Burncoat Prep Level 4 plan (not-so-liveblog)

One item on the agenda here tonight: the Burncoat Prep turnaround plan. Note that the plan is due Tuesday, April 24, so there is no opportunity for a rewrite.
 
Boone:
Deadline for application for federal funds
wanted to have it with regular agenda, but deadline before then

Mulqueen:
Team composed of 50% teachers
central office really comes together as a support team
original draft was initial work
rubric to write to; draft given on Friday
state deadline is tomorrow

Monfredo:
submitted a two page report to Mulqueen and new principal, including on preschool, summer programs, building relationships

Colorio:
still have a few concerns with this
looking at a very tight budget; additional staff being put on

• 0.2 social worker
• 0.5 librarian
• lead teacher
• wraparound coordinator

$184,000 in salaries from grant
doesn't include extended day money
probably could have additional tutors or IAs in classroom; could help with ratio
about 10% increase in staff overall in budget
what does culturally competent mean? How do you measure it?

Foley:
He begins by reminding us to "make sure we turn the fridge back on" (which we've turned off here at Nelson Place due to noise)
wraparound do deal with issues that teachers and principals deal with every day: hopefully can deal with issues parents have
"if we reach in a real positive fashion, parents will come to the table"
"keep in mind...they've taken on an inordinate number of students with special needs...50% do not come from Burncoat Prep"
find places in their neighborhood schools for these children
redesign should be dispersing those children properly to their home schools

O'Connell:
"committed to excellence"
"sound practical logical ideas that have been used before"
Two schools in the city that did not have libraries are Level 4 schools
community participation: that's vital
expand into summer programs, prekindergarten

Biancheria:
appointment of new principal
"it appeared that this change in staff would not take place until June...is there a transitional period and how is that going to work?"
new principal begins July 1
Boone: planning has to occur now, before principal change
students are bussed in, but aren't coming from a distance: fine line of a few minutes
"wonderful that we're discussing having parents engaged in the school"
Do we see parents not only coming to the school, but some community function that will take them away from the school but into the community?
We might find that parents do not have their own transportation to the school...perhaps we can have events in the community
"began to level that expectation by having meetings at Great Brook Valley"
transportation offered and interpreter services
"biggest concern I have with this particular school"


Novick
correction on p.6: there's actually a smaller percentage of African-American students at the school than in the district
agree with Colorio on wraparound coordinator: have a child at a school with one, unproven model, "want real data before I vote another $70,000 position"
demographic data so out of line with the rest of the district; this is an even larger issue than Level 4 status, and is dealt nowhere in the plan
plan mentions majority of children come from Great Brook Valley, then discusses crime
"more to Great Brook Valley than crime, challenges and otherwise"
60% Latino school in a district that is 38.4% Latino
"those children are bussed; this does not reflect a neighborhood"
choice that the committee has made on lines of cachement area: have created a segregated school
Uncomfortable conversation, but one we need to have
Also, plan speaks of two way communication: that means parents talk back
where are they talking back? Very concerning

Boone: neighborhood, housing patterns
O'Connell: children in Burncoat Prep's neighborhood don't attend Burncoat Prep; how to attract them back?






Petty: supports plan, moving right direction

Plan voted through 5-2, Colorio and Novick against