CHPSPO Meeting Notes – November 15 2016

Capitol Hill Montessori@Logan, 215 G Street, NE

November 15, 2016, 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

1 . Film Screening – Most Likely to Succeed – Julie Scofield

• Looks at alternative schools; focus on critical thinking, how to deal w/ failure, problem-solving
• Films can only be accessed via screenings
• $350 to host one screening  http://www.mltsfilm.org/
• Upcoming Nov 16, 6PM- HU Architecture Bldg, Nov 19 @ Berry Montessori @ Silver Spring
• Julie is attending the November 16 screening.  General agreement that CHPSPO would be interested in sponsoring a screening.

2. December 9 Wilson Building Visits – Ivan Frishberg

• Periodic, but regular visits w/ delegation
• Focus on priority issues; consistency among issues across visits
• Requests out to: Mendelson, Grosso, Bonds, White, Silverman, Allen, Cheh
• Issues:
  • Selection of Chancellor; think of Qs council should raise in confirmation process
  • Modernization
  • Cross-sector collaboration task force

3. Discussion with Liz Davis, President of the Washington Teachers’ Union

• ESSA (WTU member feedback):
  • testing window expanded
  • amount of time devoted to testing vs teaching
  • school climate, teacher morale impacted, which impact teaching and learning

Discussion:

• Q: WTU Contract – will there be requirements on class size in future contract? A: already have class size requirements, but it has been difficult to enforce it. Cap (maximum) for any class is 24 (varies depending on type of class). To address this with school (sometimes principals aren’t clear on caps), start by requesting meeting w/ principal, entire advisory team. Parents are the most effective advocates.
• General Info on new contract:

• Teacher eval – teachers unable to challenge ratings; cultivates climate of fear; teachers afraid to speak out about gaps in needs/resources like ELL, SpEd, nurse
• John Davis will complete the process; hoping to be able to finish in 8 sessions

• Q: Are grievances filed? A: Yes, they are filed and frequently won by WTU, but DCPS frequently appeals. Enforcement is difficult. (WTU follows National Labor Relations Board (NLRB))
• Q: How to change the ‘adversarial culture’ between DCPS and WTU/Parents. How do we get to a different type of relationship? A: Focus on Mayor and Council and determine endorsements based on issues. Need to increase organizing. Helpful when advocates/parents/constituents/allies craft messages and rely on WTU to lead on engagement.
• Q: What is the make up to the WTU staff? A: 9 staff members + attorney on retainer. Looking to hire an attorney. Capacity: organizers; partnerships w/ orgs like DC Fiscal Policy Institute

4. Use of Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products – Peabody, SWS&Goding, Payne and Capitol Hill Montessori@Logan representatives

• Healthy Schools Act requires schools to report whether they use environmentally friendly cleaning products. Three schools self-reported (Peabody, SWS@Goding, Payne and CHM@L)
• CHM@L has done thinking on environmental issues in and around the building. Cleaning products are low-hanging fruit.

Discussion:

DCPS Energy and Sustainability Liaison, Sally Parker discovered the following:

• 14 vendors in DCPS list which provide cleaning supplies. Out of 94 pages of products listed, only 14 products met Office of Contracting and Procurement guidelines.
• How purchased: business manager and custodial foreman should coordinate. Suggest DCPS work with vendors to restrict list to green cleaning supplies
• Need to retrain custodians to trust that products being used actually do the job
• Sustainable Purchasing Guidelines: http://ocp.dc.gov/page/sustainable-purchasing
• Custodians have PD; next session in February
• ACTION: Try to add to PD agenda, Roosevelt custodian to talk about sustainable cleaning products.
• ACTION: CHM@L to work w/ foreman and purchasing manager to introduce products from the sustainable list and report back to CHPSPO.  Schools that self-reported they use environmentally-friendly cleaning products will also report back on their experiences at a future meeting.

Recycling/Composting

• movement towards dispensers that don’t require dilution

• ACTION: Please review CHM@L’s Environmental Policy and reach out to Robert Cyr with input.

5. Remarks by Principal Brown  (Eastern HS) –

• Jefferson, SH, CHM@L, EH. DCPS will have a vertical articulation day where staff will be invited to Eastern to learn about Eastern’s programs (Nov 30)
• 825 students enrolled. 9th graders on 4th floor in ‘bubble’. Enter/exit through separate door.
• Open Houses @ EHS are all 6-7PM: December 15, 2016 and January 12, February 16, 2017

6. Remarks/Update by Joe Weedon, Ward 6 member, State Board of Education

• EH looking for reps from its feeder schools for the SIT. Meetings will kick off in 2 months. will meet every 2 months once project comes online

• Residency requirements to address variances in student addresses, legal guardians, joint custody arrangements, etc. After year 1, can opt to use tax records to prove residency.

• SBOE Hearing – Evaluating School Quality Under Every Student Succeeds Act

• Currently, min 50% of school eval/ranking needs to be on testing
• Currently, focus is on proficiency. Board has been pushing hard to look at growth:
  • ELL SpEd
• Submit comments in writing or attend Board meeting. Deadline for written is Nov 25. Send to input to joe@joeweedonstateboardofed.com.
• More details here: https://chpspo.org/2016/11/13/sboe-hearing-on-rating-schools/

Next CHPSPO Meeting: December 15, 2016

Upcoming Events

State Board of Education Hearing on Evaluating School Quality

November 16, 5:30 PM, 441 4th St NW (at Judiciary Square)

Film Screening: Most Likely to Succeed

November 16, 5:30 pm, Howard University, Mackey Building, 2366 6th St., NW

Cross Sector Collaboration Task Force

November 22, 6 pm, EducationCounsel, 101Constitution Ave, NW Suite 900

Open Houses  (See additional open houses here: http://dcps.dc.gov/openhouse )

November 2, 9:30 am and 6 pm, Eliot-Hine Middle School

November 3, 9:30 am and 6 pm, Stuart Hobson Middle School

November 16, 6 pm, Jefferson Academy

December 1, 9 am, Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan

December 15, 6 pm, Eastern HS

December 13, 9 am, Eliot-Hine Middle School

December 13, 9 am, Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan

January 12, 9 am, Capitol Hill Montessori at Logan

January 12, 6 pm, Eastern HS

February 9, 6 pm, Stuart Hobson MS

February 16, 6 pm, Eastern HS

Wilson Building Visits

December 9