Notes+12.18.07

Emily Davison, Brenda Michaelsen, Chris Hill, Claire Evrard, Deborah Johansen, Tom McDowell, Suzanne Hamilton, Margaret Anderson, Melissa Noack, Lorrie King, Ted Hall, Julie Hutchinson
 * Present:**


 * Norms for our work:**
 * Engage in clear, open, honest communication among team members.
 * Be open to consideration of others’ ideas.
 * Be clear about how we communicate with teams.
 * Communicate the status of ‘items brought by staff.’
 * Balance whole-school perspective with advocacy for learning areas.
 * State clearly how decisions will be made.

1. Check in Some surprises regarding low #s of parents responding to parent survey. Will be interesting to see numbers district-wide. Paula did a great job getting these to staff.
 * Notes:**

2. Decide on notetaker Tom McDowell

3. Review notes from last meeting

4. Presentation from Alice and Suzanne regarding “Freshman Seminar” Maryknoll School ( a school similar to YHS in many ways) has a course for 9th graders called Freshman Seminar. The course provides instruction and activities on transition to high school, study skills, social skills, decision-making, core values, and technology skills. Questions that arose from this: How can we instruct students in these areas most effectively? For instance, one issue is that many students do not use their study hall time effectively. How can we instruct students to best use this time? Does this make sense to do look at doing this skill work in a course so that teachers can focus more on content and less on skill development? Is it better to do the skill work in the context of the content class, or is it better to do in a separate curriculum? How do we help freshman make good choices given the greater freedom in high school? Possible next steps: Focus on needs: What do students perceive as their needs? What do freshman teachers see as needs? Decision: The freshman team will have a discussion regarding student needs in these areas.

5. Items brought by staff members for the leadership team to consider Can we move into the auditorium to hear the student performances at holiday breakfast? Decision: This will be a consideration for next year. We talked briefly about using an easy tool to inform students electronically regarding homework assignments and upcoming assessments. Decision: Alice Barr will demonstrate this at a future faculty meeting. Issue of NHS: Some teachers question if it is positive for the students. Decision: Tabled temporarily until current induction process is complete in order to be fair to students involved in the current process. Need to revisit/clarify community service guidelines for students. Decision: Lorrie and Brenda will look at the current community service guidelines and offer recommendations regarding community service guidelines.

6. Learning Area Leaders Roles and Skills Reviewed a list of roles and skills for Learning Area Leaders generated at a recent Leadership Team meeting. Decision: Ted will work with Paula to get feedback via Survey Gold from faculty regarding the roles and skills of Learning Area Leaders.

7. Discussion about the work outlined in Ken's memo Some team members noted that the discussion of engagement scenarios and collecting feedback from students regarding engagement in classes is important. Biggest issue is finding time to engage in this work in Learning Areas or as a full faculty on the scenarios. Decision: Ted and Margaret will look at the meeting schedule for time between now and February break for this work.

8. Guidelines for showing movies, including “R” rated films Team reviewed a draft of Guidelines for Using Films, Videos, and DVDs. Suggestion was made to include summer assignments that include R-rated films in the guidelines. Decision: The guidelines will go out to staff after Ted makes minor changes.