DrumBeat: Drummond LSC and PTO News & Views

The Drummond LSC will be meeting this evening at 6:00 pm in room 104. All are invited to attend. A copy of the agenda is attached below.

Jonathan

April 23 agenda2

Thank you to everyone who took Drummond’s survey about the CPS extended day plans.

The LSC took the results, along with feedback from our administration and teachers, and yesterday we sent a letter to CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard and the members of the Board of Education, sharing with them our hopes and concerns about the proposed extended day.

The survey results sent a clear message, with 91.5 percent of respondents preferring a school day shorter that the 7.5 hours proposed by CPS. Of special concern was the length of the school day for our youngest students, with 70 percent expressing support for Early Childhood having a shorter day than our older students. There were also clear concerns about the future of afterschool activities and homework if a longer day is adopted.

We also appreciated the preferences about how the additional time should be used, with Recess, Science, Foreign Language, Math, Montessori Work Period and Art topping the list.

The letter to CPS expressed our desire to collaborate with CPS to make a longer day a success, as they have collaborated with us to make our Montessori program successful. However we were clear about our parents desires as communicated in the survey, and about our practical concerns, primarily that no funding has been identified by CPS for implementing this program.

I encourage you to check out the letter and the survey results. A copy can be downloaded here: Drummond LSC Extended Day Survey and Letter.

The Drummond Local School Council’s first meeting is an organizational meeting and is scheduled for July 8th at 6:30pm at Drummond School, Room 007 (in the basement.)

A copy of the agenda is available here. 

Childcare will be provided at minimal cost. Refreshments will also be served. All Drummond parents, teachers and community members are invited and encouraged to attend!

The Magnet School Exploratory Committee, chaired by Principal Collins, is meeting this Thursday, Feb. 22 at 8:30 am in Room 103. This committee is researching options for academic programs to propose for funding through the federal grant programs like the one that funded the Drummond Montessori program. At this meeting, committee members will report some research findings on explored program options, such as the International Baccalaureate programs. This meeting is open to all parents and the public. Agenda attached.

Highlights include:  

 New Business
          Hideout fundraiser report and acknowledgement (5 min)
          Book Fair fundraiser – H. Zakas (3 min)
          NCLB budget transfer – Jennifer James (3 min)
   Old Business
          Federal grant renewal update – Mark Neidlinger and Isabel Mesa-Collins (15 min)
          Community Representative appointment (10 min)
   

LSC Committees are open to everyone within the Drummond community, even if you are not a member of the LSC.  Committees are designed to receive input from a variety of sources and report back to the LSC.  This year’s commitees are as follows: 

BUDGET-Oversees the school budget

PRINCIPAL EVALUATION-Ensures Principal Evaluation Timeline is being followed, reviews criteria

FUNDRAISING-Reviews fundraising proposals, ensures all procedures are followed correctly 

DIVERSITY/OUTREACH-Promotes Drummond to neighborhoods outside the immediate area, ensures our school retains its spirit of diversity and that everyone has a voice

SIPAAA-Becomes familiar with the goals stated in the SIPAAA, provides input as to how they are being met

Please consider joining one or more of the above committees to provide your valuable input.  To do so, please visit the Contacts page and use the “Contact a Website Administrator” form to send a message to any member of the committee(s) you wish to join.  Just put his/her name in the subject line.

The Meeting Minutes page has been updated.  Almost all PTO and LSC minutes from last year to date are available for download.  More will be added soon.  Collect them all!   

The LSC will have its first meeting of the 2006-2008 term on August 3rd at 6:00pm.  At the meeting, will discuss how the Local School Council will be  organized for the coming 2006-07 school year.  All parents, community members and Drummond staff are encouraged to attend.  An agenda will be posted.

Alderman Matlak shared some wonderful news at the LSC meeting on May 9th.  $500,000 has been pledged from the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District for the Drummond Green Space project. 

In summer 2006, an architect will begin transforming the concept plans designed by Greg Raymond into construction plans.  The plans will be implemented beginning in 2007, transforming many feet of asphalt into green space for our kids.

Thank you so much to Alderman Matlak and Mayor Daley for making this happen, and for all the support you give Drummond!

Parent Representatives

Laura Kuzniar

Nicole Cantello 

Sabrina Craig 

Carly Labrada 

Marquese Martin-Hays 

Ulysses Salamanca

Community Representatives

Jonathan Goldman

John Hennelly

Teacher Representatives

Christine MacDonald

Laura Cruz

Congratulations to all the representatives, and thank you to all the candidates, and to everyone who voted in the election.