SIP Team Minutes February 7, 2011
I. The SIP Team was called to order at 3:16PM. Present were: Jen Kelsall, Jim Smith, Michelle Kumor, Sam Lewis, Jill Laubenstein, and Rob McCarthy. Jennette Gonzales was unable to attend.
The SIP Team began with celebrations of school improvement success. Sam Lewis celebrated that more and more individuals continue to embrace new technologies, such as smart phones, throughout the building. It is an exciting time for information technology as society learns to adapt itself to a digital world.
II. Old Business
The following Action Plans were reviewed and the current status of each was briefly discussed. There has been no changes or updates to the creation of a classroom walk through tool.
Progress on the second action plan, the importance of the curriculum of the home, is underway and the first task, providing a common language via Wormeli’s book, is on target to meet the completion date.
A. Rising Star Smart Plans - Actions & Status
1. Professional development for the whole faculty will include assessment of strengths and areas in need of improvement from classroom observations of indicators of effective teaching.
a. progress on developing a classroom walk through tool - target completion date March 30, 2011
2. The school will regularly and clearly communicate with parents about its expectations of them and the importance of the "curriculum of the home."
a. progress on completion of using Rick Wormeli's book as a method of providing all teachers common language to understand the importance of establishing a unified and consistent purpose to all assignments, grading and feedback. Having Department Heads use monthly after school meetings to provide professional development, discussion and activities to help teachers reach a common understanding. - target completion date for May of 2011
B. Committee Updates/Issues/Needs
1. PDC - Michelle Kumor reported that the PDC is working on developing the March 4th Institute Day. The session during this institute will be primarily focused on training teachers on to use, create pages and communicate with students and other colleagues via the redesigned website as well as additional training on utilizing Google Docs. Michelle and Sam Lewis will meet separately to discuss the logistics for the March 4 institute and both will work with their committees to plan an effective institute.
2. PTO -
a. Jill Laubenstein reported that the PTO is having a meeting on Tuesday, February 8 at 6:30 in the Community Room. The PTO is preparing for its first Parent’s Night Out on Friday, February 12 at 6:30. Jill is excited by the prospect of this event, but is unsure how many parents will attend. There has been advertisements in local church bulletins and Parent’s Club has also assisted in advertising. Parents are invited to attend a movie in Ridgewood’s auditorium Friday night while student volunteers watch their children. Two areas are set up for this purpose - the small gym will be used for physical play activities while room 126 will be set up with cartoons and play-dough. Jill asks that any teachers and staff members who are interested in assisting with Friday night’s event contact either her or Jill Forestiere.
b. Jill also reported that she is currently working with Sam Lewis in order to develop a “list-server” that will include RHS parent emails. This can be used to send out important announcements and information to parents via email. This is a free service provided to PTOs.
c. Finally, Jill reported that the PTO is developing a “Neighborhood Picnic” on the lawn of Ridgewood High School that will coordinate with the school’s spring show, Our Town.
3.Tech Committee - Sam Lewis reported that training the teacher trainers for the new website is on schedule and these trainers will be prepared to train teachers and staff members at the March 4 Institute. Furthermore, Sam explained that the Google Docs training is to being designed to allow all staff members access to Google Docs via their current RHS email address. This will hopefully lead RHS toward becoming less paper dependant, as Sam explained that Ridgewood is looking to achieve LEED certification. Finally, Sam reported that additional training on the new Xerox copiers will most likely take place following all school testing in April.
4. Reading & Literacy - Jennette Gonzales was not present to provide a report, however Jim Smith explained that last week’s Wednesday’s meeting was postponed due to the snow and that he would like R&L to begin working toward developing a common writing rubric for the school. More will be discusses at the next meeting.
5. Discipline and School Safety - Finally, Rob McCarthy reported that Natural Helpers recently had a guest speaker discuss “Rule Your Rep” which was about taking responsibility for your own reputation in and around school. Natural Helpers is planning to have another guest speaker come in soon to discuss future planning.
Finally, Rob updated that work is still being done on the emergency reunification plan for the school. The deadline for completion of this plan is before the end to the school year.
III. New Business:
The team then moved into examining the indicators from the school improvement tool indistar, or Rising Star. Currently the SIP team is focused on completing two required indicators that the team assessed our school had not yet fully implemented - these are the two items under Old Business.
However, there are 79 total indicators that successful schools have fully implemented and show continuous improvement on all assessments and student achievement. The SIP Team invites you to review these indicators via a survey form.
RHS SIP Professional Development Indicators
RHS SIP Classroom Management Indicators
RHS SIP Instruction Computer-Based Indicators
RHS SIP Instruction Differentiation Indicators
RHS SIP Instruction Teacher Student Interaction Indicators
RHS SIP Instruction Parent Communication/Homework Indicators
RHS SIP Instruction Preparation Indicators
RHS SIP Instruction Student-Directed Indicators
RHS SIP Instruction Teacher Directed Indicators
With each indicator, decide if our school has fully implemented and is doing the task, has partially implemented the task, or is not implementing the task. The form is anonymous and answers should be candid in order for the SIP Team to determine which indicators must be examined further in order to move forward with school improvement.
IV. Announcements
The next SIP Team meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 1 at 3:15 in Room 151c.
The SIP Team adjourned at 4:12PM
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