Opening Remarks

Public Comment

Review of Proposed Agenda 

1. Review meeting schedule and work plans of SFC and CCA
2. Review vision statements and list of guiding principles
3. Small group discussion of vision statements and guiding principles
4. Group presentations and discussion of each vision statement and guiding principle
5. SFC review of liaison role with Task Groups
6. Review and discussion of SFC charge to Task Groups

1. Work Plan and Meeting Schedule

2. Review Vision Statements & Guiding Principles - SFC Meeting 10/6/99

3. Small group discussion

The groups worked for forty minutes at their tables.  Margot reconvened the meeting of the whole at 8:10 p.m.  Groups were asked to first read the statement they were given, then the revised statement and add any comments.  After each presentation, questions and comments were taken from the whole group. 
 

4. Group presentations of vision statements

• What is a foundation?  Searching for a word that says the student is "ready to go.”
• “Next phase of their lives” not courageous enough statement.
• Statement needs to describe success through all phases of learning - through the grades - not just high school

• Second sentence may be more a strategy.
• The second statement may be more accessible for the public; need word-smithing.
• Does the second sentence apply to vision # 1?
• Too long; need to try for shorter statements.

• Alternative wording: “Students become able and active contributors to the community.”
• Some concern expressed about leaving out ‘willing’; however, active seems to imply ‘willing.’

• The small group raised several questions in their discussion: Who is doing the valuing?  Who is being valued?  What does value look like? 
• Feel that this statement is implicit in all other statements.  Perhaps make it a preamble for the other vision statements. 
• Find another word than ‘segment’; it is divisive; or leave it out. 
• Appropriate to refer to older teens as ‘children?’ 
• How does ‘working together’ add to the statement? When the vision is executed it will be done with others. 
• Use “children experience value.’ 

• ‘Ready to learn’ is intended to cover all aspects of health. 
• If they’re not healthy and ready to learn, are they going to get to be students? 
• Another alternative: "All students are supported to be healthy."

• Alternative: “Inspire a life of learning.”

• Does ‘respect for self and others’ include a lot of the rest of the statement?  Compassion may be a separate thing. 
• Suggests keeping the value of compassion for others in front of us, so it isn’t overlooked in planning for the future. 
• We have taught compassion, empathy in schools and should continue to call for it.
• Suggest using language that communicates, that avoids confusion around schools’ intentions, process and impact.  Simplify if possible. 
• Another alternative: “Students develop emotional health, compassion, empathy and respect for self and others.” 
• Watch for redundancy of language. 

5. Group presentations of guiding principles

GP #1:  “Provide equal access and opportunity.” 
Revised statement:  We believe that education for the future must provide a tolerant and respectful environment in which all students have equal access and opportunity. 
Comments: 

• How do we make sure that even homeless children and the children on welfare are “supported for success”?
• Can we find another word for tolerant?  Need to indicated that we believe in and have the highest expectations for each student.
• Maybe these same concerns are covered under vision about students being supported to be “ready and willing to learn?”
• All parents and community members must be made to feel they have equal access and opportunity.
• Tolerance and respect are important to combat snobbery in some people, that blocks equal opportunity for others.
• Need to indicate that education includes the broader educational environment, not just classes.
• Support parents’ involvement; encourage students to find legitimate means of self-expression.

• How are we going to balance our needs and resources and those of our community, with those required by entities outside the community? 
• The use of the word ‘flexibility’ may lead the community to have unrealistic expectations regarding the speed of change the district can accomplish.
• Could say “responsive to the changing needs.”

• “Whole student’ addressed in some of other principles.
• Comprehensive means more than 3R’s.
• Keep ‘whole student;’ the statement has broader implications and the District is dealing with related issues.
• Keep the word ‘comprehensive.’
• Alternative: “Provide a comprehensive, challenging education for the whole student.”
• Get ‘focused’ education in the statement to indicate that our intention is to teach some things very well. 

• Who is being accountable?
• What is accountability?
• What does it look like? 

• Suggest using ‘develop’ instead of ‘explore.’ 
• Bring schools into the community and the community into the schools.
• Include children pre-kindergarten; all elements of the community, multi-generational.

• Is this statement necessary?  (Is there general agreement that this is needed?) 
• Isn’t ‘embraces’ a positive response? 
• Are there other principles dealing with diversity?
• Use language such as “understanding ourselves as part of the world.” 
• Issue of funding; maybe could include in ‘accountability’ piece.  Insert a statement that says the “community at large is accountable for making sure these principles come into being,” whether that’s through funding schools adequately or other issues. 

Request for Updates on Task Group and SFC meetings.  In order to feel more connected to the process, CCA members would like executive summaries of TG meeting outcomes, and proposed agendas for next meetings.  Margot and a committee will review the statements developed tonight and send out electronically another draft version of both the vision statements and guiding principles for comment. 
 

6. Review of  SFC Liaison to Task Groups 

7. Charge to the Task Groups 

Next Meeting:  November 9, 1999, 7:00 p.m.