PTO Council Meeting Minutes for February 8, 2012

In Attendance:

PTOC BOARD

PresidentMarcia Tabenken

SecretaryAlicia Bowman

Health & SafetySue Flicop

Technology Josh Weiss

PTO Presidents

AngierSally DiLoreto

BurrTracy Carter

CabotHeather Mehra

CountrysideDeb Hahn

Mason-RiceMay Chiu

Mason-RiceJulia Hamilton

PeirceHeather Maffie

PreschoolNancy Ferrari

UnderwoodLaura Davis

UnderwoodErin Lake

ZervasJane Spitz

Oak HillJessica Freier

Other Attendees:

David FleishmanNPS, Superintendent

Leo Brehm, NPS, Director of Information Technology and Library Media

PTOC Representatives on Newton Community Education Commission

The Newton CommunityEducation Commission establishes program policies to guide the Newton Community Education (NCE) program and includes 2 parent representatives. Selina Pandolfi and Marion Golin have served in that role and their memberships are up for renewal. The PTOC Board is recommending renewal.

VOTE: 12 schools in favor of the PTOC Board’s recommendation, none opposed.

Newton Serves

  • Date is Sunday, April 29th
  • Can be used to do improvement projects inside and outside the schools

Update from the Superintendent

  • BC has signed onto a 3 year technology grant focused on elementary education
  • Year 1 – $100,000. Identifying technology goals by school, looking to use funds to bring schools up to a similar plateau. Likely to affect 7-8 schools in this year.
  • Looking to make the most of the money that is available.
  • Some operating funds will be used to subsidize the BC grant to help meet important goals.

Comments

  • Do you have goals for the schools?For each classroom: Installed – Document Camera, Mounted LCD projector, Soundfield system
  • How are you determining which schools go first? Looking at each school. Now there is a greater focus on access (laptops or laptops on cart).
  • Culture may be driven by reality of technology funds…. Looking at equality between schools, support ELC (cross school professional learning communities)
  • What about the middle schools? There is a separate effort that is in the works.
  • What is happening with the interactive whiteboards (IWB)? NSF is starting a new capital campaign. Unlikely to add additional grades at the elementary schools. IWB in 5th grade continue to be an integral part of 5th grade curriculum.
  • How will the use of the BC students in developing curriculum work? Will there be inconsistencies? How will this integrate with the Ed Center? Ann Kaufman will be working on new ways to facilitate sharing of curriculum, best practices. Will be working on what needs to be done to enhance professional development.
  • Will it be similar to effort done at Bigelow a few years ago? That was research on how technology can be utilized to help with learning.
  • What are the schools that are being considered in Year 1? Franklin, Horace Mann, Bowen, Lincoln Eliot, Underwood, Burr, Countryside, Memorial Spaulding
  • Will there be more sharing of information between the schools? We have the information. There are issues with sharing the data, issues that need to be weighed against the benefits of sharing the data.

Discussion of the Arrest of David Ettlinger, Underwood Teacher Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

Comments from Superintendent, David Fleishman

  • Thank you for support.
  • This situation is ongoing. Just this morning additional charges were brought against Mr. Ettlinger.
  • The situation has seemed hardest on the adults; less so with the kids at Underwood
  • The response for those affected has varied based on vulnerability
  • Community meetings were held at Underwood and Newton North
  • Principal at Underwood sent out note to current families that was distributed to other schools as well.
  • There have been no reported incidents at school; Mike Jellenik, president of NWH, child psychologist, says separation is normal
  • Incidence nationwide going down, children are better trained, aware of what is appropriate behavior
  • Kids are safest at school

Comments

  • What kind of support are teachers getting? Group therapy. They are questioning themselves as to why they didn’t notice something.
  • Per Underwood PTO Co-President: Parents wanted better information sooner, before the press conference. A connect ed call would have been a good ….
  • Parents don’t need to know all the details right away. It would be very reassuring to parents to know the school is aware of the situation; they are dealing with it and any immediate advice.
  • Is there something else that we can do to support the staff? Food has been very reassuring.
  • Are changes in hiring practices planned? Ettlinger was just CORIed again this past year. The city is reviewing practices.
  • Are changes planned in how complaints are handled? Serious cases are referred out.
  • Is CORI only in-state? Yes. NPS is looking at how we can do further background checks. It is possible even with a great deal of checks to miss something.
  • What is the opportunity to educate parents? My child just went through CAPP in Kindergarten. We may need to raise awareness of CAPP teachings with parents. CAPP just had its 21st anniversary.
  • What about families that opt out of CAPP? Not a great number of families opt out. May be helpful to have a parent meeting.
  • Need more independence of all complaints….Parents may be concerned about talking to a principal. Where else should they go? All complaints taken seriously. The statistics show that 1 in 6 people have experienced inappropriate touching. The key is to making certain children know what to do.
  • PTO leaders’ role in a crisis. What should the role be and how do we communicate that to the principal’s? Should PTO leaders be more included to help with communication? (no response noted)
  • What is the make-up of the School Crisis team? Usually the Principal, Nurse, School Psychologist, other staff. Issues of confidentiality usually keep parents from being involved. Cabot does have a parent representative.
  • In times of crisis, parents desperate to want to talk to someone for help, get more information. They feel the information a little too slow to come. Principals are weary of communicating until they have all the facts.
  • Meetings relating to Ettlinger were setup quickly; the meetings felt supportive and helpful.. The larger community meeting great.

Amendments to prior minutes

  • Do-donate.org. It's Donate-educate.org

Upcoming meetings & dates

  • Next PTOC meeting Wednesday, April 11th at 7:30
  • Newton Serves date is April 29th, 2012