Staff Meeting #6: 2/22/2023

Our 6th Blue Ribbon Committee meeting took place on February 22nd. 

The agenda is posted below as well as a summary of the information discussed and determined during that meeting.

SUMMARY OF THE 2/22 MEETING & THE ACTION PLANS

This week, our Blue Ribbon Committee shifted gears regarding how it runs and which staff members are involved. For the first four meetings of the school year, interested staff members were split into two groups who collectively researched the Blue Ribbon Award selection process, identified four areas for growth activities, and developed action plans to facilitate progress in those areas. 

Following up from the January meeting, with staff members working specifically Target Areas 1 and 3, this meeting saw subcommittees focusing on working through the action steps for our priorities in Target Area 2- Student Engagement and Target Area 4- Professional Culture. 

Target Area 2 Committee Work

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT: Increase student engagement in school, both in class and outside of class, by continuing to develop engaging classroom learning activities, increasing the number of exciting school and district-wide activities to interest students, and embed more academic challenges and assemblies to improve the overall culture and climate. 

PRIORITY GOAL: Continue to improve the level of engagement in every classroom so all kids are invested in daily learning.

ACTION STEPS: 

• (Connected to Target Area 4) - Increase professional sharing through "Observe Me," student teachers, and best practice sharing to maximize engagement strategies. 

• Facilitate training in types of discussion techniques, i.e., Socratic seminar, fishbowl, etc.

• Facilitate training in grade appropriate use of stations, centers, and small group learning. 

 Subcommittee 2 focused on how we can continually improve the level of engagement in every classroom so that all kids are invested in daily learning. First the committee mapped out a plan for peer observations by teachers on a quarterly basis where staff would have the opportunity to use their professional time to see specific strategies in action as facilitated by a colleague. The group then proposed professional development activities that would facilitate the sharing of ideas between staff in a large group round robin setting, using short training modeling videos, and the development of a google classroom to share resources, among others. Finally, the group identified specific strategies that should be targeted for greater use, and therefore inclusion in future training opportunities for all staff. In just a relatively short period of time, the group was able to craft our next level of professional growth activities using primarily internal human capacity to build upon our engagement levels district wide. 

Target Area 4 Committee Work

PROFESSIONAL CULTURE: Enhance and build upon the professional culture of the staff by finding additional ways to make time for the professional work that needs to be done, facilitating that time with purpose, targeting professional growth activities to support our growing ELL population, and utilizing a feedback system from staff for continued improvement.

PRIORITY GOAL: Find time and use it wisely. There is never enough time, but how do we find, make, and cherish our time to make all of our goals and plans happen? 

ACTION STEPS: 

• Facilitate better use of monthly meeting schedules to maximize time efficiency for all the work that needs to be done. 

• Explore alternate scheduling for one "pause" day that incorporates SEL, interventions, case management, and teacher planning groups.

Subcommittee 4 focused on what the Blue Ribbon Committee previously deemed to be the greatest challenge in implementing the high level, frequency, and array of growth activities that we would like to facilitate in order to reach all of our lofty goals- time. While it is impossible to make more time, it is critical we maximize what time we have available. Therefore, the subcommittee reviewed our wish list and to do list of training, growth, and data analysis activities and prioritized them based on importance and time sensitivity. Then, they mapped out all of the available time remaining in the current school year and mapped out a calendar of priorities based on applicability of the topic to small sub groups, separate buildings, or the entire district. Thanks to the hard work done here, the district has an effective and efficient plan to address the priorities of the committee, and therefore the staff and administration, with the months we have remaining this year.