Accountability Meeting
CSDB Accountability Meeting4.1.2015 / 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. / Lions Building
Facilitators / Jon Vigne, Susan Temmer
Minutes / Julie Cuccaro
Interpreter / Marcie Murphy and guest interpreter
Attendees / Chris Cockrill, Tim Elstad, Kathy Emter, Katie Greene, Rachel Greenleaf, Amy Gunning, Carol Hilty, Kristen Huddleston, Cassie Torrez, Pammie Wilding, Tera Wilkins
Introduction/Review of Minutes
Susan Temmer
Discussion
· Susan led welcome and introductions.
· Reviewed Accountability minutes from March 4, 2015. No changes were indicated.
Conclusions
· None
Program Highlights – School for the Deaf and School for the Blind
Discussion
School for the Deaf – Reported by Rachel Greenleaf, Cassie Torrez and Arlene Gunderson
· Rachel reported elementary students participated in Read Across America, for one week. Storytellers read, or told, stories each day.
· PARCC testing went very well. Seems that most bugs were worked out by the time the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders were tested.
· Cassie reported, for parents of elementary students, additional interactive information will be added to the CSDB website. It will include items such as different spelling words and information for parents about activities happening in the classrooms. Parents will be notified when the site is up and running.
· Arlene reported high school and middle school students completed PARCC testing. In addition, students celebrated Pi Day with various activities.
· Parents, of middle and high school students, participated in Literacy-Around-the-Clock activities, which included reading and writing intervention supports parents can provide in the home. Parents expressed this was very beneficial. Additional workshops are being planned.
· In the process of planning a variety of themed activities for Earth Day, on April 22nd, for students in all grades.
School for the Blind – Reported by Amy Gunning and Chris Cockrill
· Chris reported students, with vision loss, participated in the Beeping Egg Hunt. Amy mentioned CSDB has a long partnership with Century Link Pioneers, who provide the eggs. Students locate the eggs by following the beeping sound. It is a great activity for our students, as well as Century Link employees, who have the opportunity to meet and interact with our students. CSDB received good media coverage from three local news stations.
· Two students participated in the Zone Ten Oratorical Contest. One student will be moving on to regional competition.
· Tomorrow, students will take a field trip to the Pikes Peak Center to see the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Amy reported some of the musicians visited CSDB to teach students about different musical instruments.
· Amy had the opportunity to field-test modifications to the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts. New materials are being developed, to ensure tests are more accessible for students with vision loss. In addition, the tests should enable teachers to more accurately assess student knowledge.
Action Items / Person Responsible / Deadline
· None
Title 1 Family Involvement Report
Discussion
Family Involvement Team (FIT) – Reported by Jon Vigne
· Parent survey is still open. The survey closes soon, at which time Tracy will disseminate responses in order to maintain anonymity, for CSDB staff. Susan and Tracy will report results to staff, within their respective buildings.
· Parent Staff Organization (PSO) met for the second time. Discussion included how to structure the meetings and how CSDB can help facilitate PSO meetings. Reminder, the PSO meetings are open to any staff and parents who wish to attend. Next PSO meeting is scheduled for April 15. Discussion will include developing a mission/vision statement and fundraising.
· The team discussed having Parent Teacher Conferences again. Need to determine the role of the parent-teacher conference. Will it function mainly to provide information to parents or will it be viewed more as a tool to connect parents with staff. The team will develop one goal, to be included in the new Schoolwide Plan, for next year.
· Jon reported staff is doing well in their efforts, to more efficiently communicate with parents and are developing a list of possible ideas for continued collaboration. Carol suggested adding information, and possibly a demonstration, of how subjects are being taught now. We also need to look at consistency of signs, regarding content specific vocabulary, to share between teachers, residential staff and parents.
· Rachel reported six students and their parents are participating in after-school tutoring. Parents are enjoying learning about teaching methods, at CSDB.
· Next FIT meeting will be April 20, 2015, at 4:00pm.
Action Items / Person Responsible / Deadline
· None
Review of 2014-2015 Schoolwide Plan – School Climate and Culture
Discussion
School Climate and Culture – Reported by Kristen Huddleston and Kathy Emter
Strategy 1 – Develop a curriculum to teach components of the discipline system.
· Regarding behavior expectations, the goal is to involve staff to ensure consistent teaching methods. This includes new staff, as well as new students. Kristen reported this is an area where the team continues to struggle. The PBIS team conducted a workshop, during the last professional development day, which was attended by teachers and staff. Many expressed they are still motivated to be on a PBIS team and to come up with new ideas for continued collaboration.
Strategy 2 – Sharing behavior data.
· The leadership team has been compiling data to share, with dorms and schools, at least quarterly.
· Using data to track interventions on individual students. The data is also used to problem solve and to put interventions in place, based on that data.
· PBIS team members are participating in department meetings to discuss ideas and suggestions.
Strategy 3 – Creating PBIS materials for staff and families.
· The PBIS leadership team has changed and expanded the PBIS behavior matrix which has been distributed to staff.
· Provided cool tips and resources to parents, in the newsletters.
· Have created posters describing PRIDE elements. Posters have been displayed, in every environment, on campus. Kathy clarified the purpose of PRIDE tickets and how students can use them.
· Kathy explained, next year, the Schoolwide Plan will shift focus to culture and school spirit.
Action Items / Person Responsible / Deadline
· None
School Events and Upcoming Announcements
Program Representatives
· Arlene reported lots of state assessments will happen during April. Also, during testing month, students will be participating in Earth Day activities, to help give them a break from all of the testing.
· Pammie reported one student and assistant coach, Rich Williams, will travel to Oakland, CA, for the USA Deaf Basketball all-star game. Pammie also reported four students are developing a leadership team called Junior National Association of the Deaf. CSDB Board member, Walter VonFelt, spoke with students about his background at CSDB. Finally, we have several middle school boys going to the state wrestling competition, in Denver, this Saturday.
· April 2 - Julie Novak will be taking students to Colorado Springs Philharmonic.
· April 9 - Summer Youth Job Fair, sponsored by Pikes Peak Workforce Center. OJT and Bridges to Life students, 16 years and older, will have the opportunity to explore options for summer employment.
· April 10 - One student will participate in the Black Forest League Honor Band.
· April 15 - PSO meeting in Lions, from 6:30pm -7:30pm.
· April 15 - Chris reported students will attend an Arts and Business Education Consortium luncheon.
· April 17 - Freshman Job Shadow Day. Tera Lynn reported students will visit different worksites. Students will learn about the required qualifications and duties associated with each job. This year, students will have an opportunity to visit the Colorado Springs airport to learn about various jobs such as ticket agent, baggage handler, and shuttle service. After each visit, students share what they’ve learned with each other.
· April 22 - Forty cadets, from the US Air Force Academy, will be here to visit with some CSDB student leaders. The following week, those students will tour the Air Force Academy.
· April 22 - Orientation & Mobility instructor and students will help train docents, at the Fine Arts Center, how to be sighted guides for blind/low-vision patrons.
· April 28 - CSDB will host a middle school track meet at Manitou Springs High School.
Meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m.
Next Accountability Meeting will be May 6, 2015, 5:00-6:30pm, in the Lions Building.