This recap is for informational purposes for those who could not attend - please take this as guidance only, not a representation of official CHS policy.
Cleveland High School PTA Presentation Notes:
New Families 101
Location: CHS library
Date: October 16, 2019
Time: 7:00 pm
Attendance
PTA Board Members: Amy Lewin (President), Janet Morgan (VP), Victoria Swanson (Treasurer), JJ Heldmann (Secretary)
Guests: Leo Lawyer (Principal), Margaret Berrios-Brown (Vice Principal), Lori Butler (Counselor), Nate Bone (Junior, CHS Student Body VP), Susan Duck (parent panelist), Amanda Weber-Welch (Counselor, representative for Freshman Academies), Amy Toengi and Julie Glover-Walsh (Health Center)
Presentation
Welcome - Amy Lewin
Student Health Center Introduction - Amy Toengi, nurse practitioner and Julie Glover-Walsh, mental health therapist at CHS Student Health Center
The CHS Student Health Center is sponsored by the Multnomah County Health Department and Portland Public Schools and provides many kinds of primary and supplemental care to any PPS students in grades K-12, including sports physicals, vaccinations, flu shots, and treatment for illnesses and injuries. Insurance or lack thereof is not an issue - all students are seen and no bill is ever sent to the family.
Julie Glover-Walsh is in the Health Center four days a week and works with students who are on the Oregon Health Plan or have no insurance. She sees students who have depression, anxiety, or ADHD, once a week or every other week. For students who do have health insurance, the center maintains a list of recommended therapists in the community and Julie will work with families to find a suitable match.
The Health Center does have some drop-in/same-day appointments but it is best to contact the clinic to make an appointment in advance. The Health Center is located on the first floor of CHS, in Room 163. For more information on services provided or to make an appointment, please visit their website at https://www.pps.net/site/Default.aspx?PageID=6698
Freshmen and New Families 101 Panel Discussion
Upon arrival, attendees were provided with cards on which to write their questions. The discussion was moderated by Janet Morgan.
The panelists first introduced themselves.
Question 1: What is the cell phone policy?
Principal Lawyer says it is “Off and Away.” During academic time, unless a student is specifically instructed to use it by a teacher for educational purposes, phones need to be off and away.
Nate confirmed that he finds this policy to be effective in the majority of his classes, especially language classes where the student is engaged the entire time. In some classes where there may be less engagement or more free time, students sometimes do pull out their phones. But most teachers are good about reminding students about the Off and Away policy in such cases.
Question 2: What is Flex?
Nate answered that he too was confused about Flex at the start of freshman year. He explained that on most weeks when there are a full five days of classes scheduled, on the second A or B day of the week, there will be a Flex period at the end of the day. Classes are shortened by 15 minutes and finish at 2:15pm so that there is a one hour “free” period at the end of the day. It is expected that students are to use that time to see their teachers to get help or guidance on assignments, complete late work, and make up missed work. He noted that the District has cut back on number of flex days to increase the total number of instructional hours on the calendar which has made it harder for students to meet with their teachers.
It was noted that there has been a problem with students leaving the building rather than staying to participate in Flex. Lori and Amanda both stated that it is good for parents to remind their students that the school day ends at 3:15 and to encourage them to utilize Flex as time to meet with their teachers. A parent asked why Flex is at the end of the day, wouldn’t there be less likelihood of students leaving if it were in the middle of the day? Leo agreed and said that moving Flex from the end of the day will be strongly considered when planning next year’s calendar.
Amanda noted that due to the reduced number of Flex days on the calendar this year, some of the academies have been reconfiguring their schedules on occasion in order to provide their own version of Flex, to enable students to meet more easily with their teachers and get assistance.
Question 3: How do you read grades and assignments on Synergy? How do I know if my student is doing homework? I didn’t find out until progress report was sent.
ParentVue is the program that is used to view student information in Synergy. If your ParentVue account doesn’t work, contact the front office and they will help you get access.
Susan noted that teachers are NOT required to use Synergy, so yes it can be challenging. She pointed out that if you look at the calendar, you can see assignments on there. Some teachers are better at updating grades and assignments on it than others. She also noted that it’s very convenient to send emails to teachers from ParentVue.
Lori mentioned there are eight grading periods throughout the year - report cards at each quarter and semester, with progress reports at the halfway points between those. At each of those times, Synergy is updated. Note that progress reports may not have all grades on them - if the student has a C or better, teachers don’t have to put anything on the progress report. Quarter grades are not permanent but are strong indicator of how the student is doing at that point in the semester. Semester grades are the final course grades that do go on transcripts. Teachers are invested in student success, and students should have ample time and notice to pull grades up.
Amanda said that many of the teacher use Google Classroom which gives an in depth look at the day-to-day of what is going on in classes. You will likely have to have your student log in to show you the Google Classroom.
Question 4: Why are there no microwaves in the cafeteria for students who bring lunch? They were available in middle school.
Leo does not know but will find out.
Question 5: Any suggestions for freshmen who are having trouble with classes that are 90 minutes long?
It was pointed out that most middle schools are on block schedules now too, so this shouldn’t be completely new. But that while most teachers do try to break things up and allow for moving around and switching up the group dynamics, it is also good for students to remind their teachers about what they need. Sometimes teachers don’t know students are having trouble with it if no one lets them know.
Question 6: Why don’t they have homework? Nothing project based?
Nate reminisced that sometimes he came home as a freshman and said he didn’t have homework and his mom didn’t believe him. He related that some teachers may start out a bit slower on the homework assignments, but will pick up speed in the second semester (and most certainly in the years to come!) It also may mean your student is really on top of things and using free time wisely to get work done during class before coming home.
Lori added that it is true that the 9th grade teachers do roll things out slowly to acclimate new students to high school and there will be more as the year progresses. But it is normal to be concerned that their grades aren’t where you think they should be - finding that balance of encouraging independence and letting them go a bit, but also keeping an eye on things and doing some hand holding is challenging! Check ParentVue/StudentVue with your student in a supportive way.
Amanda pointed out that the students all have been provided with planners where they can keep track of assignments each day. It’s a good habit to get into, and parents can and should ask their students to see that planner.
Question 7: Are freshman honors classes weighted or simply an H on their transcript?
Just an H on the transcript. Only IB classes are weighted as far as their GPA is concerned.
Question 8: What support is there for gender non-conforming students? Are there separate gender neutral bathrooms or a place to change for PE?
Leo explained that the newly constructed schools have single stall non-gender specific bathrooms. Unfortunately, CHS is not one of those schools. However, there are plans to change a bathroom on the 2nd floor to be a single stall bathroom. Also there are two private bathrooms open and available in the College & Career Center and the Business Office.
And there are single stall restrooms in the lobby of PE building that can be used as changing facilities for PE.
Question 9: What about clubs and sports? Where is there a list and how does one sign up?
Leo pointed out that the main school website links to the athletic website which lists all the sports offerings, as well as to to Family ID, a portal for uploading sport physical forms and paying athletic fees.
Amanda stated that there is a strong club culture at Cleveland. The Club Fair was held on October 3rd where representatives of the various clubs set up tables to talk to students and get them to sign up. The club charter application process just finished on October 15 - anyone can start a club for something they are interested in at Cleveland, they just have to get some paperwork from Jan Watt and obtain signatures from ten students who are interested in joining. There is a listing of all student clubs on the school website, though it has not yet been updated to reflect the current year since the application deadline was this week.
Question 10: What is the best way to clear absences and tardies? Best way to check out students for doctor appts? I called to clear an absence and still got a robocall - how do I know it was actually recorded as excused?
Vicki Kokich is the attendance secretary. It is best to call the Attendance Line at 503-916-5126 and leave a message. If you want to confirm that the absence was excused, checking on ParentVue. Students must go to the attendance office and check in if they arrive or leave school at times other than the normal hours, and parents must then follow up with a message for Vicki to excuse the absence within three days.
Question 11: What are the effects on student culture, both positive and negative, of having an open campus?
Nate said that while he doesn’t know the actual policy, it basically means you can go someplace nearby for lunch. It works out well for him and his friends and he doesn’t see a negative from his perspective.
Lori added that when you have almost 1700 students dispersing to the few restaurants around, you inevitably you have tardies to deal with, as they misjudge the time it will actually take. It’s good for 9th graders to bring lunch until they get their bearings a bit. There are always going to be some problems but generally it works well.
Nate mentioned that some teachers will get mad if you bring in the rest of your lunch to class, but some are ok with it.
Leo said that to be perfectly honest, he is not a big fan of having an open campus. A fair amount of the students use the benefit of being able to go off campus benefit wisely appropriately, but from a student management aspect, it’s very hard on the administration. His primary concern is student safety and in a school with 18 exits and an open campus policy, it is too easy for students to just leave. Once they exit the building, he can no longer be responsible for their well-being and that is concerning.
One parent in attendance mentioned that perhaps it would make sense to have the open campus privilege be something that is restricted to the upper grades.
Question 12: What is the role of counselor with regards to scheduling? How do credit requirements for graduation work? How do I find my student's earned credits?
Counselors are each assigned to one of the academies and work with those students for their entire time at Cleveland, helping with forecasting and scheduling in January/February, assisting in making appropriate course choices and ensuring sure students are on track to graduate. They also see students for other issues and concerns and can guide students towards other support in the building as needed.
This week, the counselors are going to each of the academies and giving a High School 101 presentation. They will talk about graduation requirements, credits, what to do if you fail a class, what the counselors do, who they are, how they can help them, etc.
Students need 24 credits to graduate, and generally take 8 classes a year, so it is definitely possible for them to graduate by the end of Junior year if they take a summer english class. But most students do stay for the full four years and have 32 + credits at graduation. The graduation requirements are spelled out in the course guide and you can check the Course History section on ParentVue to see a record of completed course credits/grades and remaining requirements.
Question 13: Parent/teacher conferences - how do they work here?
It has been said that conferences are like speed dating. Teachers gather in the library, cafeteria and classrooms, and parents go from table to table to meet with them. It’s a free-for-all, there aren’t assigned meeting times like in grade school or middle school. A parent mentioned that it’s best to pick the teachers you want to talk to the most and prioritize waiting in line for them first. Mornings are the slowest time, if you have any flexibility in your schedule to come then. Evenings are understandably the busiest time. Conferences will be held all day and into the evening on Monday, November 25 and Tuesday, November 26 - more details will follow in the eNews closer to the date. If you can not attend, email your student’s teachers directly to make alternative plans.
Question 14: Is there a list of tutoring services available?
Peer tutoring in Math is available on a drop-in basis during the lunch hour on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Check with any math teacher for more details.
There is also a wonderful volunteer who tutors students in math and physics, but is limited in the number of students she is able to see, and tends to focus on lower SES students. Check with the counseling office for more details. There is a notebook in the counseling office with tutoring contacts, but no specific recommendations/referrals. You can also inquire at PSU or Reed to see if there are college students willing to tutor, and of course, check with your student’s teacher first for suggestions.
Question 15: Can the cafeteria be made more attractive with music etc.? From what we hear, it’s the last place the kids want to be during lunch.
Janet said that would be a great thing to bring to the new Facilities Improvement Committee. Leo said he would recommend that Mr. Miles bring music to lunch as he currently greets students at the front door with music most mornings. Unfortunately, the reality is that there is no way everyone will be able to eat in the cafeteria, even if they want to, as there is no way for 1600+ students to fit in there.
Question 16: How do I find out who is overseeing my student’s academy and how do I know who my student’s counselor is?
Amanda oversees all of the academies and helps the teachers with their meetings and makes sure there is an eye on all freshmen. The individual academies are all listed with their teachers and counselors here: https://www.pps.net/Page/6700
Question 17: Is there an expectation of how quickly of how assignments and tests are graded and recorded in Synergy?
Unfortunately, no. There is no requirement or universal standard for using Synergy. If you have concerns or questions, please contact your student’s teachers directly.
Question 18: IB / Honors. How can we help students get prepared for IB curriculum, when do they decide what IB courses they will take?
In the lower grades, the Honors designation for classes other than Math require opting-in and completing an extended project, or additional reading and meetings during Flex etc. Email teachers directly to find out more. Honors Math courses must be registered for.
Over the past 3-4 years, the school has been moving towards an “IB for all” framework in the english/history/science curriculums. Now all students take at least four IB classes by the time they graduate and many students take additional IB classes in areas they are interested in, or pursue the full IB diploma. There is detailed information on the website at https://www.pps.net/Page/6923 and you can contact the IB Coordinator Jennifer Wiandt at jwiandt2@pps.net.
Notes
Next PTA Board Meeting will be Wednesday November 20, 2019 in the CHS Library. Principal Lawyer will present a State of the School report and State Representative Rob Nosse will also be in attendance.
Adjourned at 8:30