001Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. Wonderful. So, our first agenda item is approval of the March 26, 2025 regular meeting minutes. And I have a motion to approve. A motion to approve. Any discussion? Okay. All in favor? >> I I motion passes. Is there any public comment? Are you sure? [Laughter] Any online? No emails, no online. We need to cue the crickets. No, maybe next month we can we can create a goal to have one public talk. Don't make me don't make me don't make me go to bring bring a friend to the school family community partnerships day. Don't make me do it. Um okay. Well, so I will close public comment and we will move on to activating well-being. Oh, Iris is gonna miss her opportunity and she may be disqualified um for
002the prize running if she doesn't get back here soon. Okay. Well, hesitant to get started with our public not our public comment with our activate well-being activity. Um okay. Well, we will get it started. It's something that she can easily catch up on um when she gets back in. But today's activate well-being um activity is titled whose story is it? And what we do is it's it's a little game and we write our funniest or weirdest or funnest story on a small piece of paper. Obviously, it has to be appropriate enough to um to be shared in a in a public session. Um and it has to be a true story. no fiction. And then we're going to fold the paper up and we're gonna I didn't bring my um my basket today, but then
003um I will read a story and we're going to try to see if we can figure out whose story is it. Kind of like a who done it. Okay, so each person will get this handy piece of paper. We're going to learn something about one another which will be fun and relational. It's um just a a story. It could be a funny weirdish story like just just a cool little story that you have from your life um that you're willing to share publicly. and We're going to do this for about oh 3 to 5 minutes. And for those who may be online, um while we're not able to have your anonymous story, if you wanted to share a story, um you're certainly welcome to. Fun interesting story about fun story. Sorry. Well, we're in the
004middle of our activate well-being um activity. You may be disqualified unless you can figure out what the activity is. Now, I'm going to let you off. what what we're doing it's the the title is called whose story is it? So each of us is writing down a fun or weird or strange story about ourselves that we can share publicly and we're going to fold it up. You know it doesn't hurt to be um straight on that. Um and we're going to fold it up and then um I will read each person's story. We're going to see if we can guess whose story it is and then from that pile I Okay. So, we're really like two to three minutes in. So, we have about two minutes left. Are you ready? Okay. That's great. [Music] Gonna
005add my ginger shoes. Look at that. my ginger shoes. Destiny is the mother of all events, right? So, as a reminder, what we're doing is our activate well-being activity that starts each of our school family community partnerships meetings. purpose of doing that is to have a more relational approach to the work that we do to know one another to humanize who we, you know, who we are and and why we're here and and just remember that we really are all one. Know that might sound a little bit woowoo, but that's what I believe and that's what we're going to go with today. Okay, here we go. So, now we get to read them and we get to figure out who this are. With two weeks preparation, I purchased a standby ticket and got a rush
006passport. Jumped on a plane with no planned place to stay for Christmas and New Year's. You think it's Mr. Robert? Okay. We Huh. Okay. Well, it was me. It was I I did. This is true. And now we get to just talk a little bit about our story, Leo, for like one minute. Um, I was in my second year of teaching and the wonderful secretary there, her brother worked for United Airlines. He had these companion tickets. It cost me less than $200. He had them left over. It was the end of the year. And I said, I'm 23 years old or whatever I was. I'm like, I can do this. So, I didn't have a passport. I'd never been out of the country before. So, I rushed to Stanford, got a passport, jumped on a
007plane, got off the plane in in uh Rome, found a place to stay, went up to Florence, found a place to stay, went up to Venice, found a place to stay all by myself for Christmas and New Year's. And the highlight was calling my grandmother um at the at the Vatican on Christmas Eve. My grandmother was born in Italy, so it was kind of cool because, you know, you're in church and pope was there and all that. And although I missed my family for new for Christmas Eve because we always get together Christmas Eve for the big feast of the fishes and um but it was beautiful to to be there and to have that experience. So yes, I was certainly adventurous. Okay, next. I have written and performed in front of an audience my
008own original holiday song which will be performed this evening. Okay, we got some people that think Iris, some people that think Michelle. I think it's Mr. Broadick. It's you. What? >> Wow. You got to go to the mic cuz this has got to be reported. So, when I was waiting for my father to come home as a little kid, my mom and I, we were living right up here on George Street and it was snowing. So, we wrote a song called Snowflake just the words to it and kind of hummed it and figure it out. Um, I am a terrible musician. I think instruments actually I performed it in fourth grade at the concert at Stafford school and there's two verses to it and we were only supposed to do the first one. I just
009went solo and rock the second one too by accident and that was the same year that the music teacher Mrs. Potter gave me the comment on the report card struggles with tone. Um, >> is that a standard >> which continues into my 40th year on this earth? But, uh, Snowflake, it's still an original and I play it for the kids. I can't play an instrument, but I know on the piano I can play the guitar a little bit. It's the most basic, easy. It's It's pretty terrible. It's great. And is there anything that you can share with like >> so so the first verse goes something like snowflake snowflake falling down falling falling to the ground snowflake snowflake don't go away stay in the ground so I can play who build a fort or big
010snowman build it build it as high as you can snowflake snowflake don't go away stay in the ground so I can fight >> yeah That's great. >> So, you have the Grammys this year performing. >> Absolutely. You have my vote. >> Yep. Myself and Mariah Carey. >> Thank you. That was awesome. A >> It makes my That warms That warms my heart. Yeah. It's also on Spotify. Okay, next one. Wow. Okay, here we go. spent Christmas holiday at Walmart. We've got a vote for Mary. Spend Christmas holiday from Denver. Okay. I was Iris and I hid this. spent Christmas holiday in Denmark. What? Wow. Uh, what was a favorite um experience in Denver? Wow. Yeah, it's a model. So, they had more than a 30 minute uninterrupted duty-free lunch. Okay. Noted. Noted. Okay. Um, for
011our next school family community partnerships committee meeting, uh, we're going to Copenhagen, Denmark. And, um, pack your bags. Imagine that. Only us, only the people, the regulars get to go. So, only the people who show up every time. Oops, I ripped this one. Okay. On a dare, I ate chocolatecovered ants. married. Yeah, she stips. Okay. Ah, Michelle. Were they Did you like them? Who dared you? Yeah. Where did you Where did you get the Where did you get these delicacies? Okay. So, you were ready. You had Okay. Well, I learned two new things. Number one, that you were a second grade teacher, and number two, that you talked. >> Yeah, that's the moral of the story. Thank you, Michelle. Getting down to process of elimination here. When I was in elementary school, my brother chased
012me into a muddy patch of the schoolyard and my shoes got stuck in the mud and my older sister had to come and pull me out. Is you? Oh. Oh goodness. that she pulled you out like you really. Did you get trouble at home? >> And you weren't the first person to wear those shoes anyway. So seen a lot of different days. And where are you in the five sibling? Uh, four. >> Four. >> Yeah. >> So then there was one younger. So you were kind of forgott. >> Yes. Yes. Thank you for reminding me. >> Sorry. There might be a lot of unresolved problem. >> I was also born in between two incredibly ADHD boys. Was fun. That was a lot of fun. >> Yes. That's well you are important. You are valued. We
013see you. We hear you and we appreciate. >> Oh, well, thank you. >> This is going to be a tough one to figure out. Last one. Longest one. Comfortable. No, I love this. I love this. This is This is hard work. While I lived in Florida, I used to volunteer for Adopt a Stray and ended up rescuing a litter of three kids. So when I moved back to Connecticut, they naturally came with me and we drove up to Connecticut as one big hobby family at my Nissan Nissan Max. It all turned south when Rico stepped on the button for the window while on the highway. And for the rest of the trip, I couldn't even look at them without this. Oh, hissing. Oh, it >> is. You couldn't close the window at all. Oh boy,
014that was memorable. Then they all they survived. >> You understood the assignment. >> Oh, I think that's perfect. And thank you. Thank you everyone for sharing. Did we learn something about one another? Yes. Okay. So, now I'm going to ask somebody else. Jill, you're going to pull something. This >> No. Would anybody online like to share their story? Erica, thank you. >> How you doing, Erica? >> Oh, I'm doing great. Doing great. I don't have a story to share, though. I I I want >> I can tell some stories about you if you want. >> Really? I'm an open book. I don't care. Share away. Well, we only we invite people, but we never require. So, it's good. It's good to see you, Erica. Hope you're well. I'm great. Okay. So, Jill, go ahead and
015pull. You have two different prizes. The heart satchel, some cozy socks. Who is it? >> Iris. It's Iris. >> I love it. Is it really? >> I thought it was gonna be Brick. As soon as you pulled out that pink satchel, I'm like, "What?" But you get >> But you get either socks with little paw prints on them, socks with stars, or this little beautiful satchel with a scented candle, a heart. Yeah, it's beautiful. And there's a a nice little hearts um little spongy thing and a heart. Okay, you're very welcome to to put on your altar of things you've won every single consecutive. >> Okay. If people were to just stop on by, they would be like, "What kind of work is getting done there?" We're building relationships doing enough of this in the
016world of education. You don't have to be social. Okay. So, thank you very much for participating um in our activity wellbeing activity. Um I'm going to move to agenda item number six as long as there's no objected object objection. Um so Dr. Robert could come on and share um the school family committee partnerships role and action plan report and we did receive copies in advance. So thank you. That was >> great. Thank you. Right. Again, commissioners, thank you for having me to share the great work that's happening here in Bristol. Um, I encourage both Erica and Mary and Iris, if they have things to add, please chime in. Um, this was created as a collaborative effort just gathering feedback from both school administrators, teachers, as well as many of the people in this room right
017now. So if we click to the next slide, we start every month um just to ground our work with this committee's goal. I think it's really important to put the work that we're doing in context and what this committee has committed to throughout the 2425 school year. So I'll just read it quick. Uh during this school year, the school family community partnerships committee will actively engage members of the Bristol and education community to help inform the committee's work to improve students social, emotional, and academic outcomes through reviewing and monitoring the school family community partnerships action plan, district action plans, and communications targeted to district stakeholders. Uh again, this is kind of a connection of this committee's goals. There's goals that have been created by the group here. um Superintendent White's goals as well as the
018district uh five-year strategic plan scores. Um next month, I hope to have more concrete data to see where we've landed this year. Um I know the panorama is going to be given the second week of May. I think we can probably turn it around to at least have a pretty good idea of where we stand. If not, then we'll have to hunt a little bit, but I'll do a best job possible to update us when we get into the last week of May. Um so, just some updates. Um I know last meeting one of the things that was asked was if we could learn a little bit more about the student led conferences that were happening in the district. Uh so I did reach out to district principles that week and learned that both Ivy
019Drive and Hubble uh have been using this model at least for the past year or two. uh other principles that responded um both from shipments, Bristol Central and Bristol Eastern are showing interest looking for ways to you know increase student ownership over their own progress over their own goal setting and open up lines of communication with families. I thought this was a great quote that Principal Deleo from Hubble sent me. So I just want to read it out loud. She said that students were excited to present their studentled parent teacher conference. It is fun to see student work samples from the fall to the spring that show growth within their educational personal goals that are also discussed at the conference. Bark uh which is their acronym for their school uh uh core values. Code behavior
020and attendance is also connected with SEAL personal goals that students discuss. Overall, it is a positive experience and leads to high parent participation due to the fact that students want to go to conferences and that encourages parents to make it a priority. Um, so again, just really positive feedback from principal dele. She actually sent me uh a bunch of comments from each grade level too and their teachers and they all uh resembled this just to kind of affirm that they feel this is a great practice. You know, one of the things that we're talking about at the high school level is over the past decade or so, we have seen a decrease in parent participation at conferences um for a variety of reasons. We do think one with power school access where parents can literally
021see their students progress minute by minute as well as with uh increased usage of email with teachers with parent meetings throughout the course of the year. A lot of families feel there's probably less of a need to come in because there is constant communication anyway. So, we're looking for ways to try to bring students and families to this building a little bit more. Uh, just kind of how this is working at Hubble and Ivy Drive. Michelle, if you might look at the next slide, just bullet point some of the the major features and characteristics of these conferences. Um, so again, each student prepares a portfolio beforehand uh showcases their achievement um both with academic goals, social emotional learning goals, and the school's core values. Um it highlights their academic progress but it also provides a
022space for students to kind of talk about and reflect on some areas of improvement. Um set some personal growth goals around some places in which they hope to to get better. Uh during the conferences students lead discussions about their portfolios with parents and teachers um which again promotes ownership of their own learning. This isn't just a day of the conferences like hey Susie and Johnny put together this portfolio. This is a ongoing pro process throughout the year which allows students to really continuously reflect on their knowledge, what they're learning and next steps and where they would like to go. At the end of the school year, students take home their portfolios. Um, so again, this is something that starts in September and carries through June. They can bring it home to their families to continue
023those conversations. Uh, Principal Deleo did say that she feels like this encourages students and parents to have these conversations at home as well around the dinner table, you know, before they turn on the TV at night. um and definitely before summer vacation. Um since this has started, there has been measurable growth observed in both academic performance and social emotional skills. So again, you know, any new initiative, any program is only as good as the student outcomes that it uh facilitates. And again, you know, thus far although early in the student conference journey, um the principles that are using it are finding it to be effective and see um objective growth. Uh parents again they just they they love it you know they can listen to teachers all day but to have their students talk to
024them about what they're learning what they know um they have the feedback to school administration teachers has been fantastic as well and again these schools plan to continue and expand the use of this model um and there are schools who are looking to adopt it in upcoming years so again just kind of I know I was asked to review what's happening right now it's you know there are pockets of it and within those pockets it's has been highly successful So, welcome to any questions. >> Thank you. I think that's fantastic. I'd love to hear the sort of anecdotal um evidence of what's improving engagement in the schools. Um is there any sort of quantitative data that has been collected that you feel speaks to I think you mentioned what the academic and social emotional impacts
025of this practice. So I don't have any specific data. Um I can talk to principal dele. I do know that they do give you know a ton of interm assessments um both formative and summative. Um and they also do gauge and reflect on social emotional skills throughout the course of the year in objective ways. So her saying that makes me think that they have seen that um in what regards I am aware of this point. also would be interested to know what kind of um increase there's been in parent engagement or involvement before studentled conferences we had this much uh parent engagement in conferences and after we've had this much and the reason why I'm asking is is also because you mentioned high school which high school we usually see a drop off right and
026in high leveraged high quality family engagement and it might be a fruited time to mention that um Dr. Judy Carson who works in state department of education who is a leader in family engagement. Um she does the Friday cafes and this month she's doing a parent voice round table family engagement in high school. Um and it parents so it reads parents are the real experts in what helps them stay connected to their teen school. Join us for a parent voice roundt where parents of high school students will share what's working not when it comes to family engagement. This is a valuable opportunity for school and district staff who inter directly with families to reflect that current practices and gather ideas you can build stronger partnerships with high school parents. Um there is limited seating. The
027conversation catalyst parent leaders the date is May 2nd 2025 from 9:30 to 11. It is at Mystic Seapport so it's a bit of a drive. Um, oftentimes I don't know that there will be a remote option for this one, but sometimes for for um, Friday cafes have a virtual option. Um, but anytime I hear high school and family engagement, I I know that there are um, challenges with keeping families engaged because access to parents where I mean to power school and other kids are a little more autonomous obviously. But just some thought >> and I think there's there's traditional ways at the older levels we see it and it does depend on sometimes students involved in the extracurricular. So between games I can tell you that at Bristol Central um the most recent musical there
028had to be over 500 people just on opening night um and it was just the kids were fantastic and it felt like you were on Broadway with the the energy and the crowd. So that's something that was just remarkable. um you know athletic contest at Crystal Central Friday before uh spring break there was a culture night that was held that was extremely well attended by families and one of the best things about that night is often there are families who are come to school who maybe haven't always had the best school experiences themselves they they feel so welcomed um and and leave with a really positive uh view of the school so that's something that we continue to do I know Eastern does that as well and so there are creative ways into it, but
029we're always looking to expand and find new ways to bring parents in more besides the typical governance meetings, teach conferences, sports, athletics, substance. >> Well, then maybe something like this could be an opportunity if there was a district representative who attended something like this to hear directly from parents. Um, but thank you. It's really exciting actually get that firstand um feedback about what students are doing. So I did want to highlight some of the goals that have been set for this year and upcoming years as well. Um from many I don't have data to indicate success yet that should be forthcoming but I do have some updates. So within priority three of the Bristol public school strategic plan um we said that 80% of parents, staff and students will participate in the by annual school
030climate survey. Um we saw that this past fall um it was around 70% or so. Um and so we're looking to increase that. Again, you'll see in the next couple slides, the Panorama survey will be administered the second week of May this year. Um and so we're looking to increase that baseline number to creep towards that 80% number of parents. Um again within this the panorama survey we said that 90% of families by 2030 will respond positively to questions six through nine um which is the barriers to engagement section of the survey. And again just the update here is you know we'll be able to have a much better idea as to where we are uh in four to five weeks or so. We were very close to that if you look at the baseline
031data already. So, we're hoping to, you know, achieve this goal we had by 2030 already and then sustain it. You know, let's build off of that, keep it there and continue to creep close to that 100% number. And I think, you know, as always, and and Eric can speak to this too, we definitely want more participation to have a more robust data set. So, these numbers as we hope to get more participants could fluctuate a little bit. Um, but we do believe that, you know, this was an accurate assessment of where families stand right now. And finally, um the other baseline we looked at was by 2030 we want 88% of students to perform favorable and a sense of belonging. Um in the fall in October we were at 64%. So you know much lower
032than we hope to be and we aspire to be that still is in kind of that fourth quintile um of of you know where schools nationally school districts nationally fall. So we're we're proud of that but we do know we have work to do here. Again, just the update, more to come. Uh, a goal that was set as well in the strategic plan was one school team per year um will be trained in evidence-based strategies to support learning at home and in the community. We spoke I think my first time discussing this in January um about Dr. Joyce Epstein of the Center on School, Family and Community Partnerships. um uh gave training to district level employees as well as employees at Bristol Central, Chippo Middle School, Northeast Middle School, and West Bristol. Um learning heroes
033uh through the family engagement learning institute, but training was also given to district level employees, Bristol Eastern. Uh I believe we spoke last month how Bristol Eastern was actually treated as a model within this work and it was shared out at a much larger scale. So kudos to Mr. Higgins and and that group um as well as Southside School and Bristol Prep Academy. So just the update um this training is wrapping up for the year of 24-25. We hope to make more sense of it and you know continue implementation towards the end of climate camps. The third day of climate camp this year is at the school level. um and we can you know put this more it's already in practice I believe but you know really kind of uh codify into what works for
034the context of each building with the ultimate goal of increasing family engagement and making sure students feel as safe um as possible in their school communities. So it's been a successful year of that training and you know we're always looking to learn more and build upon what we already do in that um when in the strategic plan again um it's the same goal uh we have started welcoming walkthroughs uh they're beginning they have begun actually in some schools West Bristol Hubble Bristol Eastern Northeast Ivy Mountain View I guess that's six schools and Edgewood PreK Academy um will be starting this process the goal and I can let Erica speak to I know uh Commissioner Bullet Simmons um has participated in these so I'd love to hear some feedback from her as well. But they aim
035to improve family involvement by making schools feel like a welcoming family-like environment. I may encourage schools to celebrate community diversity and create inviting spaces for all families. You know, with all the operative work there and focuses on building strong school family partnerships to positively impact student achievement. So Erica shared this work with me. I know she's brought this to these schools and I know um Mr. Fitzman you have been part of this as well. So I'd just like to open the floor to maybe Erica if you want to explain a little bit more behind it and then we can hear from the from the grounds the actual experience. >> Sure. So it um we are actually part of a study um this year which is exciting. Um they have a new digital form. They've updated
036some of their things. So Bristol is actually the first district to to pilot some of this stuff. So what they do is they come into the schools, they break us off into four different categories. One is physical environment, schoolwide practices and policies, school climate and culture, and homeschool communication. So what's interesting is they have students, they have parents, um community providers come in and you break off into the um four different groups. We spend about an hour walking around looking at things and it's just a positive way to give feedback and then the same group is going to come back to see how it's been implemented. They prioritize um some of the strengths and weaknesses that they want to build upon. And um I think it's been great so far. So far we've done it
037at West Bristol and Northeast um middle school. So it's been interesting. We've been able to have a commissioner at both of those so far. So, it just so happened and um I think it's great that they're also having the experience to learn right along with us and and what we see, but it's been um it's been very positive both times. >> Thanks, Erica. So, what was it like? I had s honestly I had such a positive experience like going in as a parent of a child who attends West Bristol as well as a community member wearing this cap. I walked away feeling like I wish every school could do this and have this opportunity and I wish other parents had this opportunity. The ability to connect with other parents and students in that environment was
038it felt great but it was also so eyeopening to what's happening on that on the ground level at that school. I happened to be in the um school culture and climate group. So we um quietly observed, you know, uh just how people interacted with one another, how it felt to be in certain spaces, uh how students presented in the hallways. Um and it was just so interesting hearing the parents' perspective, hearing the students perspective. We we had the opportunity to have two students in the group with us and then coming together and collaborating on the strengths and recommendations um for the principal. It was an amazing experience. Um and I I left feeling like I wanted more and then I wanted other parents to have that same experience. I felt connected. It felt made me
039feel more connected to the school that my child attends. It's it's a really great example and I think Erica you would agree with this of what we call street level data. So you know we typically these goals it's really important to have you know more satellite data. So cohort groups, grade level groups, district level objective numbers and that's important to get a view as to you know what's going well where are areas to improve. There's also something in the middle called map level data where we look more specifically at students who are in additional classrooms. Um but then this idea of street level data which is often much more qualitative um done through like the interviews here from students, parents, teachers, administrators. Uh you know we talk about the high school but we're starting empathy
040interviews with students to really get an idea of of their experiences at first central and then how can we use their voice to to drive not only improvement to make sure that they are getting the best possible experience for them in our building. And so that that idea of street level boots on the ground, this is what's really going on and the numbers don't always completely duplicate is is really important. So I think this is just another way to triangulate, you know, what's going well here in Bristol and find the ways to continuously improve. >> And I I definitely want to give West Bristol a shout out because um what we observed in my perspective, it was so genuine to to walk through those walls and see the staff interacting with other staff members and
041other students. You just it felt warm and then um you know administration was so open to the feedback and the students that participated in that group. They genuinely cared. They were excited to be a part of this opportunity. Um and it was just really cool to be a part of. >> That's great. Okay. So, we look we look forward to continue that work and I know the study is only in certain buildings right now, but I think these are practices that we can >> borrow >> and that's kind of >> No, no, that's part of the plan. That's part of the plan. So, it's not um once these schools are done, we're going to definitely implement them in all of the schools. So, it's great that, you know, I have the opportunity to learn. Um,
042like I was telling the woman who was facilitating this, like it's great I get the opportunity to learn from the expert in this. So that way, um, we can do it at Bristol Central. We can do it at all the schools in the district once we're once we're done with this. That's the goal. >> Awesome. So looking forward to capitalizing that practice. Uh goal four of this group um was to work with the superintendent to andor designate to identify areas of policy and resources necessary um to carry out district priorities related to family and community engagement. So just an update on climate camp. I've mentioned it once or twice tonight. I know we we mentioned it in during March meeting as well. Um, Monday, July 14th and Tuesday, July 15th are the two uh, first
043dates of climate camp when the whole district comes together. It tends to be six to eight representatives from each school up to learn together in community and then get in school teams and start to make some connections to the work that each building wants to continue to move forward. Uh, what I think is so fantastic about this year for the first time, uh, each school is asking guardians to participate. So they're asking, you know, a couple parents or guardians to come as well and and take part in that work. So not only does it share the ownership with families, it gives more voice to both families and just build partnerships within the work. So they're just really excited to to be involved there. Um the the keynote speaker, uh George Otter from the Center for
044Relational Learning has been confirmed. So typically that is the morning of the first day. I can't speak for Erica. I'm not sure what the schedule looks like yet or what Mr. Otero's schedule looks like yet, but you know, often work is grounded in the message that is shared from a keynote or a national newspaper. >> Um I don't know if you want me to um >> Yeah, I saw you on mute. So yeah. Yes. >> Yep. So um so actually it's it's going to be kind of neat. So the keynote speaker is going to be there for the whole first day and then he wants to join us for the second day. um as well. He's not going to be like facilitating, but what he's allowing us to do is um Bridget Gola, Christy and
045I when we went to his conference um in New Mexico, he's kind of allowing us to rep replicate that in a smaller version. So on the second day, we're going to be doing three of the breakout sessions and kind of having everybody rotate in hopes that they can bring all of this stuff back to work in their school um their school team. So he has agreed to kind of float around on day two and and help on those as well. So it's a little bit different than in years past, but think it'll be great. >> Fantastic. I know during the policy committee um the group was discussing when you know when they review and possibly act on the new climate policy um which goes into effect July 1. And you know one of the components
046of that is to encourage guardian involvement at school climate teams. And there it is. You know, I think it it's happening in some places already, but the more that we can streamline these processes and procedures and actions districtwide, uh, the closer alignment we are. And it's sure we're meeting the policy, but more importantly, we're giving voice. We're building partnerships, which is the ultimate goal. >> Piggy back off that a little when you were mentioning it and sharing information about the climate survey that's going to be coming out. It made me think about how potentially it would be interesting how it aligns your career. Um I'd be interested in see next to each other to see if there's any connections anywhere if the policy is supporting or not supporting the results. um came up for me
047and maybe curious as to how driving are the results of surveys sort of driving um our efforts as a district because sometimes we're just following a policy not I mean we're doing it with fidelity but that we are not maybe going back to it to see if we're allowing the results to drive the work. I love that idea of closing down and and interestingly too so for the for the the schools that are engaged in these um what are we calling I I would think learning walks we're calling >> welcoming walkthroughs walkroughs um you know if we're looking at the data those schools that are engaged in this high leverage um partnership engagement activities versus those who aren't are we getting to the district goal a little a little bit quicker because people feel um
048you know free sense of belonging and that type of thing even with the student fund conferences like are how how are we able to determine if these practices are yielding high returns for us >> as a member of the the district climate team that Christie and Erica facilitate that is data we've looked at this policy throughout the course of the school year I mean we really went through and line by line kind of how does supply us. I know Mrs. Hawk said it earlier, a lot of this we are doing already. There will probably be some other things that we'll have to do as well to fully meet it, but we're well ahead of many districts in the work that's happening. Um, you know, at the school level as well, you know, both at the
049district and school level, we do look at the panoramic results after each survey and use that to inform decisions and plan moving forward. So, you know, I think that's something we're always striving to to improve, but I think that we are living that data. We're understanding it and using it to make informed decisions about what our next steps are at work. And it's it can be a moving target. You know, we might have a plan and we realize, oh, here's an area of need and we have to shift and be flexible and then and kind of change course um to to best meet the needs of students. >> And speaking of Dr. Hero Erica, I know that we were we talked about having you in May. You and um Christie report on your relational leadership
050conference in New Mexico. Anybody who works for George Oro better be ready to activate well-being because that's where this idea came from. I was able to participate last year in my, you know, I went as a commissioner, but I wasn't I didn't use any district connection, but I I paid for it on my own. I just because we're in a budget crisis, I guess I want to say that, but I felt it I felt it important enough to go so that we could sort of bring that relational approach to the work that we do because our work is about people. Um, but I I just would love to be a fly on the wall um in July for, you know, Dr. George Otto's approach to activating well-being and um that the hope of bringing that
051relational connection organic authentic sort of connection um to the work as a foundation to um building building cohesion really >> right I think he's got a unique gift right he has the ability to draw people in and and to make people believe and he's >> lighthearted and I I really think that's what we're going to need this summer and in order to kind of um you know it's it's always the summer and people come in with great attitudes but it's kind of we need to be make it light fun invigorating and engaging is what I think at this point and he's genuine with that and it's contagious. So when we talk about ways to engage families and um and demonstrating that that the school leaders can bring back to their schools and their climate meetings
052with their staff, I think I think it'll be great. So I just have to get him to um you know when we talk we we have our meetings and he is all over the place. I'm like okay focus on me. What are we going to do? Like let's name our three things. So he's so excited about everything. So Ann with him and an an he and an right and an is helps him with the focus and he's got that amazing energy. They're a good team. I don't know if Ann's going to be participating with him but >> she um unfortunately she was going to but she's out in the month of July so she is not around. So he told me that I have to be >> at the conference we went to, his daughter
053was the one that would keep him in check um with time and focus and so that will be my job. >> You're going to be the best. >> Yeah. I have to keep him focused and in line. I said I've got that for you. So it'll be great. >> Thanks, Eric. Yeah, we're excited for his visit and then being able to carry on this. And so the last goal of this committee, um, this should be a very brief overview. There's a lot going on. Uh, this committee will actively engage members of the Crystal and Educational Committee to help inform the committee's work. So Erica and Christy have done a ton of work uh, putting together a bunch of family engagement events. Um, I'm sure you will be hearing, you know, soon about the back to
054school bash that happens in August. Right now there's some events I think we'd like to highlight. Um and there's some flyers on the next slide that will kind of better I think better visual what's happening. So event number one um is scheduled uh it's a nutrition and cooking night and again all the dates and times will be on the next slide. This filled within 20 minutes and it's going to serve 50 families includes a bunch of giveaways. Um somebody who's going through a kitchen renovation right now. I should have signed up because we can't cook at my house. Um but I was too late I guess. So, you know, really excited for that to happen. Um, in the upcoming weeks, uh, there's also upcoming parent sessions, uh, QPR, uh, which stands for question, persuade, uh,
055refer. It's a suicide prevention method and, uh, training informational session. So, that will be given to parents as well as, uh, an anxiety workshop. Uh, both include giveaways. You know, if it's free, it's for me. People, you know, want to want this learning, but they also want to, you know, get some stuff. So, I think it's really good that we're able to provide that. It's funded by a grant that we received in January. Um, so again, it's not coming from the general budget at all, all this stuff, but it provides really great opportunities for parents to continue to learn about, you know, warning signs, um, ways to interact with children who may be uh, experiencing certain challenges in their daily lives. Um, all the sessions are offered in English and Spanish. Um, we've talked a
056lot about community partners, the sphere, Bristol Hospital, we have a clinic, uh, Bristol Park Youth Services is involved in all of this work as well. So, again, you know, as as strong and robust as this the school district is, it really does take a village to to to build the partnerships that we need to to best suit our kids and their families. So, you'll see the go the flyers right there, the nutrition one on the left, that's May 9th versus Eastern High School. um May 14th um is the anxiety workshop. Then QPR will be May 7th. So dates and times there that's being promoted with families right now. And like Erica said, the nutrition run filled up within minutes. So we're just excited. You know, the main means of marketing a lot of this is
057going out on parents square um families. So all families will have access. Then finally um in in line with the same goal actively engaging members of the of the community all this has been at the past couple meetings and so you know monthly meetings have often included presentations and information from community agencies. So we had uh the F FRC's that were here talking about their important work and the need to continue funding of that work um at the state level and then you know doc Dr. many arrows from Bristol youth services was here outlining I mean their packet of programming it takes months to read it's it's amazing especially this time of year with all the you know the park programs the summer programs I mean he talked with you know the high lake challenge
058course reopening and what's happening over there and there's just so many things for families and they feel quick as well but there's also a variety of scholarship opportunities to to support families who may need um some economic support to enroll their their So again, I think this committee at this point um has actively reached out to learn more about what the community offers and strengthen those partnerships are there, but strengthen those partnerships to provide for more kids. So with that, it's kind of, you know, nothing set in stone yet. You know, we're looking forward to continuing to learn and grow together and, you know, whatever the data does show in May, it's not going to be um for lack of effort on on the district's part and on the building's part. People are working their
059tails off. Kids kids don't learn if they don't feel safe. And then each and every school I think the core pillar they stand in is that relational basis. We need to make sure that families and students feel safe here and comfortable here in our home. >> Well, excellent. Thank you so much for that comprehensive share. And I I again I'm just always always energized and impressed to learn about the things that are happening in the district. It's amazing what we do with the resources that we have. It it just is a testament to how important it is that we maintain what we have and you know a high level of um access for families and um support for families and students and our educators and all of our staff and truly like hyper impressed with
060the amazing work that's happened under um so thank you very much. Um the remaining two agenda items are a school community shoutout and community partnerships report. A lot of what we were going to cover in these two agenda items we've covered. Um the school community shoutout is a new agenda item, but it's going to be a standing agenda item and it's meant to um highlight some of the great things that are happening throughout the district. And it just sort of serendipitously happened. Um, Monday morning I saw I'm on the Bristol Central High School parent Facebook page and something popped up and it was I was just like I love this is amazing. It was um a share from a a parent screenshot of staff at Bristol Central High School shouting out great things um that
061were happening with students. So staff were shouting out for students and I was just I loved it. Like what a way to energize uh the community, to energize the students in the building, to energize parents who were able to see this on parents. I don't have a child yet at Bristol Central High School. And I was excited. It made my heart feel so warm and I could see that it was all different kinds of students. It wasn't just a star athlete. It was a student who got a shout out for building a marshmallow tower. And I was just like, "This is exciting." And I'm like, "Shout out? Yeah, I love this." I even responded on the Facebook page. I love these shout outs. Then Jill calls me energized about the welcome walkth through and we're
062talking about it like, "My gosh, have to share this. How can we share this?" and we started talking about I said, "Well, we're going to have a school community shout out now as a standing item where we're going to bring in and what we want is we want staff throughout the district to reach out to us or by way of y'all and say, you know, I've got a school community shout out and I want it to be celebrated so that we're opening up opportunity for people in the district to shout out things that are happening. It doesn't just have, you know, you're shouting out something that you saw happen in another school or your own school. Um, and then we can share out these things at our full board meeting, but it's again to start
063to move this energy, to move this meter on having this VR focus, the great work that's happening. Yes, we know we have to do the hard things. We have to have the hard conversations. Um, and it's going to be difficult, but that does not have to be um all of our conversations. And it really shouldn't even be most of our conversation. So the shout out was what was happening at West Bristol. And I know there's you gave so many shout outs. Erica, you gave so many shout outs. Um but the shout out I wanted to mention what I saw um on the parents of DCS Facebook page. Um and having us think how we can make things like that more mainstream. Um, so I want to also I want us to be able to get
064this idea out to our school community that our little school family community partnerships meeting that meets, you know, this once a month that we want to open this up. We need this to be a platform to let the community see what's happening. We are Bristol Public Schools. We all are all heart and we need to start being really intentional with getting this out and getting this. Let let this be the dominant energy. So, shout out for Central High School for their shout out approach. A shout out to um West Bristol and the way that it made Jill and others feel connected and really feeling like partners in that work. Shout out to all the amazing staff that support that. We did reach out to Dr. Leasier. I pronounced that correctly. Um, unfortunately she was not
065able to share this evening, but she was honored and humbled that um, West Versa was going to be the first um, school to to be shout out on our school community shout out agenda item and she did share some information on this Connecticut welcoming schools initiative. She did certainly say that Erica would be able to um, share as one of the leaders in this in this uh, hopefully persistent practice rather than initiative. I call it a persistent practice. Um so multiple shout outs to to that work and um the school the community partnerships report was also going to be about this connection to um to West Bristol's approach to engaging multiple members of the community. I will say that we were going to have the Southside School PTA president and her team come speak tonight.
066Unfortunately, last minute they weren't able to present tonight to us because they had to reschedule their PTA meeting which happened to be tonight. Um but we will have them on the agenda for next month and um you know they had an amazing event. They've resurrected the school store at Southside Schools. They have these matching shirts with their names on it. I mean the energy that they bring is wonderful. Um, I'm really excited to have them lead like bringing us together as a school community. So, that actually wraps up our agenda items for the evening, but let us keep considering how we're going to bring um more attention to the great things that are happening in the district. tell your friends, tell the rest of the staff like, "Let's let's get this to be the most
067well attended um committee because it's about us and the students and the parents, right? Like let's this is the energy here." But anyway, um with if there's nothing else coming before the committee tonight, I'd like to make a motion to adjurnn. Second. >> All right. Good night, everyone. Thank you. All in favor? side of it.