An anonymous 8^th grade family has donated 3 tickets to either this Friday’s or next Monday’s game (your choice)

·         Friday 5/11 vs. Indians – 7.10 pm game time

Or

·         Monday 5/14 vs. Mariners – 7.10pm game time

Three tickets for each game in Pavilion Box 9 above the first base line.

Face value is $85 each = Total face value is $255

If you would like to bid on either set of tickets, please send a bidding email to runkle2012@gmail.com with your bid amount and a phone contact number.

Bidding will end at noon on Friday and you will be notified and tickets will be delivered to you in Brookline.

Please email any questions to runkle2012@gmail.com

School Council Meeting

4/10/12

Meeting Minutes – DRAFT

Meeting called to order at 4:08pm in the Runkle Library.

Members Present:  V. Beauchaine, D. Dixon, T. Gallo-Toth, V. Godhwani, D. Halwick, A. Hummel (5:00 p.m.), J. Katz , R. McElroy, C. Pelton, J. Shapiro, G. Sopel, S. Stern, M. Voros

I.               Approval of Minutes 3/17/12

The minutes were approved with the correction that “members absent” should have listed V. Godhwani.  It was suggested that the criteria for “substantial completion” should be defined clearly for the community to understand when the building will be ready to be occupied.  Dr. Beauchaine will follow up on the exact criteria.

II.             Public Comment 

No comments.

III.           Updates

*Before the School Improvement Plan progress was presented, the Council agreed to review the updates that were sought at the last School Council meeting:

UDP/I-CARE-

S. Stern shared that the second unit of the Understanding Disabilities Program was presented on April 10, 2012.  As of today, the students have experienced the vision and hearing units.  Physical disabilities will be presented in May and Intellectual disabilities will be presented in June.  Working along with the new UDP coordinator, Jean Rintell, this summer, the UDP curriculum will undergo another revision.

R. McElroy shared that since each school has their own program that it should be a part of what each school does in conjunction with UDP.

S. Stern shared that Lynne  Chuang has been in touch with Kim Piro from I-CARE, which can help to address other specific disabilities.  V. Beauchaine added that there are a number of texts devoted to Autism in addition to others such as Downs Syndrome.  Parent volunteers are trained to use the selected texts and prompts and visit classrooms to read and discuss the story with individual classrooms.  V. Beauchaine shared that it was positively received in her former school by parents, students, and teachers alike.  She suggested piloting the program with grade two classes and expanding from there.

C. Pelton shared that there is a gap with the older grades.  He suggested that something be piloted with the older students as well.

M. Voros shared that it should be brought past second grade as well.

J. Shapiro stated that is harder and harder for students with disabilities to integrated as students grow socially and developmentally.

Recycling – V. Beauchaine shared that this will be addressed within the SIP progress presentation to follow.

Transition Team – The Transition Team developed a timeline that is accessible on the website.  Currently, the staff is in the process of packing.  The Team has asked Dr. Beauchaine to look into the possibility of having the Transition Team take a tour of the building soon to help visualize what else needs to be addressed.  The Transition Team has also discussed the arrival and dismissal process for Druce Street.

J. Shapiro asked when the Council was going to discuss the arrival and dismissal plan.

V. Beauchaine explained that the proposed draft has been shared in a variety of venues including the Transition Team, PTO, and in smaller meetings with the faculty in addition to the Faculty Meeting today.  Due to time, the SIP progress needs to be discussed first.  If time remains at the end of the meeting, the information gleaned from the previous meetings including new perspectives from today’s faculty meeting will be shared.  Otherwise, the arrival and dismissal plan will be discussed as the first agenda item on May 8, 2012.

IV.           School Improvement Plan Progress

V.  Beauchaine led the Council members through the School Improvement Plan goal by goal sharing the progress to date:

Goal 1:  Academic Excellence

*DCAP was reviewed and updated in November 2011

*Screening tools were used in some grades for Math and the BAS was piloted this year with some students K-8 to determine reading strengths and weaknesses.

Goal 2:  Literacy

*Participates in the Literacy Collaborative with Lesley University.  Kristin Battaglia has been through extensive training as a Literacy Coach.  The Literacy Team participated in five days of training and will serve as a support structure for teaching and learning of Literacy skills and concepts throughout the grades.

*MCAS Action plan was developed based  upon relative weaknesses indicated by the 2011 MCAS results

*Individual Student Success Plans (ISSPs) were developed for each student who scored in the Warning or Needs Improvement Categories.

Goal 3:  Mathematics:

*MCAS Action plan was developed based  upon relative weaknesses indicated by the 2011 MCAS results

*Individual Student Success Plans (ISSPs) were developed for each student who scored in the Warning or Needs Improvement Categories.

*More Math Extension Menus were distributed to teachers this year (K-5)

Goal 4:  Educational Equity

*Runkle Achievement Program – this goal will be included on the 2012-2013 SIP.

*Placement Process – Runkle creates balanced heterogeneous classrooms and will continue this practice.  This will not need to be a SIP goal next year as it is already a general practice at Runkle.

Goal 5:  Community

*64% of the staff respondents on the School Needs Survey indicated that they “agreed” that the time spent meeting as PLCs (Professional Learning Communities) positively impacted teaching and learning.  However, the percentage also indicates that there is room for improvement here.  This goal will continue on the 2012-2013 SIP as well.

*Code of Conduct is being revised.  Staff and students have been involved in the revision process.  Currently the Student Council is looking at all of the staff and student input thus far.

*Survey results indicate that 91% of families reporting feel welcomed into the school.  87% of families reported that they are provided with “school-run” opportunities to be involved in the school.

*Recycling – Limited involvement.  This goal should continue as part of the 2012-2013 SIP in order for Runkle to become a “greener” school.

Goal 6:

*BPCC has been created and includes: 

Staff:  Jen Schultz (Consultant), Vanessa Beauchaine, Jim Stoddard, Rebecca Sneider, Michiko Hattori, Erica Landry, Laura Vish, Alaina Birden, Deanne Dixon, Marian Voros, Hannah Kimball, and Saeed Ola

Parent:  Susanna Stern

Community:  Toby Greenfield and Matt D’Agostino (R.E.D. Directors)

*The Olweus program will be rolled out in the Fall district-wide.

*Middle School Club additions this year included:  Art Club, Science Club, Guitar, Glee Club

Goal 7:  Communication

*Parent Information Sessions (PTO Coffees) included:  Bullying Prevention and Intervention (Dr. Beauchaine), Guidance Services (Rebecca Sneider and Dr. Nadene Moll), Technology (Jenny Murphy), Library Services (Teresa Gallo-Toth), PE and Sports (Jen Shultz)

Additional specific data is being sought from the teachers to complete the progress update prior to the Council meeting on May 8, 2012.

V.             Other

No other items were addressed.  Dr. Beauchaine will provide an update and an opportunity to discuss the arrival and dismissal plan as the first agenda item at the next Council Meeting on May 8, 2012.

Meeting adjourned at 5:30pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Vanessa C. Beauchaine, Ed.D.

Principal

by Jenny Murphy, Educational Technology Specialist

School Council Meeting

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Runkle Library

AGENDA

 I. Approval of Minutes 3-27-12 (5 Minutes) 

II. Current Issues/Public Comment  (15 minutes total; 5 minutes/person.  People may sign up in advance, or sign in upon arrival.)

III. School Improvement Plan Progress (65 Minutes)

IV. Other (5 Minutes)

*Runkle School Building Project Update

*Superintendent/School Parent Leaders Meeting Update

*Agenda setting for upcoming meetings

School Council Meeting

3/27/12

Meeting Minutes – DRAFT

Meeting called to order at 4:00pm in the Runkle Library.

Members Present:  V. Beauchaine, D. Dixon, T. Gallo-Toth, D. Halwick, A. Hummel, R. McElroy, C. Pelton, J. Shapiro, G. Sopel, S. Stern, J. Katz

Members Absent: M. Voros

I.               Approval of Minutes 2/14/12

It was noted that section V of the minutes should clarify that R. McElroy was reporting on the Superintendent’s monthly meeting with school parent leaders for December, January, and February.  With that note, D. Halwick made a motion to approve the minutes with the addition of one sentence under Section V:  “R. McElroy provided a summary of the December, January, and February meetings.”  it was seconded by A. Hummel; ten members voted to approve the minutes, J. Katz abstained due to absence at that meeting.

II.             Public Comment 

No comments.

III.           Runkle School Needs Survey

The Runkle School Needs Survey was administered to families and staff.  V. Beauchaine gave a comprehensive overview of the results of both surveys, with discussion about the analysis of the data and consequent recommendations.  She asserted that the results of the survey will be taken into consideration when reviewing and revising the School Improvement Plan (SIP), as well as incorporating them into her professional development plan.

Regarding the family survey, there was a 38% parent response rate, representing almost half of the student body.  The lowest participation was for parents of preschoolers and seventh graders.  For the staff survey, about 42% of the faculty was represented in the survey.  The respondents included professional educators and two paraprofessionals.

V. Beauchaine reported on the results of the surveys and conclusions from a draft report that she said would be disseminated electronically to the community after she finalizes it.  She shared the surveys with the Runkle Data Team to analyze this and other data so the results can be more thoroughly understood and used to improve the school experience for students, families, and staff.

A discussion of specific questions, results, and conclusions ensued.  The following were some points that were made:

• It is sometimes difficult to make conclusions about the results of certain questions, as wording of the questions may have affected how respondents answered, in particular for the “I don’t know” or “not applicable” responses.
• It will be easier to follow up with staff on specific questions or concerns resulting from the survey, than with parents.
• V. Beauchaine asserted that she was generally satisfied with the response rates, and felt that the overall results of the surveys were positive, or leading in the right direction.
• Issues in both surveys revolved around the following areas:
• Communication, such as that about recycling and certain community events;
• Arrival and departure issues; such as loud, crowded hallways
• Supervision and discipline, such as consistency across the grades, and presence during recess and lunch; and
• Strengthening the sense of community.
• Staff were satisfied with the collegial atmosphere.  However, teachers felt that they needed more time to collaborate with other staff, such as special education teachers.  There were some questions that may require additional communication from administration to be sure that the entire staff is made aware of issues such as how bullying behaviors are addressed.
• Selected suggestions included:
• Develop class-specific websites;
• Disseminate more information about the School Council;
• Re-instate the all-school morning coffee once/month;
• Use Connect Ed to increase communication to families;
• Update the Runkle website more frequently to reflect School Council and PTO activities
• V. Beauchaine expressed some concern about responses from some parents about her accessibility.  Discussion ensued about how to interpret these responses, and whether it meant that parents did not think she was approachable or whether they were not doing so because they did not need to involve her.

IV.           Other

A.             Runkle School Building Project Update

Substantial completion of the overall project is scheduled for August 15, 2012, with renovation of the existing building (not the addition) in June.  The playground work will be starting soon.

B.             Agenda setting for upcoming meetings

Discussion ensued regarding setting Council meeting dates for the rest of the year, which are currently April 10, May 8, and June 12.  Topics that need to be covered include:

• Reviewing the current SIP and revising it for next year;
• Arrival and dismissal procedures;
• Transition back to Runkle;
• Discussion regarding the success of Runkle Students at BHS;
• Update on the recycling initiatives; and
• Understanding Disabilities.

The main concern is having enough time to do the required work on the SIP before the end of the year.  It was agreed that the May 8 meeting would be devoted to the SIP and extend from 4 to 7.  If more time is needed, an extra meeting will be convened on May 15 from 4-5pm.

C.             Superintendent/School Parent Leaders Meeting Update

At the most recent meeting, there were updates on budget, technology, and enrollment.  Regarding the latter, there are expected to be over 650  Kindergarten students in the next academic year.

D.             Other issues

A. Hummel mentioned that there are two warrant articles that would have an impact on the Runkle School coming to Town Meeting.  The first (No. 16) advocates for a $1 million allocation to move the roof HVAC units next  year.  The second (No. 26) relates to the process on building projects.  A. Hummel asked that Council members contact their town meeting representatives if they do not support these articles.

Meeting adjourned at 5:30pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Judith Katz

School Council Meeting

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Runkle Library

AGENDA

I.  Approval of Minutes 2-14-12 (5 Minutes) 

II. Current Issues/Public Comment  (15 minutes total; 5 minutes/person.  People may sign up in advance, or sign in upon arrival.)

III. Runkle School Needs Survey Results (50 Minutes)

Other (20 Minutes)

*Runkle School Building Project Update

*Superintendent/School Parent Leaders Meeting Update

*Agenda setting for upcoming meetings

NORMS

School Council Meeting

2/14/12

Meeting Minutes

Meeting called to order at 4:12 in the Runkle Library.

Members Present:  V. Beauchaine, T. Gallo-Toth , D. Halwick, (arrived at 4:57),

A. Hummel, R. McElroy, C. Pelton, J. Shapiro, S. Stern,

Members Absent: D. Dixon, J. Katz G. Sopel V. Godhwani, M. Voros

I.  Approval of Minutes 12-15-11

The minutes were approved previously.  It was noted that the description of the vote was not included on the “approved” version that was previously posted on the website.  The minutes were reviewed at this meeting to confirm the accuracy and approved by all seven members present with no further discussion.

II. Approval of Minutes 1-10-12

Motion to approve the minutes by R. McElroy with the additional language in Section IV. B: “Discussion ensued over how to create a welcoming environment for Runkle families while respecting instructional time within the school day and respecting confidentiality.”  With no further discussion, the minutes were approved by four members (V. Beauchaine, A. Hummel, R. McElroy, T. Gallo-Toth) with three members abstaining as they were not present on 1-10-12 (C. Pelton, S. Stern, J. Shapiro)

III. Public Comment

(No comments)

IV. Runkle School Building Project Update

*  The proposed cost to move one HVAC unit and adjust the screening was an estimated $800,000.  The proposal will be shared at the Building Commission Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on February 14, 2012 at the Brookline Town Hall.

*  Dry wall is up in one half of the building.

*  The Smart Board installers visited the site to evaluate the space for the installation.  The plan is moving forward with the Smart Board installation over a 20 foot expanse of whiteboard to help distribute the weight evenly.

*   Though the work is currently behind by two weeks, the project is slated to be done on time as the construction company must provide a plan on how they will recapture the two weeks to finish by August 15^th.

*  A. Hummel asked what is being planned through the Transition Team to allow parents and students entrance to the building prior to the start of school on Druce Street.

*  V. Beauchaine explained that the Transition Team is planning a number of opportunities.  If a Grand Opening event cannot happen before the opening of school, there will at least be an arranged time for parents and students to come to the building with a map and explore the building in a scavenger hunt type of format to at least build familiarity in the Grand Opening cannot happen prior to the opening of school.  More information will follow in the coming months.

V.  Superintendent Meeting with School Parent Leaders Report

*R. McElroy provided a summary of the December, January, and February meetings:

*  Dr. Lupini provided a brief overview to the budget.  He mentioned that there was an increase in State Aid and there may be additional relief as well in the coming months.

*  Role of Educator Evaluations – The new plan affects all Race To The Top states including MA.  PSB will evaluate how educators are evaluated in Brookline.  The new plan is to be implemented by 2013 and the DESE is publishing one model as a guide to districts.

*  December Meeting – Dr. Lupini introduced the new coordinator for the Understanding Disabilities Program.  He also shared the enrollment projections and explained that there is growth in both the elementary and high school numbers.  Continued growth is projected in Brookline.

*  Parent Portal – at the high school, parents are able to log on to X2 to see their children’s grades.  This year, 8^th grade registration for BHS classes is planned.  Dr. Lupini shared that teachers could use this as a tool in addition to others (i.e. teacher websites) to communicate with parents.

*S. Stern suggested that the Council consider having Jenny Murphy and Scott Moore come to a meeting to share other technology goals that we may want to add in to the Runkle SIP.

VI.   School Needs Survey

*  The district-wide school needs survey is not yet ready to be distributed.  In addition, there will

be another survey for all licensed educators through TELL Mass.org which will survey educators in all aspects of the school including:  time, facilities, school leadership, teacher leadership, curriculum and instruction, etc.  V. Beauchaine explained that these are different surveys for different purposes.

*  Although the original plan was to only ask questions on the Runkle survey that were not on the district survey so as not to “over survey” Runkle, Dr. Lupini is in support of the distribution of the Runkle survey now since it is ready to be distributed and will provide specific information, which will inform the School Improvement Plan for 2012-2013 and beyond.

*  The family and staff surveys were reviewed with some wording changes and reordering of the questions.  The suggested questions from the PTO Co-Chairs (Emily Dolbear and Sandy Costello) will be included in the survey in a separate PTO section.

The survey will be online during the week after vacation.  A cover letter and the link to the survey will be sent to families through Connect Ed and to staff through the Runkle School online conference.

Meeting adjourned at 5:52 PM

Respectfully submitted,

Vanessa C. Beauchaine, Ed.D.

Principal

We will be updating the calendar each month, but if you have questions about particular elements of the transition process or you notice that something is missing from our list, please feel free to email your comments to Dr. Beauchaine who will share your thoughts with the Transition Team.

Please come back and visit as we will update this calendar regularly. Thank you!

Or contact Karla Schallies 617-935-1336, karla.schallies@gmail.com or Shalini Kasida 617-872-4071, skasida@hotmail.com for any questions.

Runkle School

School Council Meeting

1/10/2012

Meeting Minutes

Meeting was called to order at 4:09pm in the Runkle Library.

Members Present:  V. Beauchaine, R. McElroy, G. Sopel, A.Hummel, V. Godhwani, D.Halwick, T. Gallo-Toth, M. Voros, D. Dixon, J. Katz

Members Absent: C.Pelton, J. Shapiro, S. Stern

      I.         Approval of Minutes 12/15/11

1. V.Godhwani shared an email sent to her on 1/6/12 from Scott Murphy with comments and questions regarding the posted draft minutes of the 12/15/11 School Council Meeting.
2. After reviewing the points of clarification in the email from Scott Murphy, the Council concluded that the SC Minutes as drafted and posted were an accurate reflection of the substance of the conversation that took place at the 12/15/11 School Council Meeting.
3. G.Sopel motioned to approve the SC Minutes of 12/15/11 as posted in draft form; R.McElroy seconded; nine members approved the minutes and J.Katz abstained

     II.         Public Comment

1. There was no public comment

   III.         Runkle School Building Project

1. Dr. Beauchaine shared that she had walked through the new addition on 12-20-11  and that photos will be shared at a later date. She said work has continued on task including overtime hours. She announced that the next Building Committee Meeting is January 31^st at 4:00pm.

   IV.         School Needs Survey

1. Dr. Beauchaine stated that a Brookline District Needs Survey is forthcoming with the draft to be shared at the School Council meeting on February 14^th. She explained Runkle will also do a specific Runkle Needs Survey for Parents and for Staff with the goal of participants completing both the District and the Runkle Needs Survey. Dr. Beauchaine handed out a draft copy of the proposed Parent Survey and Staff Survey for review by the Council members.
2. SC reviewed the wording of the introduction to the Survey, the main topic sections on the Survey, and some of the wording of the questions. Dr. Beauchaine said she will revise the draft survey based on the Council’s suggestions regarding format and phrasing for the next SC Meeting.

    V.         Other

1. R. McElroy suggested adding as a regular item to the School Council agenda a brief report on the monthly meeting the Superintendent has with School Parent Leadership composed of PTO Chairs and School Council Co-Chairs.

Meeting adjourned at 6:00pm

Respectfully submitted,

Teresa Gallo Toth

Swap happens Wednesday, January 25, 2012
2:30 PM –  4:30 PM

Are your book shelves getting full? Are your kids ready for the next series? Want to pass on your favorites to other readers? This is a chance to trade in your gently used books (for K-8 readers) for new-to-you books donated by other Runkle families.

We are collecting books in the Runkle cafeteria (donations of boxes are also appreciated!). Please include your child(ren)’s last name and the total number of books with your bag or box. Students will get a credit for the number of donated books to trade for other books at the swap on January 25.

Picture books, easy/middle readers, early chapter books/series, and fiction and nonfiction books for older kids are welcome! The Book Swap is for students in all grades at Runkle. Please no videos or books for adults.

If you would like to help at the swap, sort books beforehand, or have any questions, contact Kirsten Lockwood at klockwood@rcn.com.

School Council Meeting

12/15/11

Meeting Minutes

Meeting called to order at 4:05 in the Runkle Library.

Members Present:  V. Beauchaine, R. McElroy, G. Sopel, A. Hummel, V. Godhwani, C. Pelton, D. Halwick, J. Shapiro, T. Gallo-Toth, S. Stern, M. Voros

Members Absent: D. Dixon, J. Katz

I.               Approval of Minutes 11/15/11

Ten members present voted to approve the minutes, J. Shapiro abstained.

II.             Public Comment: 

Scott Murphy 2 comments:

1. Request for School Council to read the Attorney General response to his complaint filed in March 2011.
2. Request for an opportunity to address parent and teacher members of the School Council to share what he believes to be retaliatory actions against his son in response to the complaint.

III.           Updates:

A. Update to Complaint filed in March 2011 by Scott Murphy

1.  3 documents as part of this update

a)   3/31/11 – original complaint

b) 4/15/11 – school council response to complaint

c)  11/14/11 – AG response to complaint

2. Dr. Beauchaine took council through the responses to each concern listed.  Reviewed responses to bullet #5 accomplished in the spring of 2011.  SIP safety and respect goals were amended to cover this type of situation.

a)  Agenda items for Jan – review changes and evolution in Safety and Respect or bullying prevention goals of the SIP.

3. Dr. Beauchaine read a portion of the AG response to the complaint.

B. Transition Team

1. T. Gallo-Toth updated the team on the first Transition Team meeting held in Nov 2011.  Master calendar/timeline will be updated & posted on the Runkle website in Jan 2012.  Next meetings: 1/12 and 1/26.  Transition team role is to keep track of tasks & gather input by teachers, parents and students in regard to the transition.  It is not to create any policies and rules.

C. Other

IV.           Runkle School Building Project:

1. RSBC recommended that option 2A be investigated to mitigate impact of the one HVAC unit on Dean Rd abutters.  This investigation will require approximately 4 weeks and will then be sent to the contractor, with the caveat that cost must provide for on-time opening of Runkle.  Building Commission did approve this investigation, but with the clear mantra of “Well Done, On Time, On Budget”.
2. Friday 12/16/11, RSBC meeting will focus on the process for the  development of a Parking and Traffic plan.  The meeting will be held at Town Hall at 8:00AM.

V. MCAS 2011 Presentation (Dan Green and Jim Stoddard)

1. Reviewed State, Brookline and Runkle results.
2. More information is available on the Mass DESE (Department of Education) website.
3. Council agreed that at a future meeting Dr. Beauchaine would present information she has gathered on how Runkle students do when they get to high school.

VI. School Improvement Plan

1. DCAP (District Curriculum Accommodation Plan) Review presented by V. Beauchaine to show how it has been updated for 2011 as listed on our SIP.

VII.  Other

1. Public Comments addressed:
   1. Request for the complete AG’s report be read aloud. The council felt that because Dr. Beauchaine had already read the major conclusions of the report, the report was publicly available, and had been distributed to all members, no further action would be needed.
   2. Allegation of retaliatory action against Scott Murphy’s son as a consequence of the AG’s report. The council agreed that Mr. Murphy would be asked to present this allegation in writing. Then Dr. Beauchaine and the town counsel would review the allegation. If it didn’t have any confidential information relating to a child at the school then it would be presented to the council. If it did, then Dr. Beauchaine and the town counsel would review it themselves. In either case, based on the allegations, a decision would be made as to how to address the allegation and report back to the council.
   3. Finally, George Sopel relayed his daughter’s suggestion that the school create a time capsule, modeled on a wonderful version she saw at another school. The School Council agreed that this was a good topic for the new student council and/or the transition team to consider.

Meeting adjourned at 6:10 PM

Respectfully submitted,

Valerie Godhwani

Dear Runkle Parents/Guardians,
Please join us in welcoming Triniese Polk as your 2011-2012 school captain. You may recall having met Triniese and her husband Christopher who, with Runkle parents support, organized a very successful teacher appreciation luncheon last year. Triniese and Christopher are the proud parents of Christian Andrews, grade 5 who loves animals and playing sports. Triniese lives with her family in Dorchester and has worked in the field of public health for over 12 years. Currently, she is the director of Out-reach for the Boston Public Health Commission.

This year, in her role as school captain, please expect to hear from her as often as necessary as she fulfills her duty of keeping you informed and up-to-date on METCO news as well as what’s going on specifically at the Runkle School. With your support, Triniese is looking for-ward to a year filled with lots of information sharing and collaboration between Runkle parents. She welcomes the opportunity to get to know you and your families as well as to hear about any ideas you may have to increase METCO presence at our children’s school.

Please do not hesitate to contact her at tapastry@gmail.com or 617-869-6129.

Science Enrichment – Techsploration at Runkle

Techsploration programs are designed to introduce students to technology, science, and problem solving.  This week, Techsploration will conduct workshops and shows at Runkle for Third, Fifth and Sixth graders:

How long of a structure can you build?  How can you make it more stable?  Third graders will participate in the Techsploration Structures workshop where they work collaboratively to solve a construction problem with a structure of their own design, using beams and connectors.

Fifth graders attend the Simple Machines show.  Can a student really lift their teacher using a lever?  How were levers  used in medieval warfare?  How can you control force using gears and  pulleys?  This fun show demonstrates how all simple machines help us do work by trading distance for effort.

Electricity is a topic of study in Sixth grade science.  The hands-on electricity workshop is attended by Sixth graders, and will reinforce much of what they are learning in the Science curriculum.   How do you use circuits and electronics to get electricity to do what you want it to do?  How does a motor work?  What does a fuse do?  They learn about basic electrical components such as resistors, switches, photo sensors, lights, motors, and electromagnets. The class designs and builds basic electronic circuits.

These workshops and shows are funded by the Science Enrichment component of the PTO Budget, made possible by your contributions to the PTO Annual Fund.  Thank you!

There was a brief review of the playground structures chosen for the Pre-K and K area to the side of the building and the structures for the playground at the rear of the building for ages 5-12.  There is a four-week bidding period.  The goal would be for the contract to be awarded by the end of February to leave enough lead time for the materials to be on site by the end of April when the Druce site will be ready to have the area prepared for the installation of the playground structures.  The installation should be completed by mid-July.

Members of the Building Committee requested additional information about the breakdown of costs for materials and installation as well as the number of students (capacity) of the playground structures and play area during recess times.

Roof-top Structures
In response to the abutters concern about the height, quantity, and placement of the rooftop structures, the Building Committee looked at options that would do the following:

• Lower the height of the units and screening structures by 12”-18”.
• Angle the top of the screening structures to give the appearance of a shorter structure.
• Use polycarbonate for the 12”-18” at the top of the lowered screening structures to allow for more light to pass through
• Reposition some of the structures to mitigate the obstructed views for the abutters.

There was discussion surrounding the related costs (money and delay of the project) of the options and the relative benefit to the abutters to resolve the abutters’ concerns.  According to the abutters present, the options for angling the screening structures and replacing the tops of the screening structures with polycarbonate are of limited value.  The options of interest to the abutters require moving some of the mechanical structures and the screening structures closer together and away from the Dean Road and Clinton Road properties.  Since more precise costs cannot be determined without designing the plan for the options, the architect was charged with conducting a preliminary feasibility study to show if the options to move the structures are possible and to provide more specific information regarding any additional costs that would be incurred.   This information will be shared with the Building Committee on Friday, December 9, 2011.

This author/illustrator visit is paid for out of the Runkle PTO Annual Fund and from donations by the Runkle After School Program.

Monday, December 5, 7-8:30 pm

Devotion Auditorium

Digital citizenship is quickly becoming the newest buzzword used in conversations around cyber safety. But what does it really mean to be a responsible digital citizen? Kids continue to become more digital savvy and parents, teachers and community leaders work to keep pace. Now is the time to start important, active conversations about how to navigate cyberspace safely, while embracing all the benefits, creativity and innovation that it offers. Join us for the first in a series of highly informative and interactive conversations. In response to requests from across the Brookline community, a local expert in cyber security will present new information, providing you with a greater understanding of the issues and tools to help you and your family stay safe online. For more information please email Devo pto.

http://www.devotionschool.org/

On December 5, 2011, there will be a Building Committee Meeting at 8:30 a.m. for a presentation of the playground equipment to be installed on the Druce Street site, followed by a follow up discussion of the roof top structures. As I know that there have been many questions about this issue, I will be sure to update you as any decisions are made.

There is also another Building Committee Meeting scheduled for December 16, 2011 to discuss the parking plan. I know that this is an area of concern both for residents in the immediate Runkle area as well as for the staff members. Please continue to look for updates in the Runkle News.

Related: Boston University Survey of Bullying at Brookline Public Schools

In attendance: Vanessa Beauchaine (principal), Jim Stoddard (vice principal), Mark Allyn (teacher), Jayne Friedberg Bennett, Sandy Costello, Emily Dolbear, Scott Murphy, Elvira Perez, Jen Reed, Alison Reeves, Gabriella Salvatore, Margaret Schwarzer, Jennifer Shapiro, Eugene Shih

Please click on links for more information.

Principal’s Update
Literacy

• Teachers are adopting the BAS (Benchmark Assessment System), a series of texts that can be used to identify a student’s current reading level and progress along a gradient of text levels over time.  Teachers in grades 6-8 will adopt the program in January.  Based on the BAS, teachers are able to provide small-group, supplementary interventions and powerful, daily, small-group instruction for the lowest achieving children in the early grades.
• Today will be the first meeting of the 7-person Literacy Team, which has completed 2 days of literacy collaborative training.  Future plans include expanding the literacy library.

Renovation Update

• August 15 is the new completion date to ensure “punchlist items” are completed, says Dr. B. (The school must get a certificate of occupancy from the town in order to move into the renovated building.)  Although there is a need for a contingency plan, says Dr. B., “a move can happen in a weekend.”  Planning is to start in September 2012-2013 school year on Druce.
• Pictures from the most recent “walk through” will be posted on runkle.org soon.
• In response to “Will mechanicals impact anything?” from parent, Dr. B. responded that the building renovations are proceeding as planned, despite complaints from some abutters while the Building Committee investigates options.
• In response to “Is it important that the public show up to meetings?” from parent, Dr. B. responded that there was parent presence at the most recent meeting and that the committee recognizes the parents desire to start school in September in the renovated building.
• In response to “Do you have any insight about the delay to Aug. 15?”, Dr. B. responded that maybe the rain delayed the timeline and that the plans are for the building to be completed on August 15.

• Will include an overview of the Brookline Bullying Prevention policy, new information based on the town-wide survey of bullying, and how Runkle compares district wide.
• Will include an introduction to the Olweus program using a “train the trainer model”

Room Parents Coordinator Update
Room Parent Coordinator Gabriella Salvatore shared:

• Final room parent list is complete as of 11/15/11.  It will be published in the directory and will be forwarded by email to all room parents.

• A successful K-2 cluster meeting, with room parents from those grades, was held last week.  The 3-5 and 6-8 cluster meetings will take place over the next couple of weeks.
• The final potluck takes place on Saturday.  For the future, it’s a good idea to cultivate volunteers for room parenting and potlucks in June for the following year due to the busy nature of the start of the year.

Comment from Mark Allyn: It would be great for room parents to reach out to teachers with ideas about ways they could offer help.

Annual Fund Update

• Annual Fund appeal letters have been sent out.  Postcards will be sent in December. Plan to have an update in the Runkle News soon.

Librarian Update, by proxy

• Giles LaRoche, award winning author/illustrator, will be returning to Runkle on December 9 to work with the library/3rd Grade Classrooms/and the Art Room on the 3rd grade curriculum theme of “Structure.” His new book, If You Lived Here: Houses of the World has already received a starred review and is a Junior Library Guild selection.
• Grace Lin will be returning to Runkle on Thursday, January 26 to present to K-2. We are working out the details of her presentation, in which Lin shares how a story becomes a published book as well as her illustrating techniques.  Lin has numerous picture book awards, a chapter book to her credit, and a Newbery Honor for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

PTO Events Recap/Update

• Thanks to Mini Kolluri for organizing Astronomy Night on November 9. Jim S. attended and reported that attendees were spread evenly across grades 4-6.  Highlights included the telescope (viewing moon, Jupiter, etc.), Galileo presentation, and learning about Stellarium.org. Note that this event, which cost about $700, funded by the PTO Annual Fund, was free for Runkle parents and children in attendance.
• PTO Coffee: Bullying Prevention & Intervention Plan Update with Dr. Beauchaine, November 16, 8 am (see above)
• Gingerbread House Decorating will be on December 9 after school:  Save the date and bring double rinsed orange juice or milk half gallon cartons.

Middle School Activities

• Alaina (Birden) Ortiz will be offering a six-week, drop-in art, middle-school “club” starting in December.  This is funded by the PTO Annual Fund.
• Thanks to Scott Murphy for the idea of Gym Night; no availability for gym this year but we should plan early for next year.
• Improv class: Jenn Vento submitted a proposal to lead this middle school activity.
• “Glee” class: Jenn Vento submitted a proposal to lead a “glee” class after school.  It may be a R.A.S.P. offering.

PTO Board Share

• There was a parent concern re: hallway monitoring from 7:52 am until first grade doors open.
• Chinese Ribbon Dancers are scheduled for December 7.
• Techsploration is coming for grades 3, 5, & 6 on December 16.
• Scott Murphy and Alison Reeves, who were heavily involved in the Brookline Teen Center (likely to be named “the garage”).  They helped organize food and music (former Runkle student Bella was a star performer from High School) as well guests. The BTC Open House had some 700+ visitors and was considered a success.

—Submitted by PTO Co-Chairs Sandy Costello and Emily Dolbear, November 28, 2011