Nhsccp Meeting Minutes April 30th

NHCCP Meeting Minutes – April 30, 2009 @7:30pm Kingsview Community Center Welcome by facilitator and overview of Meeting Norms and Meeting Agenda. Facilitator reviewed confidentiality statement at bottom of Agenda and offered those who did not want to comply to please feel free to leave the room…everyone accepted the confidentiality statement. The goal of the NHCCP is to be as transparent as possible. The facilitator also announced that e-mails were sent out to several people in the community, county and state with deadline expectations of follow up responses or information will go public. Tom Brennan’s e-mail address was provided to teachers and those present during the meeting. (If any other community members would like to send a comment to Tom or the NHSCCP please email [email protected]) Key contact people were disclosed for parents to utilize should they need to address a matter and don’t feel as if the chain of communication has worked/works: Stephen Bedford: Chief School Performance Officer 301-517-8258 [email protected] Kate Harrison: Public Information Assistant Director 301-279-3853 [email protected] Montgomery County Board of Education Ombudsman: 301-279-3301 [email protected] Kay Romero: Montgomery County PTA: 301-946-2190 [email protected] In sticking to the Agenda and addressing the school issues that impacted the group, the following are areas of great concern for all and solutions were suggested: 1) Lack of ALL rules being followed 100% of the time. Suggestions: a) When a school rule or policy is broken, punishment should result; possibly consider different levels of punishment for different levels of crimes to keep suspension numbers in checks and balance but to also have consequences for wrong doing. b) During the first day of school, have each teacher for each class review the NWHS code of conduct. During the first week of school have each teacher test each class on the code of conduct. At the beginning of each new quarter /

semester the teachers would again review the code of conduct and test the students. Testing students throughout the year on the rules will continually drill the rules, enforce the seriousness in which the administration takes the rules and ensures that all teachers are on the same page, reinforcing the same message. A parent group would be happy to create a series of tests that can be given and would also be willing to help in the grading of these tests. c) Utilize detention/ISS and consider after school detention. Students given after school detention would be able to take the activities bus home.

2) How to get the incidents reported properly? Suggestions: a) Ask Sylvia or the PTSA how to get this done. 3) How to reduce/eliminate the snitch mentality/conception? Suggestions: a) Communication list to parent, teachers and students of who to contact under certain circumstances/incidents due to the MOU. Use al available information channels; include email lists held by the NHSCCP, PTSA and MCPS. Also have the information provided on the NHWS web site. b) Parents also need to take action on their students behalf; if / when a student hares an incident with their parent or other adult that adult needs to call the school and report the incident 4) Kids being sent back to class after being sent to the office due to classroom disruption/disrespect of teacher or violation of student code of conduct. Suggestions: a) If student is sent to the office by the teacher then the student should remain in the office the remainder of the class period; The administration would follow up with the teacher to ensure understanding of the consequences and next steps. b) Increase security/staffing so that the ISS (In School Suspension) program can be utilized and work properly. The disrespect of teachers and administration was mentioned, but this is an issue that needed addressed under this area. The perceived lack of administration support was also surfaced by the parents. Due to its scope and impact, this topic needs to be addressed in an additional forum with parent, teacher and union involvement, as needed or requested. It was stated by the parents that we fully support the teachers and encourage full administrative support for the NWHS teachers and staff. It was also mentioned that additional steps may need to be taken to engage the entire NWHS parent and teacher communities in the support of making NWHS a safer place for

learning. Suggestions included the circulation of a petition, using school directories to do aide in this communication effort). Meeting was adjourned due to lack of time and the Community Center needing to close doors at 9:30pm.

Respectfully Yours, NHSCCP