No public comment.

Barb Burcope, as head of the Governance Committee, introduces Bernie Price, President of the Bean Creek Neighborhood Association to connect the board with people in the community who are dedicated to making it better.

Bernie presented on the history of the Bean Creek Neighborhood Association and its collaboration with Adelante Schools.

Rangel recapped the end-of-year ebullience ceremonies: Kindergarten & 8th grade promotion ceremonies, field days, etc.

Based on last month's meeting, the Board requested an update from school leadership for a bullying prevention & policy update. At the meeting: 

Kendra Randle, Executive Principal

Jordyn Goins, Assistant Principal

Kyle Gavin, Assistant Principal

Ms. Randle Gives a Presentation - School Leader 

• Providing information from the State of Indiana on bullying. 
• Provides definition of bullying that is provided from the Indiana Department of Education. 
• What I am seeing that families are unfamiliar with what bullying is and when bullying is being mentioned it does not always fall under the definition
• Defines cyberbullying
• It is our obligation to have a bullying plan that we have a plan in place that is presented to students. Staff need to be trained on the plan and how to handle specific situations. This requirement is mandatory form the State of Indiana . 
• Examples of what it is and what is is not. Bullying can be physical, social, name calling, inappropriate comments, etc. 
• Examples of what it is not...calling someone a name but is not ongoing. When it stops after the one time, then it is not considered bullying. It has be going for it to be considered bullying. 
• Shares a resource from the IDOE. Conflict vs. Bullying. When the power is equal and not is trying to overpowering any one, it is not bullying. When it comes to bullying the gaol is to hurt or harm individuals in the conflict. 
• Looking into our current data. 5 incidents that were physical bullying, 5 that we cyberbullying or verbal bullying
  • 1. Cyberbullying - outside of school
    • Happening outside of school and is bringing to the school.
  • 2. Lack of conflict resolution between peers
    • Not understanding what bullying is
    • Seeing this more in the younger grades. 
• Shares current bullying protocol and training 
  • We interview the parties involved. We will gather written and verbal statements. Includes those involved, teachers, families, etc. 
  • School Leadership team takes written and verbal statements to determine if the situation is bullying or not. 
  • Training has not be targeted specially to bullying. We are training on classroom behavior and how to handle conflicts but it is not directly to bullying
  • We also do a suicide prevention training that is required by state
• What does it look like moving forward?
  • Educating our scholars, teachers, and parents. 
  • Providing sessions for all groups - defining bullying, providing what it is and not, sharing the process of reporting, what does a bystander do, etc. 
  • There are trainings that are provided by the IDOE that we will be suing 
  • It is going to be lead by the Director of Culture and our Social Worker.
  • Social worker will meet with teachers to gauge what it going on in their classroom. 
  • School leader is going to look at data monthly and determine the successes and gaps. 

Questions

Board Member  - Do you contact the parents every-time whether or not it is bullying or not? 

Randle - Yes, we have to contact the parent.

Board Member- Is everything documented?

Randle - Yes, we will doc the phone call in our student information systems. 

Board Member - Be cautious and intentional. Be sure that parents are involved. Make sure everyone is on the same page. 

Board Member - Can you describe the role of the Director of Culture?

Randle - Culture facing with the school. Handles discipline. Heavily involved in this policy. Will be supporting family with concerns. 

Board Member - Thinking of the values of the school, maybe there is a value to understand the impact on others. With the complaint we had at the last meeting, what are 2-3 things that teachers can say in the moment?  People can be conflict adverse, it can be easy to not address it in the moment. 

Board Member - What are the steps that we take based on the occurrence?

Randle - It depends on the action. We will have in-school suspension this year. Physical harm is an out of school suspension. Depending of the severity of the bullying it can result in suspension leading to expulsion if needed.

Board Member - How do you decide?

Rangel - We ensure that we are fair when thinking about the student. We ensure that we are giving consistent disciplinary actions. 

Board Member - I was concerned about the limited information in our handbook on bullying. We may want to provide more information as the IDOE does. 

Board Member - Some schools do a peer mediation program. They can work through conflict with an adult. Something to consider. 

Board Member - Do you have a scholar that is at the heart of these issues? What other resources are provided to support them?

Randle - Most of the time if we have a scholar that is at the heard of the issue they are usually involved in out mental health services and support with our social worker. 

Board Member - Are you tracking if parents opt out of services?

Randle - Yes, we are. Families that do opt out are usually more open to working with our Social worker because of familiarity. 

Board Member - If I am parent that is not wanting the services, do you front load it for them to be acceptable?

Randle - Providing the why to families. Consistency in sharing resources with families. 

Board Member - Is there are communication pan to keep this front and center?

Randle - Monthly newsletter, in the first month of school we will do a school assembly with students, doing check-ins throughout the year (a social emotional learning lesson). I think the biggest growth area id the consistency. 

Rangel Presents

Our Process with our Team

• Current state
• Ideal state
• Review and Revise 

Keys to School Handbooks

1. Concise and useable 

2. Polices vs Practices

3. Updated legislation

4. Reference 

Key Revisions

1. Internal Practices removed 

• Removed fluff
• Reduced the pages
• Practices - philosophy  and classroom rewards, etc. 

2. Added legislation 

• Cell phone  policy
• Substances use Policy
• Title 1 
• Vaccinations
• Suspension and Expulsion 

Board polices vs polices that are in the handbook

• Board policy will be an umbrella policy
• The handbook sends families to the board policy for a more detailed policy. This limited that length of the handbook but still provides the information to families. 
• Indiana School Board has a list of policies in the handbook. 
• Consider adding board policy to next years  handbook. 

Feedback for Next Year Review

• Lots of reading
• Maybe red line revisions 
• Bring for discussion in May next year
• Vote in June meeting in next year

Habayeb Presents 

• Have some additions and clarity
  • PTO Policy clarity
    • 2 hour flex added last year
      • Made this cleared for staff
  • Online Portal for FMLS
  • Dog Policy
  • Signing Powers
  • Dress Code 
    • What is acceptable and what is not
  • Adoption Support

Dog Policy

• Growing Trend 
• Drafted with best practices 
• We aren't able to accept and not acceptable breeds
• Vet documents on file. 

Signing Powers

• In staff handbook and finance. 

Habayeb

• Working with CIS to realign benefits
• Ending the life span of some of the grants. 

CEO Evaluation

Executive session will be held in August to review CEO Evaluation.

Board can get more time to review the evaluation. Habayeb requested an extension 

Board evaluations are due at the end of the month. 

Rangel Presents

All state data is embargoed to July 1. We will share in August. 

Potential to move board meetings to every other month. 

Increase participation in committee meetings. This will need to be a priority if meeting is every other month. Having regularly scheduled committee meetings. 

Meeting every other month is common across other boards. 

OEI approves this if we decide to do this. 

What are the requirements from OEI?

• Support of by-laws
• Robust calendar to keep us on track.

In August, we will have a deeper conversation and a draft calendar.