6-14-13+Advisory+Period+Committee+Meeting+Minutes


 * Q: Who was present at the first Advisory Period Committee Meeting on Friday June 14, 2013 at 9:00am?**
 * Kristi Kauffman
 * Juma Maser
 * Avery Wilson
 * Ashleigh Huffman
 * Robin Kazakavich
 * Jake Evans
 * Megan Hamsher
 * Pamela McCann
 * Charlene Swaboda


 * Q: When will the next Advisory Period Committee Meeting be?**
 * Tuesday July 16, 2013 at 11:00am at STHS (exact location TBD), Mrs. Kauffman will provide lunch.


 * Q: Will the Advisory Period use Restorative Practices?**
 * Absolutely


 * Q: Is this a study hall?**
 * No.


 * Q: What about the teachers who use it like a study hall and don't do anything?**
 * That is a supervisory issue to be handled by an administrator.


 * Q: How do we get teachers to do this?**
 * It is our job as the committee to present a united, positive front. We are doing Advisory Period and it must be a beneficial time of the day and not wasted. We as a committee will host PD before school starts on Advisory Period and will provide positive support to any and all teachers. Pam and Megan have Advisory Period activities they will forward to the group. Members of the committee will then review the activities for age appropriateness and the committee will discuss at the next meeting. UPDATE - ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN FORWARDED. Click here to view activities. LINK TO ACTIVITIES


 * Q: How can we share activities and ideas with all teachers?**
 * Kristi will work with tech. We will introduce this to staff during PD. UPDATE - TECH WILL PUT AN ADVISORY PERIOD LINK ON THE STAFF PORTAL.


 * Q: Can we email a weekly Advisory Period newsletter? **
 * Yes. Pam volunteered to generate. Newsletter will list any activities, ideas etc. teacher's used and thought worked well.


 * Q: What types of things should be done in Advisory Period? **
 * Circles, relationship building, career goals, graduation requirements, current events, school pride, mentoring, grade conferencing, social skills training.


 * Q: Will Advisory Period be planned for the school? **
 * Feedback from teachers was that they wanted some structured activities/lessons to go to but that they also wanted some flexibility. Activities, ideas, plans etc. will be provided. Teachers will also have the freedom to structure as they see fit.


 * Q: Will we mandate that circles be used in Advisory Period at all times?**
 * No. Every Advisory Period must start with a circle but there will be times when that is disbursed for part of the period (i.e. individual conferencing with students on grades etc.). Lists of circle questions/starters will be posted on the portal.


 * Q: What do we say to the teacher who says their room isn't conducive to making a circle, or with their furniture they can't make a circle.**
 * If you need help members of the committee will be happy to collaborate with you to create a circle in your room.


 * Q: What about the teacher who doesn't use circles?**
 * It is the role of the committee to be positive and offer support. Beyond that it is a supervision issue to be handled by an administrator.


 * Q: Will the special education teachers have a class for Advisory Period?**
 * Most likely not. That still needs to be discussed. They will be able to work with the students on their case load and team meet.


 * Q: How will the special education teachers be held accountable for their time?**
 * This is a supervision issue to be handled by an administrator.
 * Q: Do we have to allow students to bring breakfast to Advisory Period?**
 * No. We have a no food or drink policy in the classrooms and Advisory Period is no different.


 * Q: May we allow students to bring breakfast to Advisory Period?**
 * Yes. If you choose to allow food, or have structured breakfast as part of your Advisory Period that is your choice.


 * Q: How can we allow food in Advisory Period and not allow it the rest of the day?**
 * The students are capable of understanding a clear explanation that you as the teacher have decided that you will allow food (be specific about what that looks like and what the expectations are) in Advisory Period but that does not transfer outside of Advisory Period. At all other times and locations the no food or drink policy is still in effect and consequences for infractions of that policy will be given.


 * Q: If we allow food, the students will make a mess.**
 * You clearly establish the expectations you have for this, be consistent and start by training the students as to what is appropriate and responsible.


 * Q: Are students allowed to use cell phones in Advisory Period?**
 * As with food, you set the expectations for this in your Advisory Period.


 * Q: Can we use a cell phone scrambler in the building, other schools do it?**
 * Not aware of any previous discussions concerning this.


 * Q: What about the teachers who allow students to use their cell phones during Advisory Period so they don't have to do anything.**
 * This is a supervisory issue to be handled by an administrator.


 * Q: Should we script the first few weeks of Advisory Period?**
 * Yes. The committee will script/create lesson plans for the first few weeks of Advisory Period to set up from the beginning how this should look.


 * Q: What types of things will the committee schedule for the first few weeks?**
 * How to make a circle, ice breakers, what is Advisory Period, student schedules, discipline policy, attendance policies, school and community citizenship, student rules and responsibilities, relationship building, circle topics.


 * Q: Can the schools of the Arts/M/HS/E have their own Advisory Periods?**
 * Kristi will discuss this with administration. Yearbook and Mass Media will have their own Advisory Periods.
 * Q****: Can we manipulate the schedule to have WHIP at a different time so Band/Chorus/Orchestra and AP Open don't always miss it?**
 * Kristi will bring up to administration.


 * Q: Can teachers have access to the grades for their Advisory Period students?**
 * Kristi will discuss with tech. and administration.
 * Q: Can we create some type of evaluation for teachers to complete as far as what works well for them, what doesn't, what they are having trouble with?**
 * Yes. The committee will create prior to PD.


 * Q: How will we use this evaluation?**
 * Feedback on things that worked well or didn't can be put into the newsletter, especially success stories. Things that teachers are having trouble with can be brainstormed and helped by committee members.


 * Q: What will we do about substitutes?**
 * Eventually, if you have done this well, the students will take over and lead the circle on their own. You can team with another teacher and agree that in the event one is absent the other will absorb their students. Leave clear and varied circle ideas for the substitute.


 * Q: Should we designate a student leader for when there is a substitute?**
 * Not at first, at least not until you have gotten to know the kids and they have build relationships. If circles and Restorative Practices have been done well the leaders will naturally emerge on their own.


 * Q: How are the students going to be assigned to teachers?**
 * We will attempt to keep the assignments grade homogeneous. We will elicit the help of teachers from each grade level, including 8th, to give suggestions on who should not be grouped together. The committee will do the assigning. Special Ed. students will not all be grouped together.


 * Q: Will Advisory Period teachers be responsible for addressing dress code?**
 * Yes, as well as consequences for dress code violations. This will be addressed in the dress code/discipline policies by administrators this summer.


 * Q: What about the teachers who do not enforce dress code?**
 * That is a supervision issue to be handled by administration.


 * Q: Can the 12th grade guidance counselor use this time to work with students on graduation requirements?**
 * Absolutely.


 * Q: What are the tasks for the next Advisory Period Committee Meeting?**
 * Set date and time for the following meeting. Discuss and clean up activities to be posted on portal as teacher resources. Design and devise newsletter. Design and devise evaluation. Design and devise PD. Discuss how and when we will distribute Advisory Period student lists.


 * Q: What will we address at PD?**
 * The committee will present a positive, upbeat, excited training on what Advisory Period should look like and how it should be used. We will counter any negative feedback with positivity and solutions. We will introduce the resources on the portal. We will introduce and explain the evaluation and the newsletter. We will conduct this PD in a circle(s). UPDATE - AFTER THE MEETING ROBIN EMAILED KRISTI A SUGGESTION THAT AT PD WE EXPLAIN THERE ARE FOUR STAGES TO ANY GROUP COMING TOGETHER - FORMING, STORMING, NORMING, AND PERFORMING. ANOTHER TEACHER EMAILED THAT AT RESTORATIVE PRACTICES TRAINING THE DAY BEFORE THE PRESENTER SUGGESTED THE BOOK __CLASSROOM MEETINGS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS__ PUBLISHED HAZELTON.