Board of Ed April update on Level 5 schools

There's a backup over here, and UP Academy Holland in Boston is here
Johnston: fourth year for the turnaround in UP Academy
"evolution is a word I use to describe UP's work"
"very committed to figuring out" what will best serve the students they serve
"the challenge that makes us great"
this is the new head of UP Academy; she comes from the turnaround of schools in Detroit; I missed her name
engaged in putting in place some of the things Adler spoke about earlier
Holland is a Dorchester elementary school; 44% of students speak a language other than English
75% economically disadvantaged
engaging all members of the community in a conversation in hopes and dreams and aspirations for our students
incredibly important to us "that students cultivate their sharp minds"
not the only skill you need to be successful, "equiping students to share their kind hearts"
"restorative conversations to build students' skills...how to negotiate, how to problem solve"
suspensions declined by 44% since 2015-16
"distributive leadership model"
"career pathway that keeps teacher in the classroom longer" expecting 80% teacher retention this year
"want to talk about the village around UP Academy Holland"
"family engagement is vital to the long-term success of our scholars and our schools"

Fernandez: ask about suspension rates and work done with teachers
working with staff around mindsets required
A: started this summer; provided PD for all leadership and teachers around restorative conversation
"students do well if they can" is the premise
"most teachers were ready and happy to engage in this conversation"
"we have to continue to build the capacity of teachers...that's the crux"
"we are asking teachers to stay teaching while freeing up a little bit of their time to mentor others"
"we've got to build this capacity...it's not acceptable to have kindergarten suspensions"

McKenna: when we get these numbers, it would be helpful "to get the real number"
percentage decline; "fifty percent of what?"
easy to remember some of the numbers "because it was on the front page of the Boston Globe"
turnover has been difficult from year one

Moriarty: don't understand restorative conversations as a concept
challenges of adminstration not to suspend "what does that do to school culture"
A: amending any wrong
exclusion from the classroom as a last resort
"that's the direction that we're moving in and that's how we're facilating the conversations"


AND THE REST OF THE SCHOOLS....
School and Main Institute is going to be the receiver once Superintendent Durkin steps down
Veritas Prep Charter will operate in Holyoke within the HPS system; feeding from Morgan and Kelly elementaries and Veritas Prep is 5-8
sharing practices across schools but also across the district (noting here the Dever in Boston); instructional rounds
"schools are still struggling with some staffing challenges"
conversations with teachers about their plans for next year; compensation and "strengthening teacher leader pathways"

Fernandez: bigger picture on goals and metrics to better evaluate progress
West: prior year information would allow us to put information in context