Parents as Partners

September 2015 meeting minutes

Introductions:

In attendance: Sathya, Heidi, Laurie, Jodie, Amy, Lea, Nicki, Mindy, Sachi, Principal, Miranda

EJRP scheduled DC trip meeting tonight so might be why there are not many 8^th grade parents in attendance.

Many events, no fundraising.  Dances are hosted by PAP and PAP volunteers sell refreshments outside of gym.

Checkbook balance $1871.63

Book Fair and snack cart generates income for PAP.  Snack cart is to help families in need.  Book Fair income goes towards PAP events.  Snack cart is open after school for 30 minutes and run daily if possible.

Principal:

Beginning of school is going well.  Kickoff assembly was moved from first day to second week to let kids settle in.  Kickoff assembly is put together by peer leaders.  Homerooms are all multi-age this year and it’s going really well.  Allows the older kids to mentor the younger kids. 

Seventh & eighth graders will be writing their own personal learning plans.  Identifying their strengths and weaknesses in subjects.  They will be writing academic and personal goals for the year.  These will be ready by Open House.  The plans will be electronic so they can develop a portfolio of work while they are at ADL to document their goals.  New reporting system:  Jumprope is new this year.  For standards based reporting.  School will be mailing home instructions for how to access your child’s account.  It’s all live data so you don’t have to wait until the end of a trimester to see how your child is doing.  EMS and ADL & Westford are starting off in the district using JumpRope.   Other schools may follow suit next year.  Report cards will be moving to a 1-4 rating instead of the old format of E, S, D, etc but the rating system is actually staying the same.  It will also show you a scale so you will see where your child falls in a subject.  All schools using Jumprope have to use the same grading standards so the schools can coordinate units of study.  How to recognize the students who are getting good grades and the ones who are working hard regardless of the end grade they achieve?  Want kids to focus on learning and working hard not on their end grade.  SBAC scores are in and ADL students did well above state averages.  They will be mailed home soon. 

Nov 3^rd , school district unification vote is coming up.  So Essex Town, Junction, Westford would combine somehow.  Still need to iron out all the details.  How kids will be split up, busing, etc.  If voters vote yes to unify it wouldn’t happen for two years.  So kids could move between schools but all the schools are full so would stay open.  You can find more info on the CCSU main website.