LAMS SLT

September 14, 2023 School Leadership Team Meeting Minutes 

1. Friendship Icebreaker to model advisory focus in advisory as part of our Kindness Initiative this year. 

1. Vote: Should SLT meetings be fully in person or hybrid? 

1. A Qurom has to be in person 

1. Ms. Ponella and Mr. Previti will always be in person 

1. A unanimous vote for hybrid meetings was passed. 

1. A zoom link will be sent out each month so more people can join SLT meetings 

1. SLT Member Roles: 

1. Recorder: Sabine von Borstel 

1. Financial Liaison: Barbara Guzik 

1. Timekeeper: Penny Angelopolous 

1. Chairperson: Peter Previti 

1. If you fail to attend 3 consecutive meetings you can be removed from SLT 

1. SLT Meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of the month from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm unless otherwise noted.  Meeting dates: 

1. October 12th 

1. November 2nd ** (PTC is the end week of November) 

1. December 14th  

1. January 11th  

1. February 8th  

1. March 21st (School Play and PTC) 

1. April 11th  

1. May 9th  

1. June 13th  

1. SLT Structure: 

1. Core Members: Principal, UFT Chapter, PTA President 

1. Elected Members: UFT, PTA, DC37, CSA 

1. PTA: 

1. Have open positions: recording secretary and corresponding secretary 

1. Title I PAC  (Parent Advisory Council) 

1. Chair: Sheree Gibson  

1. Focuses academically and works with the SLT to decide how to spend title I funding 

1. Trying to change regulations to include Title I chair on SLT. 

1. Principal’s Update: 

1. Have 8th grade open seats.  Ms. Ponella is reaching out to other schools 

1. SLT works together on the CEP.  The CEP is a living document. 

1. We get Reso A funds because of SLT 

1. Capital funding is a larger amount of money that the SLT also applies for. 

1. Queens Borough President Donavin Richards gave us $150,000  

1. Solar panels will be installed on the roof and the auditorium will be upgraded shortly. 

1. Science lab construction is underway 

1. Security camera kick off meeting was today. 

1. Air conditioners are beginning to break down.  There’s no money to repair any of them.  The air conditioners in the basement cannot be used in the classroom. 

1. “What Happens Here Will Change the World”  Our Motto 

1. Over 900 of our students do not speak English as their first language 

1. Social Emotional Supports for Children: 

1. Advisory for All 

1. Restorative Practices 

1. Peer Mediation 

1. Homeroom 

1. Assemblies 

1. “I” Messages 

1. Social Emotional Supports of Families: 

1. Parent Workshops 

1. Guest Speaker Series 

1. Coffee with the Cabinet 

1. Family Surveys 

1. Open Door Policy 

1. Weekly News 

1. Parent Emails 

1. Social Emotional Supports for Teachers: 

1. CAVU Group Professional Development 

1. LCI Learner Center Initiative 

1. Trauma Informed Instruction 

1. Culturally Informed Pedagogy 

1. Bias Training 

1. De-escalation strategies 

1. “I” messages 

1. www. Armstrong227w.com is our school website 

1. GAMA (Grades, Attendance, Messaging Application) 

1. Data drives instruction 

1. Haven’t gotten the item analysis yet.  

1. Parents got them yesterday 

1. Writing exceeds reading.  Shifting back to vocabulary 

1. Met CEP targets last year by January so we increased them last year.   

1. Next meeting we will be writing and reviewing CEP goals. 

1. Actions to Meet Our Goals: 

1. Data Track 

1. Multiple Entry Points 

1. Differentiated instruction 

1. Increased Writing tasks 

1. Graphic organizers 

1. Vocabulary development 

1. Instructional opportunities 

1. MLL teacher opportunities 

1. Family involvement and support 

1. District 30 goals align with Chancellor’s pillars 

1. Schoolwide Initiatives: 

1. College Access for All 

1. Computer Science for All 

1. Algebra for All 

1. I-Ready 

1. Learner Centered Initiatives (LCI) Grades 6 and 7 

1. Mindfulness 

1. Growth mindset 

1. New curriculum for Math and ELA 

1. US History Regents for All 

1. School-wide monthly breakfast gatherings 

1. Upcoming Dates: 

1. October 3rd: Ryan’s Story Assembly 

1. October 9th School Closed 

1. October 10th ENL Parent Workshop 

1. October 11th Virtual High School Night 

1. October 13th LAMS Family Picnic 4:30 – 6 pm  

1. October 16th through October 20th Book Fair 

1. October 17th ISS Parent Workshop 

1. October 18th Unity Day Wear Orange 

1. October 20th Breast Cancer Walk 

1. October 23rd through 27th Red Ribbon Week: Anti-drugs 

1. October 24th Candy drive 

1. Ms. Ponella passed out the SLT version of the budget 

1. Average teacher salary $98,131 

1. 157 people on staff 

1. Title I funds used for clubs and tutoring 

1. Bulk of money for title I is for supplies right now 

1. Can’t touch NYSTL money 

1. Ms. Exarhos is point for a swap shop for students who’ve outgrown their uniform.   

1. Principal can only do one fundraiser a year but the PTA cab do as many as they want. 

1. This year we’re giving back to the community.  Singing in senior homes.  Fundraiser for animal rescue.  Eyeglass drive.  Mustache month.  Serve your community and help one another out.