The committee met on 9/11 at 4pm at the Elementary School. In attendance were Katie R., Michelle P., Amanda N., Michelle M., Keely B. and Jessica F (via phone). In addition to past meeting minutes, these actions were approved by the committee:
1. Revise Committee Job description: strike #7 to eliminate redundancy. Keely will update BoT documents.
2. Re-elect Keely as Chair, with the tentative plan for Katie to serve next academic year
The committee decided to meet again in November, with the following agenda items:
1. Plan Board training on issues around 1) standardized testing (Amanda and Michelle) and 2) academic excellence and diversity/equity (E&D Subcommittee) for the Spring.
2. Revisit whether the staff has any suggested revisions to measurement framework (rigor, relevance, relationships).
Keely provided the following update from the Equity and Diversity Subcommittee (Frank McKay, Chair) from the 2017-2018 academic year:
- In monthly meetings over the 2017-2018 school year, we discussed and developed shared norms and values and visions for this work.
- Facilitated 2 meet-up play dates over the Summer months
- Secured Melany Paden as facilitator for the fall town hall meeting on October 25
- Met with new PTO president, Kimberly Harris to facilitate work between PTO and committee; Amy has volunteered to be the E&D liaison with the PTO to keep communication open and to offer support
- Developed suggestions about making it clearer online and in handbook that there is financial assistance available for those who qualify, and how the new application process will work
- Researched and secured a new lunch program for ES to better serve FRL qualifying students
- Researched, drafted and developed Priority Lottery policy. On 9/10/18, the CSAB voted to recommend the lottery policy for approval to the SBE with one recommended change.
Michelle Parkerson shared with the subcommittee the following developments within the school that will further our mission of access and equity (update provided August 2018):
- Exploris was awarded a grant for another counselor to help with our support efforts.
- Fletcher Academy is providing us with reading intervention support for ES.
- Michelle D., Amanda, and Michelle P. picked up about $250.00 worth of donated school supplies to pass along to children with needs. This was a joint effort from SECU and Communities in Schools.
- We provided free lunches for students that we knew had a need starting on day 1. (Not all forms are returned so we anticipate more in the future.) Spicy Green went back to Durham Day 1 to get more food to ensure needs were met at ES. Jersey Mike's went back and made extra sandwiches for MS on Wednesday, A Place at the Table provided emergency lunches on Thursday, by Friday My Hot Lunch Box was set up to provide donated lunches.
- Communities in Schools is working on a grant. We will be named as one of the schools to receive a graduation coach if they are awarded the funds.
- We are working with Communities in Schools and Interfaith Food Shuttle to offer a cooking class in Chavis for one of our evening recruiting events in Nov/Dec.
- We are working with Interfaith Food Shuttle to help provide Backpack Buddies (ES) and Food Pantry (MS) for our students. In return, our students would serve as volunteer to help pack items for other schools.
- We are confirmed to offer professional learning form Teaching Tolerance for all staff on Feb. 18th.
- We offered an alternate teacher certification session for Exploris teachers. Cori and Adrian reached out to folks in their networks in an effort to increase diversity in our teacher pipeline. Four non-Exploris (non-white) teachers joined us. Some of our visitors said they would be interested in working at Exploris in the future.
- 7th and 8th grade are going one-to-one for electronic devices. We will be able to offer 24/7 computer check-out for students that cannot provide their own device.
