CSDB Accountability Meeting

CSDB Accountability Meeting Minutes

Meeting information:

December 6, 2017, 5:00p.m. – 6:30p.m., Argo Conference Room

Facilitators:

Jon Vigne, Barb Lambert

Minutes:

Julie Cuccaro

ASL Interpreter:

Hillary Spahnle and Naomi McCown

Attendees:

Cathy Bennett, Kyle Berns, Kathy Emter, Sandy Fuentes, Tera Lynn Gray, Carol Hilty, Cynthia Hirst, Kristen Huddleston, Cara Johnson, Toni Libby-Clare, Jamie Lugo, Lori Mattick, Tera Wilkins

Introduction and Review of Minutes – Barb Lambert

  • Barb led welcome and introductions.
  • Reviewed Accountability minutes from November 1, 2017. No changes were indicated.

Program Highlights –

Employability Center Program Highlights:

  • Lori Mattick reported the Bridges to Life theme, for November, was Finances. Students participated in financial and budgeting workshops. Students practiced by determining a budget, then purchased personal necessities based upon that budget. Students also participated in financial safety and fraud prevention workshops. Students visited CarMax and learned about the details of buying a car, including learning about programs available to first time buyers.
  • Each Friday, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation counselors are on campus. The counselors give presentations and speak with students about future work possibilities and postsecondary educationoptions.
  • One student has recently completed training and passed assessments required to work in an electronics testing lab. Another student has a job interview, for a work study position, at an automotive shop.
  • Students have been learning about safety signs and locating businesses and addresses, using mobile phone GPS technology.
  • The Bridges to Life theme, for December, is Community Service. Students are learning about volunteering at community agencies such as the Care and Share food bank. Students completed a morning of community service, at Care and Share, where they assembled boxes of food to donate.
  • The Recreation and Leisure class has hikedin several local parks and visited nature centers.

Student LifeProgram Highlights:

  • Sandy Fuentes reported PeeWee Boys Basketball finished and co-ed basketball will begin soon. Special Olympics basketball practice starts tonight. The high school wrestling program had to be cancelled, this year. Hopefully, we will be able to resume the program next year.
  • Next Friday, the high school boys’ basketball team and the Deaf Academic Bowl team will travel to New Mexico School for the Deaf to participate in the basketball and academic bowl tournaments.
  • Many families participated in the Student Life holiday dinners, and it was a great success. A Native American visitor, who is deaf, came to speak with students about Thanksgiving and what it means to Native Americans.
  • In cooperation with the Youth Activation Committee, a leadership branch of Special Olympics, some students participated in the annual Parade of Lights, in which they had a float decorated in the theme of The Polar Express.
  • A massage therapist, who is blind, came to talk with students about a career in the massage therapy field.
  • Students visited the downtown Colorado Springs Police station, on Nevada Avenue. They talked with police officers about their jobs, toured the facility, and were able to examine a police vehicle.
  • Some of the older students took self-defense classes.

Review of 2017 – 2018 Schoolwide Plan

School Wide Climate and Culture:

Strategy #1, Increase anti-bullying awareness and intervention strategies –

  • Kathy Emter reported many bullying prevention and awareness activities, including poster contests and social skills classes,have been taking place on campus.
  • October was the kick-off for Bully Prevention month. Students,in the Kindness Club,posted “free compliments”, throughout campus.Staff and students were encouraged to pass along free compliments to each other. Also, students acted as secret agents, in the cafeteria, to befriend other students who may tend to eat alone.
  • Safe2Tell presentations were provided to staff and students and were very popular.
  • Staff development activities were targeted at anti-bullying awareness and intervention. Classrooms participated in anti-bullying presentations.

Strategy #2, Reinforce PBIS strategies –

  • On-going programs include staff and student PRIDE tickets and the Principals 200 Club.
  • Teacher walk-through observation forms were revised to include PBIS elements present within theclassroom.
  • Staff are traveling, periodically, to CDE, for additional PBIS training.

Upcoming School Events and Announcements

Many December events will be happening. Four high school students attended the Colorado Association of School Boards (CASB) Convention. Students volunteered at Care and Share and a local nursing home.

  • December 1– FCEE Winter Performance and Lunch in the Dark
  • December 4 – Emergency Preparation Training for some transition-age students
  • December 8 –On-line safety presentation with former Detective Mark Pfoff
  • December 11 – Clerc Day celebration
  • December 14 – School for the Blind Winter Program, “A Day of Music”
  • December 14 – School for the Deaf, student ski trip
  • December 18 – Holiday Tea in the Administration Building
  • December 19 – JBC Hearing, Denver
  • December 20– School for the Deaf, grades 3-8, Parent Make-n-Take activity
  • December 20 –Residential Program Winter Festival andBingo night
  • December 22– Winter Break
  • January – Braille classes for parents
  • January 11 –Board of Trustees meeting
  • January 17 – School for the Blind, studentski trip
  • January 18 – Braille Challenge
  • January 24 – FCEE Family ASL
  • January 26 – Career Start high school student visitation day (formerly AVP program)

Next Accountability Team Meeting will be February 7, 2018, 5:00-6:30pm, in the Argo Conference Room. Meeting adjourned at 5:30 p.m.