GALILEO ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Leadership Team/Department Heads Meeting
8/7/15
I. Introductions
Michael opened the meeting with a welcome to all. The members introduced themselves, and gave their backgrounds.
II. Community Agreements
“Respect one another – Begin and end on time
Find ways to celebrate success
Be hard on the issue, not on the person
Keep and open mind and try to understand the views of others
Help keep discussion on track – be concise
Maintain a growth mindset
Step up – step back”
Michael asked the members to read the Community Agreements. He asked for feedback. Everyone was supportive of the Community Agreements.
Stephen Jackson asked Michael to explain, “Maintain a growth mindset. “ Michael explained his perspective on this with encouragement, re-framing and realizing we are all active learners.
III. Website and Electronic Communications
Michael mentioned that he followed some of the communication over the summer. Hank Machtay is working on the new website which had just launched. We still have work to do, but it is evolving. He thanked Lisa and Hank for their work on the website.
Michael mentioned that we need to make a shift this year. There is a new suite of tools across the district. SFUSD is planning to launch Google Suite as tools across the district. He mentioned that Galileo is already there. SFUSD is looking at what we can do with Google Suite and the various tools.
Michael asked everyone to email him at sfusd email, not the galweb. This is connected to a shift that we will make together for protection. ReimerM@sfusd.edu.
He mentioned some problems with the Galileo web email—we are not approved by the district for this email and we are not protected.
Doug mentioned that Galileo Google Suite is the same as what the district is moving to. He mentioned the large number of educational institutions that use the Google Suite. He also mentioned shared educational information on our system. He suggested having Google merge our system into what the district will eventually adopt.
Michael said the Google accounts have not been approved by the school board. He wants to make sure we are protected. He mentioned that laptops must be Domain Registry—which means using sfusd email and log on with the district user name and password. Hippa, Ferpa and Records Request are important for security and that is why we must use district email accounts. In the fall SFUSD will shift to Google.
Stephen Jackson asked about how we can share documents for some tasks such as planning the master schedule. Michael discussed the transition period and now we can work in those operations, but we must now shift into the sfusd email.
Michelle asked if the Galileo web will still be active during the transition. She mentioned the community aspect of the Galileo email. Michael mentioned personal emails and work related emails and the importance of not exposing confidential information.
Doug asked when the transition would occur. Michael mentioned his push to the district and the number of other schools who have their own email systems. Michael mentioned the district just hired a new head of technology and said she is very good. She realizes the district is behind in technology.
Michael mentioned our website and how good it is. With communication we will need to shift. He wants everyone to use the district email accounts until the transition occurs.
Bai asked about the shared groups and how they will transition. Members can still share documents but should communicate with sfusd email. Eventually the district will move these when the transition occurs.
Joseph mentioned that we have been using Galileo email for 8 years. He suggested we wait to move until the district transition occurs. He felt we are taking a step backwards. Michael said it is important to protect people. More information will come next week. If Galileo email is hacked and district confidential information gets out there could be legal troubles.
IV. Department Chair Meeting Materials
Michael walked the group through the packet. The UBR representative is the nurse. Lisa asked why she is on the list and not the other administrators. They will be added. ELD replaces English Language Learners. Ethan Winterling is also Athletic Director. Title should be Leadership Team—the district uses Instructional Leadership Team. We will be Leadership Team.
The next item is the Administration Team and their responsibilities. This may still be in a state of flux.
Lisa said the CAHSEE has been suspended and we will no longer administer the test. The bill has not passed yet. More information will be coming.
RTI—A is academic response to intervention. RTI-B is behavioral response to intervention.
Michael mentioned the Balanced Scorecard and Lisa gave the connection to the RTIs.
Next he presented Department Meeting Notes Protocol to use in the different departments for meetings. Michael put it in a shared document.
Goal Setting Protocol is the next item. He wants each department to come up with 3 goals for the year. Use the data and input from team members for the Balanced Scorecard. Lisa mentioned this is an easier form to use than in past years.
AAA—Achievement, Access, Accountability. This is a template to use to develop the 3 goals. This needs to be completed by the end of October.
Joseph asked for some help as with his department it might be challenging to set goals that apply across the board for all his members.
Illuminate—the new data system for the district—there will be some training during PD days next week.
Michael asked for a reasonable date to come up with the 3 goals. Lisa will provide some information. Michelle asked for time to meet with departments next week—the answer is yes. Michael said Thursday will have meeting times for those not going to district meetings. He said there will be some time at the end of Wednesday.
CPT will be essentially the same as last year.
Michelle and Joseph both suggested September 15th and Michael suggested September 18th.
Doug asked if the goals are strictly to be measuring student results. Can a goal center on something the teachers are to do? Michael said yes, but the intention of goal setting is to focus on the end person, i.e., students, but some would be OK as long as it centers on what happens in the classroom.
V. Budget Updates
Michael distributed information on the budget. Overall, if our attendance holds at the start of school, we should be OK. $9.7 million is the amount for the entire site. He gave a brief overview of how we spend the money. $9.2 is spent on personnel. The rest is spent on what we need to do our work. He presented an overview of the categories.
He mentioned that the department allocations are preliminary until the 10-day count.
Joseph said in the past VAPA and PE got a part of the school allocation and also the Prop H funds as well. This is not reflected in t budget sheet for this meeting. Michael will review this.
Doug mentioned several years ago both VAPA and PE gave their allocations back to the rest of the departments.
Lisa asked what is considered school wide for supplies and how do we order without a budget secretary? Michael shared an order form. Fill it out and submit it with info from Office Depot. All orders will go through the budget secretary. We are hoping to hire someone soon. This secretary will work with Mark Heringer. Mark talked about the ordering process and it will stay pretty much the same as last year. Mark will handle this process and is talking to Office Depot at this point.
Michael mentioned the importance of the paper request for supplies, as we will need the information for the future. Down the road we will move to electronic form.
VI. Garbage Can Model article
Michael asked for a quick share on the article and why it is important. He mentioned sometimes our meetings will be about nuts and bolts, sometimes about instruction and sometimes professional development about our work.
This article comes out of Stanford. He mentioned the background on problem solving. He explained the focus of the article.
Discussion followed.
Informal Classroom Observations and Enrollment Fair Preparations agenda items will be tabled until the next meeting.
Class lists are available now in “Teacher View.” Homeroom is back. Department Heads will have homerooms.
Meeting adjourned at 12:15pm.