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JFK Family Council Meeting

12/8/2021

Reunión Del Consejo De Padres

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Share your name

Por favor puede compartir su nombre?

Share your child’s name/grade/teacher�Por favor puede compartir el nombre de su niña o niño? �Y el nombre de la maestra y el grado donde esta?

What is your favorite winter activity?

¿Cuál es tu actividad de invierno favorita?

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What norms or expectations do you have for parent council meetings?

Que es lo que usted espera/ quiere de las juntas del consejo de padres?

Everyone has an opportunity to participate: make room for everyone to speak

Todos tienen la oportunidad de participar: haga espacio para que todos hablen

Listening respectfully

Oir con respeto

This is a place for parents to share concerns in an open environment

Este es el lugar donde todos los padres pueden compartir cualquier preocupación en un ambiente abierto

If you have an issue, this is a place to get support at the school level

Este es el lugar donde pueden recibir ayuda sobre asuntos y problemas escolar

Assume good intentions

Supongan buenas intenciones

Be respectful of time

Ser respetuoso del tiempo

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Topics of Discussion:

  • JFK Family Council Name Change
  • Updates

  • Upcoming Events
  • Open Discussion�

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Family Council Name Change�

We call ourselves the School Family Council because we know that JFK students live with and are cared for by parents, grandparents, and other family members.

Nos llamamos el Consejo de la Familia Escolar porque sabemos que los estudiantes de JFK viven y son cuidados por sus padres, abuelos y otros miembros de la familia.

The name 'Family Council' reflects our belief and invitation that all families and caregivers are recognized and invited to participate fully as members of the school community.�El nombre 'Consejo de Familia' refleja nuestra creencia e invitación de que todas las familias y cuidadores son reconocidos e invitados a participar plenamente como miembros de la comunidad escolar.

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Family Council Name Change�

In breakout rooms, please discuss:�En las salas de reuniones, discuta:

  • Your feelings about changing the name of the Parent Council to Family Council.�Sus sentimientos acerca de cambiar el nombre del Consejo de Padres a Consejo de Familia.
  • Discuss why or why not it is important to change the name.�Analice por qué es importante cambiar el nombre o por qué no.

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Take a poll

How do you feel about changing the name of the “Parent Council” to “Family Council”? / ¿Cómo se siente al cambiar el nombre del “Consejo de padres” a “Consejo de familia”?

  • I think it is a great idea.�Pienso que es una gran idea.

  • I think it requires more discussion.�Creo que requiere más discusión.

  • I don’t think it is a good idea.�No creo que sea una buena idea.

An anonymous vote was taken via Zoom poll with a complete majority for the name change Family Council

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Meeting Notes Regarding Name Change:

*Family Council Name Change

subcommittee has been discussing this name change to be more inclusive to all caregivers. Jen Douglas mentioned the idea came up from a school in Roslindale. They decided to change name to Family Council as they embarked on wider community efforts. The citywide parent council is also talking about changing to 'family' - not sure where they are in the discussion, but it's on the table for consideration.

A comment was made from Alison Moses regarding deeper next steps that should be taken. From Jen Douglas: The hope is this is just one part of the work the engagement subcommittee is doing is one easy step to do. Felt like an easy step to begin building relationships with the families that go to our school. Use this as a jumping off point to do engagement differently. Another project is equity protocol - thinking how to support JFK families and building relationships with one another. Interested in joining the Engagement and Representation subcommitee- email Jen Douglas: douglasjen@gmail.com, 617-999-9771 - Next meeting Tuesday, Dec 14, 8:45 am, probably via Zoom (though we meet outside when we can stand the temps)

Voted to officially change our name to JFK Family Council

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Boston Saves Family Champion�

  • Family Champions teach families about Boston Saves (savings program for all K2 kindergarteners).�
  • Must complete 3, 90-minute virtual training sessions to learn about the program.

  • Family Champions can earn up to $450 in gift cards to Target, so a SSN is not required to be a Family Champion.

  • We are specifically looking for Family Champions that are active in their communities and can help to spread the word. For JFK, looking for a Champion Bilingual in Spanish & English.

  • The link to apply for the Family Champion position is as follows: bit.ly/FamilyChampionForm

Boston Salva a su Familia Campeona

  • Family Champions enseña a las familias sobre Boston Saves (programa de ahorro para todos los niños de kindergarten K2).�
  • Debe completar sesiones de capacitación virtual de 3, 90 minutos para aprender sobre el programa.

  • Los Campeones Familiares pueden ganar hasta $450 en tarjetas de regalo para Target, por lo que no se requiere un SSN para ser un Campeón Familiar.

  • Estamos buscando específicamente Campeones Familiares que estén activos en sus comunidades y puedan ayudar a correr la voz. Para JFK, buscando un Campeón Bilingüe en Español e Inglés.

  • El enlace para solicitar el puesto de Campeón Familiar es el siguiente: bit.ly/FamilyChampionForm

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Please join Families 4 Covid Safety (FamCOSa), Boston Teachers Union, BPS nurses, Boston Education Justice Alliance, MassCOSH, and others for:

Rally/Vigil - Shining a Light on Covid Safety in BPS

Wed, Dec 15th at 4:00 PM

Mass State House (Beacon St.)

For more info: https://bit.ly/FamCOSa

FaceBook event

Families 4 COVID Safety (FamCOSa) Updates /

Actualizaciones de Las Familias de BPS para la Seguridad de Covid

Únase a Families 4 Covid Safety (FamCOSa), Sindicato de Maestros de Boston, enfermeras de BPS, Alianza de Justicia Educativa de Boston, MassCOSH y otros para:

Vigilia y Manifestación - Iluminando la seguridad ante COVID en BPS

Miércoles, 15 de diciembre a las 4 p.m.

Casa del Estado de Massachusetts

a la calle Beacon

Para más información: https://bit.ly/FamCOSa

Evento en Facebook

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Families 4 COVID Safety, con’t.

  • Next meeting Fri 12/10 at noon. Email Sarah for Zoom link (sarah.horsley@gmail.com)
  • We’ve joined with BPS nurses & other groups who are equally concerned
  • Media coverage of FamCOsa & other efforts for COVID Safety
  • FamCOSa is on social (thanks to Krista!) - https://twitter.com/FamCOSa https://www.facebook.com/FamCOSa
  • Other ways to take action:
    • Check out our 4 demands
    • If you haven't yet emailed Sup. Cassellius/BPS, go to: Action Network
    • You can also make phone calls

Familias 4 COVID Seguridad, con't.

  • Próxima reunión Vie 12/10 al mediodía. Enlace de correo electrónico a Sarah para Zoom (sarah.horsley@gmail.com)
  • Nos hemos unido a enfermeras de BPS y otros grupos que están igualmente preocupados
  • Cobertura mediática de FamCOsa y otros esfuerzos para la seguridad de COVID
  • FamCOSa está en las redes sociales (¡gracias a Krista!)

https://twitter.com/FamCOSa https://www.facebook.com/FamCOSa

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Meeting Notes regarding Families 4 Covid Safety

Sarah Horsley: Over 20 schools represented (parents/grandparents/etc.), Open to students and everyone, it will be safe, battery operated candles, bike lights, etc.

"Want to put in a plug for the work Sarah and FamCoSa have been doing. They are surfacing key info about how the district is approaching safety and exposing substantial systems failures, plus building great alliances." - Jen Douglas

Here is a nice visual of the issues Sarah is talking about https://twitter.com/FamCOSa/status/1466834153501081604/photo/1

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Updates�

Citywide Parent Council - Meetings 4th Tue of every month 6-8pm

Open to all BPS families!

  • Nov 23 meeting - video & slides from the meeting are here: http://www.citywideparentcouncil.org/meetings-and-minutes/
    • BPS officials came to talk about COVID safety - Chitra’s notes
    • Boston School Committee Nominating Panel accepting applications for 4 expiring positions on the Committee - see next slide

Consejo de Padres de Toda la Ciudad - Reuniones 4º martes de cada mes 6-8pm. ¡Abierto a todas las familias de BPS!

  • Reunión del 23 de noviembre: el video y las diapositivas de la reunión aquí: http://www.citywideparentcouncil.org/meetings-and-minutes/
    • Funcionarios de BPS vinieron a hablar sobre la seguridad de COVID - notas de Chitra
    • Panel de Nominaciones del Comité Escolar de Boston que acepta solicitudes para 4 puestos que expiran en el Comité - vea la siguiente diapositiva

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Notes for Citywide Parent Council

Chitra's notes are embedded in the slides

BPS close contact defined at: unvaccinated AND within THREE feet (the assumption is everyone is masked)

276 JKF students are tested weekly, out of 339 students in the building (82% of families responded to testing...or not)

anyone else who is interested, you're welcome to join for our Families for COVID Safety meeting on Fri Dec 10 at noon. Go to https://bit.ly/FamCOSa (OR email sarah.horsley@gmail.com for the Zoom link)

Why isn't BPS going to track vaccinations?... Here's the article Sefira mentioned article: https://www.wgbh.org/news/education/2021/12/03/covid-19-outbreak-at-curley-school-caught-us-by-surprise-says-boston-public-schools-superintendent

When there is a positive covid case: two options - Test and Stay or Quarantine. For Test and Stay, they do rapid and PCR testing

Nurses are not supposed to have to work on this, they were promised they could focus on diabetes, etc. NOT COVID. (come out & support the nurses on Wed Dec 15 at 4pm state house if nothing else!)

The Citywide Parent Council Meetings are open to any BPS family - They are usually the 4th Tue of every month from 6-8pm. Find out more info & Zoom link at citywideparentcouncil.org

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Updates�

  • Engagement & Representation Committee�
  • Site Council

Updates from Seth: No magic number to trigger a school closure

6th grade being added - current 5th grade students will automatically be enrolled. Need to be creative with the space. Instead of science labs, science labs could be on carts and science teachers could visit.

$400,000 to spend in funds (Esser funds?) Trying to figure out how to use the funding - a reading specialist (other examples ---playgrounds/outdoor space/library/para professionals in some of the older grades - may not be able to pay para professionals in the long run, sustaining those salaries once the funds run out)

rom Citywide Parent Council listserv - list of which schools got what ESSER fund $ https://drive.google.com/file/d/18JtyaPJaJ0zW_3sty7YTm6ngffWlqGLK/view

Re Esser funds from Amanda Preston-Sicari: It has to be used in a way that can be shown to have a direct impact on closing academic opportunity and achievement gaps - they encourage things like coaches, curriculum changes, trainings/PD, equity work, additional staff, etc. you can of course make the argument that facilities issues perpetuate inequities but the feds are looking for more learning/classroom focused things

Reminder, any parent can attend the site council meetings (Zoom is typically shared by Dr. Copeland the day of. You can email jfkspc@gmail.com for the link) All times below at 4:30 pm

§ Thursday December 16

§ Thursday January 13

§ Thursday February 17

§ Thursday March 17

§ Thursday April 14

§ Thursday May 19

§ Thursday June 09

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Upcoming Events

  • Parent Teacher Conferences�
  • Vaccination Clinic:
    • December 21st and January 11th from 2pm to 5pm.
    • Students who are five years of age and older
    • Booster shots for Moderna and Pfizer will also be available.

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Open Discussion or Questions

Discusión abierta o preguntas

Update From Alison Moses: Grant written on behalf of Ms. Wyant/Ms. Caldas - construction unit in the spring (Just K2?)

Gift giving to teachers/paras for the holidays: Can't accept anything more than $50

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Contact Information/Información del contacto�

Families 4 COVID Safety - Sarah Horsley �To sign up for more info: https://bit.ly/FamCOSa

https://twitter.com/FamCOSa https://www.facebook.com/FamCOSa

families4covidsafety@gmail.com 617-942-1075

Engagement and Representation Committee - Jen Douglas

douglasjen@gmail.com 617-999-9771

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Upcoming Meeting Dates:

Site Council/Consejo del Plantel Escolar

Thursday, December 16 at 4:30pm

Jueves 16 de diciembre a las 4:30 pm

Parent Council/Consejo de Padres

Wednesday, January 12 at 7:30pm

miércoles 12 de enero 7:30 pm

https://jfkelementary.org/next-parent-council-meeting/