School Improvement Team – Lawn Avenue School

Minutes: 1/14/2010

Attendees: Lisa Carlisle, Jenn Kittredge Clark, Nicholas Alfred, Kristen DeSantis, Nora Santamour, Janet LaMantia, Julie Kallfelz, Tom Carney, Beverly Rudman, Kathy Almanzor, Lora DiMuccio

1. Acknowledgements

• Thank you to the high school review committee for a thorough and unbiased report.

• Congratulations to Carole Melucci for Principal of the year finalist recognition.

2. Subcommittees

Island Treasures

• Co-Chairs Lisa Carlisle and Janet LaMantia will review student evaluations from last year.

• Co-Chairs will work on new presenter list.

• Advisory Steering Committee will discuss ways to increase student involvement.

• Island Treasures date May 21^st, 2010

• Please contact Janet or Lisa with any suggestions for this special day.

1. Advisory

• Jenn Kittredge Clarke reports that the steering committee met on January 13^th with a discussion centered on Island Treasure Day.

• Students continue to work on Individual Learning Plans(ILP). Completion of goal setting should be done by the end of January.

• ILP document is kept in school and moves on with the student in 6, 7, and 8^th grade. Each year a piece is added to the learning plan.

• ILP parent input – conferences would be a good time for parents to review ILP and add a parental piece to the document.

• “Advisory Book” – more advisories are structuring their time reading books collectively.

• March – advisories will kick off “Pennies for Patients”

• Next meeting date for Advisory Steering Committee is set for February 3^rd.

2. Technology

• Technology report was reviewed and will be shared with the School Committee.

• The report outlined goals, infrastructure, hardware and professional development goals.

• A need to upgrade wireless that is currently in Lawn building.

• SAMS – additional laptop cart.

• Technology personnel needed.

3. Website

• Some recommendation were made that included the hiring of a company that could create a more uniform look to website. Option to customize at a later date.

• Website issues will be looked at once the school committee is presented with the report.

Playground Update

Lisa Primiano – working on fundraising

Playground fundraising kick off Meeting – January 20^th, 2010

Fundraiser – May 22^nd –Bull Point.

Two climbing boulders will be completed by the summer of 2010.

Student involvement in fundraising or ideas will be generated through Student Council.

Lisa Carlisle will attend a student council meeting to show playground layout.

Budget for playground – $60,000 including site work. A matching DEM grant, not released at this time, will be applied for. $30, 000 will need to be raised through fundraising with possible corporate sponsors.

3. Old Business

1. Standards Based Grading System

• Conferences/Student Involvement –meeting with all faculty to discuss ways to structure conference to involve students. Invite to Feb meeting.

• Writing Benchmarks – all grades have a writing sample that meets the standard. Writing benchmarks will be posted on the website and in classrooms soon. Identifying benchmarks that meet the standard in math, social studies and science is a goal.

2. Challenging all students

• Rigor, Relevance & Relationships Workshop – scheduled for February 3^rd and announced in the Warrior and Jamestown Press.

• Bill Daggart video will be shown with a follow up discussion.

• Jenn Kittredge Clarke and Lisa Carlisle met with the Melrose SIT co-chairs to organize a series of workshops for parents on R, R & R.

• Second Workshop will take place one month later with teachers presenting activity or example of R, R &R – hands on application - presented as a showcase where parents move from station to station.

• Possible third workshop – Successful Practices Workshop – will provide speaker.

• One School – One book summer reading – Kristin DeSantis provided a copy of “The Code” by Mawi Asgedom to read with follow-up discussion on format. This book will be shared with the Advisory Steering Committee.

• Meeting Academic Needs – 7^th and 8^th grade honors level for language arts. Math – leveled by ability. Some scheduling concerns with leveling. Only LA and Math teachers interested in leveling to include an advanced class and at standard class.

Motivating boys to reach their potential was a discussion and will be a topic at a future meeting.

3. Review Student Nutrition and Physical Activity Policy- Discussion was shared with the School Committee. Concerns could be brought to a meeting or letter could be read to committee.

4. Excellence in Effort – 5^th & 6^th – roll out for the school year 2010-2011. Specific criteria will need to be established. Invitation for 5^th and 6^th grade teachers to attend next SIT meeting.

• Principal Almanzor will review students eligible for Junior National Honor Society once second quarter report cards are completed. Students will be notified.

4. New Business

5. Next SIT meeting – 2/11/2010 at 3:30pm