Minutes for 05/09/2008

May 9, 2008 

School Leadership Team (SLT) 

Meeting Minutes 

Those present: 

José Maldonado, School Principal  

Miriam Hubbard, Parent Association president 

SLT members

Candy Gulko

Damaris Padilla

Adam Stern 
 

SLT non-member parents

Eve Cagan

Lisa Peters 
 

Discussion of CSS event organization methods

Miriam spoke about ways the hospitality committee could work with the CSS administration to establish methods and improve the way that school events are organized.  She suggested that the hospitality committee could work with the administration and that having certain protocols in place would be useful. José reported that Monica Marin will be the office coordinator next year and that she will be the liaison between the administration and the PA.  José noted that once a venue is determined, the time needed to set up an event can be quick, even a few hours.  Miriam stated that the importance for the PA of having the facts of an event and lead time, so as to facilitate it.  
 

Discussion of Community Service

Adam Stern proposed the idea that community service for the school be required for CSS families, new and old. A discussion followed. Others voiced the view that community service should be suggested rather than required.  Adam felt that if it was a requirement, more families were likely to get involved. Damaris proposed that “community hours” for CSS families should be strongly suggested.  

Miriam discussed the need to find a way to involve parents and provide information to them as to what they can do for a particular event.  She felt that there should a clear indication of what was needed for an event and suggested that a form could be generated for this purpose.   
 

Upcoming events

Miriam asked about the formal lunches with each of the CSS houses.  José indicated that there were already too many events this year and that the model that is in process will be used next year.   

A discussion took place about the awards dinner and whether to buy plates for CSS or to use paper plates.  José stated that he was confident that the children could wash the plates by hand.  Miriam reported that a parent who is party planner will work on the event.  She asked whether there should be music for the dinner.  José affirmed that there should be. He stated that the school would take care of the awards.  
 

Plans for Second Town Hall Meeting

José announced that CSS will be having its second town hall meeting for parents of incoming sixth graders on Tuesday or Wednesday of the first week of June.  The expectation is that 120 people will attend.  The model is to be the town hall meeting held last year for parents of incoming students at which parents circulated among tables to discuss different topics.  José would like the June meeting to focus on the issue of diversity and would like ideas from SLT as to how to enter into this, addresses the theme, etc.—the idea is for the meetings to have higher meaning and value, rather than addressing lesser issues such as uniforms.  Andrew Stillman will be running the event with the faculty.  José stated that the kids would be in the auditorium for their own event and then would join their parents for dinner afterwards.   

Other Town Hall Meetings and September 2008 All-School Meeting

José’s plan is to hold meetings once every month for new parents, with a town hall meeting held in the first week of September for the entire school.  José mentioned that he would like feedback as to what to do in this meeting.  He would like SLT to start considering what kinds of issues need to be raised or thrown on the table.  Jose would like SLT to give him a list of issues and agenda items for the meeting.  

Outreach for enrollment

José mentioned a plan for next year to invite current fifth grade teachers in the area to a meeting to let them know what kids need to know to prepare for CSS, including test prep. This would be to draw in children from districts 4, 5, and 6.  

Community Service

José requested that the SLT have involvement in the emphasis of CSS on community service by determining projects and how to implement them.  

Mentoring of New Families

It was mentioned that parent Victor Acosta had brought up idea of mentoring of new families.  (José had already spoken to the principal of the Kipp Star program about how they do this.).  SLT members thought that Victor might like to take on the role of setting up a mentoring program in which new and old families would be matched up.  

Fundraising, Class Sizes, Teaching Assistants

SLT members suggested that fundraising goals and purposes should be defined, and Damaris asked the purpose of raising money.  Miriam noted that PA cannot raise funds for a particular project, but only for the PA, which then decides how funds are used.  José noted that there are limitations as to how DOE money can be spent, and that the PA could raise funds for items for which DOE would not contribute.  There was a discussion of class size, and that places will be filled in next year’s seventh grade class for any spots that open up.  Suggestions were made that teaching assistants be hired so as to help the teachers out.  José suggested that the PA fund 12%-15% of the cost of assistants in the classrooms. It is possible that the DOE budget or other money can fund the reminder of the cost of the assistant. José feels that there are two priorities for fundraising: study abroad programs and community service programs, which José believes will prepare the school to be the most ambitious community service program in the country.  He notes that DOE money cannot be used easily to fund and support community service projects.  He stated the need to help identify community service activities and mechanisms, once the activities are funded.  Another objective of fundraising could be to provide computers for families that don’t have them. 

Budget meeting

Jose noted that there will be a budget meeting in the first week of July, possibly at Black Rock Forest, and possibly an overnight. 

Cell Phones

Candy asked about different ways of handling cell phones.  José said that they will continue to be kept securely in the office, but not left out in the hall, which led to one being taken recently (but was then returned).  

Hiring

José mentioned that he was fairly confident that had his first choice candidates for each appointment for next year’s new teachers.  

Uniforms

José will be signing a student petition requesting the wearing of shorts when the weather reaches a certain temperature. There will be a posting on the day before a “shorts” day.  The shorts must be khaki material, but not necessarily khaki colored.  

Minutes recorded by Lisa Peters