• Exciting IPS meeting happening tonight with some notes from ER on the context
• Academic data rooted in priorities.
• M. Rooney shared middle of year exam results on ClearSight predictive testing.
  • 35% of grade 1-6 new this year and half of middle school students are new.
  • Focus on proficiency in data dashboard and growth, broken down by demographic data.
  • ELA Glows: 8th grade ELA growth, proficiency growth in 3rd, 4th, and 7th grade.
  • ELA Grows: African-American scores grew much less than other sub-groups, 79% still below proficiency.
  • Math Glows: 3rd-7th math raw scores all grew and 3rd-6th grew by double digits. ACT (SpEd) scholars in math grew more than school average.
  • Math Grows: African-American scores grew much less than other sub-groups, 8th grade proficiency regressed.
  • ELA data analysis on writing and intervention plans have been created and will be implemented after break.
  • Math teachers analyzed data for high priority standards and created and executed week on intervention plans for those standards. Focus on increasing Zearn time within the period.
• KK: how do we know these interventions are successful?
  • MR: can retest on practice questions for each standard. So math teachers gave assessments after intervention plans and saw proficiency growth.
  • ER: similar in reading and writing. Interventionist pulling small groups and giving them tasks and checklist and sharing results with grade-level teams.
• BB: in both ELA and math, are scholars continuing to practice those skillsets in the classroom?
  • ER: may look like test prep, but high quality learning. Every classroom does an end of module test and has skills aligned. Similar at math, increasing use of digital tools like iexcel which spirals in what kids learn in the past.
• NF: What's the average size of the class
  • MR: 18-25 per classroom on average
• NF: Asian demographic is 100% - is that one person?
  • MR:  Yes. School demographics reviewed, approximately thirds with 
• MS: is 79% below proficiency all school or African American only?
  • MR: Total school average. 87% of AA students below proficient, 79% Hispanic, and 66% white.
• E. Rangel reviewed K-2 reading data
  • Big gains in reading proficiency in all K, 2nd, and 3rd grades.
  • Grade 1 has less students at proficient, had a teacher leave at fall break and instructional inconsistencies. Teacher is in there now and is learning. Has some interventions.
• AS: What interventions?
  • KR: Small group instruction on letter names and sounds, word fluency, phonemic awareness.
  • ER: director of literacy and interventionist will co-teach. Sticky behavior management and so KR is plugging in with coaching of behavior management.
• E. Rangel reviewed national comparisons of growth. 
  • Approximately 30% growing well above average and another 37% positively growing.
  • The Science of Reading says that across nation 40% of students are making appropriate growth and 60% students will significantly struggle to learn how to read. Flipped the script here. 
• K. Randle discipline update
  •  reviewed YOY comparison of suspensions decreasing by approximately 138 suspensions from last school year.
  • Individual student suspensions are down approximately 33% at 64 individuals.
  • Reviewed demographic data. Still at 43.8% of suspensions for African-American students. Middle school is experiencing more white student suspensions. 
  • Intervention K-8 we are meeting with a family before any suspension. Mandatory, emergency parent meeting.
  • Includes social-emotional supports including therapists in school with Pathways counseling.
  • Dean has formed strong relationships and has established proactive strategies.
• NF: Can we see the total suspension data again? Typically how does the second half of the year go?
  • KR: Last year we ended with a lot of suspensions, may have doubled. More than we would have liked.
  • GG: Been more proactive with deans more visible, could see decreases.
• MW: What behaviors are resulting in suspensions?
  • KR: Fighting, any physical contact, shot student with BB gun after school, verbal threats toward other students, constant classroom disruptions (refusing to sit down, walking out of the classroom, arguing back and forth with the teacher) - these are not automatic suspensions but after interventions will result in a suspension. Frequency of tier 1 behaviors.
  • GG: 4 tiers of behaviors. Tier 3 and tier 4 are suspend-able violations
• MW: escalation through there? Tier one and then increases?
  • KR: yes
• MW: things you were suspending for now that you're not?
  • KR: process is different. Parent meetings are happening earlier and more often. Intentionality with seeing data last year and wanting to make that change.
• MW: correlation between suspensions and retention?
  • JH: Not really. We are committed to that other schools do not follow are state policies around suspensions and what happens when you hit the 10 suspension mark. We do not hesitate to have pre-expulsion meetings and lay it out. We do not wink and nudge folks elsewhere. In the past folks would pull when it gets close to 10 suspensions. This year it's proactive communication, this is where we are headed, we have a partnership. Students cannot transfer if they are going through disciplinary expulsion hearings.
  • KR: challenge is the students I see that we are suspending are families we have a hard time getting a hold of or have to hold accountability for. We call and call and we have got to talk to a parent and we cannot get a hold from doing home visits to calling and texting emergency contacts. Every year we work through these challenges to close the gap. Holding parents accountable and bringing them on board with the partnership.
  • ER: process is different, but we are not suspending for the same extreme behaviors we saw last year. Tagged on unwanted physical touch, not extreme fights where kids were reacclimating to school after the pandemic. Pre-pandemic behaviors not what we saw last year.
• BB: remember conversation last year about suspensions. Are these scholars new to Emma Donnan?
  • GG and KR: half and half anecdotally. Typical adolescent behavior. 
  • KR: Were out of school for 2 years. Learn how to have conflict and work through it at school. 
• NF: typical escalation process to suspension?
  • GG, depends on the behavior. If Garrett is not sitting in his seat and repeatedly not complying may see Mr. Cup, then if Garrett continues to escalate and then may become something suspension. Want classroom community to be predictable. Know what my routine of classroom is.
• NF: Do we have detentions? In school or out of school?
  • KR: We do not do in-school. We have a system where they 4 opportunities before they are sent to the dean's office. Or dean will come to get them. Have a restorative conversation, goal is to always get them back in the classroom. If they can get back to classroom, they do. If behaviors continue go back to dean, phone call home. May result in parent meeting. If second offense may escalate.
  • ER: we are too small to have ISS and the goal is to bring parents in not keep kids in school doing nothing. Goal is to be back in classrooms. Hold families and kids accountable and give them proper support.
• NF: detentions? After school or something like that?
  • ER: techniques that we use are sitting with the dean or other maneuverable options like that.
• E. Rangel referendum discussion.
  • Public funding saga as charter schools receive less funding per student in Indiana.
  • IPS will not vote tonight.
• MS: What type of school is Emma Donnan?
  • ER: Innovation restart school.

• J. Habayeb update on finances
  • Audit has come back clean, will be finalized in next few weeks and then will go to the board.
  • Received a $600,000 capacity grant from The Mind Trust.
  • January will look at Q2 financials and will look at updating the budget given amount of incoming funds we have.
• MW: How much is grant?
  • JH: 600k
• KK: Help me understand pupose?
  • JH: sustained enrollment, online marketing to drive enrollment
• KK: who leads grant writing process?
  • ER and JH
• MW: how grant disbursed?
  • JH: big chunk so that we can spend as needed without submitting receipts to draw down. Will update within 3 years for tenure of grant.

B. Burcope updated on ER midyear review process

• Created a draft of goals and evaluation form, added competencies. Process will begin in January
• Looking for on track, approaching on-track, not on standards.
• Will schedule executive session in January.
• Will discuss new board member committee assignments and hope to finalize in January.

K. Kainrath

• Board approved minutes due January 15th, evidence of board meetings, update board on track with schedule.
• Majority of board members will be helpful or not impact attendance to move to third Friday of the month in the mornings, sorry NF (travel to job sites)
• Will begin mornings in January at 8:30 start time.
• Evidence of board approved meeting minutes on website, updated schedule for 22-23 board meetings.
• Updated roster for board of directors, resumes and background checks for new board members as well.