Parent Action Group meeting notes 2009-10
9.15.2009 (Notes by Thea Daniels)
Blanca Manriquez and Thea Lerner Daniels - Welcome and Icebreaker
Sandy Hunt - Goal of the Evening Is To Greet Parents New to the Community and Have A Chance to Meet Parents of Sophomore, Junior and Senior Students
Amy Frey - Vice Principal
BIHS is a small learning community where students can and will achieve in a rigorous academic environment. BHS can be a large, chaotic place. We have people in place to help. There are two counselors, Xia Lee and Zohra Taymuree. (If your freshman has Ms. Anderson for English you are in the Green House and your counselor is Xia Lee. And if she/he has anyone else for English, you are in the Blue House and will have Zohra.)
Matt Meyer & Miranda Thorman are the co-lead teachers Leadership, Discipline and Teacher Concerns go to Amy
Tidbits on Surviving BHS. LISTEN, Listen, listen. If there are things that concern you, advocate for them. There will be ways to support them.
In addition to staff leaders of BIHS there is the Parent Advisory Council - 5 Students, 4 Teachers, Ashley, Amy, and 4 Parents. The Council works on curriculum development
Ashley Milton, Coordinator For the International Baccalaureate
Welcome. There are often lots of concerns about the IB Diploma. We hope the upcoming October info nights will answer questions but don't hesitate to ask.
Ben Johnson, Sophomore student, came to speak at Amy's request, on what he likes and what he'd like in addition that parents might be able to support. Things he likes, he likes the classes. "I really enjoy them. Really good. We are talking about the whole world. I like the gobal perspective." He'd appreciate more fundraising to support more community events, more field trips, more potlucks.
Sandy introduced the Parent Action Group or PAG, each committee chair is looking for new recruits to help in their area, with Fundraising being really vital.
- Candy Meyers & Maureen Katz - Parents of Juniors Talked of Events and of how volunteering has kept them in the know about the school.
- Sandy Hunt - Parent of a Senior, Talked of The Huge Need for Fundraising BIHS. Money raised last year went to support: Teacher Retreat, Computer Lab $30K, Art Supplies $3k, IB Art Exam $3k, Testing Support $3-8k, Fieldtrips, Intl. Fieldtrips
- Susan Jacobs International Field Trips
- Lynn Signorelli - Parent of a Senior, Leads a committee that focuses on Outreach to the whole community but in particular to those parents who might feel disenfranchised or disconnected.l
- Steve McConnell - Technology/Etree/Website, A lot is on the Website. Remember to Check it.
- Blanca Manriquez - Outreach
- Judy Dyckman - CAS/IB exams We need parents with connections to volunteer opportunities so that our students can get their service hours in.
- Denise Abrams SGC - Represents BIHS on the School Governing Council
Next Tuesday, big PTSA meeting. Only one annually but it is important to make sure BIHS is represented. BIHS really needs parents who are interested in fundraising to make BIHS go.
Parent-asked questions:
Q. If I need to advocate and it isn't teacher related who do I go to?
A. See counselor
Q. How do students fit in PE and how much do they need?
A. You need two years. Waivers are due this Friday!!!! Get a form Thursday.
The Y, coaches, outside teachers can help students qualify for PE credit out of school. Get the form signed by the counselor, then to Mr. Walton. They need to be doing 5 hours/wk to qualify. The Y is having an orientation for BHS students that want to get a PE Waiver, this Thursday, September 18 at 4:30.
Q. Can the PE Waiver form be added to website?
A. The counselors last year said students must come see them for the form.
Events Coming Up.
October 6 Sophomores Info Night
October 8 College and Career Counselors Night for BIHS
Mid October Juniors and Freshman Info Nights To Be Announced
8.8.2009 (Note by Lorrie Williams)
Attendees: Lynn Signorelli, Candy Meyers, Judy Dickman, Steve McConnell , Sandi Hunt, Lorrie Williams
Next Meeting: Friday, September 11th
AI = Action Item
- Freshman picnic, including roles and handouts
- IB T-shirts will be given out at freshman picnic to attendees; list will be used to identify those who haven't received shirts so all freshman will get their 'house' shirt.
- Need attendees to staff volunteer table.
- Early September all-parent meeting
- We are proposing, September 15 for the BIHS all-grade parent meet and greet to be held in the cafeteria.
- Postcard home to all students as mailing costs less and will at least get home and hopefully stand out from other mail.
- AI - Sandi will create language for the postcard by
September 2nd. - AI - Steve will print postcard by September 4th.
- AI - Lynn, Candy, Judy and Lorrie will get postcards stamped for US mail and get address labels printed and on cards by September 7th.
- AI – Post cards mailed to freshmen families by September 8th.
- BUSD Black family picnic
- BIHS will have a presence at the Black Family Reunion on September 19th and have information to give out about our program, BIHS resources and important dates.
- AI – Lorrie to recruit parents 2 parents to staff both by September 10th.
- October information nights by grade level
- Still waiting on dates for IB Info Nights for each grade level.
- Update on IBCAS needs
- AI – unassigned, check w/ Ashley to determine needs.
- Fundraising, BHSDG Liaison
- Need Fundraising Chair and Co-chair would like to have these positions filled by TBD?
- Create a master calendar of IB events including fundraising events.
- Sandy suggested sending out an e-mail highlighting the need for fundraising and field trip coordinators.
- Other as time permits
- GRADUATION
Discussed the following:- BIHS separate graduation ceremony
- Logistics and Cost
- PAG parents would like to acknowledge students receiving IB diploma at graduation.
- IB grads wearing sashes to distinguish them at the all-school graduation ceremony.
- AI - Lynn will look into whether other schools within BHS do this. Funding for the sashes does not seem like it will be an impediment.
- GRADUATION