ACME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Members Present: Jon Anderson, Jackie Ebert, John Mumma, Justina Bass. Alicia Scott & Ellyn Erickson 

Members Absent: 

In Process:

1.  School Improvement Plan – Implementation Report From the Writing Team

We have completed our second round of assessments and scoring.  Teachers met with their grade level bans to chart the scores.  We have posted the charts in the staff room.  Linda Dobbs has completed a second session of Professional Development training on Writing Instructional Strategies. 

2.  CSI Progress Survey Feedback –

The composite results from this survey were distributed at the February 7^th AWA Chunked Day.  As the staff processed the results a strong theme of collaboration was identified.  People appreciated the time to score with their partners.  Some people suggested that we needed to have a common protocol for examining students work.  Diane shared the CASL  protocol.  Many districts in the SIP process have reached similar needs.  The use of collaborative groups is quite widespread, but the ways that those groups are able to work together and move forward toward the student learning goals is a challenge. 

The CASL protocol is one strategy that the ESD is providing training in to help school make the move forward.  Diane and several other teachers attended training at the ESD and thought that it could be an excellent way for us to narrow our focus and generate some specific intervention using best practices.   

3.  Budget – Update

The January EOM budget reports were distributed and we are within our spending guidelines.  There is an order going out next week, and Michelle and Ellyn will make certain that we remain fiscally responsible.  J

4.  SIP Site Visit – Preparation

Ellyn presented the information that she had gathered from Marion Evenson at Nooksack Elementary.  We will be sending her the general SIP questionnaire electronically and she will complete that prior to our visit.  She suggested that we set up times for the Job-Alike folks to meet.  At that time we could ask our specific questions and have an open dialogue with the teachers.  We will not be observing actual teaching of writers’ workshop.  We will focus on the work that they have done together to help them make the decisions that they did.  What were the activities that lead them to the plan that they are following.  WE will do a site visit on Thursday, March 15^th in the morning.  We will release the team of Acme folks for the day.  They will visit in the morning and debrief the observations and implications in the afternoon.  We will pay for roving subs to cover the classrooms at Nooksack in order to release their teachers to meet with us.

5.  Norms of Collaboration -

6.  Re-Ordering Team Revision – Update

We talked about the revised process whereby the teachers do not have to do the actual ordering on line.  That has been well received.  There has been a difficulty in the Re-Supply Teams having the list of items to Michelle by the assigned Due Dates.  We talked about how those dates were selected in conjunction with Elementary Early Release dates so that Michelle would have uninterrupted time to complete the price checking and actual ordering.    In addition, we discussed some further changes for next year.  We will have fewer Re-supply Teams and longer periods between orders.   If we continue to use Amy Alfredson as a roving Art Teacher, we need to get her input on Art supply ordering.

New Topics:

1.  Grade Level Band Meetings

After looking over the calendar for this year, we determined that scheduling meetings directly after ALT meetings is not possible.  The calendar is already full.   ALT members will do their best to meet with their groups using whatever time is available.    Next year, we will schedule Grade level meetings for the week after ALT meetings.

2.  Safe Schools Communication Skills Review

The documents explaining the Safe School instruction here at Acme were distributed prior to the meeting.  We talked about how to support students and families so that they will understand what we are teaching and why.  It was suggested that we send home the documents at the beginning of the year.  It was also suggested that parents have an opportunity to meet Elizabeth as part of the teaching team at the beginning of the year BBQ and Curriculum nights.  ALT Members will review these documents with their members and gather feedback for final revision.

3.  Guidelines for Food Served At Room Parties

The Risk Management Pool will be requiring us to be more stringent in the foods we allow to be brought to school next year.  The current guidelines were distributed.   Be aware that changes are coming!  The purpose is to protect the children from any food borne illnesses as well as to protect staff members and the district from litigation for contaminated food products.   ALT members will share these with their groups at their next meeting.

4.  Classroom Access Guidelines

Guidelines for parent/Guardian access to classrooms were distributed.  Several staff members have had parents arrive unannounced in their classrooms.  In some cases these adults have countermanded teacher directions and disrupted the learning.  The documents to be shared with staff include the Board Policy and some guidelines for Acme.  Please discuss these and provide your ALT member with any feedback, additions or corrections to help make these expectations clear to out community.  ALT Members will share these with their groups at their next meeting.

5.  Acme Garbage Audit

The garbage dumpsters here at Acme have been overly full for the past few weeks.  In order to identify the cause, Becky did a Garbage Audit.  She chose 5 separate bags of garbage from the dumpster and examined the contents.  She sent us an excellent report.  We had recycle-able materials as well as compost-able materials in the garbage.  The report was distributed to the ALT for them to share with their grade level band members.  It may take a bit more teaching in the classrooms to help students understand which items go where. ALT members will discuss the Garbage Audit Report with their members and talk about appropriate ways to help students understand what to do.  ALT Members will share these with their groups at their next meeting.

Next Meeting:    March 21, 2007

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ALT Norms of Collaboration

February 28, 2007

Procedural:

Confidentiality:

Listening:

Decision Making:

Participation:

Expectations:

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