come toclass.We are also considering what those particular conferences will belike. We are discussing the graduation plan and having parents andstudents sign it. We are also trying to think of other things formsthat will help to drive a sense of urgency home to parents as well asstudents.

2. Afterschool and Saturday extra helpMarc is looking into the budget to see if there is money for thedevelopment of a program to help under-credited 11th gradersdemonstrate performance expectations. The program will be organizedmore like workshops or classes directed at particular performanceexpectations.

3. Hallways, Hats, Attendance (teachers), Keeping track of attendanceThis is a big conversation we have been having re: how kids areinteracting with adults in the building (hats and hallways), thenthere were 7 adults absent today, and the last issue is the reportingof attendance to Shirley and the inconsistencies that are cropping up.

4. The other thing we talked about what Frenchy's desire to work withthe dance group and to work with kids who are "at risk". He will be writing up a proposal. Similarly, I have emailed Priya who had the idea for Wednesday crew. If she is still interested in the idea, shewill be writing up a proposal for that scheduling experiment.If you have any questions or other ideas, either let someone know orput them on the agenda for tomorrow. Sue.

1 comment:

Michael said...

Today at the HSLDP Principals Gathering, the principals were asked what percentage of time do we believe should be spent on the dilemma presented in assignment 7.

Steve said 100%. I said 60% - definitely a majority of our time.

Our problem (see earlier blogs) is the undercredited 11th graders. Through a series of analyses of decision rules and systems thinking we are focusing on conferencing with students as a possible "treatment." And using grids to report on progress.

Except for a reference that meeting with small groups was difficult and that a conversation on grids has been postponed, there is almost no mention of this focus in the two sets of minutes that came out this week.

What is everyone else's idea of how much time of our work should be devoted to the undercredited 11th graders and the larger systemic problem they represent?

Why is there such a gap between what we say and what we do?

Michael