News Item
Monticello Schools SLE Team working towards positive change
January 2010
RJK Middle School SLE conducts diversity survey
The RJK Middle School SLE team recently conducted a diversity survey. The survey questions asked about students' and parents' heritages. Once the information is compiled, it will be used to create a diversity map that represents the different countries of origin of the student population and their families. Future plans include creating a display of flags from each country/province represented. This is one of the ways the SLE plans to move forward toward creating a more supportive learning environment which includes celebrating diversity in the district schools.
Supportive Learning Environment (SLE) Leadership Team seeks new members
The SLE team invites parents, community members, staff, faculty and students to join them in pursuing their initiative to support the social and emotional health of the school community. Current SLE members are planning projects for the next few months that embrace the cultural diversity of the middle school and the district. For more information, contact RJK school counselor Tanya England at 796-3058, ext. 3 or parent Sue Purcell at 888-4169.
September 2009
SLE team seeks input from the community
Monticello Schools' Supportive Learning Environment (SLE) team recently hosted a Community Forum designed to provide community members with a means to discuss the results of the three-year New York State research project conducted by the SLE volunteers. The project is designed to help implement positive change to the learning environment of the district schools by gathering and analyzing information - this included an in-depth survey of parents, teachers and students. During the forum, the SLE team discussed the survey results and how they can be used as a guide for creating a plan of action. For more information, contact PPS coordinator Shari Biro at 794-0128. NOTE: the survey results are linked below.
Supportive Learning Environment (SLE) team making Monticello Schools the best they can be
June 2009
When Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patrick Michel was approached
by Tammy Rhein, the regional coordinator of the Hudson Valley
Regional Student
Support
Services Center (HVRSSSC) to participate in a New York State
Education Department pilot program designed to improve the
learning environment of students, he immediately agreed. That
began the journey of Monticello Schools’ Supportive Learning
Environment (SLE) project team.
Led by Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Director Dr. Edward
Escobar, the district put together a group of dedicated staff
members and students to help gather the information they would
need to identify what changes could be made to create a more
positive school climate - one that encourages the academic,
social and emotional success of students. The Monticello Schools
SLE team included middle and high school students who
represented the opinions, complaints and praises of their peers.
One SLE team member, 7th grader Jaclyn Bellamy, learned by
talking with her classmates that the most important thing to
them was having a harmonious
environment in school and in the community.
“Many of the students I spoke to were happy with the academics,
the learning programs and especially the music department in the
school,” said Bellamy, who attends the RJK Middle School. “Their
greatest concern seemed to be how students treat each other and
how teachers treat students.”
One of the main objectives of the study is to figure out what
changes are needed to create a safe, supportive learning
environment in which all individuals are treated with respect -
a goal the SLE team is committed to attain. During the past
three years, the focus of the project was to take an honest look
at the different aspects of the learning environment in the
district schools - then gather as much information as possible
from teachers, staff, parents and students about the things they
felt needed improvement. This included an anonymous survey in
which participants could openly express their concerns and
opinions.
The results of the survey will be shared with district officials
once the information is compiled. This will help them create a
plan for change. The main goal will be to sustain, develop
and/or enhance the supportive learning environments in the
school community that impact academic achievement, health, youth
development and citizenship.
Photo: From left, Monticello High
School students DeAndre Copeland and Jaubauri Morrison, RJK Head
Guidance Counselor & SLE Co-chair Tanya England, RJK student
Jaclyn Bellamy, Kenneth L. Rutherford 5th grade teacher Rosie
VanEtten, RJK student Shelby Cooper and PPS Coordinator & SLE
Co-chair Shari Biro.
CREATING AN ACTION PLAN - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The SLE Team has gathered hundreds of opinions and suggestions
and are putting together an Action Plan based on their findings.
The plan will be presented to the administration and Board of
Education to review and finalize.
The SLE Team hopes to begin implementation of their plan in the
fall of 2009 but needs the support of parents, teachers,
students and community members if they’re to be successful.
Anyone who would like to be involved in the process is
encouraged to contact the PPS office at 794-0128.
community survey reveals diverse opinions and concerns
In October 2008, students, faculty, staff and parents were administered a survey that examined a dozen or so dimensions of our school community. The results revealed some interesting data about our schools, including some opinions about our physical surroundings. On a rating scale of 1 to 5, the middle school scored in the range of 3.50 – 3.83 and the high school received a range of scores from 3.00 – 3:33. Although these ratings were favorable, the students wanted to further enhance their schools’ appearance by weeding and planting some flowers. It was a wonderful way for two district initiatives to collaborate to better the school community.
getting the community involved
It is the district’s plan to continue such projects with other community resources and to discuss and take action on the data obtained from the survey. If anyone in the community is interested in obtaining more information or becoming involved in the Supportive Learning Environment please contact PPS Coordinator Shari Biro at 794.0128 or RJK Middle School Guidance Counselor Tanya England at 796.3058.
To view the survey results, click on the links below
Monticello High School
http://portal.schoolclimate.net/Portals/8/Reports/CSCI Report
1080303.pdf
Robert J. Kaiser Middle School
http://portal.schoolclimate.net/Portals/8/Reports/CSCI Report
1080304.pdf
Monticello's Elementary Schools - Chase, Cooke, Duggan &
Rutherford
http://portal.schoolclimate.net/Portals/8/Reports/CSCI Report
1080331.pdf
Spring Comes to the Monticello Central School District
In mid-May, a group of students and adults from two district
leadership teams worked together to weed and plant flowers in
front of the middle school and high school. The Supportive
Learning Environment (SLE) team and the RJK's Positive Behavior
Interventions and Supports (PBIS) team collaborated to bring
spring to their schools.
Special thans to the Monticello Greenhouse for their donation of
plants and flowers.
Photo - top: from left, 8th grader
DeAndre Copeland, 11th grader Jaubauri Morrison, RJK Head
Guidance Counselor & SLE Co-chair Tanya England, 7th grader
Jaclyn Bellamy, 5th grade teacher Rosie VanEtten, 7th grader
Shelby Cooper and PPS Coordinator & SLE Co-chair Shari Biro.
Photo - middle: From left, Director of PPS Dr. Edward Escobar,
9th graders Jesus Mangual and Rachelle Walker, 12th grader,
Nyoki Tate, 8th graders James Whitlock, Bethany Ruperti and
Amber Grobusch, School Physchologist Dr. Debra Edwards, and 8th
grader Andrew Garrison.
Photo - bottom: 8th grade PBIS students Larissa Roussos and
Tayler Pagan help with the planting in front of the middle
school.