10100 South 1300 East
Sandy, Utah 84094
801-826-7000

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October 20, 2021 – Minutes

Eastmont School Community Council Agenda

Meeting Details: October 21, 2021 5:30 p.m. in room 305 Members:

  • Jen Coccimiglio, Chair (present)
  • Nicole Ford, Vice Chair (present)
  • Lindsey Tait, Parent (present)
  • Allyn Kau, Parent
  • Rachel deAzevedo, Parent (present)
  • Daniel Herzog, Parent (present)
  • Derek Gruander, Parent
  • Julie Taucher, Counselor (present)
  • Stephanie Davis, Teacher (present)
  • Stacy Kurtzhals, Principal (present)
  • Randall Curtis, Teacher (present)
  • Taylor Hansen, Assistant Principal (Secretary) (present)
  • Brooke Rauzon, Assistant Principal (Secretary)

 

Agenda:

1. Approval of minutes (found on the Eastmont Website)

    • Julie Taucher made the motion to approve the minutes from September
    • Daniel Herzog 2nd the motion to approve the minutes
    • The minutes were unanimously approved

 

2. Update on Land Trust budget

    • Ms. Kurtzhals shared an update on spending Land Trust money to provide after school tutoring through teachers, specifically in math.
    • Ms. Kurtzhals also shared information about hiring tutors to help with the after school tutoring program

 

3. School Safety / Digital Citizenship Plan

  • Ms. Kurtzhals updated the committee on updates made from previous School Safety Plans
  • Ms. Davis asked that we request the sprinklers be run at different times so the fields are not wet for first period Physical Education
  • Ms. Kurtzhals is requesting
    • That cameras be placed in the stairwells
    • That bike/scooter/skateboard racks be moved to the upper parking lot
    • A camera be placed on the marquee pointed at the bridge crossing 1300 East
  •  The committee ranked the requests as follows:
    1. Cameras placed in the stairwells
    2. A camera be placed on the marquee pointed at the bridge crossing 1300 East
    3. Sprinklers be run at different times
    4. The bike/scooter/skateboard racks be moved to the upper parking lot
  • Ms. Kurtzhals reviewed the Digital Citizenship Plan
    • Ms. Kurtzhals discussed Content Keeper and LanSchool
    • Mr. Herzog asked about strengthening the filters on YouTube
    • Eastmont will contact the District about strengthening the YouTube filter
    • Ms. Coccimiglio asked about how words are flagged.
      • The district creates the list and administrators can request words be answered.
    • The question was raised about the phone policy at Eastmont.
      • The following is in Eastmont’s School Wide Disclosure:
        • I am allowed to use my personal technology only with the permission of a teacher for educational purpose.
        • I know that personal technology (i.e. cellphones, earbuds, etc.) are not to be used during the school day (i.e. class, lunch, passing periods, assemblies, etc.).
        • If personal technology is confiscated, a parent/guardian will have to pick it up from the main office.
        • I understand bringing personal technology comes with risks (i.e. being stolen, broken, etc.) and EMS will not be held responsible for finding or replacing technology.
    • Mr. Herzog asked about teaching of Digital Safety
      • There was a lesson that took place this week
      • Ms. Miles (the librarian) also presents lessons in the classroom
    • Mr. Herzog asked about students beginning to have altered perceptions of reality
      • Ms. Kurtzhals explained how our Patriot of the Month speakers have addressed this and digital citizenship
  • Ms. Kurtzhals will add some information about what school issued Chromebooks can and cannot do to the parent newsletter.

 

4. Targeted School Improvement Plan (TSIP)

  • Ms. Kurtzhals explained why schools are required to write a Targeted School Improvement Plan
  • Ms. Kurtzhals explained Eastmont wrote a Targeted School Improvement Plan because our lack of academic growth for students who receive Special Education services

 

5. Honors classes – parent requested discussion

  • Ms. Coccimiglio mentioned that parents have reached out about why honors are no longer being offered
    • Is Eastmont the only school in the district that does not have honor schools
      • Ms. Kurtzhals explained that the majority of middle schools are moving away from honors classes.  Eastmont did it all once.  Other schools are phasing it out.
      • Ms. Kurtzhals explained how there was never a different honors curriculum.  For math, they were asked to do one extension problem and for ELA they were asked to participate in Book Blitz and an extra one-pager for books they read.
      • Ms. Kurtzhals explained how with more differentiated classes; classroom discussions are deeper, students are showing more leadership skills, discipline concerns are diminishing because peers have better role-models in the classroom
      • It was mentioned how honors was always an opt-in process
      • Ms. Tait asked about honors at the high school.
        • The high school does have honors classes and it is is a separate curriculum
      • Ms. Kurtzhals explained an idea that is being developed about developing a criteria of what an honor student does and looks like and awarding honors based upon that and not just work.
      • Ms. Coccimiglio mentioned better advertisements to parents about the honors program and how Eastmont is not a “lesser” school.
      • There was a discussion about student motivation and an idea to increase student motivation
        • Parents were in favor of moving towards more Teacher Advisory days.

 

6.     Counseling/Parent Advisory Committee

  • Ms. Taucher explained how they have not been in the classroom as much this year due to the needs of students in the counseling center
    • It was pointed out that 6th graders last normal school year was 3rd grade.
  • Ms. Taucher talked about their ideas for conducting Reality Town due to continuing concerns regarding COVID-19.

Ms. Kurtzhals motioned to adjourn the meetin
Ms. Davis seconded to adjourn the meeting