Meetings

PAC Meetings are held in-person, monthly at school in the cafeteria or library. Additional meetings may be scheduled to work on projects or on committees, as generated through the PAC. Meetings are open to all parents who wish to attend. No RSVP is required.

AAECS earned a full, 7-year accreditation in October of 2021, based on a thorough review of all aspects of our school according to the 12 MSA Standards: Mission; Governance and Leadership; School Improvement Planning; Finances; Facilities; School Organization and Staff; Health and Safety; Educational Program; Assessment and Evidence of Student Learning; Student Services; Student Life and Activities; and Information Resources. This accreditation was earned thanks to the involvement and dedication of our faculty and staff, families, community members, board of trustees and administration.

The MSA Parent Committee, formed through the PAC, serves to ensure parent input is included regarding our development and achievement related to these standards and to drive progress toward our goals.

Monday, September 19, 6:30 pm

AGENDA: 

Mrs. McCollum and Mr. Henegan will lead a presentation on Parental Involvement at AAECS.

• What opportunities are available?

• When are clearances required to volunteer?

• How can I support my child’s education and school?

• How can I network with other AAECS

MINUTES: 

Mr. Henegan thanked all parents for attending. A parent of 6 children, 4 of whom graduated from AAECS, Mr. Henegan shared his history of involvement as a parent volunteer with AAECS in its first years of operation; to PTO President to current AAECS employee as Behavior Specialist since 2020. He invited parents to take a piece of paper and jot down their questions and/or ideas for future PAC topics. 

Mrs. McCollum, principal, shared more about the purpose of the PAC and her excitement at fostering more involvement for our families. Mr. Henegan invited parents to share what they had written down.

These areas of Interest included:

• Student Activities 

  • What clubs are offered and when will they start?
    Mrs. McCollum listed the various arts and academic clubs that have run in the past and explained that new clubs would be started soon. One parent suggested Saturday morning activities. Mrs. McCollum and Mr. Henegan confirmed that with proper clearances, a parent is eligible to run student clubs and parent activities with prior approval or through a PTO.

  • Parent suggestions regarding club topics:

    • Health & Wellness; Athletics; Home Economics; Politics & Leadership

    • Mr. Henegan explained that it is very time-intensive to start an athletic club, particularly at the elementary level where opportunities are limited. Athletics may be best to get involved at the community league level. A suggestion was made to connect with these community leagues to help parents learn about local opportunities.

• School Safety

  • Parents questioned about those who walk to school (most walk with parents or siblings), asked about crossing guards and speeding on local streets. A suggestion was made to seek approval for temporary or portable speed bumps. 

• Parent Involvement

  • Mr. Henegan and Mrs. McCollum shared the different ways parents can get involved, including: attending these PAC meetings; serving as field trip chaperones; supporting after-school or evening events and volunteering in the classroom. Mrs. McCollum encouraged parents to ensure they receive newsletters and teacher messages regarding upcoming parent opportunities. Parents voiced a common preference for Class Dojo as a communication tool.

• Parent-Teacher-Organization and Charter Renewal

  • Mr. Henegan explained that as an employee, he cannot be PTO President, but he encouraged the PAC to consider volunteering to start or finding other parent volunteers to re-start our AAECS PTO. Mrs. McCollum and Mr. Henegan explained the key differences between a PAC and PTO. 

• Community Outreach

  • Parents agreed that AAECS needs to be more connected with local organizations. Mrs. McCollum agreed that this has been a goal of AAECS.

  • A suggestion was made to create a PAC website to assist with this outreach for additional PAC members to assist in making these connections. Mrs. McCollum agreed to create the website.

  • Multiple parents stated they had close connections with local Hispanic advocacy organizations as well as Allentown School Board and Allentown City Council.

Monday, October 3, 2022, 6:30 pm

AGENDA: Middle States Accreditation and Title 1 Programs

Mrs. McCollum will lead a presentation regarding our status as a Middle States Accredited (MSA) School. Mr. Henegan will host an information session for parents interested in forming an AAECS PTO. The following are questions that will be addressed at this PAC meeting:

• What does it mean to be MSA accredited? What are our MSA goals?

• What does it mean to be a TSI Title 1 school?

• How can I support my child's education?

• What are the laws and procedures related to student attendance?

• What opportunities do I have as a PTO member?

• What is the level of commitment required as a PTO officer (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary)?

• How do we get started?

MINUTES:

Mrs. McCollum explained that the PAC also serves as the TSI, Title 1 Committee, serving to learn about the regulations for Title 1 and participating in the goals and monitoring of progress made toward these goals.

Mrs. McCollum explained the difference between the PAC and PTO. The PAC parent group learns about school programming, asks questions, provides input and seeks to share information with other families. The PTO is focused on generating their own events for families and funds to put on these events.

Mr. Henegan shared the history of the AAECS PTO and described some of the events we want to bring back, including the Holiday Shoppe, SnowBall Dance, Movie Nights, etc. A date was set for the first PTO meeting to elect the board for October 26, 2022 at 6:30 pm.

Wednesday, October 19, 2022⋅6:30 pm

AGENDA: Meet Dr. Anne Clark, PCPCS CEO!

• Learn about Dr. Clark's role leading PCPCS, a very active coalition advocating for parent's right to school choice. 

• Learn myths vs. facts regarding charter schools.

• Ask questions! 

MINUTES:

Dr. Clark shared all about what she does, PA Charter Law and the goals of PCPCS. She shared a wealth of resources for parents:

• Charter Schools FACTS vs MYTHS

• The Pennsylvania Professional Standards and Practice Commission: https://www.pspc.education.pa.gov/Educator-Discipline-System-and-Reporting/How-to-File-a-Complaint/Pages/default.aspx  

• PaTTAN Parental Rights: https://www.pattan.net/getmedia/44765df5-4d32-42f2-856d-db73d6e0392e/ParentsRights0717 

• The U.S. Department of Education: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html 

• The U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights: https://www.ed.gov/category/keyword/civil-rights

Thursday, November 10, 2022, 6:30 pm

AGENDA: Title 1 Presentation: "How Can I Help My Child?"

• Meet our Title Team; Mrs. Walter, Reading Specialist & ELA Facilitator; Miss Dreher, Reading Specialist; Miss Mashriki, Title Interventionist and Mr. Krajcic, Assistant Principal and Title 1 Coordinator!

• Learn about the supports we offer through Title 1 programming.

• Learn how to find additional support for your child.

• Learn some fun reading and math activities your can use at home to help your child at home!

MINUTES:

Mrs. McCollum shared our students' testing data in a presentation. While our students' scores are not where we would like them to be, they were able to retain and make progress in certain areas, in spite of the pandemic. We continue to focus on our student's performance, curriculum resources and planning to promote ongoing student growth. The presentation can be found below.

The Title Team then shared multiple resources and strategies for parents to support their child's learning at home. They provided tactile-learning kits for both reading and math. Contact Mrs. Mary Kate Walter at MKWalter@artsacademyecs.org for a kit! 

AAECS PAC: Special Education Series

Tuesday, December 13, 2022, 6:00 pm, AAECS Library

AGENDA: Understanding the IEP Process

• Meet Mr. Guthrie, Special Education Coordinator

• Learn about IDEA law and the process for qualifying for special education.

• Understand the timelines, required documents and your parental rights.

• Learn about the different types of support available.

MINUTES:

Mr. Guthrie walked through the IEP process, from initial request to implementation of an IEP and the relevant timelines. See below for the presentation.

Wednesday, January 11, 2023, 6:30 pm

AGENDA: Title 1 Presentation: "Title 1 Programming, Services and Qualifications"

• Mrs. Walter, Reading Specialist & ELA Facilitator, "Title 1 Programming, Services and Qualifications"

• Learn about the AAECS Title 1 Program including:

• How Title 1 fits into our MTSS program

• Universal Screening

• Assessment

• Reading & Math Services

• How Your Child May Qualify

MINUTES:

Mrs. McCollum shared a presentation of the Title 1 Process from Screenings to Services. Mrs. Walter, Reading Specialist and ELA Facilitator, explained the details of the assessment, what the Title Team looks for when reviewing scores and how each Tier is determined according to our MTSS model. Miss Dreher reviewed Kindergarten Screening and what we assess for our students as they enter school-age programming. Mrs. Sanchez, ELD Coordinator, reviewed the EL process and how it parallels with Title 1. The presentation can be found below. A parent asked why we must review by race. Mrs. McCollum explained we are obligated to prove that we review our state and local assessments by various demographics to ensure equity of learning for all students. Our curriculum and professional development process, through MSA, is also important as we strive to ensure students receive the same learning opportunities no matter which class they are in or which teacher is providing their core curriculum.

Thursday, January 26, 2023, 6:30 pm

AGENDA: Student Services Team: School Safety

• Meet members of our Student Services Team: Mrs. Geyer, Student Services Coordinator; Mr. Krajcic, Assistant Principal; Mr. Loch, Behavior Support Trainer; Mrs. Micciche, Counselor; Mr. Brown, Mr. Henegan and Mr. Concepcion, Behavior Management Specialists.

• Learn about the different ways we work together to keep our students safe.

• Connect with local organizations that support school safety.

• Learn how you can support school safety from home.

• Share your observations and input regarding school safety.

• Ask questions!

MINUTES:

Mrs. McCollum introduced the AAECS Student Services Team. Each SST member spoke about their unique role in supporting students, staff and families. See the presentation below!

Wednesday, February 15, 2023, 9:00 am

AGENDA: Special Education Home-School Connection

• Meet Mr. Guthrie, Special Education Coordinator

• Learn about behavior strategies used in-school that can be implemented at home.

• Learn how to stay in touch and communicate with your child's special education teachers.

AAECS PAC: Special Education Series

Wednesday, March 21, 2023, 9:00 am, AAECS Library

AGENDA: Special Education Curriculum Resources

• Mr. Guthrie, Special Education Coordinator

• Learn about our special education curriculum resources.

• Find out how to access online resources to support your child.

AAECS PAC: Special Education Series

Tuesday, April 18, 2023, 9:00 am, AAECS Library

AGENDA: "Understanding Special Education Documents"

• Mr. Guthrie, Special Education Coordinator

• Learn about the various types of documents you may receive related to your child and how your input matters for your child's education.

May 9, 2023, 8:30 am, AAECS Cafeteria

AGENDA: End-of-Year Review

• Mrs. McCollum, Principal

• Review of year's events for future planning

• Review of AAECS Title 1 Compact & Family Engagement Policy for input and revisions.

• Discussion and input for AAECS Parent Survey