Thursday, December 4, 2014

Elm Park Level 4 work

The backup is here
Rodrigues: triggered a series of events, timeline and process
charged with providing recommendations to superintendent for turnaround of Elm Park
law proscribes size and composition of the committee
three meetings held from mid October to mid November
make sure larger stakeholder group represented
larger focus groups to each meeting as held to have greater voice so one parent and two teachers could represent their groups most effectively
discussed in depth the state's 11 essential conditions
timeline to follow
January, superintendent submits draft turnaround plan to stakeholder group, School Committee, and Commissioner
Boone: echo appreciation to stakeholder committee members
thank administrative team
DESE representative "has made so many comments about our stakeholder process...this should probably be the model to address turnaround schools and the process"
"she didn't have to offer that, but she has been truly amazed and pleased in working with us"
O'Connell: pool of yet untapped potential, reminds of Union Hill
"has potential and capability of doing it"
busy from midday to close to midnight
"fulcrum of time and effort" in the community
cites WPI, Becker
Novick: connections to institutions and parts of the community?
Boone: Bancroft, WPI involved already, continuing; Becker relationship growing
Novick: are we expecting School Improvement Grants?
Rodrigues: yes, will be competitive, of amounts similar to what we saw with previous schools
Biancheria: community school part of Level 4 plan?
Rodrigues: no, spinning off of Level 4 group as connection to work there
Biancheria: will it come to full committee and change other community schools?
Boone: will inform other practices throughout city, but focus specifically on Elm Park
committed to be at the table with you, how do we address the gaps that have been clear by this process
Biancheria: Elm Park was always know as a school that was open; has that continued? Is that something we're going to look at?
Boone: extending the learning time is a requirement, and then what are wraparound and supportive services needed by students at the school
have worked for several years trying to redefine, but "school was simply a broker for services"
"activities were very valuable, but we're specifically aligned" with needs of students
"I believe that we will begin to see activity return to those levels" but with focus on what the needs of community are
Biancheria: were sports teams that used the gym? is that included in that plan?
Boone: community access in common areas of the schools has never stopped
"we don't generate the revenue that people think we do" as we may waive not custodial fee but other fees
Foley: thanks stakeholder group
look at Clark's work and Worcester State's work for schools at what has worked
important role that health center plays, including mental health
Ramirez: " a lot of rich discussions around community partnerships"
Becker reached out to me to see how can we help
"a lot of parents that play soccer at that school" and thus a way of bringing parents in
"I've very comfortable that this is going to turn around quicker than we think"

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