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Ways to Support AAPS
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ACTION ITEMS
• For your newsletter - HS2000 reports are now available (make certain your library has a copy!). Please give the committee your opinion! • Next meeting, Thursday, November 18, 7:00 PM - High School Futures Forum. Please explicitly urge your PTO officers and parent SIT team members to attend. Agenda forthcoming. • Norma McCuiston would like Parent University feedback (see below for details). Contact her at mccuisto@aaps.k12.mi.us, 994-8139, fax to 994-8180 or school mail to Balas III. • We NEED either email or school-mail addresses for ALL newsletter editors, so that this can be a reliable way to distribute information. Thanks. • Curriculum Council still needs parent members. Contact Valerie Mills.
ATTENDING: SCHOOLS: Allen - Pam Petropoulos; Angell - Paul McCoy; Bach - Steve Rosoff; Bryant - Floyd Robinson; Burns Park - Niki Wardner; Clague - Lisa Hodson; Eberwhite - Thom Byrd; Forsythe - Mary Burney; Haisley - Kristi Sawers; King - Katherine Griswold, Tammy Ghormley; Lawton - Jeff & Karen Finch, Amy Bedore; New School - Karen Connor; Northside - Ken Boyer, Barb Mattimiro Kraft; Pattengill - Darlene Wahlberg; Slauson - Elena Wakeman; Tappan - Carol Shulman; Thurston - Louise Barlet, Linda Hibbs; Wines - Julie Washington, Laurie Smith. AAPS: Deb Small, Norma McCuiston, Nancy Boykin, Oliver Harmon, Tina Kokoris BOARD OF EDUCATION - Sari Shifrin. COMMUNITY: Vicky Rigney, Heidi McLemore, Candy Hillen. *Committees: High School Futures - Elena: presentation to Board Wednesday, 10/27/99. Copies will go to PTOC Reps and Presidents. Requesting that schools make copies for the school library. The administrative response will be December 15. Forums will be held. Please provide input and encourage others to do so. *Executive Board meeting with Dr. Ray-Taylor: the idea of teaching foreign languages in elementary schools was raised. She supports the idea and it will be included in the strategic planning process. *Parent Helpline - Vicky Rigney: low usage to date but calls are about a range of concerns. *Deb Small: Looking for Only In Ann Arbor reporters. Only In Ann Arbor is no longer being printed for the high schools, as the principals don't feel it's feasible. Deb is looking for ideas about how to reach high school parents. The PTO Council mailing list will be used within the school system, but not distributed outside of that. *Norma McCuiston - Partners in Excellence: The Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce is the newest partner with the district. They will be sponsoring a "Parent University". It will be a parent information program, offering a variety of class/workshop offerings designed to inform, encourage and support parents so they can take a more active role in their children's learning. Let her know of topics you would found useful as a parent
What are the best times to hold programs? *Lunch Supervision and Noon Hour Programs Discussion - Guests -Nancy Boykin, Supervisor of Food Services from Mariott; Oliver Harmon, Community Services Coordinator; Tina Kokoris, Community Services Supervisor, Noon Hour Program Specialist. Lack of lunchtime supervision has been a problem since Rec and Ed took over the program 10 years ago. The greatest pool of employees is parents, whether paid or volunteer. They are actively recruiting. The program's #1 concern is always safety. Tina suggested that you give your kids the information that they should talk to the supervisors if they need help. If the lack of supervisors is critical, it is reported to Tina and extra staff is dispatched. In the case of a serious injury, the supervisor is required to report it that day. There were questions as to whether there is a clear line of responsibility - who reports to the parent if there is an injury? Is it the supervisor or secretary or teacher or principal? When is 911 called? Before or after parents? Who makes that decision? A policy is needed in the district so that all school personnel - principals, secretaries, lunch supervisors, staff and parents know what procedures are followed. First Aid training is not required of supervisors, although it is encouraged. Due to budget constraints, Rec & Ed does not pay for the employees' time to go through the training. There was a lot of concern from PTOC members that there do not appear to be written policies, especially regarding injuries. Thurston parents are working to write their own handbook of noon hour policies, as they were unable to find any already being used. There was a question regarding the level of responsibility the building principal has over lunch supervisors. Tina said it varies from building to building and it is the Principal's job to review with his/her office staff their responsibilities during lunch. Several representatives said that their principals did not feel that they had been given the authority to supervise lunch supervisors. Where do we go from here to help solve these issues? Specific concerns to follow up on were: the lack of written policies; lines of responsibility; the need to clarify who makes decisions, especially in emergencies; staffing levels; and First Aid requirements and procedures. Tonight's discussion will be followed up by PTOC comments from Carol Shulman at the Board of Education meeting and the Executive Board's meeting with Dr. Ray-Taylor. Sari Shifrin will also bring these issues to the Board's attention. There are probably issues for the Board as well as SITs and Instructional Council. Volunteers were taken to work on lunch issues. Oliver Harmon said he was going to revive an Advisory Committee of Board members, principals, coordinators and parents. PTOC volunteers were: Floyd Robinson (Bryant), Tammy Ghormley (King), Niki Wardner (Burns Park), Amy Bedore (Lawton), Linda Hibbs and Louise Bartlet (Thurston). *Betsy Petoskey forwarded this information : Learning Disabilities Conference -- Scholarships for attendance I just received a telephone call from an LDA of Michigan Board Member. She tells me that the parent coalition has set aside a considerable amount of money for parent and teacher scholarships to defray the cost of conference registration for the LDA of Michigan Conference on Nov. 15-16 at Kellogg Center, MSU, East Lansing. People can apply for $100 (the 2-day fee is $175) by writing a letter indicating desire, financial need, and involvement with a child, or children with learning disabilities (e.g. "I am the mother of a 10 year old ADD/LD child"). Caryn Edwards I would encourage you to reach out to parents who may be willing to go to the conference, and who have indicated an interest in learning more about how to support their children's learning differences.
Next PTOC meeting: Thursday, November 18 High School Futures Forum |
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