Month: September 2013

GALILEO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

Leadership Team/Department Heads Meeting

 

 

 

9/24/13

 

 

 

 

Marcus called the meeting to order at 11:15am.

 

He introduced Ritu, Janet Schulze, Jan Link, Myra Quadros, Chuck Flores, and Eric Lewis who are from the central office.

 

 

Ritu began the data discussion by looking at the SFUSD CAHSEE data.  She showed both Galileo and SFUSD.  She pointed out the places where there were rises and drops.  She indicated the significant drops.

 

 

Ritu said she wants Galileo to always beat the state and the district scores.

 

Asian and White populations seem to remain about the same.

 

Ritu wanted to look at the demographics over the last 10 years.  The Latino population has remained fairly steady.  AA is the one population significantly reduced.  Filipinos have reduced.  The Chinese population has remained steady for the last 5 years.

 

 

Doug talked about the shift in populations around the city.  He uses a Google map to note the changes and shifts.

 

 

Ritu shared data that shows a drop in the English scores.  Marcus said we reclassified a number of students that could result in the drops.

 

Then Ritu compared the regular ed. to the special ed. scores.

 

 

AA students are the lowest in recent years.  David said it would be interesting to see how many of the AA students are special ed. classified.

 

Alicia asked about a special ed. break down by ethnicities and Ritu said she would send it to us.

 

 

Ethan asked about a breakdown by gender.

 

David asked about truancy issues in the scores.

 

 

Soc. Econ Dis. was compared with Non-Soc. Econ Dis.

 

 

Data should bring action.  Ritu distributed some sheets—Data Power to Act

 

Ritu asked what one data factor we would want to change.  David said it would definitely be AA drops.  Ritu said we should look at their attendance—78.9% is the attendance.  All student attendance was 93.5%

 

 

Suspensions—we reduced the suspensions.  12 out of 50 suspensions was AA—25% of the suspensions are AA.  Lisa the pointed out data that shows the AA suspension rate at 50%.  Some students had multiple suspensions.  Jan explained the complications with the statistics.  Janet also addressed this as well.

 

Ritu asked about grades for AA.  Marcus said 50% of the group received a grade of F.

 

 

The next column on the document is: Reasons (within our control).  She asked the group to write down some ideas.  Doug said we need to break the culture where students think it is OK not to do very well.  We need to affect things earlier and begin earlier.  Doug said we need to set our expectations as to what we can do. Closing the gap is a cultural problem.

 

 

Janet talked about the SAS program to identify the special ed. students.  As a system, she said we have improved our AA graduation rates.  We also need to look at students having relationships in the classroom along with the data.

 

 

Doug mentioned consistency and with the politics of the district; things are always changing, and this may be unproductive.  David mentioned that we are working with the ELL population; we have goals and strategies that can benefit all.

 

 

Alicia mentioned her experiences with the Latino students and that they lack confidence.  It is important to build student confidence.  They need to have the opportunity to succeed.  Michelle said this confidence can take a tremendous amount of time to build.  She felt that activities they use to build confidence are not what is being assessed and measured in the CAHSEE.  She would like to build confidence in life skills the students will need when they leave Galileo.  Ritu discussed this.  Resilience, teamwork, self-confidence area all-important.

 

 

Stan said that when we spend more time on confidence building, we are getting away from the subject areas the teachers are teaching.  David said there will be a drop in performance as we are working on some of these skills.

 

 

Mat said we cannot forget about the middle of the road students.

 

Alicia suggested we ask students why they are missing school.

 

Katie discussed the SARB process and what our counselors do before the students get to the district SARB level.

 

 

Ritu asked if we have ever done a focus group to find out why the students are absent.  Ethan said his theory is that once they get lost in a class and are failing, they stop coming to class. They may be too embarrassed.  Jan asked when this happens, and Ethan said it is now—at the first 6 weeks period.  Janet asked if we can ask as a school what can we do and what can each teacher do?  How can students make up missed work, and how can we get students re-engaged?

 

 

Kathleen looks at many of her students who are not only Latino, but ELL as well.  She mentioned students she gets who have been truant all through middle school and this make the problems worse.

 

 

Marc talked about an experience had had with a Latino student.  This student was intimidated by other students in academics, but would participate in other activities.

 

 

Stan mentioned how students feel after failing the first grading period; they feel they will fail both semesters.  Now we do not have a chance to change classes at the semester time.  Doug said that many do not have the confidence to bring themselves out of the failing situation.

 

 

Research Factor from Ritu: 30% of the students’ grade will be on a project, that they can keep revising, working on until they are successful with the project.

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 12:20pm.

 

GALILEO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

Leadership Team/Department Heads Meeting

 

 

 

9/17/13

 

 

 

 

Marcus called the meeting to order at 11:15am.  The meeting was held in Room 450.

 

 

Marcus introduced Jan Link and Steven Newton from the district.  He gave an overview of the data we would be discussing today and at next week’s meeting when Ritu, an Assistant Superintendent in charge of data will come.

 

 

Marcus said we are comparing ourselves to 4 schools.  He listed them and gave scores for the schools.  They are:

 

Lincoln            772-778     +6 pts. (6-4)

 

Washington    786-774     -12pts. (7-5)

 

Balboa              780-759     -21 pts. (6-8)

 

Wallenberg     801-799     -2pts. (7-7)

 

 

Our Goal:  785-758      -27 pts. (7-4)

 

 

All scores dropped except Lincoln, and ours was the longest drop.

 

 

We will look at Grade Comparisons.  He divided the members into 4 groups.

 

Math and Science; Special Ed and World Language; English, ELL and Social Science; and PE and VPA.

 

 

Marcus distributed some sheets that he asked the groups to review and make predictions about grade and student performances.  He asked the groups to provide written answers.

 

 

Marcus then called for answers from the group.  This will be a 3-point discussion.  The more comprehensive discussions will take place in several weeks.

 

 

Next Marcus and Lisa distributed data for the members to review.

 

 

Marcus then told the group to check the courses that are included in the data.  He explained each part of the distributions.  He asked everyone to focus on his or her own content area. Administrators and Jan Link and Steven Newton circulated during the discussion to help the members understand and process the data.

 

He also passed out an exit slip to get the members’ thoughts on this activity.

 

 

Marcus and Lisa passed around EAP and CHSEE results for the group to review.

 

 

Marcus encouraged everyone to review the data so everyone will be prepared to discuss what we will do with this data during the next 2 meetings.

 

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 12:15pm.

 

 

GALILEO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Leadership Team/Department Heads Meeting

 

9/10/13

 

Marcus called the meeting to order at 11:20am.

Leadership Team Agenda

 

I.          Letters of Recommendation

–Nancy told the group about Serena Chan, our new college and career counselor.  Serena told Nancy about her previous school and how they handled the letter of recommendation process.

–She asked the group if their students bring information with them when they ask teachers for letters of recommendations.

–Doug said they try to get their personal statements.

–Nancy asked the group if they would like the students to come with information for the teachers.

–Michelle discussed the down side of this type of form.  Nancy then asked the group if they would like to have a form or a process if they say they will write a letter of rec for a student.

–Nancy also asked if we should do something about the imbalance—many teachers write lots of letters and other teacher write no letters.  She also said that we cannot force teachers to write the letters, as it is not in their job descriptions.

–Doug said those teachers who write many letters often teach the upper level courses, AP, honors, etc.

–Lisa felt there should be a letter for students giving information on how to ask for the letters.

–Marcus asked Nancy to have Serena compose something and share the document.

–Doug suggested we keep track this year of who writes how many letters.

–Nancy suggested we could put this in the senior survey.

–Nancy also suggested the intake form the students take to the teachers.  Alicia also said the students have to know what they are looking for, applying for and what their qualifications are.

–Doug discussed coordination between teachers on the same student.

II.         Emergency Procedures

–Katie said we had our first team meeting yesterday.  Katie said if you have not signed up for her to visit your departments, please do so.  All the forms will be updated on the teacher part of the website.

–Tentatively Emergency Preparedness week will be the last week in September.  Katie asked if this would work for everyone.  The week will start on September 30^th.  We will have a fire drill, a bomb threat, an earthquake drill, a shooter, etc.

–Katie said we will advertise that this is a week to practice and the homeroom teachers will talk to students.  This should not be a surprise and students should take this very seriously.  We will mix up the periods for the drills.

III.       Evaluations

–Marcus said the administrators will notify teachers this week who is being evaluated and who the evaluators will be.

IV.        Inclusion Support Team

–Marcus said we have been notified we are out of compliance, as we do not have this team.  We will be asking for volunteers.

Department Heads Agenda

I.          Master Schedule

–Nancy said we are done balancing classes.  We are only accepting class changes now through the 7-step process.  The forms are in the counseling office and counselors will talk to the students before giving them the form.

–Michelle said she thought class changes could be made at the 6-week period.  Nancy said their office as done lots of work to make sure the students are all in the right classes/levels.

–Michelle said if a student is struggling at the end of the first marking period, they should be able to make changes.  Otherwise they might have suggested the changes earlier.

–Josephine said she would always make a change for a teacher.  She said if a student is not doing well at the 6-week period, many times the students will want to start the 7-step process.

–We need to keep the lines of communication open.  Moving students up is a different story. Most of the movements are to lower levels.

–Ray said movement of students will affect the team teaching assignments.

–If teachers want to make changes at the 6-week time, it is the 7-step process.

–Mat asked if there is a sign in and sign out sheet for students moving to other classes that addresses the transferring of grades and return of textbooks.

–Nancy said it take 30 minutes to change one student’s schedule.  We will be using a form for any changes now.

–Josephine said it would be good if book were not passed out to students during the first few weeks.

–Joseph suggested that next year students have to sign out of a class before they can sign in to a new class.

–Doug talked about the Math department’s plan next year to put every freshman in Geometry.  They were told by the district not to do this now.  He discussed the background of this decision.

II.         CPT/WASC

–Lisa said she has some agendas and sign-ins from last week, but she encouraged those who had not turned them in to do so.

–WASC review is this year.   Our WASC reviewer was the committee chair last time we had the review.  He said it is important for us to have minutes and agendas.

–Ray said no one in his department wants to take the minutes.  He asked the administrators to come and take minutes.

–CPT this week is Departments: IEP—this will involve the Special Ed teachers who serve in the departments will come to the meetings this week to talk about the Special Ed processes.

–Ray said many teachers like the old student profiles better than the IEPs.  They are doing the better IEPs and will get them out to the teachers.

–Ray said the new IEP system has it challenges statewide.

–Special Ed now has 5 new teaches who have worked in other places.

–Marcus sent an email to all teachers that said all teachers have the right to review the IEPs for all their students.

III.       CELDT

–Lisa said we pushed it forward to the end of this week.  Listening, reading and writing are the three parts.  In the coming weeks the speaking part will happen and students will be pulled out of classes to be tested.

IV.        Computer Lab Policy

–There have been some concerns about teachers and how and when they book the labs.  Marcus distributed the policy from 2010, which was drawn up by Zoe Duskin.  The group was asked to review the Computer Lab Booking Policy.

–Doug told about past practices of not releasing computer lab time until 3 weeks ahead of time.

–Lisa asked if the group would only like a month ahead.

–David said this might stifle their planning.  There are 3 teachers who book often and way ahead.

–Lisa is the one who books the computer labs.

–The policy also addresses that teachers must pay attention to the students in the computer lab.

–With the block periods, teachers can only reserve half of the period.

–Michelle said the same thing should go with the library.  Those who are booking on a regular basis should be flexible from time to time to let others in.

V.         Miscellaneous

–Marcus said all teachers are required to attend all faculty meetings and CPT—part of the contractual workday.

–ELD tutoring will start next week.  Kathleen said it is open to everyone.  She is sending out an email with a form.  She keeps track of who shows up and has a computer form showing attendance as well as a paper version.  This is drop in tutoring.

–Tutoring and doing homework can sometimes be substituted for detention.

–Katie talked about a week in one of the months about “Hour of Code.”  December 8-14 is Computer Education Week.  Danny Tan provided the information.

–David mentioned that during the last week of grading periods no field trips re authorized.  He asked if the administration checks this.  He asked if that had always done.

–Ray said we have designated classroom for periods 1-6 for test taking when students cannot do well in a big setting.  Ray will send the list out.  There are no resource teachers in Special Ed now.  They are now Education Specialists.

Meeting adjourned at 12:15pm.

GALILEO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

Leadership Team/Department Heads Meeting

 

 

 

9/3/13

 

 

 

Marcus called the meeting to order at 11:20am.

 

 

Department Heads Agenda

 

 

Marcus said that we need to start these meetings on time.  Joseph suggested we start 5 minutes after the start of the period, or 11:20am.  Everyone agreed.

 

 

I.          Instructional Materials Survey

 

–Katie said they were due today.  Linda needs to get them in tomorrow.

 

 

II.         Evaluation Process

 

–Marcus explained how the process has changed this year.  He mentioned the roles of all of the administrators.  Lisa will do the bulk of the teacher evaluations.  This is an every other year process for evaluating teachers.

 

 

III.       Language Objectives/Walkthroughs

 

–September 16^th will be the start date.

 

–Marcus said he will be doing a lot more of the informal walkthroughs this year.

 

 

IV.        Collecting Attendance Strips

 

–Mat suggested this topic

 

–Marcus asked the group if the security aides are picking up the strips in a timely fashion.  2^nd floor is good, 3^rd floor is touch and go, 5^th floor is occasionally, 4^th and 1^st floors need help.

 

 

–Marcus suggested giving security aides clip boards to check off who has turned the strips in.  This would mean that we would wait until after 30 minutes to start collecting the strips.  That would mean everyone would have to be done completing the strips in the first 30 minutes of each class.

 

 

–We have to scan the strips downtown.  We are not able to mesh our scanner with Synergy so all scanning is now done downtown.  Marcus will email all teachers about this.

 

–He will include instructions for teachers to bring their strips down at the end of class if teachers do not have them ready when security comes by.

 

 

V.         Vending Machines

 

–David said students are supposed to be using the vending machines only at lunchtime and after school, and not during class time.

 

–Stephen said he has heard that teachers send students to get things for them from the machines.

 

–Jessica brought up the teachers who have told her they were upset about the unhealthy choices in the vending machines.

 

–Joseph said teachers are adults and they can make choices.

 

 

 

VI.        Security Guards

 

–Stan asked about security aides and what happens when they are out sick.

 

–Nurse Kitchell said there are now T-10 subs.

 

–Katie told the group what we do when a security aide is absent. 

 

–Marcus said we will look in to T-10 subs.

 

 

VII.      Budget

 

–David asked when we will get a budget.

 

–Katie said we will get a budget on September 17^th and it is due back to the district on September 27^th.

 

–She told the department heads to get the supplies you need now.

 

 

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 11:40am.