East Newton School Council
Members Present: Teresa Sauls (Principal), Tenesha Clark (parent), Meghen Bassel (Media Specialist), Kemoy Briscoe-Morris (parent), Sakina Hill (parent/PTO president)
1. Call to Order - The regular meeting was called to order by Clark at 7:31 AM and a quorum was present.
2. Welcome and Introductions – Teresa Sauls, Principal, welcomed everyone to the meeting. No introductions were made as all present were familiar with each other.
3. Approval of the Agenda – The agenda was approved as presented. Motion made by Clark, seconded by Bassel. Aye – Sauls, Clark, Bassel, Morris, Hill. Nay – None. Motion passed.
4. Report of the Principal
4.1 Personnel. Discussed current opening for one Para-professional, severe and profound. Suggestion made by Bassel to place the vacancy on social media.
4.2 Intent forms. Principal Sauls reported staff members will get intent forms through the through the system.
4.3 CCRPI. Principal Sauls shared and discussed the College and Career Readiness Performance Index (CCRPI) results for ENES.
7.1. Five Star Family Program.
7.1.a. Clark suggested using a 30-day attendance log. Students with perfect attendance would get a star. Bassel suggested if your child had perfect attendance the month before, parents can come and eat with their child in the library. Bassel noted, parents are eager to be at school with their children. Principal Sauls agreed to follow-up on starting a reading log.
7.1.b. Bassel suggested a car rider priority lane, a separate line for Gold Star families.
7.1.c. Hill suggested a reading log with incentives for top readers including: extra recess, pizza party for top class, incentive prize for top student to be incorporated into year-end recognition for family. Hill additionally suggested free or lower cost for active families, hosting more Title I dinners and asking parents their thoughts, and providing incentives for parents.
7.1.d. Briscoe-Morris suggested Parents’ Night out specifically for 5-star families, Breakfast or lunch with Principal, Lunch with Teachers, Networking Social for parents with businesses and creating an ENES parent business resource pamphlet and/or weblink.
7.2. Updates from the BOE on the two phases of remodeling
7.2a. Sauls reported brand new furniture has been ordered, reconstruction will start two days after students leave. A meeting with Sauls will be scheduled in January. The Art room will be completely moved. There is potential change in parking, an extra lane may be added or a switch in the car rider and bus lane. There will be new flooring, new windows and new doors.
8.1 Pros/Cons regarding SMORE newsletter. Pro, easy to use template. Con, cannot have a link unless you have SMORE for Teams. Present parent members happy with what was on SMORE. Sauls will follow-up on setting up a Teams account.
8.2 Informing parents about social media to staying the loop: FB & IG.
8.2.a Bassel suggested having QR codes at open house for FB &IG
8.2.b Clark noted more responses are received when information is sent by teachers individually. Sauls followed-up noting some teachers are very active on Remind and some are not, and she will address that. Additionally, Sauls will send out a Remind about joining social media.
8.3 Hill noted parents have commented that they do no purchase year books because it only has teachers’ kids in it.
8.4.a. Review by Bassel, initiatives to follow-up on include: reading log, discuss incentives with Attendance Committee, boosting social media, encouraging teachers to use Remind, advertising the Para position, follow-up with Rowe for Title I dinners.
8.4.b Sauls noted the Five Star family plan is for the next academic year, though we can execute attendance and reading/literacy initiatives this year, as well as other initiatives to boost parent participation.
8.4.c. No questions or concerns raised.
9. Next Meeting - The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, in the Media Center.
10. Adjourned – Motion to adjourn made by Clark and seconded by Bassel. Meeting was adjourned at 8:30 AM.
Notes prepared by (Kemoy Briscoe-Morris) (Signature)
Approved by (Tenesha Clark) (Signature)