SDMC Meeting Minutes
Monday, September 9, 2013
3:30 – 4:30 PM
In attendance: C. Chang, J. Chen, J. Deggs, J. Hering, A. Liu, A. Lum, D. Roberts, R.
Simpson, S. Wilson
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Call to order
Roll Call
Adoption of Agenda
Approval of Minutes
Agenda Items
1. Set Meeting Norm
a. Be on time (start/finish within an hour)
b. Demonstrate mutual respect
c. Stay on topic (or you will hear from Ms. Liu)
2. Teacher Development on Early Dismissal Day (approved by SDMC)
a. 9/25/13 – CPI Prevention Strategies
b. 10/30/13 – Fall Parent Conference
c. 11/20/13 – Calibrate Reading Instruction in English Classroom
d. 1/29/13 – Differentiated Instruction
e. 2/19/13 – Spring Parent Conference
Parent conferences:
 schedule highest-priority first
 Last year: Fall - mandatory for everyone (phone counts);
Spring – not mandatory
 Admin will find out what is mandatory
CPI
 For people who are already trained, can this count for
anything? Can they add on the restraints at the end? – Admin
will find out about this
 Do we still need teachers to be CPI certified? Mr. Chang would
rather use non-classroom teachers for restraint situations
11/20/13
 Is applicable for Chinese teachers, too. Will establish common
vocabulary/graphic organizers
 Better Chinese training was going to be on 11/20, but there is a
webinar that Chinese teachers can take
Differentiated Instruction
 Strategy sharing session
3. Parent Volunteer Policy
a. Suggested revision to volunteer policy: Allow parents to work
in Parent Workroom but not in Teacher Workroom
i. Teachers felt uncomfortable with collaborating with
other teachers and discussing student concerns with
parents present. Confidentiality might be compromised.
ii. Admin will ask grade levels about their feelings with
sharing workroom during their planning times
iii. Concern was raised about the parent workroom having
all the supplies the parents would need, such as die-cuts
and and a copy machine
iv. We will have a separate and more-fully functioning
“Community Room” in the new building, so we need to
start to stock the parent workroom with the supplies
that will be needed.
v. The Teacher Workroom can be available for parent use
before and after school
vi. SDMC approved this change in policy
b. Parents with children in Parent Workroom
i. Ms. Simpson suggested adding a guideline that parents
leave work in a designated place in the Parent
Workroom
ii. Mr. Chang asked, Are teachers comfortable to bring up
concerns? Mr. Hering thought admin should let teachers
know expectations for communicating concerns.
iii. The question was discussed about who should hold
parents accountable for these expectations and how
iv. Mr. Chang emphasized the importance of all teachers
addressing adults on campus who are not clearly
following volunteer guidelines.
v. SDMC approved this change in policy
4. School Name – Hering brought up idea of changing the school name
based on how difficult it is to say and for people to understand.
Roberts seconded and mentioned asking another school about
process, which may involve needing HISD Board Approval. Mr. Chang
will find out about process. The SDMC was in favor of moving forward
with this.
5. Based on feedback, it was discussed whether or not we should change
one of the FMNV days from Valentine’s to Chinese New Year.
a. This would result in a Valentine’s policy of exchanging V-Day
cards and candies at the end of the day but not consuming
candy on campus
b. Mr. Hering mentioned not feeling qualified to organize
something for CNY with the 4th/5th grade. The idea was
brought up to buddy with other classes
c. SDMC approved this motion to change the FMNV day
6. For next meeting:
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Magnet policy for MCLIMS
Name change policy
Parent conference guidelines