Shirley Brady
November 8, 2021
Beacon PTA Meeting Minutes – Oct. 2021
Beacon PTA General Membership Meeting
October 12, 2021 (6pm, Zoom)
MINUTES
Note: Zoom recording is here.
Guest Speakers:
- Principal Brady Smith update
- Parent Coordinator Erdene Greene update
- College Office Director Deb Heller – seniors/juniors update
- Teacher Jessica Radin – Staff PD workshops
- Teacher Ana Izoria – After-School Clubs
- Teacher Kevin Jacobs – Community Service
- Teacher Harry Feder – MAP assessments
1. WELCOME, NORMS, QUORUM
Shirley Brady, Robin Broshi & Nancy Molesworth, PTA Co-Presidents
2. PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
Brady Smith
- References last Saturday’s parent email for more information
- SAFETY: School safety is a primary concern – range of safety incidents reported, 7 are reported, and many more not reported. Students should travel with a buddy or in groups. Most incidents between Times Square and 9th Avenue. School may provide whistles to students (and will discuss sharing the cost with the PTA). General safety practices need to be reinforced at home as well as in school.
- After-school safety training is happening this week with Diane Kim, Beacon’s RAPP Program coordinator. NYPD 18th Precinct youth officers are also setting up workshops for students regarding safety.
- Diane Kim’s RAPP workshops started today, centered around healthy relationships. Goal is to grow students’ awareness of what RAPP offers. This week’s Sexual Assault 101 class is being taught after school.
- Various safety trainings are being sought from numerous community group regarding recent safety incidents, ie Hollaback, Manhattan DA’s office etc. Families should also seek out safety trainings given the current environment.
- Big Sibs will receive training to assist their little sibs
- School safety committee – Brady has asked the EB to find a parent rep to serve on that committee.
- Offered a refresher today for staff on evacuation plans.
- Safety meeting town hall will take place on Nov. 8th, 4-5pm, before the November PTA meeting.
- OTHER ITEMS:
- Out lunch – working on increasing availability for 11th & 12th graders
- DOE Chromebooks are available for students who need them, awaiting survey responses and devices are ready to distribute
- MAP assessments for 9th and 10th graders are scheduled for this Friday (ELA) and next Friday (math). Parents can opt their children out; PTA has prepared an FAQ with pros and cons of opting out that was sent out to families.
- Community Service site list – released for 11th graders by Mr. Jacobs
- Club Fair – this Friday 10/15 at 2:30pm; the clubs list is here.
- 10/28 – SAT in school
- 11/2 – asynchronous learning day, staff will be engaged in professional development; students will get assignments in advance.
- COVID – 92% student vaccination rate
- Safety incident involving a student in school last Friday in the cafeteria- an investigation is pending and the student at center will not be at school this week. Details can’t be shared for privacy reasons.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Anju Gupta, Recording Secretary
• Sept. 20, 2021 regular membership meeting minutes (click here)
– Diana Mahiques motion to approve, Mark DeLaBarre seconded; Approved.
4. ERDENE GREENE (parent coordinator) report –
Please hand in MySchool forms ASAP so Beacon can get credit for free lunch, update your preferences in the NYCSA (NYC Schools Account). Make sure your student’s name is recorded in your account. Also, please complete the paper forms that were sent home as “backpack” letters with students.
5. TREASURER’S REPORT
Spencer Green, Katherine Bruck & Andrew Flamm
Following funding requests presented and approved:
Spencer presented the 6 funding requests; notes on discussion:
- Will have a special budget meeting for club funding requests; tonight’s meeting is only presenting class requests + staff professional development funding request for 50% of cost. Details:
- Forensics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology: Teachers requesting money for online learning and physical materials
- Photography: Diana Mahiques vetted the request by digital photography teacher Keith Miller – $11,000 total requested, $6,000 is the class portion (vs club)
- Crisis Management Workshops (staff professional development) to be led by Dr. Vicky Mesrie and Dr. Sheri-Ann Cowie as continuation of a workshop they presented last June
- This school year, they will teach 10 teachers who will teach therest of staff.
- History teacher Jessica Radin addressed PTA about this professional development program as she helped organize it with Principal Brady.
- Original workshop was held in June, which provided staff (not only teachers but administrative staff) with an opportunity to understand the challenges they have faced in their efforts to support our students.
- Staff was able to start a process of healing and connection as they shared what it has been like to teach during this pandemic and in a school that has gone through so much transition and tragedy in recent years.
- The feedback for that workshop was overwhelmingly positive. Many said it was cathartic and supportive. They hope that it is the beginning of a new journey for the Beacon staff to strengthen its ability to collaborate, support, and teach our student body.
- That work continues… Beacon is in the most intense moment of transition that she has seen in 20 years at the school. Staff have faced many challenges over the last few years: last year lost 4 students, 2 years before that have lost 3 members of the Beacon community, huge turnover of administrators including 8 AP’s. Also raised awareness of DEI issues, pandemic related trauma and social emotional issues.
- Last year the instructors’ 2-hour training workshop was received very positively by staff (not just teachers but all staff)
- PD proposal for this year: another series of all-staff (mandatory) PD workshops on how to contain conflict in the healthiest way; also create a crisis management and trauma response system.
- Goal is to create Beacon-specific protocols for managing and identifying traumas in a proactive way instead of a reactive manner; create opportunities for horizontal and vertical alignment.
- Outside facilitators are crucial to provide objective viewpoints. They also are steeped in Beacon’s educators’ experiences and school history
- Questions: This work is necessary to create space so that Beacon can do the necessary DEI work.
- Training will be mandatory as part of staff PD this year.
- The ask: 50% ($8K) from PTA; the school is paying $8K.
- Motion to approve all 6 requests was seconded and put to a vote by the parent body; PASSED
- Next steps: Budget committee will convene to discuss club requests and there will be a special meeting of the PTA in 2 weeks to present and vote on funding requests.
6. COMMITTEE REPORTS
- Fundraising: Karen Jolicoeur, Alison Overholser –
- Raffle for MacBook Air made $5K – Lisa Spinnell won the raffle
- Annual Appeal launched last week – $11K raised so far, moving slowly – any amount is appreciated and valued. We are only at 6% of fundraising goals.
- OneRun 5K – 10/24 to benefit many public schools, fundraiser and a community builder, Beacon is not #1 and we always want to be fundraising!
- Merchandise: Julie Harding, Diana Mahiques
- 2nd merch sale in lobby last Friday was very successful
- Shout out to parent volunteers
- Made $5800 this sale, $4020 during 1st sale last month
- October 22nd or Nov 5th will be next sale – depending on when can restock supply
- Will come up with new designs, working with a Beacon parent who is a graphic designer
- Senior merch day coming up – senior shirts will be available
- Online merch e-commerce website will be updated and the store will be back up in a few weeks
- Community-Building: Karen Stonely, Natasha Zaretsky
- Grade and neighborhood reps in place, still need Bronx and Staten Island
- Brooklyn parent meet up – 10/14
- East Village parent meet up – 10/15
- Special Education parents town hall – 10/21
- 12th grade parent potluck – 10/20
- 9th and 11th grade parent meet up – 10/28
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Gary Anthony Ramsay, Windell Williams
- 4 subcommittees looking for volunteers (sign-up form)
- Next DEI monthly meeting – 11/9 @ 6pm
- First Book Club meeting – “Minor Feelings” by Cathy Park Hong – will take place on 11/15, go through book by sections
- Language around DEI is important -want to educate families on meaning of terminology (glossary)
- Communications: Justine Keil (N/A; Shirley update)
- Justine needs help! She is the only volunteer, please let Justine know if you are available.
- Hospitality: Jennifer Weisbord (N/A; Shirley update)
- No report; waiting for more in school opportunities to host
7. OTHER BUSINESS
Brief updates from the following Beacon staff:
- Ana Izoria, Beacon After-School Clubs Coordinator –
- Club fair this Friday at 230, in-person club meetings starting. List in chat of after school clubs. Over 80 club proposals this year – most are student-led and initiated, and have staff advisors. Must have 15 participants for clubs to exist.
- Deb Heller, Beacon Director of College Counseling –
- SAT for seniors on 10/28 – in-person review session before test
- PSAT not offered at Beacon
- Practice SAT’s are coming up; listed on Beacon College website
- 80% of Beacon seniors apply early
- Juniors – will start working one-on-one in January
- Coffee Talks will resume in spring
- Financial Aid night – 9th and 10th grade parents should review previous presentation online (click here)
- March 23rd – SAT in School for Juniors
- Kevin Jacobs, Beacon Community Service Coordinator –
- CS opportunities now posted on Beacon website
- Almost 150 sites listed with instructions on how to approach CS
- CS program is on schedule
- Juniors should be reaching out right now to set up their internships which teaches students important skills
- 35 hour requirement is less than previous years
- Beacon does not encourage students to miss school time to perform CS – work after school, weekends, vacations etc. Beacon will not give credit for CS performed during school days.
- Harry Feder, Beacon history teacher and parent, who is also Beacon’s Consortium Liaison, presented on MAP Assessments
- Expanded on the PTA’s MAP FAQ for parents and answered questions.
- MAP tests are “screeners” – Consortium schools applied for a waiver which was designed but rejected.
- Company that created the test defined the skill that test is supposedly testing for, ie “learning loss”
- History of consortium schools is provided by Mr. Feder
- Consortium schools have their own system of assessments, ie PBA’s and are not required to administer Regents
- MAP tests no curriculum that is covered at Beacon – less then clear why DOE is mandating this test
- Results are not being used for grades or promotion or college applications – unclear why MAP is being given
- These types of assessments are given all of the time at Beacon by teachers
- MAP is being administered during SGI – distraction for teachers and the school
- Beacon teachers pay attention to learning loss in their classes – DOE rejected teacher-designed assessments to measure learning loss.
- Special Education students’ connection with MAP testing is not known at this time
- Waiver of MAP is a way of parents backing up their choice to be at a consortium school
- Consultants – not educators – recommended the creation of this type of test
8. MEETING ADJOURNED
Time meeting ended: 8:07 pm
THE NEXT PTA MONTHLY MEETING IS NOV. 8 ON ZOOM
OTHER UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:
10/13: School Leadership Team meeting (5pm, Zoom)
10/15: After-School Club Fair (2:30pm, in school)
10/21: Special Education Town Hall with AP Naisha Baidy Cruz (6pm, Zoom)
10/24: 1Run 5K fundraiser (9am, in person or virtual)
11/1-12: Senior portrait photo days (in school)
11/1: PTA Executive Board meeting (6pm, Zoom)
11/2: No in-person classes (Election day: asynchronous learning)
11/9: DEI Monthly meeting (6pm, Zoom)
11/10: School Leadership Team meeting (5pm, Zoom)
11/15: DEI Book Club meeting (6pm, Zoom)
11/18-19: Parent Advisor Conferences (Thursday 5:30-8pm & Friday noon-2:20pm)
11/25-26: No school (Thanksgiving Recess)
More upcoming PTA meetings are here.
Questions? Contact beaconpta@beaconschool.org
