2024-25 Meeting Documents

July/August Agenda
School: Esther Jackson
Date: 08/15/2024
Time: 3:45 PM
Location: Esther Jackson Conference Room

SGC Members:
Ms. Nikol Boyd, Principal |Ms. Jill Vitagliano, Staff | Ms. Lisa MacMillan, Teacher | Mrs. Katelyn Bivins, Teacher |Ms. Avery Sather, Teacher | Kyle Finley, Parent | Lisette Hoschek, Parent | | Nohemi Rojas-Sanchez, Parent | Zach Vaughan, Community Member | Kenny Bittick, Community Member |

3:45PM Call to Order (Jill Vitagliano)
3:47PM Action Item: Approve Agenda (Jill Vitagliano)
3:50PM Action Item: Approve April’s Minutes (Jill Vitagliano)
3:55PM Discussion Item: Member Introductions (All Members)
4:00PM Action Item: Elect New Officers (Chair, Vice Chair, Parliamentarian) (Jill Vitagliano)
4:10PM Action Item: Action Items: Staff Standing Committees (Budget and Finance, Outreach and Communication, Principal Selection) (Jill Vitagliano)
4:20PM Discussion Item: Determine Parent/Community Superintendent Advisory Council                     Representative (Jill Vitagliano)
4:25PM Discussion Item: Discuss Norms (Jill Vitagliano)
4:25PM Discussion Item: Determine Meeting Schedule for SY24-25) (All Members)
4:35PM Discussion Item: Strategic Planning (Nikol Boyd)
5:00PM Informational Item: Principal’s Update (Nikol Boyd))
             A. Potential School Staffing Changes
             B. Shifts in District Policy or School Practices
             C. Calendar of Upcoming School Events
             D. Curriculum Night
5:30PM Discussion Item: Draft Next Meeting’s Agenda (All Members)
5:35PM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Jill Vitagliano)

Previous Meeting Norms:
Be respectful of time | Be respectful of each other’s perspectives | Use individual strengths to maximize our collective work | Assume good will | Let thoughts be completed before commenting, please do not interrupt others | Maintain confidentiality

Notes and Reminders
Below are some tips and additional details about the items listed on the first page of this document.

* Setting the date, time, and location of your meeting: It is a great idea to set your meeting schedule for the entire fall semester (if not the entire year) at your first meeting. Get this information posted at your school and on your SGC website and you will have already covered many requirements of the Open Records and Meetings Laws. It is important that SGC meetings are scheduled outside of school hours so that staff members can attend if they would like to do so. If your meetings will be held virtually, make sure to include a link so that members of the public are able to view the meeting on-line.

* Action items: All action items require a motion, a second and a vote (even seemingly simple things like the agenda and meeting minutes need to be voted on). Remember that principals and student members are not voting members, so even if they are designated as an owner of an action item, the voting members of the council will be responsible for motioning, seconding and voting on the item.

* Discussion items: These are agenda items that solicit feedback from council members. They do not require a vote.

* Informational items: It is common for councils to receive updates throughout the school year related to the day-to-day management of the school or district happenings. Informational items are usually meant to keep the council up to date on important topics even if they do not fall under the purview of the council. These items do not require a vote.

* Running the first meeting: Note that in this agenda the principal runs most of the meeting until the point at which officers are elected and the newly elected chair takes the lead. This is a great practice as there will not technically be a standing chair at the beginning of the first meeting of the year. (Note: if the previous chair is still sitting on the council, they are welcome to run the beginning of year meeting until a new chair is elected)

* Staffing your committees: Remember that all SGC members should be a part of at least one committee. The Budget and Finance Committee and the Communications and Outreach Committee require a Chair (any voting SGC member), the principal, three voting SGC members and can have up to three additional SGC or external members. Also, every school needs a Principal Selection Committee regardless of whether they believe that their principal position might become vacant. This committee is comprised of the SGC Chair and three additional voting SGC members.

* Nominating a representative for the Superintendent’s Parent/Community Advisory Council: All schools are asked to select a representative to serve on the Superintendent’s Parent/Community Advisory Council. This group meets monthly with the superintendent to provide feedback and receive updates on important issues affecting FCS schools and local communities. Meeting dates/times/locations will be sent out to representatives prior to the first advisory council meeting. If a representative is unable to attend a meeting, another member of the council can attend in their place.

* Drafting your next meeting agenda: It is a best practice to draft an agenda for your next meeting at the end of each meeting to help your council plan its upcoming work. If unforeseen events require a council to modify the agenda, the council can simply edit the agenda and vote to approve the modified agenda at the beginning of the next council meeting.

September Agenda
School: Esther Jackson
Date: 09/19/2024 
Time: 3:45 PM
Location: Esther Jackson Conference Room

SGC Members:
Ms. Nikol Boyd, Principal |Ms. Jill Vitagliano, Staff | Ms. Lisa MacMillan, Teacher | Mrs. 
Katelyn Bivins, Teacher |Ms. Avery Sather, Teacher | Kyle Finley, Parent | Lisette 
Hoschek, Parent | | Nohemi Rojas-Sanchez, Parent | Zach Vaughan, Community 
Member | Kenny Bittick, Community Member |

A. School Staffing Changes
B. Shifts in District Policy or School Practices
C. Calendar of Upcoming School Events
D. 5th grade trip
E. Safety

 5:00PM Discussion Item: Charter Dollar Expenditure Proposals (Chair)
5:25PM Discussion Item: Draft Next Meeting’s Agenda (All Members)
5:30PM Action Item: Meeting Adjournment (Chair)

Meeting Norms:
Be respectful of time | Be respectful of each other’s perspectives | Use individual strengths to maximize our collective work | Assume good will |  Let thoughts be completed before commenting, please do not interrupt others | Maintain confidentiality

Notes and Reminders
* Finalizing Council Staffing: Please ensure all member updates have been submitted to the Governance & Flexibility 
Team using the Council Information Form.

** SGC Council Development Opportunities:
Reminder that all new members must complete New Member Onboarding and council officers are expected to attend Officer Training. See the Training Sessions tab of the Charter System website for more information.

Officer Training (Required for All Council Officers)
Our Chairs, Vice-Chairs and Parliamentarians serve as leaders on their councils and liaisons within their 
communities. This training will offer our officers the opportunity to learn from the Governance Team and each other about council responsibilities and tactics for focusing the work of their teams on the strategic vision of their school.

• Fall 2024 Officer Training Sign-Up 

Cross Council Opportunities
The Governance Team is excited to share with you that we will be hosting a series of Cross Council meetings meant to support SGCs with the task of aligning their work for the school year to the strategic goals and initiatives of their specific school as well as those of the district. These sessions will offer members the opportunity to work and hear from councils around the district and engage in discussions with the Governance & Flexibility Team. The meetings will take place in person at the dates/times/locations below. We encourage all SGCs to select up to two members to attend one of the 
sessions and register to attend using the links below. Note, each session will cover similar content, so your team does not need to register for multiple sessions.

• Fall 2024 Cross Council Sign-Up

*** SY24-25 Council Initiatives: Begin discussions to determine the focus of the council’s upcoming work. Lean on your school’s Semester Action Plan to ensure the work of the council is aligned with the goals and initiatives being targeted by the school leaders. Task the council with prioritizing 1 – 2 initiatives the SGC could lead or support throughout the year.

****Strategic Planning (September)
As we embark on the second month of the 2024-2025 school year, we encourage your continued dedication to the development and implementation of your school’s Strategic Action Plan. Your vital role in shaping the future of your school community cannot be overstated.

To ensure timely submission and alignment with district goals, please note the following critical dates and resources:

• Strategic Action Plan Submission Deadline: November 1, 2024
• SGC Approval Requirement: A majority vote of the SGC is necessary before plan submission.
• Supporting Resources: A wealth of tools and templates are available on the Charter System Resources website to assist in the planning process.

To maximize the impact of your council’s involvement, we recommend the following discussion points for your September meeting:

• Deep Dive into the Strategic Action Plan Form: A thorough understanding of the online form is essential for effective plan development.
• Metric Selection: Identify the key performance indicator that will measure progress towards each Strategic Plan Goal.
• High-Level Action Identification: Determine the overarching steps necessary to achieve the selected metrics.

Your engagement in the strategic planning process is instrumental to the success of your school. We look forward to supporting your efforts and celebrating your accomplishments.