COALITION MEETING 6/23

Attendees:

Bob & Kim
Ellen
Dan
Marc & Lynnsey
Melina

NEXT MEETING: Monday, August 4, 6pm -- Parents only at this point so that we can organize ourselves and determine priorities;  All to invite additional members

GENERAL DISCUSSION:

- Frustration over how decisions are being made, not building coalition, just making decisions, not communicating with parents to generate consensus. Serious lack of transparency; upset things are being changed without notification, alienating the involved families.

- Discussion of IBO, what it offers; need more information.

- Concern over low test scores, Special Ed, students passing/graduating lacking basic math and English skills

- Agreement that SUSD website and SEF site need updates to have more information and details about how to support SUSD; include dates of fundraising events

- Group decided to email Linda Irving with specific questions about plans for SUSD; see separate blog entry for update


PARENT COALITION STRUCTURE

- Marc proposed including Parkside and Brook Haven; question of what already exists at Parkside 
- Agreed to name SUSD Parent Coalition
- Have a rep from each classroom; Kim will do for deb Johnson's class
- Need a president
- Need secretary
- Need volunteer coordinator -- Melina will do when plans are better formed
- Hold monthly meeting first Monday of each month; parents arrive at 6pm to share updates of various groups, invite teachers and administration to join at 7 so we can share updates with each other, discuss desired improvements and make plans to provide support 
- School Board usually meets 1st Thursday of month; SEF 4th Thursday
- An SUSD rep will bring an update to every School Board meeting; request sent to Linda Irving to have standing SUSD Parent Coalition Update at each School Board Meeting

MISSION STATEMENT
- The SUSD Parent Coalition's mission is to enhance the communication between parents, teachers & faculty to advocate for and support enrichment programs for our school district.

ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS

- Group discuss programs it would like to support. 
- Marc gave suggestion of splitting into groups to support particular programs and help bring into class rooms when the time comes
- Discussion about making sure programs are district wide or school wide; how do enrichment programs get rolled out in each school?
- Group agree on importance of work with teachers to be clear on how to bring enrichment into the classrooms, and how these programs support or augment CORE
- Point made that with better organization we can provide better support
- Some Enrichment may be during school, some after school, CASTLE willing to help after school

Specific Enrichment Programs Discussed by Group

SCHOOL DAY

Music
Drama -- Lynnsey
Art
Maker/chimera
Technology; typing with that -- Marc
Ocean Guardian
Spanish -- Lynnsey checked on Spanish as middle school elective, has not been for several years

AFTER SCHOOL

Archery
Science
Others?
Bike coalition
Cardboard Carnival -- Jane Irmini has more details

SUSD COMMUNICATION METHODS WITHIN GROUP AND TO IMPORTANT PARTIES

- Standing school board agenda item for SUSD; suggestion also made that SEF should have the same
- Ask about sending an SUSD rep to teachers' after school meeting, every Wednesday; give our update and check in about how to support classrooms
- Teachers' union: convey that it's important for them to communicate with us about their activities
- Central system for communications; group email, Blog (must opt in)
- Utilize Brook Haven Blast and similar at Parkside
- Class parent communicates with all parents in class about best way to reach
- Wednesday folders

Mission Statement

The SUSD Parent Coalition's mission is to enhance the communication between parents, teachers & faculty to advocate for and support enrichment programs for our school district.

What is IBO?

Parkside is an IBO.  So what really is IBO?  Let's discuss.   Here's their official site: http://www.ibo.org/

What is the Multi-Age Program?

OK, let's get this conversation going!   Post info about our awesome multi-age program and why you all have chosen to bring your kids to Brook Haven for it.

Message sent to SUSD School Super & Brook Haven principal

Message sent to Linda & Debbie today:

Linda,

I would like to schedule a meeting with you next week to discuss action items from the last board meeting.   I was unable to attend but our new parent coalition did attend and express our concern for losing the Drama program at Brook Haven.

Apparently, the decision made by you and Brook Haven to remove the Drama program is in full effect and the school is already clearing out the Drama classroom.   The parents are not happy with this progress after communicating clearly that we'd like to see this stay.   Frankly we fell like you don't care what the parents want.  Many parents want to go straight to the Press with these happenings -- something I think we can avoid with better communication.

I would like to bridge the gap between the parents and the school board and plan a meeting with you next week on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.

What time works for you?   We're all meeting on Monday and will have a formal set in action for our coalition and how we can organize the parents with the board and work together to enhance our children's education.

To SUSD: Drama, Communication, Commitment & our new Parent Coalition

To the Sebastopol Union School District:

RE DRAMA PROGRAM:

 - The SUD Drama Program is unique among West County schools and is a great way to differentiate and promote our schools.

- Because plays are presented publicly, Drama reaches out to our broader community and incoming middle schoolers.

- There are fantastic academic and life benefits to the Drama Program, including Language Arts, public speaking, confidence building, and a unique way to teach students who don't learn as well in a more traditional classroom environment.

OVERALL COMMUNICATION & COMMITMENT

- There is a great sense of disappointment among parents at the programs which continue to be cut and not replaced, including overnight field trips, band instructors and Rainbow House.

- We also are very frustrated at the lack of transparency and communication from the District administration.  It feels as though decisions are being made in a vacuum and communicated at the last minute when it's very difficult to create change.  Curious why discussion at Town Hall meeting and survey results have not been shared with entire school community.

- We would like to see a shift to more transparent and complete communication, and to a more collaborative decision making process so that we can support important programs.  We are creating a parent-teacher coalition to organize ourselves into a unified voice that can give input on which academic and enrichment programs are important for our community, and to support those programs with fundraising and volunteering

PARENT COALITION

- We're looking forward to creating a structure for this Parent-Teacher organization that can attract other members and encourage more involvement.

Let's all work together

We need to engage with ParkSide and their parent group.   Because they will join us at Brook Have from 6-8 grade.   We're one community and we need to lead by example.

I do think we should be fundraising separately on our unique school enrichment programs and Lisa mentioned there could be a way for SEF to support that.

I know SEF is a 501(3c) so if we need to funnel our fundraising through this organization and then distribute directly to the school the fundraising is for, that could make a lot of sense.

All in all, let's all work together!

Fundraising

I think we should start with the local businesses and get them to donate.   I know SEF is a non-profit organization and it may be best to go through SEF on this one.   Lisa, thoughts?

We could easily create a goal on our initial priority list for 2014-2015 school year:

https://fundly.com/

And then push out to businesses to get this money raised.