School Site Council April 6th, 2021

Career Academy Quality Improvement Plan

School Site Council Agenda 2/9/2021

PDF: School Site Council Meeting Notes 01/12/21

Career Academy School Site Council

Agenda

1/12/2021 

2:00 – 3:00 pm 

Attendees: Megan O, Jen D, Marsha B, Rhea G, Lauren C, Musu G

• Welcome and Introductions

• Norm Setting

• Purpose:

•  To Inform decision making for school improvement

• Mission and Vision

Mission and Vision

1. Mission Statement

 The Career Academy re-engages off-track students to become successful in a setting with increased supports, smaller classes, flexible scheduling, and competency-based teaching and learning.

 Edits:

• Remove “off-track” bc we are servicing both students who are   off-track and on-track

• Not all students need to be re-engaged

 Working Draft 1/12/21

The Career Academy (continuously) engages students to take control of their learning through student-led inquiry, positive relationship building, work-based learning, and wraparound supports. They acquire academic, social emotional, and industry specific competencies that transfer to real-world scenarios in their community and professional futures.   

1. Vision Statement 

 The Career Academy offers a gateway for its students to achieve current goals through rigorous academics, exposure to career development and building the social-emotional skills needed to get there. Our students develop strong, healthy relationships based on respect and tolerance. They are inventive thinkers and attack all goals with tenacity and perseverance. By engaging and partnering with the community, we provide a comprehensive network of supports that traverse out-of-school barriers and prepare students for success beyond high school. The student’s Career Academy experience culminates as they embark on a path to reach their future goals of meaningful careers, maintaining solid relationships and being productive citizens.

Edits:

• Gateway - reconsider this term

• Achieve current goals-> help them set goals 

• Students are prepared with the 21st century skills to be thriving/rising members of the community

• Including financial literacy - digital banking - how to help students get these essential skills.

• Have real-life skills to be successful

• Responsible and proactive! Not waiting for other people to do things for you - get out there and do it. Take the initiative.

• Advocate for selves

• Do we say 21st Century Skills or break it down to more specifics 

Working Draft 1/12/21:

Students are in the driver’s seat on their road to success. They develop skills for personal, academic, and professional success beyond high school through a curriculum rooted in student-led inquiry, social-emotional development, and career connections. They will persevere toward their goals supported by positive relationships built with their peers, teachers, and mentors. They will explore college and career pathways through hands-on exposure to industry and fields of study, discovering their passion that will launch their post-graduation life. Graduates will continue as lifelong learners, with the relationship building, critical thinking, and field-based skills to make a positive impact on the world.

Jamboard session:

•  What are we doing well to meet our mission and vision? 

•  What can we do better to meet our mission and vision? 

  Next Steps

• Next Meeting Date: February 9th  2-3 pm (2nd tuesday of each month)

• Topics to explore

  • Consider proposed edits and be prepared to vote next 

  • Incorporate feedback

  • Help middle schools identify students- put out student profiles, parent info sessions

  • Keep an eye on middle school high-school sign up schedule

• Finalize mission and vision statements 

• How to make this as an opt-in program for incoming freshmen?

Identify priority areas of need for servicing students using this group feedback

• surveys

Megan O’Loughlin (co-chair), Lauren Campion (co-chair), Jennifer Drivas (teacher), Rhea Gordon (community partner), Contribution to QIP goals & objectives by Ana Esteves (parent)​

Goal of Meeting: Review Career Academy Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) objectives and working document

• Review Mission and Vision
• Create Core Values and Commitments
• Additions to Goals and Objectives:
  • Climate Committee, peer observations and collaborations
  • Data summit on MCAS, credit attainment, graduation, rethinking discipline and other DESE conference
  • STEM intervention  for 9^thand 10^th graders in STEM classes rather than pullout pilot based on MCAS data, Academic discourse, implement writing across content areas using iReady data
  • Roadmap review 3x per year with teachers and college/career partners
  • identifying community partner programs that match with student needs.
• Review of budget priorities:
  • Mental health and college and career with general fund
  • Math instruction- add tutors or sub for full time para
  • Continued investment in technology and curriculum

CA School Site Council 1/22/20

Career Academy School Site Council

1/22/2020 5:00 – 6:00 pm

Attendees: Megan O’Loughlin, Lauren Campion, Ana Esteves, Bernice Chandler

• Welcome and Introductions
  • Meeting commenced: 5:17 pm
• Purpose:
  • To Inform decision making for school improvement
• District Strategic Plan:
  • Reviewed plan Dr. Boyd presented to School Committee

• Brainstorming Areas of Need (Academic, extracurricular, etc.)
  • Mental health – build on existing mental health agency partnership to provide counseling for more students
  • College application and transitional support

• Next Steps
  • Acquire one additional family representative (3 total)
  • Acquire student and community partner representatives
  • Next Meeting Date:

• Meeting adjourned: 6:25 pm

Career Academy

School Site Council Meeting Minutes

February 7^th, 2019 5:30 – 6:30 pm

• Welcome

• Norm Setting
  • One person speaks at a time
  • be open minded and non-judgemental
  • respect what others are saying

• Upcoming Events
  • Farm to table family cooking nights March – April at the Lincoln School

• Purpose of School Site Council
  • To be involved in decision making at school (see Overview Handout) 

• Expectations
  • What do we expect from our school? Help students find resources they need. Require community service hours to graduate. Maximize students potential. Offer programs that match interests.
  • Our parents? More involvement in family activities/events
  • Our students? Model positive behavior to help reputation/ public perception. Take ownership of school. Do service in the community.

• Vision
  • What are we doing well? Added programming and positive opportunities. More students enjoy school or feel school pride.
  • What can we do better? Communication of opportunities/resources. Can be achieved through improved online presence. Perhaps student intern can help run website?

Consensus: First goal of our School Site Council will be to improve public perception of the Career Academy School 

• Next Meeting: Thursday March 7^th, 5:30 – 6:30 pm

As part of the citywide community engagement initiative, Your Voice Matters, the Career Academy School Council met twice in Fall 2017 to discuss education in Lowell and identify prioriy areas for improvement.

Below are identified school strengths and areas for improvement:

In a community where ALL students can succeed...

• Students have access to resources and services in career pathways
• Schools have alliances with community partners to strengthen connection between schools and the real world.
• Schools have parent group within the schools to improve collaboration
• schools are culturally inclusive and promote diversity to break down barriers
• students feel safe, wanted, comfortable, and understood

Expectations of the schools

• Students learn to read and write
• Develop sense of citizenship
• Comfortable learning environment
• Responsive to students out-of-school needs

Expectations of the community:

• Awareness recognition of schools in community
• Connection to schools: community members and organizations interact regularly with schools
• Encourage others to be involved with schools
• Build each other up, work together to help each other improve

Signs of hope in our schools:

• Garden education in schools and community
• Students voice
• Supports in schools: Future planning, pathways, career training
• Book Nooks

What are the biggest problems facing schools in Lowell? 

Students feeling unsafe/uncomfortable: Physical and cyber bullying, fighting, especially outside of school hours. Schools can do more to address the issue.

Potential solution:

• Mentoring from elementary or middle school
• “Bullying orientation” 

Other: Attendance, low parent involvement, not enough homework

How can we achieve our priorities:

Goal #1: Schools have alliances with partners to strengthen community connection and prepare students for the real world

Solutions:

• Create a structure for partnership with shared vision for students
• Outreach to contacts for partnership
• Platform for sharing current practices, what’s worked, etc. Inventory of what’s already happening, level of participation, results
• Identify gaps (in schools or service area)

Goal #2: Students feel safe and comfortable in (and out) school

Sources of discomfort: sexual orientation, cultural barriers, bullying, lack of cultural sensitivity from schools food and clothing insecurity, mental health, other out of school factors.

Solutions

• "Comfort Zone" tool kit that lists various school and community partner resources available for students
• Inclusive bathroom policy
• Catie’s Closet
• Food pantry “go to” adult to trust/ check in with: teacher, guidance counselor, mentor, after school
• Cultural sensitivity training
• More frequent bullying prevention programing in school and outside of schools.
  1. Identify other stakeholders e.g. transportation, IT dept, police, parents
  2. Anti-bullying campaign at least 2x/ year