Amanda recommended that we strike #7 in responsibilities in Committee Job Description.

We also discussed our committee charge around board education. We discussed the possibility of possible board training by outside consultant around diversity. We also discussed Amanda and Michelle offering training around things like Letter Grade System.

Katie has agreed to serve as Chair next academic year.

The Exploris School
Educational Excellence Committee’s Equity and Diversity Subcommittee (Frank McKay, Chair): Update and Summary of Activity 2017-2018

• 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 Summer
• 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 committee 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.

Michelle suggested this list of work be incorporated into a sharable for the Town Hall.

The group agreed that we should meet more frequently. We will plan to meet again before Thanksgiving Break.

Next meeting:

• See if staff had any suggested revisions to framework and artifacts.
• Plan two presentations for Board (diversity and measuring student performance).