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. 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