November 27, 2018 at Tucker High School
Erin Kirn opened the meeting with a welcome and introductions.
Dr. Parker, Tucker High School (THS) Principal presented a video produced by IB Film/Audio-Visual students about THS.
Click here to view the video.
Dr. Parker introduced Julie Todd, THS STEM Coordinator who in turn introduced James Bunting, a senior in the STEM program, Technology Student Association (TSA) President and a Chief Science Officer (CSO) at THS.
Chief Science Officer (CSO) Presentation:
- City of Tucker helped connect THS/TMS to Jacobs Engineering Company in Tucker, to sponsor the CSO program for the 2018-2019 school year. CSO is also supported by UPS/Delta-CSO corporate sponsors who allow CSOs from all over Georgia to meet and plan.
- Goals of the CSO is to integrate the student body and community into STEM initiatives to learn about problem solving within our community.
- CSO plans to use Robotics to foster real world skills, creativity and leadership amounts students
- CSO wants to sponsor a STEAM festival – booths run by students for students with laser printers/engravers etc.
- CSO wants to foster robotics programs and partner with elementary schools – THS has competed internationally the last 4 years, has partnered with Robotics program at Tucker Middle School (TMS)
- CSO wants to partner with businesses for student internships – is currently partnering with Oglethorpe Power in Tucker (3 student internships at present)
- CSO is currently in partnership with Emory University to reduce our energy footprint at THS
- CSO wants to create outdoor classrooms
- CSO works with City of Tucker Parks and Rec to solve real world problems
- CSO currently working on “tiny house” project – designing and building a mobile house that will be mobile and exhibit sustainability.
- CSO works with aquaponics – has a mobile unit that they can take to Elementary schools to show real world integration.
- CSO Elementary School outreach model – THS Juniors and Seniors can take robotics modules and allow students hands on interaction to get them excited about and explain how they can get involved in robotics. Suggested time-1 hour no more than 2 grades at a time.
A word from Julie Todd- STEM is not certified at THS as the AdvancED goal is to have the program have 20% of the student body included and engage in the STEM activities. 400 STEM students at THS is not currently attainable, however, they are working to make the engineering pathway become the STEM program.
- Elementary students are also invited to THS if better for the Elementary Schools.
Parent Liaison Presentation by Lisa Humphrey, THS Parent Liaison
- Ms. Humphrey. Presented a PowerPoint
- THS houses the Regional Parent Center for DeKalb County as well. This partnership has brought more support to the THS Parent Center.
- The goals of the Parent Center is to solidify partnerships between parents and the school, to foster transparency, trust, and relationships. Using our strengths and weaknesses through partnership leads to successful students. Parent who focus on academics is a high predictor of students’ academic achievement.
- 3 Rs – Respect, Responsibility, Relationship; parents are not silent partners. The parent center wants to empower parents to work at home with students to support students through homework help and communication of expectations.
- Parent Center works to create connections: FaceBook, Remind, website, text messaging, email – uses intentional communication, such as “Tiger Tidbits.”
- Parent Center works to foster trust: people want to be valued, seen, and heard.
- Band of computers are always available to parents.
- Resources (books) for parents to check out and return.
- Parent Center is open daily from 9am – 5pm. Check in at the THS Main Office and they will send you to the Parent Center. Sign in at the Parent Center as well.
- English Classes are offered on Monday and Wednesday. 2 interpreters are housed in the Parent Center.
- Currently the Parent Center sees 2-3 parents come through daily, they have recruited THS Parent Volunteers, and had an “apply to college day.”
- Currently there is no phone in the Parent Center but they are working on it and hope to have their website go live in January. Email Parent Center Liaison Lisa Humphrey at lisa_humphrey@dekalbschoolsga.org .
Communications Presentation by City Communications Team, Matt Holmes and Sonja Szubski
There are 2 types of communications 1) Internal 2) Outreach
Be careful…there is a fine line in communication between under communicating and over communicating, particularly with a single event.
INTERNAL
- Lead time is KEY! People need to have time to plan for the event.
- Social Media is under utilized by schools in our Cluster. Suggestion to have someone in charge of Social Media at each school, and not someone who is PTA/PTO, but a teacher or admin within the school.
- Social Media is great in helping to find community partnerships. Businesses LOVE recognition. Tag them in posts and share!
- Double Dip! Put word out on School Social Media as well as the School Organization (PTA/PTO/Foundation).
- City of Tucker FB has 3000+ people on their FB site.
- Tucker Town Talk is another great Facebook resource. There are 7500+ people on their FB site
OUTREACH
- Marketing ourselves, putting our best foot forward to help foster community partnerships.
- Tell the good stories! They are everywhere. Focus on those and PROMOTE in order to change perceptions. Nerd Herd at TMS is an example of an after school club run by a 7th grade Social Studies teacher to invites students (and former students) to play video games after school. Student relationships and teacher/student relationships are strengthened through this bonding time together.
- Habitat for Humanity is located in THS – there are very few High School chapters. This should be highlighted and promoted.
- Carolyn Collins, custodian at THS has a giving closet and her outreach was promoted Nationally!
- City of Tucker is extending their monthly newsletter to 16 pages with a section on our Tucker Cluster schools.
- Each school in our cluster should have an ongoing, updated “brag sheet” – A document that tells the good things happening within our schools. These should be shared with the city, our school websites and through Social Media
Jim McMahan – School Board Member
The district is creating its District Strategic 5 year plan and well as it’s Economic Development plan. The District sees our area as a “hotbed for promotion and development.” Jim is done with his term in January, but Allyson Gevertz is coming on board and she will support us fully.
- QBE – Ga legislature is looking for redo on the QBE, let your legislature know what is needed in our District for the QBE
Trenton Arnold – Regional Superintendent
Mr. Arnold talked to us about CCRPI scores in our Cluster and how to look at them within the www.gadoe.org website.
- On this site you can find the 2018 CCRPI reports. Scores within categories are weighted and shown by color (yellow = .5 points; green = 1 point; green with star = 1.5 points (distinguished).
- Progress is tabulated through a norm reference calculation. This shows how much growth is made in comparison to other students.
- The goal is to have 90% of students in the developing or higher categories
- Principals are meeting in schools addressing their CCRPI info and leveraging areas for improvement for all students to succeed!
- We should be using these scores as a Beacon, not a Hammer – so schools may address areas to provide support to all students. We are not a number; We are Tucker!
New Business
Roger Carter, Idlewood Elementary Principal Advisory Council (PAC) member
Roger Carter presented the rebranding of Idlewood Elementary as “The International School of Tucker” – a nurturing and safe place to excel.
PAC plans to tackle 1) increasing test scores 2) creative ways to fundraise 3) partnerships with local businesses
Realtor, Guy Van Ort, touted the “Seeing is Believing” tour of Tucker that happens yearly. Realtors are taken to schools within our cluster and shown the good things! He requests schools share their brag sheets with him so that he may share with realtors who sell in our area.