The John Muir PTC

Group communication guidelines - Tim Brandy

See attachment A

Tim presented some format options the PTC may choose in order to interact in a way that ensures all members understand how decisions are made and what avenues are available for input/feedback during and outside of the meeting time.  The goal is to be respectful of all opinions and ensure decisions are make in a timely manner.

WE AS THE PTC NEED TO DECIDE
1)    How to create a system so the entire school can vote when necessary.
2)    How to separate out policy/non-policy which would involve an entire school vote or not. Ideally a consensus would be reached for all decisions. When a decision is less critical to the entire school, a predetermined matrix model should work.
3)    If a consensus is not reached, what would the next step be when a school wide vote is desirable?

Agenda item: Staying in touch with the John Muir Community
Communications Committee Update - Grant Ruiz

See Attachment B

Many new avenues for notification of the PTC meeting were activated this month.  The record parent turn out testified to the improved communication. Effective this month, meeting notices were sent through four different avenues.  Through email, hard copy notices sent home with the students, postings on the door entrances to JM, and, of course, notices placed on the Parent's Corner bulletin board. The Parent's Corner bulletin board is located near Noreen's desk in the JM main entrance lobby/office.  We used the John Muir section of the District Website to post the Core Values for all to read. A hard copy was also posted on the Parent's Corner Bulletin board. It was pointed out that parents have a "reciprocal responsibility" to check these different avenues in order to keep updated.

Classroom liaisons (volunteers) have been set up for each of the four classrooms. They are in the process of defining with each individual teacher how they can best facilitate classroom and general school communication.  The current classroom liaisons are:

Pat - Richard Schaeff & Lisa Ammann
Camille - Grant Ruiz
Tim - Lysa McDowell
Marcia - Tracy Harding

Future items being investigated by the Communication Committee include a separate web page with a link from/to the District site offering expanded internet use. Expanded use may include many other kinds of notices, a chat room, instant email notices when the site is updated, and many other possibilities.  The Bellview & Willow Wind School web sites were mentioned as examples of positive web sites already in existence.  The District suggest the PTC have its own website and may allow us to use "Zoomerang" Software to take surveys.  

Agenda item: Financial Update Summary - Lauren Fennel
Lauren Fennell made a quick financial report. She said that we have enough money in the account to pay all the items of the Staff Wish List. She noted that all the money in the checking account is from donations and Scrip sales. She thanked everyone for using Scrip. Lauren also encouraged people who are unfamiliar with Scrip to talk with any of the people selling Scrip before and after school Tuesdays-Thursdays to find out more about it. For a detailed financial report, please see check the Parent's Corner at school or call Lauren at 482-7360.

Agenda item:  Core Values Document - Steve Rice
Steve reviewed the initial portion of the Core Values document and asked for comments.  He reminded those present that the Core Values of an organization do not change and stand the test of time.  Tenets, on the other  hand, can and do change with time and technology.

There were no revisions suggested by the members present to the Mission & Vision Statement nor to the Core Values portion of the Core Values document.  Grant will send out a separate email to parents asking for feedback and announcing the deadline for comments (Friday, Feb. 6). The document is available for review on the JM Parent's Corner Bulletin Board and on the John Muir page of the District Web Site. Go to http://ashland.k12.or.us, click on "Schools" at the top, then click on "John Muir School" and click on "PTC - Parent Teacher Collective" on the left.

Parent action requested:  All parents are asked to submit any and all comments/changes/revisions they may have to the Mission and Vision Statement and Core Values portion of the document by February 6, 2009.  On that date the comment window will be closed, the Mission and Vision Statement and Core Values portion
accepted, and work will begin on the Tenets and Action portion of the document. SEND COMMENTS TO: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
The next portion of the JM Core Values to solidify is the Tenets and Actions. Tenents are designed to support the Core Values.  Actions statements then support the Tenents.  One way to view a tenent is to preface the statement with "The PTC believes members should ...". Parent volunteers are needed to help complete the Tenet/Action portion of the PTC guidelines.

The following agenda items were tabled to the next meeting due to time constraints and will added to the February agenda:

Site Council update
Staff project wish list
Fun(d)raising projects
Garden committee update

IMPORTANT miscellaneous items:

Please send any email address, as well as other contact information updates to Noreen.  If you did not receive notification via email of the January 27 PTC meeting, please notify Noreen.

IF you do not want to receive email notices from JM relating to the PTC, please notify Noreen immediately.

If you did not receive a copy of the John Muir Directory in 2008, please contact Noreen.  This year's copy contains invaluable information on all aspects of the John Muir Community.

NEXT PTC MEETING
The date is to be announced.  It will likely be late February or early March.  Please continue to watch e-mails, postings in the office and handouts for more information.

Agenda items should be sent to Pauline Black by mid-February.  Known agenda items include:
1.    Update from Communication Committee
2.    Site Council update
3.    Update on Core Value vote results
4.    Request for volunteers to complete Tenet/Action portion of Core Values
5.    Staff project wish list - what the teachers would like us to consider
6.    Fun(d) raising - how to make money and have fun doing it
7.    John Muir Community Garden

Meeting minutes are recorded, posted on the Parent Corner Bulletin and routed for on-line posting and email notice by Maribeth Beaudoin and Patti Ruiz.