Building Project Committee update

Today I met with representatives from the MLK building project committee including representatives from Barton Mallow, Mitchell and Mouat Architects, TMP Architecture, AAPS district representatives, and MLK teacher Karen Haddas.  Our meeting was the second meeting this year to plan for the 2005 bond identified building renovations at MLK.  The work will include all of the following:

- electrical upgrades

- installation of a new security system

- replacement of classroom flooring

- updating of all bathrooms in the building

- installation of lockers in hallways

- replace cabinetry and sinks in classrooms

- reconfigure drop off area in front of school to better insure safety of students

- replace heating system

- install wireless infrastructure

The exciting part:  Conceptual Drawings!  At this point, I have conceptual drawings from the architects of what would be done at MLK . . . so . . . it is time to share the concepts and offer any final input on the concepts.  With this goal in mind, I've left the drawings and the design specifications in the school office conference room.  Please feel free to look them over.  In addition, I will be available to share them on Thursday, December 20 from 11:30 to 1 and on Friday, December 21 from 9 to 10.  I hope to see you at one of the meetings.

Building Project Committee

• Building Project Committee
• next meeting December 19 at 11 AM
• BPC memebers--
• MLK:
  
• Alicia Faciane, PTO co-president
• Karen Haddas, teacher
• Elizabeth Donovan, School Improvement Team parent
• Kevin Karr, MLK principal
  
• AAPS:
  
• Randy Trent, Executive director of physical properties
• Henry Caudle, Administrator for Comprehensive School Improvement Plan
• John Mouat, architect, Mitchell and Mouat Architects
• Nandita Mishra, architect, TMP Architecture
  
• Arlene Samuel, design manager, Barton Malow Company
• John Steinhebel, project manager, Barton Malow Company

MLK SIT Agenda - 12/7/07

Committee reports:
Level 1--handout from Susan
Level 2--need to pick a date; we have two presenters for K-2 and two for 3-5
Building Project Committee

Plan for year:

• Where did it come from?
• Decision-making on SIT

Education Yes:
Addressing Diversity as it relates to the Education Yes! School Improvement Framework

• Communication (Strand 4, Standard 1)
  
• Outreach (Strand 2, Standard 2)
• Academic Achievement

Brainstorm ways to collect input on communication, outreach, academic achievement issues related to diverse families?

SIT meeting today

MLK SIT, 

Thank you for you work around the School Improvement Team today.  I believe we've arrived at a point we haven't been to before in terms of planning and the ability to be proactive in what we address at MLK.  Please share your thoughts with me and/or Laurie.

For those who have not created accounts to be a part of the MLK School Improvement Team website, I've sent new invitations a few minutes ago.  Please let me know if you have problems.  If you didn't see the invite, you might check your junk mail filter.

Sincerely,

Kevin

SIT Agenda 11/7/07 and Minutes (in blue)

• Re-introductions

• Plan for year

• Committee reports
• Level 1 Parent Education--Susan and Didi
• writing project is available on 11/19, 11/27, 12/3
• next steps: confirm dates, advertise, sign up process
• $350/session
• Input from SIT:
  
• Is it possible to do some kind of informal follow-up? survey?
• Are there other writing ideas we can engage kids in like 4-square wiki?
• Social hour as a way to follow up?
• Could ESL faculty give a presentation specifically geared to needs of ESL families
  
• Level 2 Parent Education--Colleen
• Check dates for Level 1 before setting date for Level 2
  
• Still looking for teachers to present
• Input from SIT:
• The earlier the better
  
• Building Project Committee--Kevin and Elizabeth
• Next meeting in December
  

• Education YES!--Laurie
  
• General discussion of Education Yes, No Child Left Behind, school improvement strands, the self-report process, school grading, etc.
• Discussion of where SIT could best give input
• Read over rubric together: Strand IV, Strategy 1 and 2--diversity
  
• Input from SIT:
  
• Increasing % of MLK families are non-white
• volunteering is appears to be decreasing at MLK--cultural connection?
• MLK includes families from all over the globe
• SES is part of the MLK diversity--comfort level for these families should be bridged also
• Over time, the MLK board has worked on this by creating positions that would specifically need to be filled by families of diverse backgrounds

• Brainstorming--how do we get to exemplary?
• relationships are key
• Inviting families of diverse backgrounds to the conversation, events, etc.
• Are there models from which we can base our work to move to exemplary?

• Strategic Planning
• Reviewed district process with SIT
  
• Looked at AAPS website about strategic planning
• Encouraged SIT to be aware of this developing
  

SIT Agenda 10/5/07

• Introductions

• SIT parent vacancies

• Plan for year

• Work from last year
• Fall—
• parent education, level 1
• implementation of building-wide writing schedules
• support around new writing rubrics
• teacher support around continued LC writing
• handwriting research
• Building Project Committee
• Education Yes! planning
• Write up about the MLK SIT for the newsletter

• Winter--
• parent education, level 2
• monitor writing schedules
• handwriting discussion, decision-making, early implementation
• Building Project Committee
• Education Yes! planning
  

• Spring—
• parent education, level 3
• monitor writing schedules
• planning for building wide handwriting implementation
• Building Project Committee
• Education Yes! writing, submission

• SIT involvement opportunities

• Write up for newsletter—Laurie and Kevin
• Building Project Committee—Elizabeth
• Coordination of Parent Writing Presentation (Level 1 parent education)—open
• Coordination of Lucy Calkins Writing presentation (Level 2 parent education)—Colleen
• Family Writing Workshop (Level 3 parent education)—open
• Other SIT generated ideas—click here
• Education Yes! -- Laurie and Kevin
  

• Tentative meeting dates: 11/2, 12/7, 12/7, 1/11, 2/1, 3/7, 4/4, 5/2, 6/6
• Write up about the MLK SIT for the newsletter—Kevin and Laurie
• Building Project Committee
• SIT—Elizabeth Donovan
• PTO—Alisha Faciane
• Teacher—Karen Haddas
• Principal--Kevin Karr
• Henry Caudle, director of bond
• Randy Trent, director of facilities and maintenance
  

• Level 1 Parent Education

• Level 2 Parent Education--Colleen
• Sent email asking for presenters, will pay from SIT budget
• Presenters: Petty, Lake, Gracey, (needs April)
• Helpers: Michalik, Griffiths
  

• Level 3 Parent Education—something like this

• Education Yes

• A word about strategic planning
  

Planning for 07-08

Ideas brainstormed for next year for parent involvement/education

• Continuation of Parent Writing Nights--presented by EMWP
• Offer X times during 07-08
• Concurrently offer 826 writing workshops for third, fourth and fifth graders?
• Is there a way for older students to begin mentoring younger students?

• Presentation of Units of Study, Lucy Calkins Curriculum to parents
  
• Teacher(s) present basic structure of the program based on writing implementation schedule for each grade
• Ideas for Homework (from CD)
  
• Should include
• K - 2nd: Explanation of writer's workshop model, Nuts and Bolts of Teaching Writing, Small Moments, Writing for Readers, Revision, Authors as Mentors, Nonfiction, and Poetry
  
• 3rd - 5th: Explanation of workshop model, narrative writing, writing fiction, literary essays, memoir
• Input from Chuck: You might want to include a look at the new writing report card and a discussion about how the GLCE's are addressed within the Calkin's curriculum as well as district genre studies. Another idea would be to discuss the month-by-month calendar of writing activities which have been published for 3-5 and will soon be included in the K-2 folders on the server with the new writing assessment.
  

• Family Writing Process Workshop (experiencing the writing process)
• presented by ?, possibly EMWP

Minutes from 5-25-07

Can writing be shared with families more frequently

Generally we talked about II. from the agenda and issues related to it.

• parents need to know what is expected at each grade level
• share what MEAP writing looks like
  

Start next year with:

• continued planning on II. from agenda
  
• a review of Education Yes! from this past year.

Please let Kevin know if you are interested in continuing for next year by the last day of school.

Fwd: SIT Agenda--5/25/07

King Sit Agenda

5/25/07

7:30 for coffee and talk

7:45 to start meeting

I.  Announcements

a. Observer

b. Parent Writing Night feedback

II.  Planning for next year--ideas brainstormed for next year for parent involvement/education

a.  Continuation of Parent Writing Nights--presented by EMWP

b.  Calkins Curriculum--presented by teachers?

c.  Family Writing Process Workshop (experiencing the writing process)--presented by ?, possibly EMWP

III.  Tea anyone?

SIT Agenda 4-19-07

School Improvement Team Agenda

April 20, 2007

7:30 AM

First, please remember that the King SIT has designated tomorrow maize and blue day. Please dress accordingly or risk cruel comments :-)

- EMWP Parent Writing Nights

- advertising

- sign up

- Child care? - TBD by PTO

- What do we want events next year to accomplish? What are the goals?

MLK Education Yes! Report

Hi all,

Attached is a copy of the 24-page King Education Yes! report that was
submitted for the superintendent's approval minutes ago . . . for
your leisure reading:

SIT Minutes 3-23-07

Thanks to everyone for the work and input on Education Yes! today. Our work on section 4 really helped beef up the Evidence section. As a reminder, any additional input in any other section is due to me by Thursday, March 29 at 9 AM. My hope is to factor in any additional input that day and then submit the report to Superintendent Roberts and then to the state.

Other discussion centered around the upcoming parent writing workshops.

SIT attendees at the writing nights:
May 2--Laura
May 10--Laurie
May 15—Mona

Susan and Laurie will be working a flyer, eNotes, blurb for classroom newsletters

Advertising:

• Kevin will set up a table the night of the Silent Auction where the flyer about the upcoming nights will be distributed
  
• Information will be shared at the next PTO meeting
  

Things to explore/think about: Child care

Colleen is going to cost out the price of King SIT shirts/t-shirts/etc?

Education Yes! DRAFT Report

Hello King SIT,

As we approach our Friday morning meeting, I want to share two pieces of information ahead of time.

First, our agenda:

Discuss Education Yes DRAFT documents and process for collection of input

- collect input on highlighted areas

- all input to Kevin by Thursday, March 29 at 9 AM

Parent Workshop Updates

- dates: May 2, May 10, May 15

- needs: PR, registration, what else?

Second, the DRAFT King Education Yes! documents: (sorry, not uploadable to this site)

These pdfs represent the current state of the 40 performance indicators each public school must report out to the state. In other words, we are in the drafting/revising stage of the writing process :-). There may be misspellings, omissions, run-on sentences, etc. Receiving input about these kinds of things would be helpful in addition to other input and feedback. We'll spend some of Friday's meeting time on this.

In addition to input from the SIT, the King staff will also give input between now and when the complete report is submitted to Dr. Roberts and then to the state.

If you have questions, please ask.

Kevin

Fwd: parent night X 3

Hello King SIT,

Based on the input of the last SIT meeting, I've scheduled three
parent presentations on May 2, 10 and 15, each at 7 PM.

While I don't know if anyone else would like to attend one of these
nights, I would certainly welcome the company.

Also, would anyone be willing to help with PR/sign up coordination
for these nights? Let me know if you can help.

Kevin

SIT Notes 2-16-07

Today we reviewed the feedback from the parent workshop—and brainstormed next steps. Here are my notes:

Q: Is offering the EMWP parent workshop alone enough or would it be better to have a series of workshops?
A: Generally the consensus was that the EMWP parent workshop should be offered this year going into summer with on-going planning for an event or events that would take place next school year.

Brainstormed ideas:

• Offer the EMWP parent workshop this year as summer approaches

• Is it possible to offer more than one parent session at the same time?
• Would it be possible to videotape the next parent session? Put it on the website?

• Publicize 826 workshops so parents are aware of this
• Publish family writing ideas in the newsletter
• Grade level writing featured on a website? Blog
• Give parents a tool by which to assess a child’s writing (a rubric)?
• Make a list of family writing ideas and publish them on the school website.

Did I miss anything? Please let me know :-)

My thoughts now: I'll work on getting in contact with the EMWP to see if sessions can be scheduled. I'll shoot for three sessions.


On the horizon (even though we didn't talk much about it at the SIT meeting):

• Education YES--a large part of the state requirement is filling out the indicators showing school compliance. These indicators will be factored into our school grade. The collection period for these begins in early March.
  
• More on MEAP scores for 2006-07
  

SIT notes - 2/16/07

Today we reviewed the feedback from the parent workshop—and brainstormed next steps. Here are my notes:

Is offering the EMWP parent workshop alone enough or would it be better to have a series of workshops?
Generally the consensus was that it would be good to offer the EMWP parent workshop this year going into summer with on-going planning for an event or events that would take place next school year.

Offer the EMWP parent workshop this year as summer approaches
• Is it possible to offer more than one parent session at the same time?
• Would it be possible to videotape the next parent session? Put it on the website?
Publicize 826 workshops
Publish family writing ideas in the newsletter
Grade level writing featured on a website? Blog?
Give parents a tool by which to assess a child’s writing (a rubric)?
Make a list of family writing ideas and publish them on the school website.

King Elementary School Book Release!

NOTE: This is a follow up to the post below called "What your story?"

Location: Crazy Wisdom Tea Room

Thursday, March 8, 2007. Time TBA.

For six weeks in January and February, 826michigan volunteers will be working with King Elementary students in an after-school creative writing workshop. The King Elementary Parent Teacher Organization has generously committed to funding a publication of their work. Their teachers, parents, peers, and the general public are invited to hear students read and to see the completed publication at this book release party.

Crazy Wisdom is located at 114 S. Main Street in Ann Arbor. Hope to see you there!

SIT Team Agenda - 2/16/07

On Friday, 2/16, at 7:30, the King SIT team will meet to discuss the following:

• Parent Workshop Discussion
  
• MEAP 2006 scores
• Education Yes!

Hope to see you then!


The results of the feedback sheets from the January 23, 2007 parent presentation show below.

Evaluations/Parent Writing Night/January 23, 2007

What would you like to learn more about?

• By age, what’s the appropriate help to give your child (6)
• Define outline for various types of writing that would help kids to start thinking in a structural way (3)
• More discussion on how to proofread, correct and critique with my kids (3)
• Better ways on how to help your child organize their thoughts (3)
• Ways that parents can help the teachers with writing assignments (3)
• More exercises for us to use with kids like the one we did in the beginning (2)
• How to help kids with writing when English is not your native language
• Discuss the different problems that elementary students tend to have with writing and how to deal with them
• Review the information presented in smaller segments
• Ways to encourage writing at home
• How criticism impacts kids later in life
• More samples of kids’ writing
• More information about how King’s teachers are using writing in the classroom and incorporating these concepts into their teaching
• Common problems that other parents have faced with their children’s writing and how they overcame them
• More information from a kid’s point of view…how they thinking about writing and why they may not want to write down their ideas.
• How is grammar taught these days
• How my child can be enrolled in this workshop

What was most helpful to you about tonight’s presentation?

• Practical ways to help children be good writers (12)
• Ideas on incorporating writing into daily life (8)
• Make writing a family fun activity (6)
• The many resources and ideas presented (4)
• The presenters’ enthusiasm was inspiring (3)
• The exercise in the beginning helped me realize that there are different writing styles
• Reiteration on encouragement and to tone down criticism
• Tips on how to respond to your child’s writing

Is there anything else you’d like us to know?

• Great workshop (6 people specifically said but all comments were positive)
• How will the school follow up? One workshop – even when every single parent takes part – is not enough to help our kids write better (2)
• I think it would be helpful to have teachers suggest to parents some ideas for incorporating the teaching of writing into family life
• Provide more opportunity for parents to tell their own stories as part of the workshop
• I think it would be most helpful to have this seminar in a longer session maybe laid out during several evenings with or w/o kids
• How can we connect our efforts at home with the teacher so that we can develop some writing projects together

"What's Your Story?" Begins

This is the fourth grade pilot writing project I spoke of at our last meeting. Two fourth grade parents are spearheading this project and have planned it in consultation with me with the support of 826michigan.org.

From their materials (and for your information):
This workshop will use theater games and creative writing exercises to encourage students to tell their own story. Be aware: this workshop will have strict emphasis on having fun and getting creative!
It's a 5-week fiction writing workshop designed to create an anthology of student writing.
Jan. 25th -- Poetry, Sharp Imagery, Picture image exercises
Feb. 1 -- Dialogue, Character
Feb. 8 -- Short stories, narratives
Feb. 15 -- Progression of a story
Feb. 22 -- Writing workshop, choose piece for publication
March 8 -- Readings for family and friends at Crazy Wisdom!

Parent Writing Workshop

Last evening, I met with the King School Improvement Team (SIT) and the PTO board for a parent workshop focusing on writing, an area the SIT Team identified based on King's achievement data. The presenters of the meeting, Kim Pavlock and Cathy Fleischer, came to us from the Eastern Michigan Writing Project, a group that mainly focuses on helping teacher's teach writing. However, they are now offering a variety of parent workshops which was what they brought to King.

By all accounts (including the feedback sheets filled out by attendees), the presentation was helpful, useful, interesting and inspiring.

From the notes I took last night, I'll share the following as food for thought and discussion--and for our purposes, we should all consider ourselves "teachers" of our children.

Research basis for best practices around writing:
1. All children can and should write
2. Teachers must help students find real purposes to write
3. Students need to take ownership and responsibility
4. Effective writing programs involve the complete writing process
5. Teachers can help students get started
6. Teachers help students draft and revise
7. Grammar and mechanics are best learned in the context of actual writing
8. Students need real audiences and a classroom context of shared learning
9. Writing should extend throughout the curriculum
10. Effective teachers use evaluation constructively and efficiently

Our next step: Decide whether or not this same workshop would be helpful/useful to the wider King parent group. Stay tuned!