Leadership Team/Department Heads Meeting Minutes – September 30, 2014
GALILEO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Leadership Team/Department Heads Meeting
9/30/14
Lisa called the meeting to order at 11:20am.
Leadership Team
I. QuestBridge
–Doug wondered how many departments were filling out these applications. He mentioned that 10 students get selected every year but we fill out so many applications.
–Doug said this started about 4-5 years ago. He mentioned that we should focus on the obvious students who will qualify. This is a full ride scholarship.
–Bai said this program is for low-income students and really qualified students. He said he does not tell the students not to apply, but when he talks about grade points, test scores, etc., it becomes clear who should apply.
II. Office Depot Ordering Policy
–Mat said he was not clear about the policy. He asked for the procedure. Everyone told him what to do. Get the requisition number from Linda after you have loaded your cart. Then it will go for approval.
III. Social Students Designation for Distributions
–Mat said that Social Studies is becoming burdened with many distributions—financial aide, PSAT, college prep workshop, course registration, pictures, recruiting for poll workers for the election, etc. Lisa said they would try to distribute this evenly.
IV. CAHSEE
–October 7th and 8th will be the days, in the Van Ness Gym. Mr. Emmi will send out an email to all staff. 200 students will take the English on Tuesday and 120 will take the Math test on Wednesday. Lisa said we are being audited by the state on Wednesday.
V. Back to School Night
–Thursday, October 9th is the time. Stephen Emmi would like to follow the time schedule that was used last year.
–Joseph asked about those parents who go rogue and do not follow their children’s schedule. Ask them to come at the proper period was the answer.
–Lisa said the administration will move the parents on at the end of the evening.
–Report card distribution will be at the end.
–Registration starts at 5:00pm. Teachers will be in their classrooms from 5:45pm – 7:15pm.
–Joseph asked about music in the courtyard before hand and the dance students in the auditorium. The dance class does want to perform and they are an academic class. They will perform.
–Mat mentioned signs to direct parents to out of the way spaces. We will ask Yuyang Zhong to do the signs.
–Doug mentioned pull off signs to announce the periods. Lisa said that is hard, but they can use the intercom. Signs could be made by the ASB. 10 minute classes, 5 minute passing periods.
–Student schedules will be given at registration.
–Email Mr. Blacksher and Mr. Emmi if any of your teachers cannot attend the event.
–Joseph asked about comp time for attending the event. Lisa will work on this.
VI. Admin. Informal Observations/Norming
–Admin will do the informal walk thrus on Thursday to show Stephen Emmi the process. This will be second period on Thursday.
–Let Lisa know if this is a problem.
VII. Structuring CPT and Cluster Time
–Lisa distributed some information from Leading Adult Learning by Eleanor Drago-Severeson. This involves teaming which many of the members are doing now. This information is helpful for structuring time.
–Identify goals for cluster time or products.
–Lisa distributed some information from Michelle Moffett about how she structured her cluster time.
VIII. Data Page
–Lisa mentioned our ranking of 196 out of 500 top public high schools in the US who serve under income students by Newsweek magazine,. Washington is 461on the list. College readiness, SATs, AP scores, attrition, counselor-to-student ratio are criteria.
–The SF 49ers select a teacher of the year and present an award and they will present this award at the Song and Yell on Friday. Lisa asked that we encourage all the staff to attend. The award winner is nominated.
–Lisa distributed a Data Page which is a new way that the district is looking at data for schools. She referred to the All Students area with our students and he “match” areas. The back page has information to help interpret the data. She mentioned Special Ed and the fact that it was not split up into categories. She mentioned discrepancies in scores between different ways of collecting data. She talked about statistically negative vs statistically positive.
IX. Principal’s Expectations
–Lisa and Stephen will present this area.
–Please remind your departments about the expectations regarding School Loop updates, signing in at the MO by 7:45am.
–Doug asked if someone has a 1st period prep, can they go to a coffee shop to grade papers. He asked why everyone has to be here at 7:45am if they have 1st period prep.
–David Barrios said UBC says you must get the OK of an administrator to be off campus during a prep.
–Joseph says the contract says the day starts 15 minutes prior to the first bell and 20 minutes after the last bill.
–It is also a safety issue. Lisa pointed this out. Doug said we should have something for after the end of school for teachers who stay late.
–Lisa said this holds teachers accountable who are late to their first period; everyone should be accountable.
–Ethan mentioned the Futurama and After School Programs where kids are all over the place without adult supervision. This could cause problems. Lisa asked everyone to remind teachers to not leave students unattended in classrooms.
–CPT Attendance—please make sure your department members are present. Email Mr. Emmi, Lisa and Marcus. Coaches should be attending CPT, but perhaps not during their sport’ season.
–Lisa needs sign-in sheets and agenda at times, so please continue to do this. We will need this for activities like WASC. Please keep informing Lisa and keep a binder.
–David asked if it is only administrators who can give permission for teachers to miss CPT. It is only administrators.
X. Miscellaneous
–Department Heads who attend the district meetings will be paid extended hours. Documentation must be sent to Lisa.
–Joseph said his teachers are asking about the 7 hours and the 11 hours through Prop A could be explained. Lisa will discuss this at the Faculty Meeting.
–Please encourage all staff to attend the faculty meeting on October 8th. There will be online attendance training. On October 14th, we begin the online attendance reporting; there will be support staff from IT to help.
–Stephen said the plan is to send out 2 auto-dialers per day—after 3rd period and after 6th period. Attendance should be reported every period and it will be easy to report. Synergy will be used for the reporting.
–Stephen said teachers will have a separate section for TA attendance reporting.
–Lisa said we can get more laptops for attendance reporting.
The PTSA will have a surprise.
Meeting adjourned at 12:15pm.