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Events The next meeting for the 2007- 2008 F.O.C.U.S. team will be held at Oxford School in February 20th at Oxford School from 6:30p.m to 8:30p.m. . There will be childcare and dinner provided. Come meet with other parents and discuss and learn what can be done to help our children succeed .
MEETING NOTESF.O.C.U.S. MEETING MINUTES
F.O.C.U.S. MEETING MINUTES
OXFORD F.O.C.U.S MEETING AGENDA for Wednesday, November 13,2007
MEETING AGENDA
6:30 p.m. Dinner & Conversation 6:35 p.m. Call to Order and Introductions 6:40 p.m. Review and Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes and Additions to Agenda 6:50 p.m. Old Business/Standing Agenda Items 7:05 p.m. New Business 7:45 p.m. Review of action items 8:00 p.m. Adjournment
Old Business/Standing Agenda items:
I. Welcome new and returning members II. Update on Past Action Items III. F.O.C.U.S. Booth at Harvest Festival (BBQ Food Booth)- Update IV. Grant Writing- Update V. Oxford by Numbers November PT A Meeting for a download of this file , click here. VI. F.O.C.U.S. Bulletin Board VII. School Governance Council- Alicia Mayorga elected SGC Chair. Congratulations! VIII. Math & Reading Enrichment Programs
New Business: IX. Parents night out-December. Tis the season to shop and wrap presents , so the F.O.C.U.S. will be providing day care for your children on Fri Dec 21st 10a.m. to 2 p.m. for $20 a child. lunch and entertainment will be provided. I f there are any dietary issues please inform the F.O.C.U.S. in advance of dropping off your child/children. X. Making Whiteness Visible "Making Whiteness Visible" is a video that discuss the benefits of being white in today's society. As of this moment, a speaker for this video is being researched for discussion afterwards. XI. Black History Celebration & Latino History Celebration XII. Test Taking Skills XIII. Other Academic Events i.e. Shut off the TV Week, Spelling Bee XIV. District P.A.S.S. Meeting Monday, December 3,2007 Berkeley Technology Academy (B-Tech 2701 MLK Way @ Derby) 6-8pm
DATE: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 TIME: 6:30 P.M. LOCATION: Oxford School
ATTENDEES: Kim Oliver Albert Rayford Alicia Mayorga Kanika Stuart Corey Johnson
The meeting was called to order at 6:45 p.m.
Introductions: No new members at this meeting.
Old Business/Standing Agenda Items
I. FOCUS Logo and T-Shirts The group voted on a final logo and T-shirt design for Oxford FOCUS. Kim Oliver will look into how much it will cost to get them printed on a Black T-Shirt. The Do-it-yourself iron on kit we discussed at the last meeting only allows printing on white t-shirts and we all agreed that we want black t-shirts. The money we make from fundraisers will pay for the T-shirts to keep the cost of participation for FOCUS down to a minimum. II. Harvest Faire The volunteer schedule was finalized. We have enough help to run our booth at the Harvest Faire. We wanted to have our T-shirts to wear at the event, but there is not enough time so instead we will all wear bright colored shirts.
To add to the entertainment Kim O. booked two bands. “The Unsmokables” an urban hip hop band and “Jump Back” a 50’s cover band will both be new additions to the entertainment. Please come with your family and friends. This event is going to be loads of fun. III. End of year off-site Outing This year Oxford would like to sponsor an end of the year off-site outing for FOCUS Families. We have not decided when or where, but this will be a future action item. IV. PTA Oxford By Numbers On Tuesday November 6, 2007 Janet Levenson will present Oxford by Numbers which is essentially the results of Oxford’s Standardized Test Scores (CST). The meeting starts at 6:30pm and we are hoping all F.O.C.U.S. members will be present to hear the achievement gap information. This is a wonderful opportunity for parents to ask questions and get answers that relate to Oxford is addressing this national problem. V. P.A.S.S. Updates The first P.A.S.S. meeting was a success. Dr. Will Walker led the group through a meaningful exercise which forced us to discuss some of the racial barriers that prevent us from coming together for the sake of our kids. The final outcome was that we need to break down those barriers so that we can effect change. The Next PASS meeting is Monday December 3rd from 6pm-8pm at B-Tech. Academy (B-Tech; 2701 MLK Way @ Derby). We hope all F.O.C.U.S. members will be able to attend. VI. Website Update The F.O.C.U.S. website is back up and running thanks to Corey Johnson. He has done a fabulous job of keeping the website updated for us. Corey has also launched a new website where our kids’ art work can be displayed. If there is content you would like added to either of these website please email Corey with hard copies or electronic copies of your information and he will update the websites. Corey’s email address is: CJTAZ316@aol.com The F.O.C.U.S. web address is: www.OXFORDFOCUS.net Oxford Kids web address is: www.OXFORDKIDS.net
Check it out! New Business: I. FOCUS Budget for 2007-2008 Leigh G. from the PTA has informed us that the FOCUS has a budget for this school year! Also, the PTA will account for the monies we raise from FOCUS fundraisers. The PTA has also offered to share the donated paper goods they received for the Harvest Faire with the FOCUS Food Booth. We sure do appreciate this! II. Oxford School Governance Council Congratulations to Kanika Stuart who was newly elected to the SGC. FOCUS now has three members participating in the SGC and this is exciting news! III. Fundraising for Oxford We are all so excited about our FOCUS Food Booth at the Harvest Faire. In addition to the Harvest Faire, FOCUS would like to host two parent’s night out events which Ms. Levenson has already approved. Kim and Kanika attended a Development meeting as Janet had suggested and shared with the members a little bit about what FOCUS is and why we need to raise money for some of the events we would like to host for the school year and most importantly to increase parent participation. IV. 2007-2008 F.O.C.U.S Welcome Committee Alicia M. mentioned the need for a script that we can all use to share with the Oxford Community about what FOCUS is and what we are working to achieve. Many have us have been approached and not sure of how to explain in a diplomatic way of why this group was formed and what we are all about.
For instance, if a parents asks what Oxford is about the response can begin with; “You know, thank you for asking. I would love to share with you what FOCUS is about…”
Kim O. is going to begin a script and all members are going to add/edit it until we drill down to a talk track that we can all use.
We also discussed that our number one priority is recruiting parents to join FOCUS. Again, we want to use the script once it is finalized so we don’t turn people off. In addition to that we are also going to hang a sign the day before each meeting reminding parents who drop their kids off that FOCUS is meeting. Hopefully this will draw some attention. V. Additions to Agenda- FOCUS Bulletin Board FOCUS picked a spot for our bulletin board in the hallway kitty cornered from the PTA board. FOCUS members will have a “FOCUS Presents” theme in which we introduce a different historical person of color every other week. There will be a FOCUS challenge associated with every board and we will be awarding students who solved the challenge with prizes, like hand puppets and gift cards. Kanika is going to help us accent the board with cultural décor. All FOCUS members are going to work on getting content for the Board so we are sure to include as many different cultures as possible. Alicia is going to work on getting a donation of about 500 hand puppets and Corey is going to work on getting some gift card donations. We are also going to try to get some certificates printed for students that take the FOCUS challenge. Turn Off the TV Week Our FOCUS Group really wants this to be a huge success, so we are going to get an early start at planning this week and the events surrounding it. This will be a standing agenda item for all the meetings leading up to this event.
DATE: THURSDAY, Sept 19, 2007 TIME: 6:30 P.M. LOCATION: Oxford Elem. School
I. Welcome new and returning members II. Update on Past Action Items New Business: III. Fundraiser for F.O.C.U.S. Academic Programs IV. Grants for the F.O.C.U.S. team's events members of the F.O.C.U.S. team will be attending a meeting on Sept 20th about grants. V. F.O.C.U.S. Booth at Harvest Festival (Heritage Booth already suggested) A booth will be present at the Harvest faire with all funds going towards Spring Fashion show and Spelling bee VI. Dinner & Fashion Show in the Spring VII. Black History Celebration & Latino History Celebration VIII. Oxford by Numbers November PTA Meeting IX. Math & Reading Enrichment Programs X. Test Taking Skills XI. Other Academic Events i.e. Shut off the TV Week, Spelling Bee Planned for May- April XII. F.O.C.U.S. Bulletin Board
XIII. School Governance Council XIV. District P.A.S.S. Meeting October 2, 2007 at Berkeley Adult School 6pm-8pm
The next meeting for the 2007- 2008 F.O.C.U.S. team will be held at Oxford School on Wednesday October 17th from 6:30p.m. to 8:30p.m. . There will be childcare and dinner provided. Come meet other parents and learn what we have planned for the upcoming school year.
DATE: THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2007 TIME: 6:30 P.M. LOCATION: LA VAL’S
ATTENDEES: ELISA LEWIS, PARENT AND BOARD MEMBER KIM OLIVER, PARENT AND BOARD MEMBER COREY JOHNSON, PARENT AND BOARD MEMBER LEE WILSON, PARENT AND BOARD MEMBER LEE NORA GLOVER-OWENS, PARENT THE JOHNSON’S, PARENTS
The meeting was called to order at 6:45 p.m.
Introductions: Two New Parents joined FOCUS this month. The Johnson’s are the proud parents of Joseph in Ms. Sheppard’s class. So we would all like to give them a very warm welcome to F.O.C.U.S. We are so glad they were able to attend and we look forward to seeing them at future meetings.
Old Business/Standing Agenda Items
I. Update on Past Action Items At the last meeting Erica Varize agreed to create a logo for F.O.C.U.S., but we have not been able to reach her. Elisa will try contacting her to see if this is something she still plans to help out with. If not we will need to find another volunteer to help us with this. II. Re-Elect Board Members-Update Contact Information Newly elected Board Members:
Kim Oliver Elisa Lewis Lee Wilson Corey Johnson
Elisa will contact Kanika to see if participating on the Board is something she wants to continue to do as we have not been able to reach her as well. III. End of year off-site picnic planning The Potluck BBQ for F.O.C.U.S. will be rescheduled for Sunday May 20th at 2pm. The location will still be San Pablo Park. Lee Nora will make a flyer for the families and will include an RSVP and also a notice if there are any dietary restrictions. IV. PTA Oxford By Numbers On Tuesday May 15th , Janet Levenson will present Oxford by Numbers. The meeting starts at 6:30pm and we are hoping all F.O.C.U.S. members will be present to hear the achievement gap information. Kim Oliver shared a concern that was already shared at the Oxford Site Council which is the data is released in October and yet the presentation is scheduled for May. The F.O.C.U.S. members agreed that we would all like to see the Data presented no later than November. FOCUS would also like an electronic copy of the Power Point Presentation of the Oxford by Numbers Meeting to discuss at the FOCUS meeting that follows the presentation and also post to the F.O.C.U.S. website. Kim Oliver will be responsible for requesting this from Janet Levenson. V. P.A.S.S. Updates The Next PASS meeting is Thursday May 3rd from 6pm-8:30pm at Willard Middle School. We hope all F.O.C.U.S. members will be able to attend. VI. Website Update The F.O.C.U.S. website is up and running thanks to Corey Johnson. He has done a fabulous job of putting a website together for us. It looks wonderful, so a huge round of applause for Corey. If there is content you would like added to the website please email Corey with an electronic version of your information and he will update the website. Corey’s email address is: CJATFOCUS@OXFORDFOCUS.NET The F.O.C.U.S. web address is: www.OXFORDFOCUS.net Check it out! New Business: I. Oxford Proposed Budget for 2007-2008 Kim Oliver shared the proposed budget with the F.O.C.U.S. group and her concerns that the budget was not appoint monies to increase the direct services needed for the kids at Oxford that are falling behind. Some of the parents had questions that Kim was not able to answer regarding the reading recovery program so we tabled those until the next meeting when they can ask Janet directly. There were also concerns brought up regarding the fact that there are no interventions in place for the older grades. This item will be added as Old business on the Agenda for the next meeting. II. Oxford Site Plan Kim Oliver explained what the Oxford Site Plan is and all of the parents requested a copy. Kim will bring copies to the next meeting for parents and will also send Corey an electronic copy to add to the F.O.C.U.S. website. The school site plan is so important to all families because it is a document that is presented to the district which details the school data, the budget and the plans for improvement which impacts every child’s experience at Oxford. All families are encouraged to read it and familiarize yourself with this document. III. Fundraising for Oxford Due to time constraints we did not get to this agenda item so it will be tabled until the next meeting and added to New Business. IV. 2007-2008 F.O.C.U.S Welcome Committee We will create a F.O.C.U.S. welcome committee and set up a welcome booth at the first back to school night in Fall 2007. The Board will collaborate and set this up. This will be a way to introduce F.O.C.U.S to new parents and returning parents that did not have the opportunity to get involved. We will also send out a publication the first week of school to all Black families at Oxford. All of next year’s meeting dates and events will be determined this year so that we make it on the Oxford calendar and the Oxford website to get our meetings publicized and organized. Everyone at the meeting agreed that we need to be as organized as possible if we are going to effect change. V. Additions to Agenda Principal Levenson would like to be included and invited to every meeting going forward. We all agreed that she should be invited to every meeting, but a concern was voiced that some parents feel more comfortable speaking when amongst their peers, so we will ask that Janet leave half way through the meeting so we can open the discussion for those parents. Elisa Lewis will not be able to make the next meeting, but we will still proceed with the meeting as planned at Oxford. We will be sure to invite Ms. Levenson. J Lee Nora will also prepare the flyer for the next meeting.
Some parents had been notified that the state testing was coming up. There was some confusion as to whether or not there are practice tests that could be sent home for parents to work with their students because none of the parents at the meeting had received practice tests or sample tests.
FOCUS would again like to hear from Janet a more detailed explanation as to a site plan to both attract and hire a staff that is reflective of the diverse student population at Oxford. This item will be added to the next meeting Agenda as old business. Kim Oliver will request from Janet the statistics of the current staff. We are especially concerned that we need more male teachers.
Lee Nora Glover-Owens also brought up and recommended that Oxford has another event similar to that on International Women’s Day where positive male role models come to the morning assembly and share their careers. It is just as important for boys as it is girls to see male role models in their community. We were thinking the week before Father’s Day might be a good time to do that.
The meeting we adjourned at 8:30pm. click to open a copy of the minutes for the meeting FOCUS MEETING NOTES 4/19/2007 click to open a copy of the Oxford site council plan Oxford Site Plan To save files on your computer , right click on file and select " save target as ".
- Discussed the benefits for Camp Breathe Easy.
click to view file CampBreatheEasy.pdf
If you do not have ADOBE ACROBAT reader , click the link
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