Communications Meeting

Thank you to CS for proving these notes!

Agenda

Communications 2/23/11 attendees:
MG: Melissa Gilbert,
JN: Jerry Novic,
VP: Virginia Pollard,
GF: Gary Friedlander,
DY: Doug Young
7 community members

(I was ~10 minutes late; meeting already in progress. Missed website update)

DY: LMSD getting on twitter – soft launch
DY: school announcement project
Timing of calls – asap
Sometimes causes problems (eg 2hr-> full day)
Originally only for early dismissal

Principals prefer consistancy

Current policy – before 10pm, after 8am are not considered invasive
How early is too early?

MG: prefer to know regardless of time
DY some have complained about early/late calls in the past
JN: Is there a way to opt out?
DY: Powerschool notifications include email and phone
JN: Can phone # in parental contact information be separated from automated voice message?
VP: Are parents notified of timing of calls when they sign up for notification?
DY: Should we allow calls to be made as early as 6am?

Consensus: yes
Audience: computer, phone options, automated #, can we opt out?

JN: for HS, must call by 6am; give people the option to opt out
DY: if technically possible, will do in an automated way over the web

Audience: automated calls still essential for early dismissal
DY: phone tree as backup plan for “perfect storm” events

DY: current product better and cheaper – all notification calls out in 15 minutes (global

connect 90 min and much more expensive)

DY: alumni association wants greater presence; they are more than
record keepers. Involved in school events/activities. Assemble
database of “experts” as resource to LMSD
MG: what is status of the for profit alumni association? (alumn.class.com)
DY: for profit “hijacked” alumni association records and was
contacting alumni. No longer using logo, etc. 150-200 people sent
money thinking it was LMSD alumni association.

MG: Should LMSD play a role in sorting this out?
DY: Alumni association is handling it

DY:community conversations
Shortridge civic, march 7th, st Katherine 7:30pm. Dr. McGinley and Staff
Wynnewood civic recap
Good turnout (best attended WW Civic); sent cake as a thank you;
hosting meetings at schools
MG: community conversations on west side have been lacking – civics
havent’ provided venues
DY: Haverford hosted us, but not open to public. Harriton in April
will be next event
MG: not through a civic
DY: more like an open house to the community

GF: civics have unique ability to reach out to the community
JN: non-overlapping email lists gives opportunity for broader attendance
MG: advertise in MLT, Patch

DY: student accomplishments – touch the future arts show (Jenkintown)
hh/wv science Olympiad (hh 2nd at national invitational – 9th and 10th

grades); taste of LM- Sunday; Wrestler Corbett is 37-0, ranked #1 in PA;

district digest, different printer saved $1000
MG: online option

DY: for next year; coverage of LMSD educational initiatives in local papers has been excellent

MG: open discussion
Website now has committee meeting agendas; wasn’t up until yesterday;
tomorrow’s facility meeting not up yet
DY: Fran doing it, was out

JN: other school districts have historical minutes, would be useful
MG: moving to put policies online as well
JN: the administrative regulations aren’t
MG: other issue – access to internet
Can we arrange for Mr. Frazier to come to a meeting soon for a broad
discussion of this topic (K-12)
JN: why communications rather than curriculum?
MG: both, but a lot of communication now online, so access is an
issue. What is extent of problem? At BH, at lest 2-3 families in
every class.

Audience: about 200 kids district wide

Audience: improved events calendar; easier access to event information
rather than scroll too many “bins” for information. Not sure who to contact when information is missing or insufficient. Principal? DY? Other?
Audience: Can district videotape and upload meetings other than just board business & education meetings?
DY: We do on occasion. It is a human resource issue
Audience: How do you make that call?

MG: Comcast is renegotiating with township, may be able to get

something done on enhanced internet access that way.

GF: Some dialogue should be started between school district and township
JN: If there’s something there I’m all for it. Access is paramount,
MG: The idea is to deliver reduced rate service to families on free
and reduced lunch. Ken Roos will give report on grant and legal
opportunities in executive session.

MG: Community conversations between the district and community. No

board role. Are there forums for dialog between the board and

community?
DY: that is conversation for board to have

Audience: Do committee meetings have minutes? not really

Do we have a diving pool? yes! a diving section

Providing internet service is cheaper for ISPs than cash/material donations.

Audience: instead of creating new meetings to reach out to the community why not make your current meetings more effective? why not hold the meetings at the 10 schools instead of always at LM?

Prelim. budget passes; Board passes new 8th grade Welsh Valley program; Superintendent answers questions on home internet access

School board Education/special meeting
Monday, February 14, 2011

School Directors present: Susan Guthrie, Gary Friedlander, Virginia Pollard, Diane DiBonnaventuro, Lyn Kugel (Vice President), Lisa Fair-Pliskin, Jerry Novick
Audience: About 12 people.

2011-2012 budget

School board votes to adopt the preliminary budget, establishing maximum tax rise of +3.3%. This number could come down in the coming months as the budget gets worked through, but cannot be increased.

First budget working meeting will be March 9.
Final budget must be voted in by June 15.

School board votes separately to apply for the "exceptions" that allow the 3.3% raise.

Business manager speculates that any cuts from the State will affect Lower Merion minimally. Cuts will be announced by the state on March 8.

New alternate track program voted in for Welsh Valley

"Points of Vision" is a new alternate year of programing for 8th graders at welsh valley middle school. There is now an alternate programming track for each of the three middle school years at each of the two middle schools.

Voted in unanimously

Presentation of intensive Wilson reading program

Currently about 50 teachers are trained in the Wilson program. 30 more are being trained. The goal is to have every reading specialist and special ed teacher trained in Wilson method.

Melissa Gilbert (MG): How many kids?
A: 30 students in the program, but more who participate.
MG: Does it need to be rolled out to more kids?
A: Would just like teachers to have this as part of their toolkit so they recognize when it is needed.
MG: Is it connected to summer reading programs?
Superintendent McGinley (CM): Wilson is one on one instruction, summer program is not.
A: If a student qualifies for extended year instruction then Wilson program continues through the summer too.

Diane DiBonnaventura: Kids must be gettnig pulled out of something else [to do Wilson] even with parent's consent. Can this be done in small groups?
A: Only some done 1:1 instruction, others done in small groups.

Jerry Novick(JN): Is number of teachers certified enough?
A: Want to get all special ed and reading teachers trained. Can be trained in-house. Only expense to training is materials.

Susan Guthrie: Does this program replace something currently in place in the district?
A: This is one of a number of programs, would like to work out what method works best for which child.

Public Comment:

PB from Merion: About how some students lack internet access at home, suggests district just supply a $50/month connection to each student who lacks it. Knows that her 10th grader often has a midnight or Saturday deadline to turn in a paper over internet, but if a student has no connection then cannot take advantage of that. Students cannot stay that late at school.

George Frazier: Looking into a few ways might supply internet.Neighborhood network if kids are close together, or a $50 connection like PB described.

PB: What are we doing now in the meantime for those students who can't have the benefit of turning something in at midnight or on weekends from home?

CM: [thanks PB for the question, seems irked]

PB: Do the teachers know to make allowances for students with no internet?

CM: yes.

Curriculum - January 26

We weren't able to get anyone to the meeting because of the late buses. But here are the agenda and handouts. According to Fran Keaveny, the only part of the agenda they did on January 26^th was the Welsh Valley program (which I think looks fabulous!)