What the heck is going on here?
As you probably all know, the district is revising its homework policy and has invited the PTSA’s to be involved in a conversation about the homework our children do (or don’t do, as the case may be). On the website under Homework there are links to the district’s timeline, its current policies on homework, and “guiding questions” it would like parents to consider as they weigh in on the process. The webpage also has a good (and GROWING) number of links to research on the value of homework, etc. Check it out when you get a chance:
As the discussion has evolved, we have decided that we’d like to approach this issue by having each school will hold a “community conversation” meeting, on some evening before the end of March.
Why did I get the list of IEA reps?
The teachers are also a part of this process and are eager to join in on our conversation. As you can imagine, teachers’ opinions on homework vary as much as parents’ opinions do, so this is definitely not an “us against them” thing — we all want what’s best for our children and a conversation in which multiple opinions and viewpoints are aired and explained will benefit all of us. So please contact your rep(s) and involve them from the beginning of the meeting planning process — this is a team effort.
Why do we need facilitator training?
There is an art to managing a “group conversation” and we are tremendously fortunate that one of our own advocacy reps has training in this that she’s willing to share with us. At the program after the January Council meeting, presidents (and any advocacy reps who can come) will get the briefest introduction to facilitating skills (how to keep people from saying the same thing over and over, keep them from rambling, etc.), plus a discussion of how to wrap up the meeting so that everyone attending feels they had a tangible opportunity to weigh in. The full-blown workshop will be in the evening of Monday Jan. 14, exact time to be determined as soon as I book the room. If you can, please plan for whoever is facilitating your meeting to attend that evening.
Can we do a survey?
Sure, and if you do set one up, please share it with the rest of us in case other schools want to follow suit. Surveys are a great way to involve families that cannot otherwise attend your meeting, but it shouldn’t replace the meeting itself, as there is great value in having parents hear the differing viewpoints.
What are the next steps?
1. Presidents and advocacy reps, working together, should contact their IEA reps and invite them to weigh in on planning the meeting, including choosing a date and a facilitator. Keep in mind that the facilitator will not be allowed to be a part of the conversation/express an opinion. Let me know if you have trouble finding a facilitator.
2. Sara Niegowski has specifically asked us NOT to put this on the principals’ plates at all — they are up to their eyeballs in TPEP stuff and will not have the bandwidth to participate meaningfully in this.
3. If you are in a middle or high school, make sure your ASB knows about this, and let them figure out how they want to make the range of student voices heard (conducting their own survey, inviting students to attend the conversation, etc.)
4. As soon as you have a date set, let Sara Niegowski and me know. Sara wants to put the dates on the district website, and I will pass them to Lida Buckner to put on the Council website. That way, if one of your elementary school parents can’t attend, they can go to another elementary school’s evening, since the conversations are likely to be similar. I would love to have all your dates by the January 10 council meeting — let me know if you are having problems with this.
Thanks again, and don’t hesitate to let me know if you have follow-up questions.