PA
President Stuart Leigh opened the meeting at 7:05.
In
response to a question from Mr. Leigh, about half of the parents indicated that
they came because they received a phone call from the automated
caller.
Announcements:
There were
10 Intel semifinalists among the Stuyvesant students and the finalists
will be announced on the 24th. The Intel reception for parents was held
to congratulate all participants. The Winter Concert was stunning. Other
dates were announced. The Phona-a-thon receipts were $40,000 more than
last year. School Leadership Team Training was held with 2 facilitators.
The SLT approved an explicit welcome to parents to come in during Open School
Week to observe classes. An SLT subcommittee will work out the details.
Stuyvesant's dramatic production will be The Crucible on 2/11 and
2/12/2000. The football banquet takes place on
2/5/2000.
Minutes
were approved as written.
Notice was
given that an election will be held at the February PA meeting for the
Nominating Committee.
The
Treasurer's Report was given by Bill Graham:
The
Phone-a-thon reached a record. The Appropriations Committee will
reopen the review of wish list requests; they had closed it off at $265,000 last
year.
A motion
was made to allocate $7404.00 to purchase the upright Steinway piano. It was
seconded and passed. A motion was made to increase the faculty reception budget
by $500.00 to $3250.00. It was seconded and passed. Also made, seconded and
passed was a motion to increase the College night budget by $250.00, from
$1500.00 to $1750.00
Committee
Reports:
Most
committees reported that they were meeting and were advancing their work
Appropriations will revisit requests. A suggestion was made that we each bring
another parent to the PA meetings. Mt. Sinai workshops, previously held for
Stuyvesant parents for issue oriented topics, will be researched. The Open House
for incoming freshmen and their families will be held on March 4th in two
sessions - please sign up to help.
SLT
Report: During the
day-long workshop, several themes emerged. The members were assessed on their
styles-drivers, supporters and calculators-making them more aware of their
cognitive styles and more sensitive to the other groups. The concerns fell into
4 main categories: instructional quality, curriculum, assessment, and
guidance.
Old
Business:
None.
New
Business:
The New
York Times had given short shrift to the Intel semifinalists. They don't give
press to positive issues. LaGuardia HS had hired a publicist. The suggestion was
made that the Council For Specialized High Schools be approached to help. There
was discussion about the departure of Chancellor Crew and possible effects on
continuity in policy. UPA has a petition for parents to sign. The
Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council, CPAC, has addressed this issue and the
CPAC Executive Board has spoken up in protest. They will meet with Bd. of Ed.
President, William Thompson, on 1/20/2000 to protest the process and request
parental inclusion in the Chancellor search. Mr. Teitel shared his concern that
the staff may not take changes seriously with the change of leadership. He said
that he met with the SLT and things will continue as they are. The SLT's highest
priority is the spring budget.
At 7:50,
the parent representatives to the School Leadership Team members were
presented, they went on stage and the Town Meeting began.
The SU
President, David Gringer, and Stuyvesant Principal, Stanley Teitel were present
to add to the discussion. Their comments and insights were extremely helpful. A
student's perspective was particularly illuminating for parents.
Many
topics were discussed: core curriculum, block scheduling, annualization, letter
grading, improving professional development opportunities, nature of homework,
alternative assessment, students' evaluation of teachers, assessment of mission
of SLT, the writing initiative, PASS process, evaluation of Adv. Placement,
graduation requirements, freshman compositions, writing, guidance, homeroom,
college office, gender and diversity issues.
The SLT is
just getting started in this process and has set up subcommittees for each area.
It is in the process of prioritizing the concerns and is still working things
out. They will look at the school's Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP) and
many of these issues will be addressed there. They work by consensus. There must
be broad support for an issue to pass, and this lends itself to a smooth
implementation. Consensus was defined in the SLT bylaws as allowing an issue to
pass even if up to 4 members to have strong reservations.
Q &
A ensued: How do
we prioritize these issues for the SLT to address? How do you communicate with
constituents? How do we know what issues are being raised and considered in the
SLT? (Read the Bulletin.) How do we increase parent teacher communication? What
about peer learning and tutoring?
Concerns were
raised: The
presence of cheating and how to change the school tone. Assessing the PASS
(Performance Assessment in Schools Systemwide) process. Teachers using only one
aspect - testing - for grading. What supervision is done for absent teachers and
the continuity of instruction for their pupils? Questions about instruction in
Chemistry. There's a concern that students need more access to teachers. Writing
is a problem. Not enough is assigned and graded. AP's earn less than teachers.
Writing is thrown into English class and needs to be spread across all subject
areas in every class. Students enter Stuy unprepared and unable to write well.
College level texts are used in 9th grade. Are the kids reading enough good
literature?
Good
Ideas Implemented:
The SU did a survey of students to recognize excellent teachers in a ceremony to
be held later this year. Last year the SLT developed the Advanced Placement
policy, improving it. Each department has its own AP course admissions policy
and is responsible for it. Research seminars have been rescheduled early so that
kids could attend without missing classes. Progress reports are sent out if a
student is doing poorly.
Good Ideas
to Implement: Look closely at the PASS. Reduce class size. Bring Spectator
copies to the PA meetings. Put info in the parent handbook about January finals
week noting that students are free except when being
tested.
Stuart
Leigh summed up the value of such a town hall meeting as a chance for parents
and their SLT representatives to have direct, open and thoughtful discussion
about these important topics.
Motion to
adjourn was made at 9:15.
-Respectfully
submitted,
Elizabeth
Schnee, Recording secretary