[Mjhsteam] January Meeting and December Minutes

[Margaret C. Jenkins]

Hi Parents!

 

I hope you all had a terrific holiday, and that your snow experiences have
been mostly positive.  Our first parent group meeting of the New Year will
be on January 6, 2009 at 7:15 in room 216.  The main item on our agenda will
be planning our January 29th Family Night. 

 

The family night will provide opportunities for an open dialog between
parents and teens, and present strategies for helping kids avoid drugs,
alcohol and other bad decisions.  There will be a panel discussion featuring
a cross-section of students, and free dinner will be provided.  More details
will follow.  Please save the date!

 

The minutes for the parent group's December meeting appear below.   

 

Enjoy the last days of your holiday, and please drive carefully.

 

Peggy Jenkins

 

 

 

MJHS Parent Support Team 

Meeting Minutes

December 2, 2008

Principal's Report

*	High School Redesign has caused MJH to reevaluate scheduling.
Currently periods last only 49 minutes, which is not enough time.

Currently, the administration is  rethinking the schedule.  Decisions need
to be data-driven, research-based, and provide equity for all staff.  In
addition, it needs to be inviting, supportive, and provide an appropriate
learning environment.

Two options are being considered:

1.  Standard 7 period floater with all class periods at 60 minutes.  Classes
meet four days out of five.  Lunches would be split with an early lunch and
a late lunch.  There would be an "intervention" period which could rotate to
any day, providing opportunities for enrichment, remediation, music,
assemblies, GT, etc. School would start at 8:20 and go until 3:10.

2.  This schedule would have all classes meeting Monday and Friday with
50-minute periods, and then Tuesday-Thursday, each class would have 72
minutes per period with 5 periods per day.  Each class would meet 2 out of
the 3 days.  There would be an "access" period once a week with the purpose
similar to the "intervention" period in the first option.   There would be
the same amount of instructional time per class, but students would have
fewer classes per week to manage (currently 35, but would drop to 28).  This
would also allow flexibility during shorter weeks.  

                

Final decision about the schedule will happen at the December 16 Board
Meeting.  

 

T-Shirt Sales- 144 T-Shirts and Hoodies have been ordered with a profit of
$1200. On Wednesday, December 17 there will b e a sorting party after
school.  

 

Teacher Appreciation Event - Aleisha Barber - Will probably happen on
December 17.  More details to come.

 

Financial Report:  Peggy Jenkins - There is currently a balance of $900.
There was a $300 deficit, but with the profits from the  t-shirt sales,  the
account is now in the black.

 

Boxtops-  Faye Nagler- Can be submitted every month.  

 

Parent Night:  - Charlie Gerke - Will take place January 29 as a follow-up
to the all day activity with the 9th graders in October.  Need assistance
with putting on the dinner, ads, and some structure of the evening, although
a lot of the structure has already been planned.  Charlie will take care of
the panel and presentation pieces.  Peggy will help with the promotion,
along with Dale and Charlie, and Sandara Cooke and Faye Nagler will help
with the dinner.  Advertising will be targeted to 6-9th graders and their
parents.  Students will be encouraged to attend.  

2nd Step Program: - Charlie Gerke- violence prevention based curriculum
(anti-bullying) and drug/alcohol prevention.  14 K-8 teachers will trained
in November, and more will be trained this month.  The next training will
take place at the University Inn on December 10.  Parents are welcome.  

 

The next meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 6 at 7:15 a.m.

 

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