PKM HIGHLIGHTS: August 3-7
Dear Bill, Darin, Todd, Michael & Pat:
Principal Meeting Update (Aug 3)
Sr. Staff and I met with principals to provide updates and timelines to the start of school on September 8 and the preparation in motion. Key topics covered included:
- Revised calendar highlights (meetings, trainings and grading period dates)
- Brick or Click details
- Daily schedule – arrival and departures for Brick and BCS Distance Learning
- Attendance/Participation
- Grading
- Remote Learning Plan only if Governor closes all schools, a county or a school
- Possible staggered start to the school year
- Teach and train students with limited number of students
- Prepare for remote learning
- Family survey update / FAQs
- Child Care (Little Eagle)
- Department updates and questions
Sr. Staff Plus Pandemic Meeting - (Aug. 5)
The Senior Staff Pandemic Meeting was on Wednesday. During the meeting we discussed the information that was presented at the school board meeting Monday evening and Dr. Murphy gave praise to all the staff members who participated and especially recognized the efforts of Tana Burkhart, Holly Kleppner, Judy McCune and Donnie Dellinger for their presentation during the board meeting. The deadline to complete the family re-entry survey is Aug. 5th. The communications department will provide the schools with the results so that schools can begin planning, scheduling, and staffing. Jim Butts, Dr. Murphy and Betty Anne Powell met to review the budgetary requests that have been submitted for CARES, the federal grant that was allocated to support schools during the nation-wide pandemic. Many departments have begun receiving the necessary PPE and sanitation supplies needed for the beginning of school. Scott Mathis and Eric Keesecker are working with schools to plan for traffic patterns, bus routes and mounting signage and barriers as needed. Technology has received mobile hotspots and has driven to different parts of the county to test their connectivity.The Comms Dept along with Dr. Murphy collaborated with several principals and department heads to create five FAQ videos to provide parents and staff with information regarding the opening of schools that were well received. Thanks to the great production team of Bobo, Porterfield & Heck!
Martinsburg High School Facility Meeting (Aug. 5)
Trent Sherman hosted a meeting with Renee Haines, Dave Ryan, Tyler and Xavier Jenkins, Scott Mathis, Katie Schram, Dave Banks, Stephen Schram, Michelle Martin and me to update progress being made related to facility issues to include:
- Cleaning of the school building moving forward and going along well after a review by some committee members.
- Scott Mathis and Trent Sherman getting estimates for ADA compliance in auditorium.
- Michelle Martin and Dave Banks updated the group on the CEFP portion that addressed Martinsburg High School renovation project proposals.
- Terrazzo flooring update and positive result with small test area and next steps for consideration of the other terrazzo flooring in the building.
- Theatre Arts room and looking for alternatives in and outside the school building.
Many of the committee members shared that they very much appreciated the progress that has been made during the last several months. The members expressed that they are encouraged by progress and are continuing to advocate for facility upgrades and improvements as we continue to work together. The group agreed the next meeting will be later in September after school starts on September 8.
Service and Professional Staff Weekly Conference Calls - (Aug. 5)
Dr. Murphy hosted the weekly meeting of service and professional representatives Wednesday, August 5, 2020 that included: Justin Mauck, Jessica Salfia, Georgiana Lang, Mallory Painter, Debbie Sloat, Ricky Mason, and Mark Weisenburg along with the Human Resources team of Dr. Justin Schooley, Karen Hensell and Lewis Mullenax along with Executive Directors, Scott Mathis and Eric Keesecker.
Discussion Topics:
- BCS’ Student and Staff “Return to Learn” Plan and questions
- Student movement at the secondary schools (ie. hallways)
- Recruitment/Staffing Updates
- PD sessions for head custodians
- Transportation plans for return
- Concerns of the staff/student schedule with before/after school planning and duty-free lunch
Contact Dr. Schooley (jschoole@k12.wv.us or ext. 13267) with related questions.
Head Custodian Meeting (August 6)
On Thursday August 6th, Executive Director of Facilities & Maintenance, Scott Mathis, hosted all Berkeley County Schools Head Custodians to a meeting to discuss current operations and preparations for the return of staff and students into our buildings. He was also joined by Dr. Justin Schooley, Karen Hensell and Ron Stephens. The meeting began with an introduction from Scott Mathis and Dr. Murphy discussing why the work of our custodians is so critical to the health and safety of those entering our facilities. Scott reviewed the need of clear and frequent communication from the Head Custodians to the Facilities Dept. and Mike Green from the Warehouse also spoke discussing the supply chain for cleaning chemicals and supplies. Information regarding what the district is doing to prepare was discussed in detail with the head custodians such as, purchase of disinfecting sprayers, barriers, hand sanitizer, signage, HVAC operation, and custodial training. Great questions were asked and discussed and then the group moved into Cleaning & Disinfecting Training presented by Steve Johnson with Weiss Brothers. The training focused on why we clean/disinfect, proper techniques and use of equipment and materials, as well as how to do it safely for our custodians and building occupants. The intent of the meeting was to begin to align all schools on the process and procedures for the safe return of staff and students and that intent was achieved.
Principal Meetings (August 6 & 7)
On Thursday and Friday Don Dellinger, Dave Banks, Ron Stephens, Miranda Ralph and I met with principals by programmatic levels and discussed the following areas to included:
- Brick or Click instruction, schedules, planning time and teacher breaks during the day.
- Other instruction considerations with (e.g., James Rumsey, Blue Ridge and Shepherd Classes, Drivers’ Education, Physical education classes, band, chorus, strings, theatre, dance, singleton classes (i.e.- AP Statistics), recess, Title I Teachers and Reading/Math Interventionist, OLWEUS, Advisor/Advisee).
- Mandatory Procedures (e.g., attendance, class participation, grading, student contact).
- Daily operations with technology, transportation, students transitioning from one class to another, lunch in the classroom, classroom set-ups, visitors to the building, after-school activities and groups, beginning of the year orientations and Parent-Teacher Conferences.
- Reviewed the health and safety concerns recently released by WVDE and how decisions will be made county by county, addressing athletics and extra-curricular activities and expectations for students and staff wearing face coverings, cleaning procedures and the overall social, emotional and wellness for students and staff.
Meeting with Shepherd University Upward Bound, ACT Prep and BCS (August 7)
Christi Heaton and I met with Nicholas and Morgan Henderson, former Berkeley County School students and graduates of Martinsburg High School and Dr. Evora Baker and Cynthia Copney from Upward Bound at Shepherd University. Nicholas and Morgan have offered a 9 lesson ACT English prep program to Berkeley County Schools and Upward Bound at no cost as part of a pilot program. In speaking with Christi Heaton, she recommended the possibility of working with Upward Bound to offer the prep program because of the vision and mission of the program for students who are first generation and/or income eligible high school students who are pursuing a college education. The initial pilot cohort will involve approximately 15 seniors using the test prep English program (e.g., the treatment). The design of the pilot is to improve ACT scores and overall performance on the test. In addition, Morgan and Nicholas are also finishing a mathematics test prep ACT program that will be available to us later this fall. We are planning to use this initial step as our pilot and will plan to scale the work to expand to other high school students interested in the ACT test prep opportunity.
Thought of the Week - (TOTW)
This week we continued our discussions with departments regarding strategic planning. The conversations around setting goals for the coming year are proving to be very progressive in how we are approaching our priorities. What I would like to capture in the TOTW are some of the main themes running through these conversations, so we can all connect to how we are working.
- Alignment is key! The alignment of our goals through individual work plans, school plans, department plans, superintendent work plan and school district strategic plan goals are all linked and connected. Imagine you can run a thread through each of these plans and more important the actions being taken by teachers, administrators, central office, superintendent, and the school board.
- To show and monitor growth and progress, you must have baseline data. If you don’t have baseline data, establish that data.
- Start small with a small defined cohort of students. Pilots are the perfect solution for working with a group of students that need specific support in reading and/or mathematics. The pilot also offers greater control and fidelity of implementation in delivering specific treatments/strategies. Based on the data you collect this now provides you with the baseline data and also ability now to successfully scale a particular goal across a grade level, school and/or programmatic level.
- Goals must be SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time designated. The baseline data here becomes the important element to setting the SMART goal. The data also frames the goals to look at results and outcomes to determine the progress and growth that is achieved.
- Treatments and strategies must be clear and specific. I have referenced the medical model in our conversation in thinking about causing an effect. Three to five treatments/strategies should applied that are specific and clear as opposed to the kictchen sink approach. At the end of the year, based on the progress or not, in reaching the goal will determine the utility of a particular treatment/strategy to continue, modify and/or stop the treatment/strategy. Note: only as an example the article this week in Pat’s Picks, Could $50 a week empower high school students to set and meet education goals? This New Orleans School Aims to Find Out. By the way, this is only an example of a treatment approach and not a philosophical position of this as a particular treatment/strategy.
All of us fall prey to the day-to-day and the crisis of the moment that can take us away from our real and most important work which is the school district’s strategic plan. The strategic plan is our work, it provides the lens for us to prioritize, focus, and where to place our energy and resources. Keeping the strategic plan in the forefront helps guide our work and ultimately make the difference we want to see happen through intentional planning, implementation, and monitoring.
PKM Calendar for upcoming week: August 10-14
Mon., Aug. 10
Superintendent Mtg.
Sr. Staff Mtg
Tues., Aug. 11th
Strategic Plan Work Session
Routine Mtgs
Wed., Aug. 12th
Pandemic Mtg
State Sup. Mtg
Employee rep Mtg.
Greater Berkeley Community Comm.
Thurs., Aug 13th
Routine Mtgs
Fri., Aug. 14th
Talkradio WRNR
Summer Meal Program Continues
June 1: 15,670 (One location)
June 8: 16,930 (4 locations)
June 15: 19,620
June 22: 19,300
June 29: 22,260
July 6: 22,460
July 13: 24,180
July 20: 24,370
July 27: 24,910
Aug. 3rd: 24,230
MEALS PROVIDED SINCE MARCH 16, 2020 = 435,930
Please view the following attachments and Pat's Picks:
Superintendent Announcements - 8/3
Hanover Bench Marking Study
Patrick K. Murphy, Ed.D., Superintendent
Email: patrick.murphy@k12.wv.us
Phone: 304-582-0880
Twitter: @PKMSupt