Meeting Agenda/Notes November 20, 2018

 

All attachments in pdf


Agenda
November 20, 2018 Board Communications Committee Meeting
11:30 a.m. -  Meeting Room A
Panorama Village Administrative Center
240 Villa Crest Drive
State College, PA  16801


I.       Call to Order


II.      2017-2018 Annual Report Update (attachment)


III.     Communications Audit / Rubric Update (attachment)
               Collaborative opportunity
               Overview and discuss rubric


IV.      Board Outreach Discussion including Seria Chatters


V.       Public Comment  Each individual will be limited to comments of five (5) minutes as  time permits for items on this agenda or related to Board business.


VI.      Future Agenda Items


VII.     Adjournment

November 20, 2018 Board Communications Committee Meeting
11:30 a.m. - Meeting Room A                        Accepted Notes
Panorama Village Administrative Center
240 Villa Crest Drive
State College, PA  16801

I.        Call to Order
Mr. Leous called the Board Communications Committee Meeting to order at 11:36 a.m.

Committee Members Present:  Lori Bedell, Amber Concepcion, Jim Leous
Not attending:  Laurel Zydney  
Others Present: Randy  Brown, Dr. Seria Chatters, Robert O’Donnell, Chris Rosenblum, Tami Nowacki, Nancy Reese

II.        2017-2018 Annual Report Update
Chris Rosenblum updated the Board Communications Committee on the annual report.  This year the goal is to move towards a visual engaging report with abbreviated stories that were written throughout the year and doubling as a marketing tool.  Nabil Mark will be using a design program to create the report and will implement a few changes in order and presentation. The committee were presented with the changes and discussion followed.  A complete working draft will be distributed to the committee the week of November 26, 2018.

III.     Communications Audit / Rubric Update
Dr. O’Donnell discussed the Rubric and the need to apply the measures to the district communications. A plan should be developed with the key district people looking at demographics and data to create a communication plan.  We need to be mindful of the process to produce the correct communication.

Chris Rosenblum gave an overview of the Rubrics.  There are three areas of suggested measures; emerging, established and exemplary (page 9).  Mr. Rosenblum discussed several areas in the Rubrics and stated that we are mostly falling in the emerging measure.  School communications is a relatively new area Districts and it was noted that the current district policy in place was last changed in 1999.  We should look at policies as we go through the Rubrics process and update where needed. An area that we are doing well in is Crisis Communication.  We have areas to improve and the goal is to work towards achieving exemplary rates in all areas, knowing that this could take time, but should be the goal that we work towards.  Dr. O’Donnell noted that a NSPRA seminar/development video could be beneficial and will look into this. Mr. Leous noted that it was the right decision to purchase Rubrics and will be instrumental in measuring our baseline and seeing how we improve as we move forward.  Next steps: Dr. O’Donnell, Chris Rosenblum, and Nabil Mark will meet and present the prioritized function areas to the committee.

12:30 - 12:45 p.m. A brief 15 minute break was given so the Board Communications Committee could listen to the MNES K5 students sing Thanksgiving songs in the Panorama Village Office building. Students did an awesome job, thanked teachers and students for their fun and warm Thanksgiving presentation.

IV.       Board Outreach Discussion including Dr. Seria Chatters
Dr. O’Donnell began by briefly discussing the District goals for 2018-2019 school year. Inclusive Excellence is a broad area and Seria’s focus will be in this area; Dr. O’Donnell asked Seria to come and speak to the Board Communications Committee to update the group on District inclusiveness; and discuss what areas she will focus on and her assessments to date. Seria  began by discussing actions and initiatives that are needed to achieve Goal 5: Successful Transitions and Readiness for a Purposeful Life. Below are points/assessment

  • Inclusive Excellence and School Climate (goals 1, 4 and 5) - review policies with an inclusive lense - example: How do students go from one advance studies to another? Do we look at this in early grades? Have equal opportunities for all students regardless of social standing or color.
  • Review and change our handbooks on restorative practices, look at how this will be incorporated into our program, review things such as dress code, do a review of all items.
  • Restorative Practices:  teachers and paraprofessionals getting to know their students and understanding where they are. Training in the elementary schools will be forthcoming.
  • Awareness Building:  knowledge around skills and actions; book club starting January 3, 2019 with any teacher/staff/board who wants to join. The first book will be  So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo. The second book will focus on LGBT and will begin in August.
  • PSU all-day event on Social Justice 101 on April 22, 2019.  PSU is waving the fee and would be good for teachers to attend.
  • Questions and takeaways on her tour
    • SCASD is one of five districts in Pennsylvania who are leading in this area. We are preparing our children to be future employees of the world at large.  50% of Generation Z children are multiracial.
    • Not just race focused but disabilities as well.
    • Paraprofessionals need to be viewed as professionals who are a vital role in education.
    • Lack of perception on the low income of our students outside of our staff.
    • Multicultural Center is for all students and should be represented that way.
    • Social justice training for students - summer program where 30 students from each grade receive training.  GPA should not be the indicator, focus should be leadership qualities.
    • Look at the new students in our schools - develop a plan on integrating them into the school. 

V.        Public Comment
The following audience member addressed the Committee:
Tami Nowacki offered suggestions for the Annual Report regarding adding the web page under each school and the contact person for ESL; has concerns the Lemont/Houserville schools are growing and space; parents with concerns/issues need to have a way to voice their concerns before they leave the district and seek alternative education; multicultural center be open to all, that is the goal.

VII.      Future Agenda Items
There were no future agenda items added to the discussion.

VII.      Adjournment
Mr. Leous adjourned the Communication Committee meeting at 1:16 p.m.

Submitted by,

Nancy Reese
Acting Board Secretary