FG4+-+Transitions

=Transition’s Focus Team April 15th Agenda 6:45 – 7:15 = =Team Members Megan Babcock Julie Ditommaso Melinda Weakland Beau Grubbs Mario Mattioli Sue Stein Debbie Lukens Carrie Salmon Bill Burket Craig Mancuso Larry Murphy Cathy Jenrette Peggy Gannon Shaun Morgan Mariana Hardy = = = =10 Minutes -Shaun Morgan Propose alternate way to fun the field day portion of Connection’s Day = = -Pro/Cons of this way = =-Is is something we would like to change to = = -Continue discussion on discussion board = = = =5 Minutes -Teacher preference sheets = = = =5 Minutes -8th Grade Visitation Day Comments = =Color coded name tags? = = = =5 Minutes -Mentor Applications = =Date to go out? = = Date to have turned in? = =Teacher Evaluation Form? = = = =5 Minutes -Set May meeting date =

= = 1. 8th Grade Visitation Day 2. Club Commercials 3. Staff feedback from Connection's Day ||  ||   || 1. Signed up to get club advisors to get club commercials made. 2. Decided who would be a spokesperson for each department to speak to the 8th graders as the tour the building(the people on our team). ||  ||   || 1. Have to take another look at Connection's Day committees so the day is equal for all teachers. ||  ||   || 1. Contact the club advisors we signed up for to tell them to start their video**.** 2. Get class list from Mrs. Warner to form groups for 8th Grade Visitation Day. || **Who** Entire Group
 * **Date**: 2/16/11 ||  ||   ||
 * **Meeting Location:** Room 112 || **Start Time:** 6:45 || **End Time:** 7:15 ||
 * **Members Present:** M. Babcock, M. Weakland, M. Mattioli, D. Lukens, B. Burket, L. Murphy, P. Gannon, J. DiTommaso, B. Grubbs, S. Stein, C. Jenrette, S. Morgan || **Secretary:** P. Gannon ||  ||
 * **Topic of discussion:**
 * **Actions Taken:**
 * **Key Findings**
 * **Date of next meeting:** Friday, March 11, 2011 || **Time:** 6:45 || **Location:** Room 112 ||
 * **To do before next meeting:**

Mrs. Babcock || **When** ASAP

ASAP ||

=Transitions Meeting Wednesday, February 16, 2011 6:45 – 7:15= =Team Members Megan Babcock Melinda Weakland Mario Mattioli Debbie Lukens Bill Burket Larry Murphy Peggy Gannon Julie DiTommaso Beau Grubbs Sue Stein Carrie Salmon Craig Mancuso Cathy Jenrette Shaun Morgan= =10 Minutes 8th Grade Visitation Day -March 25th -Go over itinerary for how day will go -Melinda’s Idea about how to schedule the students= =10 Minutes Club Commercials -Look over list of clubs and advisers and pick two to three that you will be responsible for getting in contact with and informing them of the video. -Video’s should be no more than 2 minutes long= =10 Minutes Look over staff feedback from Connections Day (thank you Larry for typing this!) -What to do different next year -What to keep the same next year -Any other suggestions to add to connections day=

=Transitions Meeting Notes Date: 1/26/11 Meeting Location: Room Start Time: 8:00 End Time: 8:30 Chair: Megan Babcock Secretary: Peggy Gannon Members Present: M. Babcock, M. Mattioli, D. Lukens, B. Burket, L. Murphy, P. Gannon, J. DiTommaso, J. Grubbs, S. Stein, C. Salmon, C. Mancuso, C. Jenrette, S. Morgan Topic of discussion: 1. Assignment of group roles 2. 8th Grade Visitation Day 3. Connections Day 4. Transition from high school and beyond Actions Taken 8th Grade Visitation Day 1. Mentors will give tour of building 2. We will train mentors on the tour 3. One teacher from each department will say something about their department to the 8th graders 4. Need a better booth showing or use videos of activities Connections Day 1. Video of club activities 2. Reconfigure registration (more registration areas) 3. More food (mentors and teachers) 4. Rotation of teachers for outdoor activities so they would not be outside all afternoon. Key Findings 1. Must create a transitions program for high school and beyond Date of next meeting: February 16th Time: 6:45AM Location: Room 112 To do before next meeting: 1. Contact Mrs. Warner for dates for the 8th graders to come to the high school. Who - M. Babcock ASAP 2. Compare the dates from Mrs. Warner and look at the master calendar with Mrs. Frola to finalize date. Who - M. Babcock ASAP 3. Type summary of teacher surveys from Connection’s Day Who: L. Murphy by February 16th= =Transitions=

Here is the info we received from the staff regarding freshmen connection day: **__Connection Day Feedback__**

· I was not in favor of this at first. I changed my mind after I saw it work. · I asked my students and they said they enjoyed it. · Lunch was incredible! · Fantastic! Great schedule with name assignments ahead of time. · Liked the use of students as mentors. Very successful in making the freshmen more at ease in the high school their first year. · Great Day! Students loved it. · The kids enjoyed it and felt that it helped them transition to H.S. Great Day · Went great Very organized! · All went exceptionally well. Enjoyed it! · Awesome staff teamwork. · Kids seemed receptive. It was good -we kept them busy-more is better. · Good vibes- positive experience for students and staff. · Well organized and the mentor students were awesome. · Fabulous. I think we worked out the kinks fairly well. · I hope we do it again. Great day and well organized. · The students gave great feedback. · The next day with school went much smoother than usual. · I had very few freshmen questions the next day. · The hard work and planning paid off.

**__Suggestions for Next Year’s Connection Day__**

· More teacher coverage during field activities. 2 hours was a little long for teachers. Maybe having teacher relief. · Break freshmen into smaller groups when doing activities. · I was exhausted. Relief for teachers during activities. · Kids didn’t know where to go to register. Need more time to register. Teacher’s afternoon was too long. · Lines at lunch were long. · A little more time for periods 1,2,3,4,6,7,8 and a little less for period 5. · 10 times in a row was a lot for teachers. · Some staff had it easy and needed to help outside. · More time to walk through schedules and meet teachers and ask questions. Less activities. · Less activities. Heard comments that around 7th or 8th activity everyone had enough. · I don’t think auditorium needs to be an option at lunch unless weather calls for it. · Watch mentors for dress code that day. More time to go through schedule- too rushed. · Make sure we have correct numbers for food service. · Too many activities. The first 5 activities the kids were into it. The next 5, interest started waning because uniqueness wore off. · Make sure teachers are with the google apps kids in library. Kids didn’t know a lot of answers. · During 5th period questions, can teachers give answers as well.