THEME IDEAS: HAVING GRADE LEVEL CHOOSE THEME AND
REST OF SCHOOL JOINS FUN…
Facilitator: Marilyn Merlo
People Attending Session: April Ernst; Eric Arbetter; Faye Boyd; Pat Brown; Marilyn
Merlo; Cindy Cardwell; Cheryl Meyer
Generated Thoughts & Ideas:
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Could be tied to any grade level curriculum
Advertise by daily memo, TV broadcast, decorate building, staff lounge, white
board
Purpose: Generate school spirit; connectedness
Schoolwide Days: Beach, tropical rainforest, etc.
Librarian could have books in library based on theme
Possibly music and art could coordinate with these themes
Next Steps:
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Idea box in teacher’s lounge with forms to fill out to suggest themes
Volunteer Committee formed (April, Cindy & Cheryl will spearhead efforts) to
coordinate efforts & notify staff.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT / RECOGNITION
Facilitator: Joan Grantham
People Attending Session: Joan Grantham, Tammy Rayburn, Kimi Eye,
Kerri Treadway, Theresa Reuther
Generated Thoughts & Ideas:
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Character Trait Awards; Bull Dog; Honors
Class Cash
Staff – Teacher of the Year
Teacher of the Week – Spotlight; lunch break (Teaching & Personal Sharing)
Students interview teachers & put interview on T.V. (Random drawing by
students)
Interview People on T.V.
Next Steps:
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Student will interview staff members for T.V. program (This includes all staff:
Kitchen help, custodians, and resource people who work part-time with students,
as well as teachers).
ACCEPTING OF DIFFERENCES
Facilitator: James Smitt
People Attending Session: James Smitt; David Hicks, Tennie Bramlett, Vanessa Reese,
Jenny Derleth; Abby Smith; Dave Carafiol; Angie Brittingham; Kathy Schlueter, Debbie
Taylor, Dawn Wise, Terra Yeargain
Generated Thoughts & Ideas:
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Greater recognition of different teaching styles
Recognition of individual differences among staff members
Greater interaction of staff members
Elimination of “clicks” among staff members
Next Steps:
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Fair treatment of all staff members and elimination of privileges for certain staff
members.
BUILDING BARRINGTON’S SCHOOL IMAGE
Facilitator: Tracy Hoesli
People Attending Session: Tracy Hoesli, Meg Sutton, Nicole Burnett, Sarah Williams,
Jordan Portell, David Best, Jan Leander
Generated Thoughts & Ideas:
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Student Council helping with different events around school
PR – Letting the community know what Barrington is doing
Be role models
Permanent artwork throughout building
Revisit Rocks
Keep up outside appearance
Develop Courtyard – make an outdoor classroom. Living things unit where
everyone plays a part.
Next Steps:
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Talk with Student Council and PTA
Explore grades 1,3,5 working in garden
Talk with Bridget about permanent artwork and 6th grade handprints
BARRINGTON – CELEBRATE WHAT’S RIGHT
Facilitator: Joan Wagner
People Attending Session: Joan Wagner, Melody Faser, Kendra Minor, Laurianne Zink,
Sabrina Kneebone, Becky Bockhorst, Carrie Luedde, Lauren Murphy, Jason Cox,
Bridgett Niedringhaus, Leslie Thompson, Sue Hausmann
Generated Thoughts & Ideas:
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Give PTA thank you notes
Honor Roll Award – not just for grades
Consistency for Bull Dog award
Spot Light on “Bull Dog Dirt” - more student interviews for “Bull Dog Dirt”
in the morning.
Bull Dog Club – Tracks from teachers to students AND then students. Bull Dog
Club is received when they receive enough “tracks.”
Classroom Rewards – weekly drawings
More class projects (example – decorate classroom door)
Teacher Lounge Talk Board
Board Outside – List student recognition
Lighted repeated message board – list students achievements
BUG Award (Bring Up Grade Award)
Let kids come up with their own rewards & standards to get their awards
Next Steps:
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Get people to work on Bull Dog Awards (Delegate)
Talk to other schools about their reward systems
Delegate people to work on these topics
AFTER OR BEFORE SCHOOL OPEN GYM FOR
WORKOUTS, AEROBICS, BASKETBALL & VOLLEYBALL
Facilitators: Joe DeLuca (AM), Cindy Cardwell (PM)
People Attending Session: Joe DeLuca, Cinday Cardwell,Cheryl Meyer, Marily Merlo,
Tennie Bramlett, Pat Brown, April Ernst, Meg Sutton, Nicole Burnett, Sabrina Kneebone,
Carrie Luedde, Becky Bockhorst, Jan Leander, Theresa Reuther, Joan Wagner
Generated Thoughts & Ideas:
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3:30 – 4:30 Faculty Open Gym
Walk, Bring CD’s
Yoga
Volleyball
Tape Lanes
Shoot Basketball
DIGIWALK (Pedometer)
Gym Games
Mon, Tuesday & Thursday (P.M.)
Next Steps:
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Talk to latchkey
Talk with Bridgett
Check with Cathy for after school activities
Start 3/10
March: (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays)
April (Monday through Thursdays, maybe off Wednesdays)
May
SHARING GREAT IDEAS
Facilitators: Heidi Wilson, James Smitt
People Attending Session: Jim Smitt, Heidi Wilson, Melody Faser, Mary Whitmore
Generated Thoughts & Ideas:
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Teachers need more time to visit other classrooms. Maybe bring a TA in for an
hour or so.
Build resource center in teachers lounge. Maybe put in binder divided by subjects
in which people could contribute their unique ideas. Or create file system.
Bulletin board to post websites
Discuss good ideas in faculty meeting – what worked well?
Monthly newsletter (generated by students)
Character Traits need to be more emphasized
Have more faculty activities (bowling, poker night etc)
Improve School Beautification (PTA group)
Next Steps:
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Get approval from Principal to set up committees for:
o Teacher Resource Center in lounge
o Staff Social Activities
o Newsletter (monthly school wide newsletter)
GETTING PARENTS MORE INVOLVED
Facilitator: Chris Burgess
People Attending Session: Chris Burgess, Mary Whitmore, Heidi Wilson
Generated Thoughts & Ideas:
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What? How? - School Volunteers
Parent Committees
Newsletter to parents from students
Get more parental involvement in PTA
Parent Resource Area – Worksheets, website, etc.
Teachers rotate to do bus A.M. & P.M. Duty
Next Steps:
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Enforce rules already set
Start class newsletters
Have schedule set for morning duty
Find information for Parent Resource Area
WORKING ON THE ACCEPTANCE OF DIFFERENCES.
BRINGING TOGETHER REGULAR CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND SPECIAL
EDUCATION TEACHERS TO DISCUSS DIFFERENT TOPICS INVOLVING
STUDENTS DIVERSITIES AND HOW TO BEST HELP THEM
Facilitator: Tracy Hoesli
People Attending Session: Tracy, Dawn Wise, Terra Yeargain, Jenny Derleth, Abby
Smith, Faye Boyd, Kathy Schlueter, Debbie Taylor, Angie Brittingham, Vanessa Reese,
Tammy Rayburn, Dave Best,, David Hicks, K. Treadway
Generated Thoughts & Ideas:
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Create a practical folder to travel with students to help the teacher – Can be used
with all students (Excel cards)
Have team meetings with Regular Ed and Special Ed. Have parents sit in on
meetings
PDC day dedicated to training regular ed teachers about working with Special Ed.
After school meetings to discuss topics of concern
Go to workshops
General Education teachers have time to observe the Special Education room
Next Steps:
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Begin with an awareness training.
Form small committee to work on ideas
BARRINGTON BUDDIES
Facilitator: Laurianne Zink
People Attending Session: Laurianne Zink, David Best, Kendra Minor, Sarah Williams,
Lauren Murphy, Leslie Thompson
Generated Thoughts & Ideas:
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Older & younger students pairing up with buddies (by class)
Doing monthly projects together, writing letters back and forth, etc.
Presenting topics to younger students that they are studying at the same time
Social Skills – Leadership role for older grades, pairing students for tutoring
needs, etc. (individualized attention)
Read to – Creating lesson for younger grades
Mini plays provided to younger students (utilize in special areas) – Older kids
could serve as an audience for younger in special area classes.
Buddy systems for students with special needs?
Next Steps:
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Approval of administration
Plan pairing needs (who should be with whom)
Plan activities to share according to curriculum
Brainstorm with kids – what are the possibilities – Let the older kids help with the
direction of the program as much as possible.
DEVELOPING VERTICAL TEAMS
Facilitator: Sue Hausmann
People Attending Session: Sue Hausmann, Jason Cox, Eric Arbetter, Jordan Portell,
Bridgett Niedringhaus, Joan Grantham, Chris Burgess
Generated Thoughts & Ideas:
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Curriculum overlaps – What is expected outcome?
Expectations from grade level to grade level
Vertical Team to serve as curriculum committee (fine tune current plan)
4 Vertical Teams – Draw on expertise
Older students teach younger students with curriculum overlaps
Time – Collaborative Scheduling
Early release days may provide perfect opportunity
Guidelines
Prioritize curriculum (Expand by gaining information from middle school)
Next Steps:
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Information to staff
Get information from other schools (visit and see how it works + and -)
Designate a staff meeting to disseminate information