March 18, 2021 – Minutes

Union Middle School
School Community Council
March 18, 2021 Agenda

Attending: Kelly Tauteoli, Shelly Karren, Becca Bass, Stacie Timmerman, Lauren Lambert, Jessica Vidal, Jeff Landeen

1. Update on Union construction –Kelly Tauteoli
2. 1. Fences around the east field—digging will begin this week. Fence in west parking lot to house dirt from east field.
   2. Timetable regarding the rebuild was discussed, including the demolition of the 400 hallway
   3. We will stay in the current building (not move to Crescent View) for 2 years during the construction
   4. Ground breaking is April 22nd: SBO’s, NJHS, and SCC all invited to attend

2. Land Trust Review
   1. Kelly and Shelly reviewed the Land Trust/TSSA Proposal for 2021-22
   2. Discussion of how FTE is funded and how the proposal addresses FTE shortage
   3. Budgeted items reviewed as outlined (see Land Trust/TSSA proposal below)
   4. Motion to approve by Stacie Timmerman; motion seconded by Jessica Vidal; all participants voted in favor of the proposal as presented.
   5. Council members also approved and signed an acknowledgment that we will carryover more that 10% of the Land Trust Budget and the TSSA money into the 2021-22 school year. All council members understand that we have permission to do this for one year; it will not be a pattern moving forward.

3. Wellness Room Overview
   1. A tour of the new wellness room was given at the end of the meeting. Kelly explained the purpose of the room (a socio/emotional support; teaching students to regulate emotions, and to have a safe space to calm down, among other things.)
   2. SCC members were impressed with the room; one member said her son came home and told her about all about it.

Meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.

Final SCC Meeting: April 22nd (groundbreaking for the new Union building)

School Improvement Plan (TSSP) & Land Trust/TSSA Proposal
Union Middle School for 2021-22

 Academic Goal

• On average, sixty-nine percent of the Union Middle students are currently able to demonstrate mastery of state core standards on our Union common formative assessments.  GOAL: 75% of students will demonstrate proficiency on Union’s common assessments in all subject areas through May, 2022.  (Scoring 70% or above on a common assessment will be considered proficient.)
  
  
• Action Plan Summary:

1. To strengthen our Tier One instruction, we will give teachers time to collaborate, review achievement data, and plan. We will pay for substitutes for these professional collaboration days.  We have allocated $22,000 for this action step.
2. We will provide compensation for after school tutoring in literacy (ELA/social studies) 3 days per week. Land Trust funding: $10,000
3. We will pay for a teacher who will support student development in literacy and writing skills. We have allocated $97,580 (1.251 FTE) for this action step from the TSSA budget, which includes a total of $35,745 rollover from 2020-21.
4. We will hire Student Support aides (number to be determined, based on hours) to support students in academic work, in PBIS, and in social and emotional learning. We’ve allocated $76,500 Land Trust funding (including $18,500 carryover Land Trust funds from 2020-21) for this action step.

• Measurement:

IPLC’s will track student progress and proficiency on Union common summative unit assessments in core content areas (based on State standards), Reading Inventory (RI) and Math Inventory (MI) data, RISE data, and WIDA scores (ELL students).

• Communication:

IPLC teams will report progress to achievement coaches and administrators on their data team planning days.  Student proficiency will be posted on the wall in the coaches’ office and in the hallway.  Throughout the year, we will share our progress with the School Community Council.  School Community Council notes will be shared with all parents.

School Climate Goal

• 85% of students will report feeling connected to school on targeted school climate survey questions.
  
  
• School Climate Goal Action Plan Summary:

As a faculty, we are focusing on strengthening relationships between students and teachers on their grade level teams. Strong relationships with adults at school improves school attendance, increases student motivation, increases students’ sense of safety at school, and helps students progress socially and emotionally. All of these factors increase the likelihood of academic success. Teams of teachers and counselors help to ensure that all students have equal access to curriculum and social and emotional supports.  Where necessary, these teams help to create individual and group academic and SEL support plans, as well as administering targeted Tier 1&2 interventions.  They also plan team building activities and service projects to help students feel connected at school.  Through the Second Step Program (set to resume in an advisory setting on Fridays in 2021-22), students will learn communication, conflict resolution, and stress management skills, among other thing.  These skills will have a direct impact on school attendance and academic success. We will include partial funding for an additional full-time counselor to provide support to targeted groups – including restorative circles – and support students social and emotional well-being.  In addition, we will pay for aides in the Counseling Center and Main Office to assist in tracking students’ academic progress and providing students access to an adult they can connect with and meet with daily to work on individual goals.

• Abbreviated Action Plan Summary Item:
  • We will hire and pay for half of the cost of a full-time school counselor ($28,165). The other half is being paid for out of the 5346 Budget.

• Measurement:

The PBIS team will conduct a yearly targeted school climate survey to measure progress.

We will share student survey results with the School Community Council.

Rationale for carryover of more than 10% of Land Trust and TSSA funds:

• Due to an inability to hire staff to aide fill positions during the 2020-21 school year, as well as limitations on professional development days due to lack of availability of substitutes during COVID-19, unspent TSSA and Land Trust funds from 2021-21 have been approved to carryover for the upcoming school year. School Board President, Nancy Tingey, approved this action in funding for both TSSA and Land Trust funding for the 2021-22 school year on March 8th, 2021.  Carryover amounts are listed in the table on the next page.

Proposed Land Trust & TSSA Fund Expenditures for TSSP Goals 2021-22