November 2023 Meeting Minutes

Global Arts PTA Meeting Minutes 

11/13/23 at 6pm 

Attendees: 

Meeting called to order at 6:09 pm by Dawn Puroway 

Welcome and Introductions - Dawn

Secretary’s Report: Minutes from last meeting were posted on Memberhub and Website. Motioned by Jason Johnson. Approved by Stephanie Stegman

Treasurer's Report: Family Tree . All Saint Paul Schools are getting Family Tree Services. We are holding the money for possible washer and dryer at Lower Campus

November Treasurer's Report

2023-2024 GAP PTO Budget & Actuals

Mr. Sam - Question about the health office getting $500. Michelle Klemmer Mr. Sam Motioned. Jason Johnson Seconded the motionLower Campus - Grades 3 and 4.

Email sent to Dawn, Jenny, Suki, Lisa Zinnel, Sara Nelson, jennifer mulligan-lockett, Michelle Klemmer. Include counselors.


Principal Report -Principal Jones:

Updates on staffing and supporting teachers and students. Conversations being had with families with regards to concerns that students are having at school. What are we doing with students who struggle during the day? There are students that need additional support that is not always known right away with staffing.  When we break down the number of students in our community we have over 900 students between the campuses. All of the positions that we have been allocated during the year have been full. It has been short up until this point.

There are different buckets of money. GAP was increased by a .5 speech teacher because we have so many students who qualified for speech services. We are facing a reduction in a special ed teacher at Upper Campus. We are hoping that we will get that position back so that we can support our team. We are a small middle school. It looks good on paper but the reality is that it is more than that. Though there is a reduction we are using teachers on call to support students in special ed until we.

Mr. Biddle has left the school. We are advertising for a new math teacher. In the interim we are using teachers on call/substitute teachers to fill his space. Grades will be finalized and going out on Wednesday.

Upper Campus - There was a conversation about having restorative circles for Mr. Biddle’s classrooms. The process of next steps does take time. 

Danielle asked what transparency can we expect?  When will we hear about our kids' grades, restorative circles and a new math teacher?

Principal Jones: With regards to students. At lower campus, specifically, we have 12-14 students who are challenging. We are looking into support for these students on campus and also in the office of support.

We have preschoolers and kindergarteners who are learning how to do school. There have been some situations that are closer to some families than others. Admin had to be careful about what is shared with parents due to confidentiality. Even staff do not have all the information about kids who are struggling. 

The school is dealing with the issues of children. The assistant superintendent and superintendent know what is going on in the building. Admin is looking at strategic plans. There was a conversation in the leadership team this morning. How can we be intentional? 

Developmentally where are our students now versus before covid. Admin cares about teachers. Admin is working on creating a more intentional plan of support that everyone will know. 

Molly asked - How are relationships developed and strengthened between staff and students when there seems to be so much turnover? 

Jennifer Mulligan asked how are students being supported who have been moved to different classes? Principal Jones replied that students have plans for in the classroom as well as common areas. Teaching pieces are part of the plan. Just as we teach about academics we teach about behaviors and emotions. We are seeing how light students are becoming seeing themselves as being successful when they have a fresh start. Confidentiality is important for students who are getting a fresh start, 

Lisa asked - are there ways that parents can be engaged in conversations taking a step back and rethinking how to approach things? Parents are here, willing to help. When we are thinking about what kind of policies are we going to draft - please engage the parents. Let us help you be an additional set of hands, set of voices so that we can help strengthen the school. We want to be present in volunteer situations. But we are also here to help lay the groundwork. Let us be a part of the army. 

Principal Jones replied - We have talked about family affinity groups. Parent advisory type session or meetings with the Principal. How that would look either before or after the gathering. Wanting to create a space to hear from families. Mental Health, PBIS and leadership teams. Lisa - my understanding is that there is a much larger picture than 12-14 students that is of great concern to students, parents, and faculty members. 

Principal Jones would love to reach out to parents. Lisa Zinnel - doesn’t have as much direct information to share.

Jennifer Mulligan - even being fully staffed it seems as though teachers are constantly putting out fires. Jennifer would like to share what happened. Her son said to her that he is afraid he will be killed. His friend was being violated by a student who was not being supported. I don’t think the kid is getting the support he needs. I know he is not the only one. That kid pushed Jennifer’s kid on the ground and choked him. This is one incident. There are numerous incidents that have gone on in this classroom and the kids and teachers need support. There was an attack with scissors last week. Henry did not want to go to school. He wants to be with his friends - they have developed a bond and he is worried about the other kids in class and their safety. The teachers don’t have the support they need so they are locking students out of the class in the hallway. Principal Jones - we had conversations about what happened. Jennifer - I did feel hopeful but I don’t anymore. This is traumatizing our kids to go to school and they are afraid to go to school. Principal Jones - we have had conversations about this particular classroom. Principal Jones spoke with Henry and Principal Jones. 

Manda Keller-Ross - I also did not want to send my kids to school today. I now know that that student is now in my daughter's class and I don’t think that she is safe. What is the protocol when things like this happen? What is the plan? Can we be more specific about the plan? How can we be sure that our children are safe?

Principal Jones - it differs per child. It is working with families to support children. It has to do with safety for the individual student themselves. It could be checking in with parents, working with staff members who have different resources. Safety is important, I feel for Ms. Mulligan-Locket and we want all our children to be safe. 

Jennifer - there are ways to support individual students. How do all these events unfold without an adult stepping in? There are numerous things unfolding. The teacher is one person. She can get to one kid but she can’t reach anything. The teachers aren’t able to teach or do their jobs when they are constantly putting out fires. Principal Jones replied- I don’t know that I would agree that that is happening in every class. Some of the things that can be done - district policy - procedure that involves a student support system coming together.

Kyle - the thing that really shook me during conferences. We were able to see how they were doing in the academics. They were in the bottom half of where they are supposed to be. But there is another piece on the graphic - they were at or above where the other kids are in the classroom. That’s telling that learning isn’t capable of happening in the room. 

Principal Jones - the assistant Superintendent is helping administration to assess where we are. It’s an assessment piece, a PBIS, EILT. Sometimes to have someone help 

Principal Jones - Volunteering is helpful. GAP had some situations where parents showed up and it did not go well. You have to call ahead to the teacher and make sure they are expecting you.

Questions- 

Lisa - Are there plans to get a community mental health partner for GAP so kids can be offered weekly mental health therapy at school

Ashley Le May - Are students who need additional support clustered together so the teacher can have a para all day?

Suki - Why is Mr. DeMarco having to manage behavioral intervention for the whole lower campus population? Are there plans to hire more people like him to manage each floors?

Sara - Like what David said, why are we finding out about these issues from our kids, and not the teachers/admin

Kate’s iPhone - Why is there no SIPPS reading intervention for 3rd and 4th graders?

Emily Harer- I’d love some hallway monitors or lunch workers as well.

Marianne Milligan - Can we get an update on the 7th grade math teacher.

Jennifer Mulligan - are we the only school that has one principal for 2 campuses. Principal Jones was told that there are other principals that are over 2 campuses.

Jason Johnson - this is about elected representatives. We are reaping the decision and it’s been 10 times worse since covid.

Principal Jones would like to keep the conversation going and create a space to continue these conversations.

December 11th - in person PTA meeting. Thank you to Ms. Rasheed. The 6th grade photography gallery. We will hae the PTA meeting in person at upper campus. 

Dawn - we will have interpreters at the PTA meeting.


Meeting Evaluation… Hopeful,. Passionate, Frustrated, Repair, Sad, Uneasy, Concerned, Determined, Informed, Intrigued, Committed, Devoted, Engaged