SLT COMMITTEE MINUTES

SLT Meeting Minutes
May 10, 2021 / 3:00 PM - 6:00pm /
ATTENDEES
Lynn Botfeld, Lorraine Cruz, Kristen Czyzak, Francisca Garcia Ruiz, Elsa Nacipucha, Nancy Andrade, Deborah Villanueva, Ashlee Soto, Christina Dhanpaul.
AGENDA

• ●  5 days a week instruction

• ●  End of Year Assessments

• ●  Summer Program

• ●  CEP/Next Steps

• ●  Title I Funding

• ●  Grants

• ●  Budget

• ●  End of the Year Celebrations

NOTES

• ●  Title I: Government funded money given to schools to use with parents to better help the children. Lynn will be emailing our budget advisor to receive deadline information.

○ We have 2 years of funding available. If we do not use this money we may not be able to receive funding next year.
■ Funding must be aligned with our CEP goals. For example: buying items for parents that can better help our children.

• ●  Attendance: Alarm Clocks, students can also use their iPads as an alarm and the school can set it up for them.

• ●  Math: Cubes

• ●  Interpretation System if and when we go back to school for

  multiple translations during meetings.

• ●  Literacy Games: Professional Development for parents on literacy

  games they can use at home.

• ○  Our parent coordinator will be helping the Chairperson to share ideas and answer parents' questions. We will survey our parents to see if they have any ideas.

• ○  Ask teachers what manipulatives they think would be helpful for students to have at home.

5 Days a Week Instruction: the city has changed the social distancing space in the classroom from 6ft to 3ft, when the students are not eating. As a school we have been operating at 6ft apart. We will be following the same procedures that other schools in the district are following.
○ Blended students will be asked if they want to come back to school 5 days a week and we will follow the 3ft rule. Surveys will only be sent to classrooms where the total number of students in the class is larger than the number of students the room can accommodate.

• ○  Breakfast and lunch will be changed.

  • Breakfast: half the students will be in one classroom with their teacher and the other half will be in a nearby classroom with a school aide.

  • Lunch: Half the students in the grade will be eating in the lunchroom and the other half will be in the gym or school yard and they will switch halfway through the period.

• ○  Teachers: Blended teachers will be asked to come into the classroom unless they have medical accommodations. If a teacher has medical accommodations they will be asked to stream into the classroom.

■ If classes do not require two teachers, the blended teacher will receive a new assignment or they will join the classes in the school.
● End of Year Assessments:
○ MAP tests will be given starting Tuesday 6/1. Students will be tested in ELA  and Math. We will be able to see evidence of growth because the maps tests were previously administered in the middle (February) of this school year.
 ○ All MAPS tests will be administered in school with the exception of remote students. 
 ○ Running records will be administered starting Monday 5/17
Summer Rising: 
 ○ If you are part of Summer Rising, you will be invited to participate in a summer camp until 4:00pm or 6:00pm. Our school will be paired with P.S. 81 and P.S. 71 and the summer program will take place at P.S. 81.
○ The application is available on PS305.com.
○ We are still receiving more information about selecting students. Every child is
likely to get a seat in the program but we are not positive they will get their first
choice.
○ Teachers who want to work at the Summer Rising program will be able to apply
but the posting is not available as of today. Teachers will be working
Monday-Thursday (8:00am - 12:00pm).
○ PTA/School Volunteers: Schedule a meeting and can help families apply for the
program. Table set up in the yard where parents can come and receive guidance
and help to apply for this program.
● Grants:
○ We have received a technology grant for $225,000.

• We will use this money for new smartboards.

• We will be able to provide our students with an iPad.

● End of the Year Celebrations:

• ○  5th Grade: Will graduate as a grade remotely so that all students can take part in the ceremony together and a larger number of family members can attend. We will also have a get together in the school yard for each class separately, where diplomas will be given out. Masks and social distancing guidelines will be followed.

• ○  Pre-K/Kindergarten: The graduation ceremony will be remote by class. We will also have a get together in the school yard for each class separately, where diplomas will be given out. Masks and social distancing guidelines will be followed.

• ○  We will have a scheduled date and a rain date for all end of the year gatherings that will take place in the school yard.

• ○  Lynn will send an email/notice to families about the guidelines to follow while participating in the End of the Year celebrations.

● Finish the Video and meet with grade liaisons. NEXT MEETING AGENDA: Monday, 6/14/21
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SLT Meeting Minutes
March 8, 2021 / 3:00 PM - 5:00pm /
ATTENDEES
Lynn Botfeld, Lorraine Cruz, Kristen Czyzak, Daniela Scuderi, Francisca Garcia Ruiz, Elsa Nacipucha, Nancy Andrade, Deborah Villanueva, Christina De.
 
AGENDA

• Finalize By-Laws: Article 4, Section 1

• MAP Assessments/Analyzing 2019 Data - Align with CEP Goals

• Update:

• Supporting teachers and parents on remote learning.

• PTA funded Science/Social Studies Programs

• iPlan Access

• Added on 3/8/2020:

• PTA funded Social Studies/Science password for teachers.

• SLT Mandatory Training

NOTES

• The previous months' minutes were discussed, amended and approved by SLT members.

• SLT Members watched a mandatory training video.

• SLT members discussed guiding questions and made comments related to the webinar:

• How have (or should) our SLT priorities shifted due to COVID-19?

• Priorities have not changed because we are still looking at data and looking for ways to improve.

• Attendance and Student Participation should perhaps be focused on.

• Supporting teachers during the pandemic.

• Due to COVID students have regressed and they need more support in order to move on.

• Social Emotional Wellbeing

• Put a priority in students who are learning at home. EPIC app shuts down at 4pm and remote students should get more time to access this.

• EPIC free account has limitations. Perhaps we can use our Title I money towards a paid account. If she signs up for a parent account, EPIC stays open a few more hours.

• RAZ kids can be used 24/7.

• PTA or Title I can do a workshop on how to set up the different accounts.

• Questions/Concerns from SLT Members regarding the webinar:

• Title I: SPC? What is it? Are we using it?

• How many activities have we done related to Title I? Lorraine can report the progress.

• How do we manage our time effectively so that we can do all of the things we want to do? And have opportunities for learning?

• Paid Training on Budget would be beneficial.

• ACTION ITEMS: to be done before the next meeting.

• Next steps for Lightbox: How can it be shared with the staff?

 
NEXT MEETING AGENDA: Monday, 4/12/21

• Finalize By-Laws: Article 4, Section 1

• MAP Assessments/Analyzing 2019 Data - Align with CEP Goals

• Update:

• Supporting teachers and parents on remote learning.

• PTA funded Science/Social Studies Programs

• iPlan Access

• PTA funded Social Studies/Science password for teachers.

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SLT Meeting Minutes
February 8, 2021 / 3:00 PM - 5:00pm /
ATTENDEES
Lynn Botfeld, Lorraine Cruz, Kristen Czyzak, Daniela Scuderi, Francisca Garcia Ruiz, Elsa Nacipucha, Translator.

AGENDA

•   Finalize By-Laws

•   Analyzing 2019 Data (2019 3rd grade ELA and Math test scores)

•  Update: Supporting teachers and parents on remote learning.

•  iPlan Access

•  Introduce PTA funded Science/Social Studies Programs

   Added on 2/8/2020:

•  PTA Movie/Gift Bags

•  MAP Assessments (Measures of Achievement and Progress)

• ICT Classes: 2 Teachers/Streaming

• Moving to A/B Groups

• Tech Support Update

• Updates:

  •   Classes 5 days a week

  •   Kindergarten Open House

• Notes:  

• The previous months' minutes were discussed, amended and approved by SLT members.

• PTA funded Science/Social Studies Programs: Lightbox Subscription with Scholastic

  • The PTA funded this program through points that were earned and redeemed for money through a scholastic book fair.

  • Program cost: $1,300

  • Grades K-5: All children will have access to this program through a direct link.

  • Program includes: Science, Social Studies, Language Arts and Spanish.

    Curriculum, lessons, videos and activities are provided through this program.

  • Provided in both English and Spanish.

• News:

• PTA Movie/Gift Bags: On 2/12 @ 7:00pm the PTA is hosting a virtual movie night. The PTA has gifted all children of our school a gift bag with chips, juice and ear muffs. This was funded through money that was made through fundraising last year. Gift Bags will be distributed by the school staff. Remote Only children will get a gift bag but will need to pick up their bag outside of school.

• 5th Grade Graduation: PTA is planning to continue to provide fundraising for the 5th grade graduation.

• Updates:

  • Kindergarten Registration: is open. A video was produced by staff members to be shared with the community.

  • Self-Contained: classes have been coming to school 5 days a week. These classes

    are mostly bridge classes because they include two grades (K-1, 2-3, 4-5).

  • Streaming: Classes are being taught by the in person and remote teacher so all students are learning the same information in school and at home together.

  • ICT Classes: Should have two teachers working together. Until February this has not been happening. ICT classes are now streaming. The entire class is working

    together and functioning like an ICT class would in school.

  • ○  A/B Groups: The next big thing we are working on is changing from 3 blended groups (A/B/C) to 2 blended groups (A/B). This will allow students to attend in person school more often.

  • Pre-K Open House: planning to have a Pre-K open house but it has not been scheduled yet.

• By-Laws: were discussed and amended up to and including Section 5.

• MAP Assessments: this year the DOE has required a Universal Screener. This type of assessment has never been used before by PS305. We need to assess students in reading, writing and math in every grade.

  • Provides an overall snapshot and in detail where students are strong and where they need support. The function is not to tell us if students are failing or passing. It provides us information to group students and to design lessons that promote their academic progress. It is called a universal screener because we can assess large groups of students in a relatively short amount of time.

  • Assessments are being administered in Grades K-5, beginning the week of 2/8 and during the week of 2/22. They are given 100% online.

  • Each assessment is individualized based on the response students provide. For example, if a student gets a question wrong, the assessment will follow up with an easier question next. If a student gets a question right, the assessment will follow up with a more challenging question next.

  • Evaluation Results are supposed to be very closely related to state test results. ACTION ITEMS: to be done before the next meeting.

● Next steps for Lightbox: How can it be shared with the staff?
NEXT MEETING AGENDA: Monday, 3/8/21

• Finalize By-Laws: Article 4, Section 1

• MAP Assessments/Analyzing 2019 Data - Align with CEP Goals

• Update:

  • Supporting teachers and parents on remote learning.

  • PTA funded Science/Social Studies Programs

• iPlan Access

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SLT Meeting Minutes
January 11, 2021 / 3:00 PM - 5:00pm /
ATTENDEES
Lynn Botfeld, Lorraine Cruz, Kristen Czyzak, Daniela Scuderi, Francisca Garcia Ruiz, Elsa Nacipucha, Michelle Bordoy-Soto.
AGENDA

• ●  Finalize by-laws

• ●  Update: attendance data

• ●  CEP Goals

• ●  Update on Covid Testing

• ●  Update: Challenges both teachers and parents are having in the remote learning

  environment. Resources teachers and parents are using in the remote learning

  environment.

• ●  Analyzing 2019 Data (2019 3rd grade ELA and Math test scores)

• ●  Budget

• ●  iPlan access

  Added 1/11/2021:

● More in school days
○ Self-Contained/General Ed Classes

• ●  Kindergarten & Pre-K Open House

  NOTES

• ●  Last week’s minutes were discussed, amended and approved by SLT members.

• ●  Attendance Data: over 170 students are on the chronic absenteeism list because of a

  technical problem. Four school aides are working to correct the data. We expect that once this is done, it will significantly reduce the number of students on the chronic absenteeism list. A meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 1/12/21 to update administrators and to meet with the borough attendance office.

○ Starting with the chronic absenteeism list first so if your child is not on that list, the issue may not have been resolved as of now. If your child has been affected by this issue parents should check back to make sure it has been rectified.
● Covid Testing: We are being tested every week for Covid. Both students and staff are tested. Custodial staff, school safety and permanent subs are not included on the testing list. This has been addressed with the testing vendors but there has not been a change. Administrators are now going to bring it to the District 24 Superintendent, Madeline Chan. They try to vary the days they come but sometimes they end up testing the same group. We have not received a positive test result from the testing done at the school.
○ Question: Why are some staff members being called multiple times to be tested and other staff members have never been called?
● Remote Learning: Lynn is still gathering information on the challenges both teachers
and parents are having in the remote learning environment, as well as the resources teachers and parents are using in the remote learning environment. She will be able to update the SLT during our February meeting.

• ○  We will be providing after school workshops that address the most frequent challenges students are facing.

• ○  We will look into having iPad workshops for parents. In order to have these workshops we first must look at the budget to see if we can provide per session for the staff member(s) creating and presenting the workshops.

• ○  We will be creating a survey for parents to provide feedback to the challenges they are facing. SLT parents shared challenges they are facing:

■ DOE provided devices are having difficulty connecting to all apps. The color wheel spins and it does not connect. Possible Solution: Stop/Cancel all the downloads that are loading but not downloading. Then restart the iPad.

• ●  Kindergarten & Pre-K Open House: Kindergarten Open House for zoned children is taking place on 1/11/2021. PTA members were invited during today’s SLT meeting. A video was created to present during the meeting, it will be available on the website following tonight’s meeting. Prospective families could find the invitation for the open house on social media as well as in Ridgewood community and parents groups.

• ●  In School Days: Self-Contained classes will be attending in person school 5 days a week starting 1/25/21. We will still be providing fully remote classes for families that do not feel comfortable sending their children to school 5 days a week. The blended learning option will no longer be available for self-contained classes. As a result, 2 students will be working with teachers they do not know. Each class will contain two grades:

  • K-1: Ms. Sandra

  • 2-3: Mr. Matt

  • 4-5: Ms. Kristi/Ms.Irene

  • ○  We are trying to combine the other classes to create A & B groups only, which will allow students to attend in person school more.

  • ○  Question: Once these students attend school 5 days a week, will there be an after school program?

■ Response:At this time there will not be. If there is enough parent interest administration can reach out to different programs. More staff will be required in the school buildings which also needs to be taken into consideration.
ACTION ITEMS: to be done before the next meeting.

• ●  Review the By-Laws

• ●  Review the 2019 Data

  NEXT MEETING AGENDA: Monday, 2/8/21

• ●  Finalize By-Laws

• ●  Analyzing 2019 Data (2019 3rd grade ELA and Math test scores)

• ●  Update: Supporting teachers and parents on remote learning.

• ●  iPlan Access

• ●  Introduce PTA funded Science/Social Studies Programs

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Learners and Leaders P.S. 305
SLT Meeting Minutes
December 14th, 2020 / 3:00 PM - 5:30pm 
ATTENDEES
Lynn Botfeld, Lorraine Cruz, Kristen Czyzak, Daniela Scuderi, Francisca Garcia Ruiz, Elsa Nacipucha, Michelle Bordoy-Soto Translator

AGENDA

• ●  Finalize by-laws and SLT roles

• ●  Look at attendance data

• ●  CEP Goals

• ●  Update on Covid Testing

• ​

• NOTES

• ●  Last week’s minutes were discussed, amended and approved by SLT members.

• ●  SLT members chose team roles.

  • ○  Chairperson: Lorraine Cruz

  • ○  Secretary: Kristen Czyzak

  • ○  Facilitator: Rotational

    • Christina will be the Facilitator for January.

    • Kristen will create a spreadsheet keeping track of the Facilitator role.

  • ○  Financial Liaison: Daniela Scuderi

  • ○  Time Keeper: Francisca Garcia Ruiz

Visual
Role/Description
Enter your name if you want to take this role.
Chairperson/Co-Chairpersons - Lorraine: Role - The Chairperson is responsible for scheduling meetings, ensuring that team members have the information necessary to guide their planning and focusing the team on educational issues of importance to the school. The Chairperson ensures that the voices of all team members are heard.

Secretary - Kristen: The secretary will be responsible for sending SLT meeting notices and for keeping the minutes of SLT meetings. Such minutes must be maintained at the school, with a copy provided to the PA/PTA. The school principal may designate an office staff member to assist the SLT secretary.

Facilitator - (January) Christina: The Facilitator shall advise the Chairperson and other team members on matters of Parliamentary Procedure. (Rotational)
Kristen will facilitate the facilitation of our meetings. She will create a spreadsheet for people to sign up to facilitate each meeting every month.

Financial Liaison - Daniela: The Financial Liaison shall assume responsibility for documenting member participation for the purposes determining eligibility for the annual SLT remuneration.

Timekeeper - Francisca: The Timekeeper ensures that all agenda items are discussed by monitoring the allotment of time afforded each item.

• ●  The agenda was introduced to members of the SLT.

• ●  Chronic Absenteeism Goal was changed to all students.

• ●  2020 CEP Goals: Last year’s goals are being reviewed and are in place for this year.

○ Math Goals: based on performance in Math. Grade 5 was chosen because we are hoping to show improvement in math in Grade 5 because scores normally dip in 5th grade. Based on the performance of students in 2019:
■ By June 2021, 8 out of 20 5th grade students who scored Proficiency Rating 2.23-2.85 (Level 2) on the NYS math test in third grade (in 2019) will increase scores by 10 or more points advancing to a higher Level 2 or Level 3, as measured by NYS Math Exam Results.
● SLT members questioned whether this goal is approachable given
the current remote learning environment.
○ Response from Lynn: we need to elevate our approaches to
learning to reach this goal but we must understand the numbers may not be as high as the goal.
■ Lynn and Ken have started to meet with teachers in small groups to talk about the challenges they are facing in the remote learning environment.
● SLT Member Question: Once these problems have been identified will there be professional development that supports teachers to teach in a way to reach the numbers on the math test?
○ Response by Lynn: There is a plan but it is not as concrete as Lynn would like. Lynn would like to collect as much information as possible before the break and bring it to the district with the hopes that the district can support us in an effective way. Parents, teachers and staff members need to use our networks to see what is working in other schools. Lynn will be interviewing admin from other schools to see what is working.
■ Suggestions/Comments from SLT Members:

• ●  How can teachers write on a more engaging

  board that can be seen better?

• ●  Better communication with parents:

  continue the phone blasts and flyers outside

  of the school.

• ●  PTA Challenges: how to be able to schedule

  meetings or events. We are trying to contact other PTA’s from different schools to find out how they are putting together events or activities.

○ Google K-12: has different tutorials on all aspects of teaching.
● SLT members asked how remote only students will be tested. ○ Response: According to Nick during a previous testing
meeting, it was understood by some members of the SLT that all testing will happen in the school building; remote only students will come into the building to test.
● By June 2021, 7 out of 13 5th grade students who scored Proficiency Rating 3.0-3.27 (Level 3) on the NYS math test in third grade (in 2019) will maintain Level 3 mastery or increase scores as measured by NYS Math Exam Results.
● Covid Update: Two members of our staff based in TRS have tested positive for Covid-19. During testing on 12/8 both staff members tested negative but since have tested positive. One positive staff member has come in close contact with staff and students. One positive staff member has come in close contact with some staff members but no students. A close contact is considered indoors, less than 6ft apart for more than 10 minutes. NYC Testing & Tracing has spoken to both positive staff members to discuss
who they have come in contact with in school and in their personal life. Close contacts must wait 10 days to see if they become positive, a 14 day quarantine period follows. Staff members who tested positive and their close contacts can continue to work remotely as long as they feel well enough to. The class that has had exposure following the quarantine period. The adults who have had close contact exposure are following the quarantine period. We also have an additional staff member who tested positive during our remote only time. This staff member did not have close contact exposure to anyone in our school but is still quarantined.
● Common Questions:

• ○  Why was the building closed? - The building was closed to give the NYC testing

  and tracing department the time needed to collect the information needed. The decision to open will come once the NYC testing and tracing department has come to a decision.

• ○  If I am a close contact can I know who the person was who tested positive? - No, HIPAA ( Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) laws prohibit it.

• ○  My child has a sibling who also goes to the school, should they quarantine? - If you were not directly exposed to the person who tested positive you are now a contact of a contact and quarantine is not recommended.

  ACTION ITEMS: to be done before the next meeting.

• ●  Lynn will share the budget with SLT.

• ●  Lynn will share what the greatest challenges that teachers are reporting and what we have

  done to help.

• ●  SLT members to find resources to help remote learning.

  NEXT MEETING AGENDA: Monday, 1/11/20

• ●  Finalize By-Laws

• ●  Update: Challenges both teachers and parents are having in the remote learning

  environment. Resources teachers and parents are using in the remote learning

  environment.

• ●  Analyzing 2019 Data

• ●  Budget

• ●  iPlan access