Always Learning...

This week I was so happy once again to be back in the Community Garden.  An older couple from our community stopped by to show us the yield from their personal garden that they were donating and shared some gardening pointers.  From what I was told, their personal garden rivals that of the Community Garden…it must be incredible…and I really want to go on a field trip to their house!  It was so very sweet for them to come by and share their successes…it is good to learn from others!  I must be honest…I was not as helpful this week as I was last week but I did plant peas and learned all about the kohlrabi in the Community Garden!  Actually, we all learned about kohlrabi!  Did you know that you can use the leaves like collards and the rest you can either eat cold or hot?  It is amazingly versatile and easy to grow.  I even went home and planted some of my own!

Last week I told you about our weekly packets.  Since there was a regular meeting this week we had another packet.  This week it was only a 151 pages.  Again, this is a little light so I decided to read “Beyond the Bake Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships”.  It was recommended at a workshop I attended last year that dealt with family engagement.  I took the book out from the library twice and renewed it twice each time…I just never had time to read it!  I do read for pleasure and have not gotten to that book in a long time but I thought that I should really get to this library book before the library police come to get me!!!  Besides, one of the goals the Board set this year deals with community engagement so I figured I really needed to make it a priority to read.

Anyway, back to my activities…before the Board of Ed Regular Meeting on Tuesday the Board Special Education Committee met and we reviewed the process and the materials parents receive when their child first enters the world of the CPSE (Committee for Preschool Education) or the CSE (Committee for Special Education).  We went over our intended meeting schedule and what information we need to see in the recommendation materials we receive from the CPSE and the CSE in order for us to then recommend their approval to the rest of the Board each month.  It was an extremely productive meeting.

Afterwards was the Regular Board Meeting…again I wish you had been there but here are just a few highlights.  I will tell you that we had a lengthy conversation about the New York State Test Scores.  I am not going to tell you what I think here…I will just implore you to do some of your own research on the Common Core and what the goal of these tests were this year.   We voted to change the meeting date originally scheduled for June 25, 2014 to June 24, 2014 so as not to conflict with the High School prom.  I reported on the activities of the Communication Committee.  We did have an Executive Session before approving the consent agenda and we ended the meeting with a lively discussion of our norms and protocols.  This particular document mostly covers how we conduct ourselves at our Work and Regular Board Meetings.   

On Friday I attended the NYSSBA Leadership Conference in Melville.  This is the one I wasn’t sure I needed to go to but then decided I ought to.  I am very happy to report that I am glad that I went. The day was broken up into 3 sections.  We learned about Managing Conflict on a Board, the Common Core, and Superintendent Evaluations.  It was the last part that had me thinking I didn’t need to go to this Conference because it was covered in the Legal Conference I went to a few weeks ago but ironically, I learned a lot that I didn’t know and wasn’t covered the last time!  I had also thought that the first part about Board Conflict wouldn’t be useful since for the most part, when we have disagreements we agree to disagree and know how to move on but it was still interesting from a “good communication with others” point of view.  As well, I thought I knew what I needed to about the Common Core but it was really great to hear what other Board Members all over the Island think.  This was true for the whole day.  People share stories about what works and doesn’t work in their district and it really becomes a great networking experience…I came back with the feeling that we do a lot of things well but with ideas on how we can improve on some of our processes…and in the end…as it was said…”Better school boards lead to better student performance.”  Bottom line is that it is all about the kids!!

Now what’s on tap for next week?  Wow…I am not sure there is anything…I will try to get back to the garden…other than that I believe there are no meetings…no packet…uh oh…I may be left to my own devices.  I will be getting the kids ready to leave for college and get ready for school, enjoying my birthday (shhhh), having some family time, and will probably find something to read that will help me continue to improve myself as a Board Member.  If you don’t hear from me next week you will know why but I will try to check in, anyway!  At any rate, I will be enjoying the last days of Summer and I hope you do too!!!!