Meeting Notes - 11/16/17
Superintendent Michael Bregy began the meeting with a presentation to remind the Team to conduct its work with the end goal in mind: developing BHUSD configuration opportunities for the Board to consider. (See link to Dr. Bregy's presentation below.)
The Team then broke into four smaller groups, to discuss the data that has been presented so far, and to start developing configuration goals and ideas.
Below are the notes from each group's presentation to the entire Team at the end of the meeting:
Group 1
Notes:
- What are the problems that need solving? Electives are not cost-effective and enriched. Programming school to school is inconsistent. Collaboration among grade levels/teachers is difficult. Lack of sports.
- Teachers have been the stability in the district – not the Board and Admin. Things need tp change.
- What are solutions? District has to do something parents can “stomach.” Maybe this model is a good transition:
o Two K-5’s (ER – 367 students, HM – 372 students)
o Two K-8’s (BV – 832 students, Haw – 853 students) Central location of these schools would help travel issues
Group 2
Notes:
What do we want to see in our graduates? This should guide configuration.
- What does it mean to be Beverly Hills – need to reconfigure not just the buildings, but how we feel about ourselves and the way we do things
- Middle school = good idea. Jump from K-8 to HS too steep for our students.
- Offer special academies, enhanced opportunities in education and sports.
A unique opportunity in the history of the district.
- Have to reconfigure attitudes as well, from Board, to Admin, to teachers, to parents, to community.
Group 3
Notes:
- Three TK – 6th schools: Follow example of area private school programs. Trying to keep our kids younger – longer… but not necessarily through 8th grade
- One 7-8th middle school: This will allow for enhanced educational programs and extracurricular experiences. The students will go as a “tribe” to HS together.
- One 9-12th HS: Another chance for kids to build on what they’ve learned as a group together - but also a chance to reinvent themselves in a new environment.
Group 4
Notes:
- We need to learn more before we can come up with potential solutions
- Important to know what happened? Why are we here?
o Financial woes
o Academic concern
o Lack of leadership
- In what order do we do things to regain the pride in the district?
o Need to restore pride as the work happens
- Special Ed concerns
- Board concerns
- Dedicated Middle School – there is room in any of the K-8’s, or room to have it on the HS campus (in which case it would be 7-8th)
- If population grows again, change to three K-5’s and one 6-8 middle school.
- Could offer academies. Different styles for different types of learners.
The Team agrees it will need additional time to gather more data and information to complete its work, and to present the work of the Team to the greater community for consideration.
FFST meetings will now likely extend into mid December.