ROSS GLOBAL ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL PARENTS ASSOCIATION
DRAFT Minutes of a Meeting of the Executive Board of
ROSS GLOBAL ACADEMY PARENTS ASSOCIATION
April 27, 2007
A meeting of the Executive Board of the ROSS GLOBAL ACADEMY PARENTS ASSOCIATION (“RGA PA”) began at approximately 8:10 a.m. on Friday, April 27 2007, at ROSS GLOBAL ACADEMY (“RGA”) in Room 115 at 52 Chambers Street, New York, New York 10007.
The following RGA PA officers were present: Ian Pearce, president; Brenda Shrobe, Parent Trustee; Richard Kixmiller, Vice President (Middle School); and Lisa Trollbäck, Secretary. Ms. Trollbäck kept the minutes of the meeting. The following class representatives and alternates were present: Chris Griffin, Reada Bunin Edelstein, Chris Murphy, Gregg McGee, and Sherrill Collins. The following members of the parent community were present: Tessie Cornel, Louis Diaz, Robert Fighera, Ayo Harrington, Cheryl-Ann Howell, Janet Japa, Michelle Patton, Meilyn Soto-Chapman, and Albert Yang, Dr. Stephanie Clagnaz, RGA principal, and Brooke Rogers, RGA parent coordinator, were also in attendance. Ms. Griffin served as chair of the meeting.
The Principal’s Report
The first item of business was an update from Dr. Clagnaz. Dr. Clagnaz said that parents had recently received notification of staff changes via sealed envelope in backpack mail and via a letter from her that had been emailed by Brooke Rogers.
In answer to lower-school parents’ concerns, Dr. Clagnaz reported lower-school and middle-school children already had been separated during after-care hours. Dr. Clagnaz noted that the reduction in the number of children referred to the office for discipline-related problems is a continuing trend since the implementation of small-group instruction.
Dr. Clagnaz reported that on Wednesday, April 25, 2007, she and the summer-program committee had had a very productive meeting. She said a great deal of progress was made and that parents had contributed many ideas. A request for a timeline for finalization of the summer program was submitted by Chris Griffin, chair of the summer-program committee, via email to Dr. Clagnaz late in the evening on Thursday, April 26. Dr. Clagnaz had not yet seen the email, however, and noted that, as it was now less than 48 hours after she and the summer-programs committee had met, she did not have a set timeline for final summer-programming decisions.
Dr. Clagnaz said she would be unable to discuss the 7th grade curriculum in further detail until after Dr. Mak Mitchell officially assumed the position on May 1 of executive director of the Ross Teachers’ Academy. She said that she was aware of parents’ concerns and that Dr. Mitchell and faculty members would inform the development of the 7th grade curriculum.
Dr. Clagnaz reported that, as of the previous week, homework was now posted online for each class on the school’s website (http://www.rossglobalacademy.org). Parents noted that for middle-school classes, the homework areas of the site were so far incomplete, and that middle school homework was also not always as rigorous as they would like, nor always adequately explained. Dr. Clagnaz made a note of these issues and promised to look into them.
Dr. Clagnaz left the meeting immediately after completing her report and answering parents’ questions.
Time Keeping at PA Meetings
Reada Edelstein put forward a motion to impose limits for the discussion of items on RGA PA meeting agendas.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was therefore
RESOLVED, that the chair of RGA PA meetings shall impose time limits per speaker and per agenda item at all RGA PA meetings.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was further
RESOLVED, that the RGA PA shall make the request of Dr. Clagnaz that parents receive a final summer program plan by Friday, May 18th.
It was discussed that setting Friday, May 18th as a date for notification to parents would not be accompanied by an expectation that every aspect of the summer program be locked in by that time.
Parent Trustee Update
Brenda Shrobe said that the Board of Trustees most likely would meet next during the week of April 30, 2007. Elina Cardet had provided Ms. Shrobe with a copy of the RGA PA's letter of February 22, 2007 to the principal, which had been cc'd to the Board of Trustees. Ms. Shrobe said that she had not yet finished a draft of a follow-up letter to the principal, which again would be cc'd to the Board of Trustees. She said a number of issues cited in the RGA PA's previous letter remained open, and invited parents to offer suggestions to her via email. She provided hard copies of the previous letter to those who requested it.
Nominating Committee Update
Ayo Harrington reported that the RGA PA Nominating Committee had not yet met, but so far planned to hold RGA PA Elections at the Saturday, June 2nd general RGA PA meeting.
Facility Task Force Update
Brenda Shrobe reported that the RGA PA Facility Task Force had met on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 with Nicolas Combemale of the RGA Board of Trustees. She said that, as parents have so far been informed, it is indeed highly likely that the school will remain in the current location for next year. She also said that there is a space on the Lower East Side that the DOE seems poised to offer the school at no cost for the ’08-’09 calendar year. She said Mr. Combemale told the task force that it is possible that this facility would house the upper school only. She said that Mr. Combemale supported proactive involvement from parents. It was noted that the RGA PA has been publicly silent, though the RGA PA had written several letters about the facility to RGA principals, cc'd to the RGA Board of Trustees, per a procedure recommended by the Board of Trustees. She said Facility Task Force members now perceive a need to write to elected officials and the schools chancellor in order to ensure that RGA obtains a facility.
Teacher Appreciation
Meilyn Soto-Chapman said she had discussed Teacher Appreciation Week with Lisa Trollbäck and Brenda Shrobe and had advised the RGA PA to leave it to individual parents and class representatives to acknowledge teachers, in lieu of an RGA PA-organized event. The RGA PA Board members present at the meeting agreed that acknowledgment of Teacher Appreciation Week (May 6-12) would be left this year to the discretion of individual parents and class representatives.
Fundraising and Grants-Writing Committees
It was agreed that Robert Fighera would initiate a meeting of the fund-raising committee. It was suggested that he schedule the meeting for Saturday, May 5 at 9:00 AM, and he agreed.
Scholastic Book Fair Volunteers
A volunteer sign-up sheet for the Scholastic Bookfair (April 30-May 5) was circulated, and three parents volunteered.
RGA PA Suggestion Box
Brenda Shrobe reminded parents that parents can submit suggestions or ideas on any topic at any time to the RGA PA’s online Suggestion Box, http://www.rgapasuggestionbox.blogspot.com, which is linked from the RGA PA website, http://www.rgapa.blogspot.com. Lisa Trollbäck said the online form is set up so that she is the recipient of the suggestions and comments, and that, as a matter of policy, she keeps anonymous the identity of the submitting party unless otherwise instructed.
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was therefore
RESOLVED, that the Secretary of the RGA PA shall maintain the anonymity of parents who submit suggestions via email, the online suggestion box, or in any other written form, unless otherwise instructed by the involved parent or guardian.
RGA PA 501(c)(3) Status
Ian Pearce noted that Richard Kixmiller, who has experience in setting up 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, had been advising Isadora Bolton, the RGA PA treasurer, on how to go about establishing 501(c)(3) status for the RGA PA.
2007-2008 School Year
Sherrill Collins asked the assembled parents if anyone had ideas for how the RGA PA could help reassure parents so that they would decide to keep their children at RGA for the coming academic year. Ayo Harrington said that it would not be appropriate for the RGA PA to offer such assurances but rather the RGA PA should focus its efforts on ways to directly improve the school. Several parents voiced the need for a 20007-2008 academic calendar. Louis Diaz suggested that perhaps the principal could provide parents in May 2007 with a vision statement or “road map” for 2007-2008.
Chris Griffin adjourned the meeting at approximately 9:00 AM.
Respectfully submitted,
Lisa Trollbäck
Secretary of the Meeting
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment