Arts Academy Revitalization Action Team

Arts Academy Meeting Notes, October 17, 2007

October 17, 2007 at 3:29 pm | In Minutes |

Summary:

We spent about 30 minutes discussing strategies for improving how we work together as a group. Starting with the next meeting, we will have a stack of Sticky Notes on the table. One person will volunteer to be the “parking lot attendant”, which means that if someone makes a comment that seems like it’s in danger of making the group get off track, the attendant will ask that the comment be put in the “parking lot” (on a Sticky Note). The note can be handed to Valerie. We will save 5 minutes at the end of the meeting to discuss any issues on the stickies and determine whether one or more of them should be on the agenda for the next week.

We added some items to the “what does our student look like” list. You can see the current contents of the list in a tab at the top of the blog.

Our meetings often run past 2:10. If you are planning on counting that extra meeting time towards your 10-13 extra contract hours, please keep track of it on your own.

Agenda for next week:

1. revisit work in progress (”what does a student look like?”) and: how to get student input : 30 minutes
2. look at the process for coming up with a vision: for example, talk about group vs. small group work: 20 minutes
3. “parking lot” issues: 5 minutes
4. agenda for next meeting: 5 minutes

Present:

• Vicky Stubbs
• Jane Krasnow
• Diane Manzi
• Valerie Green
• Phil Divinsky
• Dave Nichols
• Lisa Hicks
• Dave Beane

Review of AARAT Norms from before:

• Arrive on time, start on time, end on time
• Honor time limits and stay focused on agenda
• Be respectful of all people and keep an open mind to new ideas
• One person speaks at a time allowing equal time for discussion
• Pitch in and share the workload
• Seven norms of collaboration
• Check-in at the end of meetings

Phil distributed the “Seven Norms of Collaboration: A Supporting Toolkit”

Different people have different styles: an “open” environment for brainstorming, for example. Our “norms” may squash that freedom a bit, but it’s important as a group to agree how we want to work together. How does each one of us like to work? How will we work best together?

Is there anything we need to change/add to building norms? How do we become mindful of how each of us likes to work?

We need both things–the open brainstorming and also the structured analysis of what we’re doing.

“parking lot” (facilitation strategy): Sticky notes for writing down thoughts while the meeting is going on, in case we are in the middle of something and we’re on a roll. Other strategies that would help?

Let’s build in some time at the end (5 minutes) to talk about anything people have written on sticky notes during the meeting.

The facilitator will probably change depending on who is leading the current topic or area of work. We need to compromise on the times when we’re following linear thought vs. non-linear thought. How do we decide as a group where to go in the linear or non-linear direction? When we’re “on a roll” in linear thinking, for example, how do we know when it’s appropriate to go on a tangent?

What Phil has heard in and out of the group is that we need to start having something tangible to present to people. Val needs a balance of tangible things and “big idea” thinking. If someone has an idea and we can’t as a group figure out what the connection is, we’ll put it in the parking lot. Each week, let’s have someone be the “parking lot manager” so we can share responsibility for deciding when we’re “off track”.

summary:

• someone will be “parking lot attendant” (voluntary)
• we will visit parking lot issues at the end of the meeting.

Do we want to use our extra hours (13) for extended meeting time? A lot of people can’t stay after 2:10. If you stay extra and you want to use the time to count towards your hours, please keep track of the extra minutes on your own.

What does small group work look like? When do we do it? We need to create a vision statement in a large group. So maybe we can do breakout groups after the visioning is done? Dave B., Val, Diane, and Dave N. need to meet with Bob Bettencourt. Can that happen on a Wednesday? Lisa wants to see what they’re doing written up so that people know that it’s going on. It could lead to something like a combined design course that we all teach at the beginning of the year, for example. Also, the HOME project needs to be described/written up, needs to be reflected on.

Work around the “what does a student look like?”

something about: going into the world of work, the world of the arts, or post-secondary ed.
there’s thought w/in the curricula about where the students are going afterwards

We don’t necessarily want to separate the world of work from the world of the arts.

• have the skill sets for different post-graduation options
• know enough about different options to make a decision
• have explored the available options for after graduation

We’re hoping that students can make their art their work. Part of our job is to show the community that it can be done.

We all have different “vocabulary” in our classes, but once the vocabulary is there, students are using it to create, and that’s the piece that we all share. Like the musical theater production “the Art of Seeing Things Invisible”, script created at PATHS. Every program was represented (kids were all interviewed) and presented by Music and Dance. We want our kids to experience different programs in our school as an elective process.

So:

• has explored other courses at PATHS through semester courses and electives

That goes along with the bullet on working collaboratively.

Kids in Dance say that the academic disciplines are still important and shouldn’t be “watered down”.

• has achieved mastery in Math, Science, English, and History

The Arts give students skills they need to succeed in everyday aspects of life. Problem-solving, self-confidence, community-building.

• is ready to succeed in everyday life, with self-confidence, ability to solve problems, and build community.

When we do a presentation, we should have a student that will “play” the AARAT student. Write a script, have the student or students act out what it would be like to be students in the Arts Academy.

• compassionate

Current complete list is now posted here:

We should ask our kids what they see themselves looking like.

Agenda for next week:

1. revisit work in progress (”what does a student look like?”) and: how to get student input : 30 minutes
2. look at the process for coming up with a vision: for example, talk about group vs. small group work: 20 minutes
3. “parking lot” issues: 5 minutes
4. agenda: 5 minutes