Board members holding informal meetings to engage community

In an effort to engage parents, employees, and members of the community, the Park City School District Board of Education has started holding informal monthly meetings.

The board’s first Information Exchange Meeting was held Wednesday, Nov. 8, at Jeremy Ranch Elementary School. Each month the meetings will be held at a different school. Some will be held during the day, and other meetings will be held at night to accommodate those who work.

The following items were discussed last night by the parents and teachers who attended the meeting with Andrew Caplan, board President, and JJ Ehlers, board Vice President:

Homework policy being piloted at Jeremy Ranch Elementary this year: A parent from Jeremy Ranch asked if the policy was really working. Sherry Barski, a reading specialist at the school, said they are already seeing a decrease in the stress level of students and parents.  Students are also accountable to read every night. “It has been a very positive thing so far,” she said.

The parent expressed concern that not having homework may “dumb down” school. She wondered how a student goes from no homework at the elementary level to taking AP courses at the high school level that require a great deal of homework. Superintendent Ember Conley said a lot of Professional Learning Communities in the schools are looking at their homework policies. Teachers are naturally looking at students individually and their different styles of learning.

One parent from McPolin Elementary said his child is dyslexic so they have to do homework at their house. He said a lot of students need socialization, creative time, and playtime. “You can’t fit all those things in a child’s day. I’d love to see the district get into more project-based learning.”

Study Skills: A parent expressed the need for an overall study skills class. “Our students need to learn how to learn,” she said.  “Learning how to study is essential for student success.”

Challenging Classes:  A parent said students need to be encouraged more to take challenging classes.  Jamie Weeks, a math teacher at the high school, said when students don’t do well in rigorous classes they drop the class.

Graduates: President Caplan asked the question, “What do we want our graduates to look like? What do they need to be equipped with as they leave high school? We need to make sure they are prepared with life skills.”

A parent commended the PCCAPS program saying the project-based learning teaches skills not only related to the business world, but the real world. Dr. Conley said there is talk among the regional superintendent about the need for a technical center.  There are students who don’t succeed in a traditional classroom and the tech center would provide them with hands-on training, she said.

The board’s next Information Exchange Meeting is Dec. 13 from 1-3 p.m. at Ecker Hill Middle School.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Board Meeting Summary

Nov. 7, 2017 | Special Regular Session

District 5 Board Candidate Interviews

The Board interviewed two candidates who applied to fill the vacancy in District 5 due to Julie Eihausen’s resignation effective Feb. 5, 2018.

-Erin Grady has lived in Park City for 34 years and currently serves as co-president of the PTA at Parley’s Park Elementary. She is a board member of PC READS and  the Figure Skating Club of Park City. For 12 years she served as communications manager for Deer Valley Resort. “I want to look back and know that I did my part in securing a positive future not only for my kids but for the children of Park City as a whole,” she said.

-Betsy Ricks has lived in Park City for 24 years and is an educator at the Peace House teaching children from kindergarten through high school about personal safety, child abuse, and healthy relationships. “I am passionate about education and would love to play a part in helping our district continue to develop programs and opportunities that will benefit all our children and better our community,” she said.

The Board will announce its board member appointment at its Nov. 21 meeting.

Strategic Planning Update

Board member Anne Peters presented updated information based on additional feedback the Board received from employees and community members. The updated values include: Academic Success, Leadership, Excellent Personnel, Communication, and Community Alliances. The Board reviewed its major goals and next steps in updating the district’s strategic plan. Eric Esquivel, Latino Community Relations specialist for the district, reported on his outreach efforts to Latino parents, and the Board said it will incorporate their feedback into the plan. Once the major portions of the strategic plan are finalized, the Board will communicate that information to the community and employees.

Open and Closed Enrollment

Business Administrator Todd Hauber presented the Board with nine open enrollment scenarios. The Board discussed the options and their impacts on school enrollment capacities and whether or not it can close some of the district’s schools to open enrollment next school year.

Policies for Posting

The Board approved posting the following policies for review:

-Policy 7085: Employee Licensed Staff

-Policy 7160: Orderly Termination

-Policy 10001: Bullying

-Policy 10026: Home School-Dual Enrollment

-Policy 9091 (NEW): Student Data Privacy and Governance  

Board President Andrew Caplan said in the future the district’s attorneys will provide a brief summary of the changes to help make the policies more understandable to the public. The Board requested Policy 3005—Community Councils, be sent back to the attorneys for additional updates.

More strategic planning meetings held for employees, community

The Board is meeting with Park City School District employees this week in an effort to get their feedback on the district’s Strategic Planning.  Board members met Monday with staff from Park City High and Treasure Mountain Junior High.

Additional meetings include:

-Wednesday, Oct. 25: Meet with administrations at 9 a.m. at the District Office.

-Friday, Oct. 27: Meet with Ecker Hill Middle and all elementary staff at 3:30 p.m. at Parley’s Park Elementary.

-Wednesday, Nov. 1: Meet with community members at 6 p.m. at the District Office.

The Board has spent the last few weeks reviewing all the feedback it received at its Oct. 2 community meeting. From that meeting, the Board has narrowed the district’s values to five: academic engagement, communications, community involvement, excellent personnel, and leadership accountability.

“These values reflect the overarching PCSD goals of a student-centered culture promoting a safe, healthy, challenged, supported and engaged child,” said Board member Anne Peters. “Everything we as a board, administration, and district do must uphold these values as communicated to us by the community.”

Peters said the Board is reaching out to the Latino community via Eric Esquivel and his Latino Outreach team.

Those not able to attend the follow-up meetings are invited to share input by emailing communication@pcschools.us.

The values, in more details, include:

We value:

Academic Engagement

-Engaging all students, no matter where they are in their academic journey.

-Creating a culture of inclusiveness and respect for the rich diversity of our community.

-Meeting the children where they are and accommodating for their types and speeds of learning.

-Equity for all learners.

We value:

Communication

-Trust and transparency.

-Frequent and easy to understand.

-Two ways.

-Listening to feedback/suggestions and communicate back how it is to be used.

-Explain why we are doing things, what is the outcome and how does it affect me and my child?

-Consistency in how information is communicated.

-Inclusion of non-English speakers.

-Inclusion of the entire community.

We value:

Community Involvement

-Inclusion of the whole community in all ways to better understand the direction and needs of the district.

-Collaborating with our partners to uphold our mission of supporting the whole child.

-Outreach to local support first, including the community and local talent base.

-Creating opportunities for the community to engage with the schools and staff.

We value

Excellent Personnel

-Consistently hiring the best and the brightest for all positions.

-Recruiting outside the district.

-Always hiring personnel in a transparent, fair, equitable and consistent manner.

-Building trust and respect for all employees.

-An inclusive, talented, collaborative and diverse talent pool.

-Training and support to set every position up for success.

We value:

Leadership Accountability

-Holding everyone no matter their position or status accountable for their actions.

-Tangible goals that are established then monitored and measured starting with the Board, Superintendent, Administration and all-staff.

-Clear processes and procedures that are transparent, free of favoritism, by the book and available for all to review, participate in and measure.

-Leadership’s commitment to honor their word and deliver the expected level of service on time.

-Consequences for those not upholding their goals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Board Summary

Oct. 17, 2017 | Regular Session

Special Recognition

Carly Stenmark, a Park City business owner and published author, was recognized at the board meeting for completing her adult education degree. Stenmark earned her high school diploma as a way to impress upon her grandchildren the importance of education.

Board Member Reports

-Julie Eihausen read a letter from the Consulate of Mexico thanking the Board for reaffirming the district’s commitment to all students and providing a safe space for students.

-Petra Butler reported on her attendance at the following meetings: Community Cares, Ecker Hill Middle’s PTO, Mental Health Alliance, and two information sessions for potential board members.

-Vice President JJ Ehlers attended the audit committee meeting and said the process moving forward is for the committee to submit a report to the Board by Nov. 14. She also attended the two information sessions for possible board candidates, Jeremy Ranch’s PTO and SCC meetings, and the Utah School Boards Association regional meeting.

-President Andrew Caplan said every audit round contains recommendations for best practices and he suggested the Board discuss the need to hire an auditor. President Caplan also attended the following meetings recently: United Way partnership, the Lunch & Learn on safety, Trailside PTO, and the Park City Education Foundation.

 Superintendent’s Report

-The district is beginning the process of looking at three new teacher evaluation systems. Criteria, in compliance with state code, and a scoring process are being developed to evaluate the systems. Superintendent Ember Conley said she is anxious to hear as many voices as possible from educators on these systems.

-The superintendent reported on her attendance at three PTO meetings this past month,  bi-weekly meetings with all principals, three school staff meetings, the McPolin Fall Festival, and the National Blue Ribbon School Award presentation at Jeremy Ranch Elementary,

-Superintendent Conley reiterated the district’s focus on the Whole Child: healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. In keeping with the safe and healthy focus this year, she held a Lunch & Learn where she shared safety protocol with parents, and she attended a Lunch & Learn the district co-sponsored with Connect Summit County that featured Randi Silverman, one of the nation’s leading voices on youth mental health.

-A school climate survey has been conducted and the superintendent said principals and administrators are now sharing that data with their teams.

PCEA Statement

The Park City Education Association expressed gratitude to the Board for its support of teachers and the increase in salaries it provided this year.

Communications Report

Melinda Colton, director of Communications, shared statistics related to the district’s social media channels, including earning 1.0K impressions per day on Twitter in the past month, a 30% increase in followers in Facebook, and a 104% increase in the number of people reached on Facebook in a month (52,026). The district received 43 media placements in September and so far in October has received 17. Colton is working to increase subscriptions on the district’s newsroom blog and will begin marketing it to parents and the community in the near future.

Budget Overview

-Business Administrator Todd Hauber reviewed available instructional spaces with the Board. The data is essential as the Board considers school capacity prior to the start of open enrollment. That information can be found here.

-Hauber presented the district class size averages for 2017-18. The report can be viewed here.

-He also reviewed the 2018 sustainable budget and the district’s Revenue and Rainy Day Fund Balance impacts. It can be viewed here.

-The board approved a tentative maintenance and operation budget timeline for approving the 2018-19 PCSD budget.

-President Caplan said the board is anxious to get preliminary estimates so if it needs to issue a tax increase it can communicate that to the public as soon as possible.

Special Education Program Update

Following an audit from the Utah State Board of Education, Associate Superintendent of Student Wellness Ben Belnap discussed the need for a districtwide process. Board members expressed frustration that they have earmarked funding for additional personnel but not all the positions have been filled. Superintendent Conley said the issue is bigger than just hiring another person and said this issue is not being ignored. Special education issues are talked about daily. Dr. Belnap said rather than go through each issue that needs to be addressed, he suggested developing a whole new system. He emphasized the importance of building a foundation and taking the time to develop a process correctly.

Strategic Planning Update

Anne Peters reported on the Strategic Plan Community meeting held Oct. 2. From the feedback that night, the board has developed a tentative mission and vision statement, and five tenets. The board will be holding additional feedback sessions, with staff and administration next week and a follow-up session with the community on Nov. 1. The board is also exploring ways to get input from the Latino community. 

Year of Safe & Healthy

The Board was provided a timeline for school front offices, perimeter and classroom doors, and boundary/fencing. Elementary front offices should be complete by December and secondary front offices will be complete by April. An emergency response database should be in place by the end of the month, and a visitor management system ready in June. President Caplan reported on the first safety community meeting at Parley’s Park Elementary. A group of parents and neighbors has been created to make recommendations to the board about the location of the fence.

Board to hold informal meetings to have more interaction with public

Beginning in November, the Park City School District Board of Education will begin holding informal exchange meetings. The purpose of these new meetings is to allow community groups, parents, and employees the chance to interact with the Board and present ideas and information that will be helpful to the Board.

Two board members, the Superintendent, Business Administrator and Communications Director will be present at each meeting. The board members will then provide an overview of the meeting to other board members during a Regular Session of the board.

Those individuals or groups wanting time during the informal exchange meetings should e-mail Board President Andrew Caplan to schedule a time on the agenda. Please note: the Board will not take comments on personnel.

Informal Exchange Meeting Schedule

Nov. 8: 6-8 p.m., Jeremy Ranch Elementary 

Dec. 13, 1-3 p.m., Ecker Middle

Jan. 10: 6-8 p.m., McPolin Elementary

Feb. 14: 1-3 p.m., Park City High

March 14: 6-8 p.m., Parley’s Park Elementary

-NO APRIL MEETING DUE TO SPRING RECESS-

May 9: 6-8 p.m., Park City Learning Academy

 

 

 

 

Board Meeting

Oct. 12 | Special Regular Session

Strategic Planning Community Engagement

Board members reviewed the feedback they received at the Strategic Planning Community Meeting held Oct. 2. Each member reviewed the common themes specific to his or her assignments that evening.

Andrew Caplan: Leadership and Accountability

Teachers, principals, administrators and school board members are all accountable to the community.

The lack of accountability from the Board is one of the reasons the Bond was not successful.

The Board needs to work on developing the public trust.

The Board is accountable to the voters, and the Administration is accountable to the Board.

The community’s interests need to be reflected in the work the Board is doing.

The district’s Strategic Plan will help drive those interests as the district moves forward.

The public wants access to more data in an effort to create a culture of accountability.

The Board and the district need to have a simple message that resonates with the community.

JJ Ehlers: Communications

The public had suggestions on various ways to communicate.

The community says the wording of communications is important so the public can understand the why’s and how’s of projects.

The district needs to continue to work at improving its outreach with non-English speakers.

The Board and the district need to do a better job of reaching out those who do not have children in school. 

Communicate how PCSD processes input and how the Board plans to use it.

JJ Ehlers: Community Involvement

Determine at a higher level what community involvement means, who and how to engage but more importantly, why.  What is the outcome? 

Community members suggested ways to involve the community.

Invite the community to more school events such as homecoming, plays/musicals, concerts, etc.

Work with the faculty, School Community Councils, and PTOs to create ways for more volunteering and involvement at local schools.

Community members without children in schools still need to know what is going on at their neighborhood school.

Petra Butler: Excellent Personnel

The public wants engagement and participation at the decision-making level.

Acknowledge what is being said and is actually heard.

Have consistent hiring practices and have transparency in the hiring process.

Build trust and respect for employees.

We need to focus on changing the climate in the district.

Housing and transportation continues to be an issue for personnel.

Anne Peters: One Size Fits All

Academics: arts, college prep, conflict resolution, dual language immersion, grade configurations, homework, middle learners, personalized learning, programming, special education, testing, and workload.

People: bridging the gap between home and school, parent involvement, and concerns for the social/emotional well-being of students.

Environment: school size.

Master planning: facilities, size of schools, climate in schools, size of cohorts, etc.

Mission/Vision/Tenets

Following a discussion of each area, the Board noted the overarching theme for the district is the academic engagement for all students. They drafted the following mission statement, vision, and tenants:

Tentative Mission Statement: Inspire and equitably support students to achieve their academic and social potential.

Tentative Vision: Student Centered! (The Whole Child: safe, healthy, challenged, support, engaged)

Tentative Tenets:

      – Academic Engagement

      – Leadership Accountability

      – Excellent Personnel

      – Community Involvement

      – Communication

Next Steps

The Board will work with Eric Esquivel (District Latino Community Relations) to determine how best to engage the Latino community and get their feedback.

Board will meet with TMJH and PCHS Staff on Oct. 23, 3 p.m., Treasure Mountain Junior High Library.

Board will meet with  Administrators on Oct. 25, 9 a.m., District Office.

Board will meet with Ecker Middle and Elementary Staff on Oct. 27, 3:30 p.m., Parley’s Park Elementary.

Board will meet with the community for final feedback on Nov. 1, 6 p.m., District Office.

Board to determine mission, vision, tenants at Nov. 7 Work Session.

The district will develop a request for proposal (RFP) for a master planning facilitator. Master planning will begin once a facilitator is selected.

Demographics study will be complete in January 2018.

School board seeks new member from District 5

The school board will be holding information meetings this month for those interested in applying for the vacancy in District 5 that will occur when Julie Eihausen leaves the board Feb. 5, 2018.

Candidate information meetings are:

-Oct. 16: 9-10 a.m., Park City Bread & Bagel

-Oct. 17: 6-7 p.m., Starbucks at Fresh Market

-Oct. 24: 9-10 a.m., Ecker Hill Middle School

Interested candidates who live in District 5 should send their completed applications to Vice President JJ Ehlers by Nov. 2 at 4:30 p.m., jehlers@pcschools.us or drop it off in a sealed envelope at the District Office by Nov. 2 at 4:30 p.m.

Candidates will be interviewed at an open session on Nov. 7 at 9 a.m. in the Boardroom at the District Office. The board will announce the new member at its Nov. 21 regular session at 4 p.m.

For more information click here. Candidates are also welcome to contact a current Board member of Superintendent Ember Conley for more details.

Map of PCSD District 5.

Board to hold safety meetings planned for elementary schools

The Board recently approved $3 million to accommodate districtwide safety updates to individual schools, to purchase an emergency response system, and a districtwide visitor management system. Part of the safety updates include fencing at Parley’s Park, Trailside, and McPolin Elementary Schools.

In an effort to keep the community informed, a safety meeting will be held at each school. Board members will state their rationale for the safety measures, show plans, walk the property for perimeter, answer questions, and hear comments.

The meeting are:

– Oct. 12:  Parley’s Park Elementary, 5-6 p.m.

– Oct. 24:  Trailside Elementary, 5-6 p.m.

-Oct. 25: Jeremy Ranch Elementary, 5-6 p.m.

– Oct. 30: McPolin Elementary 5-6 p.m.

Parents and neighbors who live near the school are invited to attend the meeting.

Board gathers input from parents and community

The Park City School District Board met with parents and community members Monday night, Oct. 2, to listen to their input as it updates the district’s strategic plan.

The Board reviewed all data and information the district has received during the past two years from community meetings and focus group, and pre- and post-bond surveys  – literally 5,000 points of data, according to Board member Andrew Caplan.

“We are not starting over tonight,” he said. “Tonight we want to refresh our strategic plan and make sure our values are still what the public want.”

“What you see tonight are five major themes and values that have bubbled up from analyzing the previous public data,” Caplan said. “Tonight, we are here to listen.”

The five themes include:

Excellent personnel

Community involvement

Communications

One size does not fit all

Leadership accountability

Board members spent the next hour conducting feedback sessions by themes. The Board is continuing to accept additional information from those who could not attend the meeting. The public can send their feedback to communication@pcschools.us.

Board member Petra Butler said the board is anxious to keep the community informed through the entire process. “We want everyone who walks out of here tonight to know we are engaging the community,” she said.

The board will review the feedback it received at the Oct. 2 meeting during a public meeting on Oct. 12 at 10 a.m. and the District Office.

 

Agenda for Strategic Planning Community Meeting on Oct. 2

AGENDA

Strategic Planning Community Meeting

Oct. 2 | 6-8 p.m. | Blair Education Center, Park City Hospital

Who:  Community, Staff, Parents, and Students who are ready to be part of the positive movement forward

What:  To decide the values of the district that will update the 2010 Strategic Plan for 2018-2023, to define the most critical anchors that will guide the district’s work for the next 5 years.

When:  October 2, 2017; 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Where: Blair Education Center, Classroom A/B at Park City Hospital, 900 Round Valley Road, Park City

Why:  To determine the mission, vision, and values that will guide the district for next 5 years

6:00 PM

-Welcome

-Norms for Meeting

-Review Agenda

-Review Process and Timeline to Update Mission, Vision, and Values: https://prezi.com/p/ikt27ks-iguk

-Interactive Feedback Protocol

-Define and Determine Values!

7:45 PM

-Check Out

-Next Steps

8:00 PM

-Adjourn

Dates and Locations for Next Strategic Group Meetings

• October 16, 4:30 – 7:30 PM, Park City School District Office, Board Room
  • Finalize Vision and Start Mission
• November 5, 4:30 – 7:30 PM, Park City School District Office, Board Room
  • Finish Mission and Define Goals
• December 19, 4:00 PM, Board Adopts Mission, Vision, Values at Regular Session Board meeting
  • Board Adopts Mission, Vision, Values, and Goals

Dates for Strategic Planning Implementation

• January – July 2018

• • PCSD Administration Updates District Learning Plan (Implementation Plan for Strategic Plan)
  • Finalize Master Planning (Facilities Plan) for 2018-2025
    • January – June 2018 – Details Shared with Community at Large
    • July 2018 – Bond Language Adopted Pending Master Planning Completion
    • November 2018 – Bond Election Pending Master Planning Completion

Questions or Additional Feedback? communication@pcschools.us

* If you were unable to attend the first meeting, join us at the second or third! No invitation necessary.