BAMITAcademy Support Team Minutes
Monday,May 15, 2017
4:15 p.m.
Jefferson High School, room 100
I.Welcome and Call to Order
II.Welcome to new members and/or guests: Welcome, Jacob Roufa, software engineer.
III.Approval of or Adjustments to Agenda: Add IV. D. Capstone Students at AST meetings; approved
IV.Follow-Up on Previous Items / Action Items
A.Updates on spring projects: Thank you to all AST members who attended and assisted
in these projects.
1. Relay for Life: Nicole Frazer reported that the team met its $10,000 goal once
again this year. The change in time to 11 a.m.-11 p.m. brought more people
and more families. Next Relay will be fall of 2018 and will be chaired by
alumnae, Lucas Clevenger and Yasmin Carillo.
2. Capstones: Students this year were able to pick their projects around any issue
about which they were interested. Next year their project needs to be a capstone
of their three years in a pathway. Judy passed around the Alignment Rockford flier
recruiting facilitators and panelists to the Capstone kick off on Aug. 30. This flier
has been sent electronically to all AST members. Jacob Roufa suggested that
perhaps the pathways project can coexist/complement the students’ high-interest,
passion project.
3. Shark Tank: Nicole reported good results on this year’s shark tank and shared that
teacher Alan Church sat in on the final shark tank presentations and is planning on
starting this project with his econ. students next year.
B.Discussion points from the March AST break-out group: No BAMIT-specific topics
were mentioned. A question was asked about the purpose of this kind of AST
meeting. Judy shared that two AST teams requested this format for networking and
awareness of the work of other ASTs. Judy decided it was a great opportunity to
thank and to celebrate all members by having the Culinary Arts Club make
refreshments.
C. Next fall’s meeting (day, time, date): Team voted to have a meeting each month for
the first three months of the year and then reassess to see if every other month is
sufficient. The team also voted to keep the second Monday of the month unless a
conflict exists in which case the meeting would be on the third Monday. The
meetings will remain at 4:15 for one hour in room 100.
D. Capstone students in AST meetings: The team voted to allow BAMIT Capstone
students to get help on their projects during a portion of the meeting time. Tony
Troxell suggested that, as students are out of school at 3:45, perhaps AST members
could come early to the 4:15 meeting and advise Capstone students. Mike Cruezer
cited Ozzie Flores and his chess Capstone as a successful project with potential long-
term application. Nicole Frazer noted that she has suggested to the Capstone teacher
that she host a Capstone night once a month in which AST and other community
members would come at 3:45 to mentor and advise.
V.Teacher Reports & Requests (outcome: requests met or referred to CCRC)
A. Student Success story: Lynn Stockton featured many art success stories from this spring, including Cassie Caldwell whose patriotic work was chosen by Congresswoman Cherie Bustos to hang in a Congressional walkway in D.C, Chamayze Hall whose work will be featured at Carnegie Hall, and Ashley Martinez who will be the BAMIT Academy’s Student of the Year at the Academy Awards Assembly. Lynn also noted that BAMIT students Alexis Cox will receive a special BAMIT Service Award for her work with the School’s Special Olympics Team.
Steve Hoover cited senior Roddie Weddle, who has been interning with the district videographer in filming the School Board meetings.
Yenitze Reyes reported that two BAMIT students earned Rockford Promise scholarships: Vanessa Peoples to Rockford University and Dayana Rosales to Rock Valley College.
B. Question about the purpose of the Academy Showcase on April 27, sponsored by Alignment Rockford. The stated purposes were to bring awareness of the academies to the Rockford community and, secondarily, to recruit community members to ASTs and/or CCRCs. To fulfill these goals, suggestions included AST members sending recruitment emails to those in their personal/professional networks and a “bring a business friend” to an AST meeting.
C. BAMIT’s Pass the Torch Ceremony will be Tuesday., May 16 at 11:15. The event welcomes into the academy the freshmen who chose BAMIT for next school year, introduces the academy faculty and staff who will serve them, and explains some of the events and activities of the academy. All AST members are invited to attend this event.
VI. Academy data:
A. Academy Principal Marcus Lewis reported that 1-2 seniors are still “on
the bubble” for graduation, but that concerted efforts have resulted in more
seniors graduating. Edmentum, an online credit-recovery program, while difficult
and complicated, has helped a number of BAMIT seniors reach the graduation finish line.
B. Judy reported that this school year community members gave 1279 hours to
college and career readiness on campus, for a value of $31,783.15 value. AST members gave an additional 129.25 hours in AST meetings for a $3211.86 value. 1072 students had an off-campus work-based learning experience.
C. Lynn reported that a major initiative for the coming school year will be community
integration.
D. Thank you for all you do for the students and staff at Jefferson High School.
VII. Adjournment: 5 p.m.
BAMIT Academy prepares students to communicate, collaborate, and create successfully within a global society.