Morning Meeting Notes: Monday Nov 17, 2008 Morning Meeting Notes
We are planning our Thanksgiving Day potluck feast for Wed Nov 26. Encourage the students to bring a dish. Half day schedule.
We will be having senior photos Thur Nov 20 and Fri Nov 21 for Aug and June graduates. Students taking pictures should have a minimum of 30 credits. Please help advisees be realistic about graduation. Students taking pictures will have a pass.
Teachers will have their pictures taken Nov 21.
Please resubmit list of graduates to Lilit.
Julie will be working with a student intern during 3rd period to clean up Teacher room and to maintain it.
Daniel reminded us about the Executive Lunch, Thursday Nov 20. See flyer.
Hector spoke about gym being available for staff as early as 7am and into the afternoon.
Morning Meeting Notes: Friday, Nov 14, 2008
DOE is going through Budget cutting. We rolled over money from last year, that is helping us this year. Next year will be far worse since we will not be rolling over money and the cut will be huge. No more purchases till Nov 24. Famis is off. We have to conserve.
Jean wrote a grant to help our students be more college ready. We will be working with Connolly and the College Readiness Group. Our Curriculum maps will be submitted for review and to help us improve them for our work with College Readiness.
Daniel spoke about the Executive Lunch and toy collection procedure. See the Flyer.
UFT meeting Today. 5th period in room 304. 7th period in Library.
Yvette spoke about a visitor from Mental Illness and the Social Workers have this information.
We celebrated Anna's wedding.
Morning Meeting Notes: Monday Nov 10, 2008
Esther is making a complaint box for the custodians.
Gov Patterson has announced forthcoming budget cuts that will affect us next semester.
Teacher choice money, $150 this year, will be showing up soon. If you have direct deposit you will see it that way. If no direct deposit you will receive a debit card. Money spent from Aug to March is acceptable and spend all your money.
Optional PL today after school.
If you use library before Mary arrives, please be sure to leave her a note if you borrow anything and please lock the door.
Morning Meeting Notes: Friday, Nov 7, 2008
Today is Pajama Day.
Be on the lookout for some students passing around a camera and taking lots of pictures. Kyle wants to know when they appear.
Morning Meeting Notes: Thursday, Nov 6, 2008
We certainly have had some teachable moments in the last couple of days. Now we must consider next steps with our students. "Yes, you can grow up to be president, too." Just remind everyone with these aspirations, what they must do to achieve this or any other worthy goal. Attendance, do the work, etc etc. This event is a true model and should be used. It reminds us, too, why we are probably in an Alternative school in NYC.
We will reach mid cycle tomorrow, so look at formative assessment procedures and examine how we communicate this with our class and each student. Be sure to document everything and place in appropriate folders.
Ann will continue to visit classes to document attendance.
Morning Meeting Notes: Monday, Nov 3, 2008
Flu Shots tomorrow.
PL Today. Listen for announcements about schedule.
Esther suggested that Family Groups begin to have conversations about what to bring for Thanksgiving Day, Nov 26, festivities.
Morning Meeting Notes: Friday, Oct 31, 2008 Elizabeth Shaw from our CFN visited us. She is one of the original students of West Side HS.
Great outfits today.
Classes 2, 3, 5, 4 for quick check in and attendance before going to cafe for lunch and halloween party.
Students not at party will be in the library and teachers not attending will be in 327 for a Get 'er done party.
Keep your eyes open for a sample ballot we can use to help kids before Tuesday.
Check this website for voter registration information. https://voterlookup.elections.state.ny.us/votersearch.aspx
Morning Meeting Notes: Thursday, Oct 30, 2008
Tomorrow is last day to meet student registration quotas, so please make effort to get students in tomorrow and one day next week.
We will have party tomorrow. Mary will have the library open for students not going to party. A room to be determined will be available for staff not attending party to work on curriculum maps. Schedule will be 2, 3, 5, 4 (quick check in).
Teacher Ease will be updated more regularly now that we can upload them ourselves as we admit them.
Basketball scrimmage with Bed-Stuy.
Ari will be in room 227 during lunch to help students sort through election day procedure.
Esther needs wire hangers for student mobile projects.
Daniel R's FG is having a bake sale and heads up for news on executive lunch.
Extension of Insurance transfer has been set for Nov 28. On Nov 19 an expert on the insurance choices will be here to discuss them.
Jean went to a principal's meeting and heard about the budget woes and the method of Quality Review that will be used this spring. More to be discussed on Tuesday.
No more admits to PM or AM classes.
Tomorrow is the last day to hand in Election day packets to either Jane or Anna.
Hand in all period attendance sheets daily. All blue bubble sheets must be handed in by 1:30.
Morning Meeting Notes: Monday, Oct 27, 2008
We had over 100 parents for our 2 days of Parent Conferences.
Wednesday is the last day for Program Changes for Cycle 2. FG teacher should deliver program changes, NOT the student. Write out whole schedule until the new program is printed.
Friday is Halloween. We may have a party, we'll see how the week goes. Remind students they must be in school all morning to attend, no one will be admitted who has not been in classes.
Teen Biz workshop this afternoon from 2-5. Please give Ted a copy of your bubble sheet for the classes you wish to use.
Jane thanked everyone for the great projects and to keep them coming in. Election day is final day for submissions.
Esther is still collecting work for the Bulletin Boards.
Mary will be at a conference Wed and Thur, so the library will be closed.
We still need to verify parent addresses and phone numbers.
Flu shots for staff on Election Day. Sign up in mail room.
Morning Meeting Notes: Friday, Oct 24, 2008
We had a good turnout last night. Some teachers voiced how they saw more parents then ever before. Jean saw that 70 parents had signed in by 6:30 and that she saw another parent sign in at 7:28.
Parent's remarks were very positive as they are very pleased with how their child is doing and are very happy with the school.
Kristin will look at credit report for cycle one to see how it compares to how we used to do it with just 4 cycles. More fresh starts, two more, now.
Teacher Ease provides good reporting and Rene and Daniel spoke to it. Jean was able to use Blue's TeacherEase comments to help Blue out. Jose spoke about how TeacherEase is used at his nephew's school and how he is in communication with the teachers. We are looking into how our parents can access TeacherEase.
Latino College fair at Mount St Vincents College at 6301 Riverdale Ave in Riverdale tomorrow.
Tues Oct 28, a UFT rep will be here to speak about the effects of the financial crisis on our pensions.
Parent conferences 1-3, Today.
Today's schedule: 2, 3, 5, 4 followed by a rapid dismissal.
Morning Meeting Notes: Monday, Oct 20, 2008
Jim announced that we will have 20 new students today, so please welcome them warmly. We need them to allow us to discharge students. Accept them and Jim will make adjustments this afternoon.
Keep program changes to a minimum and go through FG coach.
Reminder that Thur is open school night 5-8 and Friday is open school day 1-3.
Friday's schedule will be 2, 3, 5 with a shortened FG at 4th.
Jose spoke about the wake for David Diaz. 300 people were there and the mother was very appreciative of our school's card, flowers, and presence.
Ann reminded FG teachers to check for graduates and to get that info to Jean and/or Lilit ASAP.
UFT has a $2500 grant program. If you are interested see Ann.
"Get 'er done" grade party today after school.
Teenbiz workshops next Monday from 2-5 in room 227.
Grades due by Tuesday noon.
Morning Meeting Notes: Friday, Oct 17, 2008
Wake for David Diaz today starting at 5PM at Ortiz Funeral Home, 190th and Broadway. Make arrangements to go as a group. See and sign card in Main Office.
Last time we met in Dept meetings, we discussed showing evidence of learning in our Lesson Plans. At a recent conference, Jean heard more about Brain research and sees evidence that the DOE is pushing more in this direction.
Brain Research How People Learn Brain, Mind, Experience, and School; John D. Bransford, Ann L. Brown, and Rodney R. Cocking, editors Exploring How People Learn The Teenage Brain Left Brain, Right Brain Jean was made aware of a conference in San Francisco over our Feb break sponsored by the Dana Foundation on brain research. If anyone is interested in going, see Jean.
Another topic discussed at this meeting Jean went to was meditation and the positive effect 10 minutes at the start of the day and 10 minutes at the end of the day has on the production increase of the students. More will be discussed about this and planned for the spring.
Lilit announced that Norman completed the grading procedure and everything worked just fine.
We have a clean school. Please be more conscious and remind students who you see messing up the walls with their feet and other general slovenly habits that make the school less clean and attractive.
Julie has Regents from the past couple of years if anyone wants some. They are in Room 302 and will be thrown out in a couple of weeks.
Lilit announced that we have massive amounts of blank scantron sheets which would serve well as scrap paper. See Diana for that paper.
If any teacher wants an ID card, see Ann.
Parent Teacher conferences next Thur 5-8 and Fri 1-3.
Morning Meeting Notes: Thursday, Oct 16, 2008
Attendance is not to be taken by a student or a groups of students. It is a legal document.
Monday PL will be on grades in a "Get 'er Done" party.
Blue did DOE EMail, while Lilit demonstrated the procedure for retrieving grade sheets, entering the data, and returning said grade sheets. There were other treats and surprises.
If you have any questions ask.
Morning Meeting Notes: Wednesday, Oct 15, 2008
We have all heard about the tragic death of David Diaz and we spent time in Family Groups discussing it. Continue to be vigilant for students and conversations. Esther has put up a poster board for the students and staff to sign as a remembrance of David. We will notify school of final arrangements for David's funeral.
PSAT today. If you have any free time between 9 and 11:30, please stop by cafeteria to give Jose some help in proctoring.
New grading procedure is in place. Be sure you can access your DOE email by tomorrow.
Kristin spoke about our Inquiry Team. It will be extended to the whole school by department. The question: How does recording and maintaining reports on student progress encourage success for each student? The details of the procedure will be discussed in your next department meeting.
Great job to Jane and Anna for the work they did on the Friday election day workshops. It was exciting and a great learning experience for all of us.
Reminder open school night, Oct 23 from 5-8 and open school day Oct 24 from 1-3.
Morning Meeting Notes: Monday, Oct 6, 2008
Jane reminded everyone to hand in their FG workshop request forms so that each FG gets the requested workshop for Friday.
Today is Professional Learning Day. We will meet in our Departments.
Wednesday is Parent Orientation at 6pm.
If you are interested in using Teenbiz, please give Ted a copy of your class roster.
Julie mentioned that we have a few seats left for internship and workstudy with HeadStart.
Morning Meeting Notes: Friday, Oct 3, 2008
Jean has distributed lists of students to Family Groups indicating which students need to submit Lunch forms. It is crucial for school funding via Title I that all students fill and return these lunch forms by Oct 17. If a student does not return one, s/he will fail FG for the cycle. The goal is to get them all for universal lunch in the school. In addition if we do this well now, we will be good for two years. The students with a STAR need to hand in their lunch form.
Bubble sheets should be up to date.
You will receive an email in your DOE account. There will be an attachment for each of your classes for you to submit your grades. Download this file, complete it, save it and return it from whence it came. Ask for help if you need it.
Julie announced a BMCC work study program for student swho have ashort program and leave early. See her for details.
Having students sign out when they leave early is having a positive effect. Now be vigilant for those not in class.
Next week Jean will have a meeting with the folks installing the surveillance cameras. 30 locations have been selected. Principals in other schools have good things to say about their installation.
Phone calls are working. Ann has placed a list of students whose phone numbers are missing or incorrect in our mailboxes and asks us to collect good phone numbers from the students. Parents are expressing gratitude for the calls.
Anna and Jane handed out a form for FG teachers to use to select workshops for Oct 10 Voter Workshop day. The sooner you return them the better your chances of getting the workshops you request. Hand them in no later than next Tuesday.
The Chancellor has sent a missive to all principals to remind the staff that they may not make political statements or display political posters etc in schools. That includes the wearing of political buttons, shirts, etc. The UFT is challenging the DOE on this issue. Stay tuned.
Voter Registration ends next Thur, Oct 9. Jane & Anna can help if you have questions.
Morning Meeting Notes: Thursday, Oct 2, 2008
Ann still has some UFT calendars for those who do not have one.
CUNY night at Javits, 330 to 800 PM. Join Jose and the students for this fact finding trip.
New Parent Orientation Oct 8.
First Teen Talk radio Show on War and Racism was a huge success. Students will be seeing Black Watch at St Ann's Warehouse.
Replenish emergency Lesson Plan.
Morning Meeting Notes: Friday, Sept 26, 2008
Remember the new parking procedures start Monday.
PM school conversation Monday.
Teachers should show evidence of planning lessons, so when anyone walks in, that evidence is evident and can be seen by the observer.
Yesterday the kids were very needy, attention seeking. Be conscious of their needs. We have lots of new students and are not yet aware of their stories. So please be patient and discuss situations with other teachers and staff so we can lean more.
Today is graduation.
A special note, paper is at a premium and so is the toner ink. So please be paper conscious, use both sides, save as scrap, and do not print more than you need. And please recycle it.
Morning Meeting Notes: Thursday, Sept 25, 2008
New Parking starts Monday. We have 9 (nine) parking permits. It is a felony to reproduce them. Jean went over the parking procedure.
Ann spoke about how the UFT will be taking volunteers to PENN to knock on doors in Philly and Scranton to get out the vote. See her for more details.
Monday is last day for voter registration. Please do in Family Group and use originals not photo copies.
Third floor teacher's lounge needs your attention.lease clean up after yourself. We are seeing traces of unwanted visitors.
Jose announced that the NY Historical Society has begun registration for the Saturday SAT prep classes. Students will get fee waivers for SAT if they take SAT prep classes.
October 8 is parent Orientation for all parents, not just the new ones.
Room 203 computer lab is available. Use sign up sheets on the door and let Ted know if you want a reguslar day and period forthe semester. Please be sure all computers are turned off when you leave.
Graduation is tomorrow. Please let the graduates know they need to be here by 3:30.
See Jean if you are participating in the Tunnel to towers race Sunday.
Morning Meeting Notes: Monday, Sept 22, 2008
Visitors from DOE to survey where to put surveillance cameras in the school.
Reexamine your curriculum map. Find template on school website in teacher resources section. Email to Jean, Lilit, Mark, or Julie.
Graduation Friday at 4pm. PM school for one hour ONLY on Friday.
Open House for Global Kids today. See flyers in your mailbox.
Blue will distribute recycle boxes. Paper only.
Esther needs student work for the bulletin boards.
Morning Meeting Notes: Friday, Sept 19, 2008
Next Sunday is the tunnel to towers run honoring Stephen Siller and others who perished on 911.
Andrew spoke about fixing the phones. Let him know if your phone needs any repair.
Kyle gave us a front door update. He is compiling the list of those who leave early, so FG teachers can make phone calls and have the data for conversations.
Jose spoke about his lists of students in College Now and in Monroe programs. More can be found in Room 100E, the College Office.
Parent Orientation is Wednesday, October 8, NOT Monday October 6.
The 9th is a day off.
October 10 is our mock election day workshop. See Anna and/or Jane about your role.
PM school snacks have been ordered. Suggest that your students pick up food from cafe during lunch till snacks arrive.
Remember the Sunshine Fund.
Let the schmoozing begin.
Morning Meeting Notes: Thursday, Sept 18, 2008
When you call for HELP, please be as specific as possible about needs.
During 6th period we need to be in a specific place. Jean passed around a clipboard for us to let her know where we will be.
Parent orientation will be on Monday, October 6 at 6PM in the cafeteria.
Parent Conferences: Oct 23 & 24.
Esther needs your students' work for the bulletin boards. They love to see their work on the bulletin boards.
Esther has construction paper and other art supplies for our use in our rooms.
If you haven't contributed to the sunshine fund, please do so. Esther suggests $10.
Jose announced the College Now program is half full, so we need more students. To be eligible, student needs 75+ on ELA regents.
Jose announced that the Monroe College program has 12 students and could use more. Students need a 70+ Average to be eligible.
Jose announced we will be doing PSAT and need all eligible students with 20+ credits.
Substitute lesson plans for classes and FG are overdue.
Nicole asked about starting a double dutch team, so please ask students to see her if they want to do this.
We will be in the library tomorrow.
Morning Meeting Notes: Monday, Sept 15, 2008
Midcycle week. Remind students we are half way through the cycle.
Jose announced:
1. Monroe College here today and will provide a test to see if they are eligible for classes that meet on the weekend for credit.
2. We need 30 students for College Now at John Jay College. Students need a 75 or higher on ELA Regents to be eligible.Boys basketball have 5 students so far.
See Ann for report card postcards for UFT.
SmartBoard PD in 227 Tuesday after school.
Morning Meeting Notes: Friday, Sept 12, 2008
We met in Library for our first Friday networking day.
Parking situation is getting ironed out. A formal contract is forthcoming as it pertains to parking.
Someone broke a piece on the copy machine and left the broken piece there without telling anyone. Now we will have restrictions on the copy machine. Please be responsible about the machinery and let folks know when something is amiss and we will try to fix it correctly quickly. We are a community and as such we need to be responsible citizens.
Now we will have a form to submit for work to be copied.
Mark spoke about how the admin has been making quick visits to classes for informal observations. Please have lesson plan available on the desk so they don't have to interrupt lesson for it. This is informal and no written report will be issued unless something untoward is observed.
During Family Group, let students know if they want to play on the boy's basketball team to see Norman at lunch in lunchroom or after school.
Please get emergency lesson to Bernard.
Teacher ease has been updated.
Anna and Jane need more teachers to sign up for tyhe Oct 10 mock elections.
Morning Meeting Notes: Thursday, Sept 11, 2008
911 activities during FG.
Per session request forms were handed out. Please fill these out so you and Jean can have a conversation about the work you will be doing for per session and agree on how it will be documented. PM school is not part of this nor is Monday non PD days.
UFT organizing phone banks for his year's elections. See Ann if you are interested in making phone calls for UFT to voters in FLA, PA, and other states as well as NY.
Voter registration is going on in Family Groups this week and next in preparation for our mock election day activities.
Blue will do recycle loop today during FG.
Massive intake of students still going on.
NY Historical Society is visiting during FG in B-16 to discuss their Saturday SAT prep classes. Please send eligible students to B-16 for this during FG.
Sunday Sept 28 will be the tunnel to WTC run to honor the fireman who ran from Brooklyn to WTC on 911 to join his comrades as well as others who perished on 911.
Sunshine Fund notice of collection of $10 from each staff member for birthday, marriages, births, and more to Esther.
Global Kids is back. We welcomed Christina, Lenore, Carl, and Derek. They are in room 122 and will be at West Side Mon - Thur 9-5. They will assist in improving attendance and keeping students engaged.
Morning Meeting Notes: Monday, Sept 8, 2008
Our first Monday of our first five day week.
Kyle will have PM and AM schedule by FG so we may start tomorrow.
New Quality review is in and Jean did a side by side comparison. Not sure of QR this year, but we will prepare.
New student and transcripts are churning out slowly.
50 new students today.
Teacher Ease update later this week and weekly hereafter.
Blue's FG will start recycle group this week. Thursday is target date to start.
We need to be sure we have ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY cleaning products.
Ted and Albert will be visiting each classroom to check out technology issues. Please leave a note in room telling them what is needed.
Morning Meeting Notes: Friday, Sept 5, 2008
Happy Friday
Ventilation is being worked on. We will see if we can find rooms for classes in hot rooms to switch to empty cool rooms. Be sure to leave a note on the door if you make a switch.
We are refining the safety plan. As a result we will be conducting a bus drill, evacuation drills, and make school aware of safety plan.
Change class if course has been satisfied.
Morning Meeting schedule:
Mon: music room
Tues: Neighborhood
Wed: Department meetings
Thur: Music
Fri: LibraryMary will create a cycle calendar to remind students about how many days are left in each cycle.
Have conversations in class about shorter cycles and the .5 system.
Mark will generate Smart Board and Teacher Ease PD's.
Kyle is generating AM & PM classes for next week's start.
Pink eye alert!!! Mardee has it. Wash hands and keep an eye out for students who may have it.
Morning Meeting Notes: Thursday, Sept 4, 2008
First Full Day of Classes.
How did new students do?
Our old students seem to posture in an exaggerated way, so tap them as we are relying on them and to set a good example.
Kyle said students who want to leave early will have to complete forms before leaving. We will use them to make calls home and hopefully to dissuade them from leaving.
The social worker team of Beth, Jeffrey, and Beverly introduced our new new members: Kathryn and Kimberly.
Esther in 222 has supplies for decorating rooms and is collecting for sunshine fund.
Graduation Friday September 26 at 4pm
Please put chairs up on desks at end of desk.
Morning Meeting Notes: Wednesday, Sept 3, 2008
We have a new Nurse at Ryan Center. Parenting Class starts today in Ryan Center.
180 new students coming today. They are not on the bubble sheets until they are admitted.
Announce yor name, class, period, room before class starts so all students know they are in the right place.
Teacher Ease classes and students will be added and updated by tomorrrow. PD at 2:30 in 227 with rep from Teacher Ease, tomorrow.
Please get sub lessons to Bernard ASAP.
.5 Credit for PM classes. Class by class for AM classes.
Global kids has a whole new group of people we will meet tomorrow.
Karen has sent a thank you note which is above time clock.
Kyle outlined extensive electronics policy at West Side. Be consistent. Exceptions will be documented.
Esther will be making new bathroom passes for each teacher, not room.
Lilit has distributed a list pf potential graduates. Please review it.
Morning Meeting Notes: Tuesday, Sept 2, 2008
Welcome to the new school year.
Syllabus discussion led by Julie.
Today: Scantron and Family Group.
Tomorrow 20 minute classes then Scantron and program changes in the afternoon.
After tomorrow give Ann list of students who have not shown up.
AM and PM school applications should be handed in today.
Students who are interested in sports should see Norm about eligibility.
Teacher Ease should be ready by noon today.
GED will be clarified.
If student is on bubble sheet s/he has not been discharged.