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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSchool Comm. 12/16/2020Mansfield School Committee With Student Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes for December 16, 2020 Virtual Meeting ICE A meeting of the Mansfield School Committee with the Student Advisory Committee was opened aad callad to n . } order at 11:09 a.m. when a quorum was reached. The meeting was held via Google Meeting. I �J' it SC Members Present: Lynn Cavicchi, Linda Fernando (left at 11:55 a.m.), Lauren Scher (arrived at 11:09 a.m.) Others present: Teresa Murphy, Superintendent Mary Watkins, MHS Principal SAC Members Present: Karine Ayoub'22; Ethan Bruce'21; Lulu Cavicchi'21; Caitlyn Zajac'23 Greta Hobbs'22 -joined at 11:10 a.m. 1. Approval of Minutes Minutes from November 18, 2020 SC/SAC meeting were reviewed by the group and informally approved. A formal vote was tabled until a School Committee quorum was present. 2. Building Community • Mrs. Watkins gave an overview of what was currently planned or under consideration: • Crazy Sweater Day next week - students can participate if they'd like • Teacher videos to send out to students • Mrs. Watkins is working with a parent group on some projects to help celebrate community at MHS, similar to the "sticky notes" on student lockers earlier in the fall. • She also is working with senior class officers on end of year events and ways to recognize seniors. Mrs. Cooney is starting a Padlet, like she has done in previous years, that all students can access to see where everyone is going to college. • Mrs. Watkins will talk to Mr. McGuire about performing arts concerts and sharing those virtually. • She noted the NHS induction will be in the second week in January. It will be held virtually, but the advisors and officers are working to make it more personal, similar to how the Thespian Honor Society induction ceremony was held and how Mrs. Newton took steps to make it more personal and interactive. • Mrs. Watkins asked for student feedback about having social groups via google meet break out rooms; topic -specific, after school activity or Wednesday during open time. Three students could pick a topic and pick a teacher to moderate it; different students each week picking a new topic, new teacher, may be more appealing. Students noted this may not be effective getting to know new people, and would probably be groups of friends participating together. Students raised concerns about spending more time on screen after being on the computer for hours in the classroom and then for hours of homework. Wednesdays are not always ideal. The break time built into the Wednesday schedule is needed by students. Many clubs/groups already schedule meetings for Wednesdays, and after school is also challenging. • Notes left on the desks between cohort A and cohort B. Student ideas/suggestions to help foster school community • Student newsletter with just the schedule and club information. • Unsure of what regulations are regarding pep rallies and sports, for example, are cohort -specific rallies possible, similar to the giant pep rally in the fall last year? Mansfield School Committee With Student Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes for December 16, 2020 Virtual Meeting • Bringing students together to hear about their activities, clubs, teams • Homeroom or by grades and have everyone go into school -wide Cahoot or even a grade -wide cahoot; unsure if technology could support this. • Trivia event - questions prepared for Fall 2018 pep rally were not used. • One positive take away from the hybrid model is that if students are separated from friends due to cohort grouping, it forces students to engage with "new' students in new ways. Program of Studies Mrs. Watkins gave an overview of course ideas under discussion: • MHS would like to be able to offer AP Physics again and science electives • English course - cultural studies through memoir (DEI focus; identity and culture). Tabled for 2020-21 due to pandemic • American Rights in Action, which has a social justice focus, was not able to be offered due to the Covid- related schedule restructuring this year • Mr. Mcguire has proposed production -focused class for performing arts Student suggestions/comments: Courses in Child Development American Sign Language - helpful for students working with the Challenger program and special needs students. Mrs. Watkins noted that students have suggested this in the past also and will check to see if ASL fulfills with MA Core graduation requirements for language courses. AP Art History - focuses on different cultures and religions, as well as current events and would appeal to students interested in courses with a multicultural focus AP Studio Art - Mrs. Watkins explained the Art Dept. is looking into eliminating Studio Portfolio Prep 2 and replacing it with AP Studio Art; students felt this change would appeal to students interested in more advanced art courses but who were not intending on attending art school and thus would not need portfolio prep. Portfolio prep could also be incorporated into this type of course. AP Government, as noted in the Guiding Mansfield Forward community proposal Upcoming meeting topics n/a Other: Any items not anticipated by the Chair 48 hours prior this meeting - none Meeting adjourned at 12:02 p.m.