Hilltop School
Parent Council 10/23/18
Attendees
Mr. Heller; Pre-K: Pamela Diaz-Barriga; Kindergarten: Vanessa Cerchio & Amy Shammas; 1st grade: Jen Walsh & Francesca Mullany; 2nd grade: Aparna Largman & Cheryl Brown; 3rd grade: Vidoushi Curtil & Jessica Strange; 4th grade: Christine Schwartz
Follow-up From Last Meeting
· Parent Council Co-Chair: Amy Shammas has volunteered to be Co-Chair of Parent Council for this school year.
· Retractable awning- Mr. Heller is conducting analysis for adding an awning to the back patio; including looking for alternative solutions and/or change to dismissal procedures on extreme foul weather days.
· New families/buddy families- Miss Dicristina has reached out to all new families and connected them to Wendy Hoch.
· School Supply Orders: Team leaders were receptive to providing families options for picking up school supply kits. Will work with the HSA for end of year planning.
· Ms. Eagan: has joined Parent Council meetings until December as part of her administrative degree preparation.
New Items
· Confusion over dismissal: Where does the car line begin? Should there be a sign? Can the circular driveway at the front of school be blocked? Both driveways should always be accessible. For the Pre-K families, dismissal is at 3, and families are asked to clear the front driveway by 3:10. A reminder email was sent to Pre-K families to remind them of the dismissal times and need to clear the driveway for the older students’ dismissal procedures.
· Class Sizes: What determines class size/number of sections for each grade? There’s no magic formula that determines class size or how many sections of a grade are created. It’s based on enrollment numbers, fluctuating over the years with some years being smaller than others.
· Recess /Playground: Recess has been inside or students have been off the play equipment recently. If the ground is slick, administration determines if outside recess is safe. At the onset of Fall with the rainy conditions, the mulch, which helps support drainage, washed away. New mulch has been spread on the playground. When recess is inside, there are opportunities to use the gym, as the class schedule is different this year, offering gym as a recess option. Teachers and admin determine if the weather is safe for outside play, even in the winter. It all depends on the actual conditions of the day.
· GoNoodle in the classroom and gym: Do teachers follow guidelines as to when/how often they use it? Some of the content is geared towards older children; how is this monitored/managed for the younger students? It’s been at the discretion of each teacher of how often to have GoNoodle as part of the week’s classroom planning. Some teachers use it to spruce up energy levels after lunch. Kids enjoy it and the content is age appropriate and qualified by each teacher.
· STEM: How much STEM is incorporated in the weekly K-2 schedule? Every 4-day cycle includes a class of technology, in conjunction with library. All K/1/2 grades now have chrome books in their classrooms. Grades 3 & 4 have 1:1 Chromebooks in their classrooms.
· Student’s Bill of Rights: Is there a more descriptive version that what is stated inside the students’ Friday folders? The student’s code of conduct, dress code, behavior, and expectations are communicated in the Friday folder as well as on the school website. It’s also communicated in the cafeteria for students. There was an expressed gap in what can students expect; what chain of command can be communicated to facilitate feedback? Mr. Heller to examine further communications.
· Bee/Insect issue in the K-1 Girls’ Bathroom? There were two days where bees posed a nuisance in the girls’ bathroom. The issue was mitigated with re-sealing the windows.
· Homework policy: Is there a general policy for giving out homework? It was requested that families determine the difference between if there is a lot of homework vs. my child can’t finish the homework. It was advised that parents connect with their child’s teacher to assess individual student concerns.
· PARCC Testing: The BOE is working with school admin to evaluate results and assess during grade-level meetings if students are struggling and why; is it the content, the amount of time, or other individual issues?
· HSA: What’s the best route to sharing feedback? Mr. Heller stated that the Parent Council is an intermediary; it’s best to exchange direct communications with HSA leadership.
What is the Parent Council?
The Parent Council serves as a liaison to the school community in Mendham Borough. The primary objective of this Council is to facilitate communication that positively impacts our school and enriches the environment for our children and community. Some of the changes that have resulted from our meetings include the format of Back-to-School Night, the new Parent FAQ newsletter, arrivals of our kindergartners, and the snapshots of the year pages you received on Back to School Night.
The Parent Council discusses school-wide concerns or ways to make school events or procedures more effective. Parent Council is not a substitute for individuals having direct contact with the appropriate school personnel. Your representatives are a good place to start with any questions or concerns and are available to guide you through the proper channels should you need assistance.