Urban Montessori Charter School

Minutes

Academic Oversight Committee Regular Meeting

Date and Time

Tuesday January 11, 2022 at 3:45 PM

Location

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Members: Jan Faraguna (chair), Kara Fortuna, Sarah Morrill

Urban Montessori Charter School welcomes your participation at Board meetings. The purpose of a public meeting of the Board of Directors (“Board”) is to conduct the affairs of the organization in public. Your participation assures us of continuing community interest in our school and assists the Board in making the best decisions for our school. To assist you in the ease of speaking/participating in our meetings, guidelines are provided at the bottom of this agenda. All materials for all board and committee meetings, including audio recordings of Regular Board Meetings, are available via http://www.urbanmontessori.org/board_of_directors.

 

Committee Members Present

J. Faraguna (remote), K. Fortuna (remote), S. Morrill (remote)

Committee Members Absent

None

Guests Present

D. Bissonnette

I. Opening Items

A.

Call the Meeting to Order

J. Faraguna called a meeting of the Academic Oversight Committee of Urban Montessori Charter School to order on Tuesday Jan 11, 2022 at 3:47 PM.

B.

Record Attendance

C.

Approve Minutes from Prior Meeting

K. Fortuna made a motion to approve the minutes from Academic Oversight Committee Regular Meeting on 12-14-21.
J. Faraguna seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
J. Faraguna
Aye
K. Fortuna
Aye
S. Morrill
Abstain

D.

Vote on updated Committee Calendar and Meeting Time

No vote needed.

E.

Review of Action/Discussion Items

None.

F.

Presentations from the Floor

  • Loren: Wondering how school will assess the success of the changes being made in middle school and initial reactions to Amplify. 

G.

Vote on Committee Secretary

J. Faraguna made a motion to Nominate Sarah Morrill to be committee secretary.
K. Fortuna seconded the motion.
The committee VOTED to approve the motion.
Roll Call
J. Faraguna
Aye
K. Fortuna
Aye
S. Morrill
Abstain

II. Academic Oversight

A.

Instructional Updates

  • Has been very challenging start of the year with the Omicron surge. About 1/3 staff absent each day. Student daily attendance 75-83% for the first week back from break. Chronic absence rate up to almost 25%.
  • Talking with County about options. Working very hard to stay open and not need to make up instructional minutes at the end of the year or spring break.
  • Amethyst shift
    • Change is always hard but by day 2 already going much smoother. Daniel in the classroom supporting. Conversations with students going well.
    • Amplify assessments, some hiccups with tech but not disruptive, differentiation for each lesson.
    • Coach Wooten started teaching PE (Welcome!!)
    • Sarah commended and inquired on transparency with students and student agency.
  • Social-emotional / well-being -- Panorama survey will be launched within next week or so. Will also launch staff and family versions. 
  • 1 suspension so far this school year.
  • NWEA MAP testing still supposed to start next week. Likely will need longer window due to how many absences each day.

B.

COVID Updates

  • 5 positive cases from first Monday testing (back from break)- those students did not come to school. 3 additional cases identified.
  • Continuing Friday testings but results are taking longer. Trying to procure more tests but expensive and shipping delays.
  • Staff have KN95- county has named some will be provided, but no more details.
  • End of the month is deadline for vaccine; don't anticipate any disruptions for our students. OUSD may move date out again
  • Suggestion from Sarah- ask families to contribute any "extras" rapid tests they may have
  • Suggestion from Kara- possibly fundraise for rapid tests
  • Encouraged school to reach out for family volunteers to support staffing needs that don't require teaching expertise

III. Closing Items

A.

Topics for next meeting

  • Request for another update on middle school program
  • Curriculum decisions or needs for next year
  • Update on NWEA MAP progress

B.

Adjourn Meeting

There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 4:38 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
J. Faraguna