Forest Glen Middle School

School Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting Minutes

October 24th, 2017

8:15 AM

  1. Sign In – members signed in and the meeting was called to order at 8:15 AM
  1. September Minutes – Members reviewed the September minutes, Mr. Keyvanmotioned to approve the minutes, Mr. Skolnickseconded.
  1. Meeting Dates – Third Tuesday of Every Month – 8:15 am – Forest Glen Media Center
  1. School Improvement Plan –Ms. Weller reviewed Response to Intervention – RTI which meets weekly to help students who are struggling academically or with behavior, Professional Learning Communities -PLC meet twice a week to discuss curriculum and data in each department. Goals for 2017-2018 each department discussing and sharing their goals as well as strategies. Iready is being used cross curriculum for Reading and Math to focus on bottom quartile and increase student achievement.
  1. Principal’s Message – FGMS is one of 10 middle school offered PSAT to 8th graders on 12/5, advantage is the students can go on to Khan Academy which will give them a learning path to strengthen skills. Roof repair and AC repair has begun. Final approving on Option 1 on the ballot, media work – computerized tables, LEEO, Coding classes, Entrepreneurship. GYM, bleachers, score board will be donated by the City of coral springs, small tv show for morning announcements. FGMS awarded five-star award for service.
  1. Title I -

-Parent Training 10/26 – Enrich your reading with an array of words

-Parent Community task force – Mrs. Provost and Mr. Skolnick attending

-Title I Addendum – review and approve

  1. Re-imaging Middle Schools – The focus in the middle school years is the application of learning and skills with projects and problems that integrate prior knowledge and extend the learning through new experiences. By engaging students with developmentally appropriate pedagogy, an interdisciplinary curriculum, individual challenges, and global perspectives, we will build a solid foundation for college and career success.

There will be a need for intensive training for educators and parents in four key areas:

  1. Understand adolescent development and its implications for instruction, discipline and the organization of middle grade schools
  2. Use data to design and implement rigorous and customized instruction
  3. Help teachers collaborate acroos grade levels and subjects to create thematic curriculum units that make learning engaging and challenging
  4. Establish college and career awareness and readiness programs to expose students earlier to opportunities available after high school

The tactics are:

  1. Redesign middle grades experiences to be organized around project-and problem-based interdisciplinary learning
  2. Embed Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) standards in core academic classes
  3. Connect MTSS/RtI with graduation ready metrics
  4. Improve academic and social transition between 8th and 9th grades
  5. Extend literacy support to include applied learning as a form of expression in all content areas
  1. Meeting was motioned to beadjourned by Mrs.Torres and Ms. Rosarioseconded at 8:50 am.

School Advisory Forum -SAF

Meeting called to order at 8:51 am. Mrs. Provost stated minutes need to be documented for SAF and she requested a copy for her records. Need to ensure minutes are included and approved positions, members voted for Mrs. Provost as chairman and Ms. M. Johnson for secretary as well as approve the by-laws which were given out at the meeting. Next year school calendar proposals for a start date – 4 options – 8/13, 8/15 ,8/16, 8/20 – should quarter end before or after the winter break. School district is prepared for the influx of families displaced from Puerto Rico. The District has applied for federal grants to assist the transition of displaced families into BCPS. Mrs. Torres moved to adjourn the meeting and Ms. Rosario seconded at 9:05 am.