Social Justice and Equity Committee
Minutes for the August 1, 2024 regular meeting (by Zoom only)
Members present: Eva Nolan (chair), Deborah Stanford, and Tim Maciel,
Guests: Michael Kelliher, Mikaela Simms
Panorama retention survey, school climate, well-being, and teacher feedback should be included in the annual report. The report will address the need for equity support and emphasize the importance of continuous improvement. Specific attention will be given to marginalized students in the continuous improvement plan to ensure that goals are met.
Upon reviewing the data, it is evident that students with individualized education programs (IEP) and those from low-income backgrounds are not performing well. This called for specific attention in the CIP plan for math and literacy. Deborah will speak to Mark about drafting the necessary goals that were presented at the June administration retreat.
It has been noted that the continuous improvement plan (CIP) should have been submitted by June 30th to the AOE. Admin is uncertain whether Whitney’s report from the retreat on action steps will be available by August 13th. School goals will also need to be voted on by the school board per the CIP policy. Deborah has requested an update on the progress, and was told that 85% of the work has been completed. Additionally, there will be nine presentations scheduled for this year. Ruby and Tim are representing the board on a year-long project related to the Portrait of a Graduate.
Tim has highlighted the importance of the F37 District Equity Policy and the need for ethnic and social equity standards, with an implementation deadline of August 31st. The superintendent is expected to provide a quarterly status report to the board, as this policy was adopted in 2020. Questions have arisen regarding the policy’s current status. Deborah suggested seeking input from Mikeala.
Tim emphasized the need for a professional development task force to provide the board with the necessary data for making informed decisions.
The discussion then shifted to addressing bullying prevention and communication of related policies to students. Reference was made to Act 1 Erin’s Law for reducing sexual assault, and it was proposed that principals address bullying with the entire student body. Additionally, the idea of developing a bullying statement endorsed by both the board and superintendent was put forth, with the intention of implementing it through the school principals. The statement is seen as a way to set a standard for student conduct throughout the year.
Another suggestion was to consider arranging training sessions for board members on Title IX, with a focus on utilizing the expertise of Michael Kellier in the future.
The conversation concluded with ideas for supporting foster children and addressing chronic absences, particularly in the high school. This included considering Awareness Weeks for foster children and exploring ways to support students with chronic absences.
